Letters from a Prime Minister

[1275psi]

22 March

"Derby?"
And Carnovan as well"

"Christ on a Bicycle........and the Prime Minister hasn't moved?"

"He's done nothing.......and its worse Tony, word is there's an invasion fleet coming down
the east coast, Albany is the target..."


The Minister for the opposition stares at the wall in silence. What in the hell to do?
God, some body has to do something.





General Blamey has been on Sydney soil less than an hour. An hour travelling to Admiralty
house battling the traffic
It would have been easier, he ruefully thinks, to have taken the tram


But its been a good hour.
An hour to let me think, to step back, consider everything, to think, and decide.
To take Command decisions


Admiralty house, overlooking Sydney Harbour, a harbour bereft of ships, he notes.
Ï want all Divisional, brigade Commanders here, in this place by tomorrow. No exceptions

We have work to do.

[1275psi]

23rd March

Westralia's Anchor plunges into the dark, clear waters 500 yards from Annette island

About her, the entire convoy does the same.
Its a pretty place, a fishing harbour, at least 20 boats nestled against the wooden piers, neat houses, snow capped peaks in the distance.

A nice fat tanker waiting to fuel everyone in turn.


And there, yet to be spotted, coming up the harbour, nearly 100 Kate torpedo bombers.............

[kaleun]

Dramatic music

[1275psi]

23 March
Two months of drilling
Two months of standing too.

Useless when surprise is so complete.
Jeffery, in fact, all of the gun crew, are down on the well deck as the air fills with the
roar of aero engines. The problem is the gun is up on the quarterdeck, one deck, one bloody
ladder up.
He has barely mounted the first step, head arcing up and behind following the first Japanese bomber
flashing overhead (the rear gunner so, so visible) when the first bomb strikes.

A gigantic flash, heat, pressure, the ladder actually receding....I am flying....the gun rising, twirling,
his gun chief cartwheeling...and he strikes the guard rail near his calves, the world spins,
the waters rush up,

The shock of the cold water is indescribable.

[1275psi]

23 march

All but an escort, one AP. and the AMC manowoki, are sunk
Westralia, hit by no les than 6 bombs, heels over, burning, and sinks. Nearly a third of her
will remain above the surface, a blackened twisted reminder that these opponents, these Japanese
men, dare to risk all.

Right now, nowhere can be considered safe.

At cold bay, Its one regiment, vs one regiment.

And intell tells us, Kodiac is next.

[1275psi]

23 march

This is the news

Prime Minister Ford today announced Emergency Transport Powers, specifically
the railways. All but the most critical products must make way for Military assets
This, of course, the Prime Minister admitted today, impact the wheat harvest .
During the broadcast, the Prime Minister for the first time, admitted to "some light
Japanese incursion's principally on remote Northern Ports. He again denied that a
full scale invasion of Australia, stating that the Japanese must secure Port Moresby first.

In other news, .......

[1275psi]

24 March

The Prime Minister sits silently at the dinner table. His wife sits opposite,
studiously ignoring him. There has been a fight. Another one. What started it?
Who knows? At time, he thinks, the real war is easier than this one with HER.

There is a knock at the door, the butler.
"a telegram sir"

Thank God, a distraction.

He takes the Telegram, a standard one.

From the Admiralty

"HMAS Westralia sunk".
"Private Jeffery Ford is reported missing, however, a large number of
survivors have come ashore Annette island. Will keep you informed"


Mary looks up. "something wrong dear?"

Silently he passes the paper over.

He see's it all now. Feels it all. A lifetime of cutting back on defence, of cutting back,
of delaying, of depending on treaties instead of strength.......

How in the hell can I have allowed sending my Son to war in a tub like that?

[1275psi]

24th March

The Japs are getting very bold in the Alaskan Gulf. Encouraged maybe by yesterdays
success, CarDIV 5 releases some ships to strike at the coast itself.
The Allies hit first
Just 9 Buffalos, 2 Vindicators and 4 Dauntless attack them.

Low numbers
But not low experienced pilots. These are the very last pilots and planes available
on the east coast.
The Instructors.

CA Kako is missed. DD Hatsushima is not

16 Vindicators in the second wave.
CL Isuzu 2 bombs. Great big Crackers, the Fat ones.

They return after lunch, and do even better.

CA Kako takes 4 bombs.
B17's strike at the carrier, CVL Shoho is missed.

The Japanese retire.

[1275psi]

24th March
From
Chiefs of Staff
to
Admiral Nimitz

You are to assume Command all Pacific forces immediately.

[1275psi]

24th march

Signal intelligence for today.:

parts of 5th division enroute to Rangoon, and Koggalla
38th Division prepping for Cold bay.


Large Japanese task forces due west Carnovan

Destination Albany

[1275psi]

25th March

Admiralty house, Sydney

General Blamey considers the map.
Around the table, the commanders of Australia's 1st, 2nd and third divisions.

"This, Gentlemen, is the situation"

His pointer strikes Albany

"The Japs are coming with God knows what, and WILL get a beachhead. They are supported
by multiple carriers, and a good number of battleships."

"Where is, If I may ask, the Navy?"

Blamey shrugs......."Not available, nor will there be many planes. No time for what ifs or
if only, this, this is a chance to fight, to actually hurt the little barsteds"

Blamey actually smiles. "It will at least force Winston to actually act on his promises. Now,
this is the plan. I have ordered Western Command to abandon everything, concentrate
North of Albany. He has 5th Div, 2 Brigades. I don't expect him to hold, just to become
a big nuisance. I don't want him in Albany itself, those Battleships would crush him.. The Japs take
Albany, take Perth, will want to turn East.

Western Command, deep in the bush, should buy us time.........

Time to launch a counter attack somewhere totally elsewhere.

[zuluhour]

she had a fine crew.......(caption says 1945, IRL they needed some bonding time.) Westralia crew

[1275psi]

26 March

Admiralty house, Sydney

""General Blamey?, its the Prime Minister on the line"
Crap, its the last thing I need......"Put him on"

The Line crackles, the Prime Minister sounds tired, deflated....
"What's the situation Blamey? Is it true we are about to be invaded, and what
in the hell are we doing about it?"

God, hasn't he accepted it until now, how many times do we have to tell him?
"Yes, its true Prime Minister, several invasion fleets, carriers, battleships,
West of Perth......they will land in 2 days, I think"

There is a long silence.......And?"

The truth?, that they will probably over run half the country?, or what he wants to
hear?

Maybe a bit of both
"I am concentrating my forces sir, when I know what I am up against, then I know what
I will do.......But I will win, that I know"
"Äre you sure on that?"
Anger suddenly whelms up on him
"Why don't you bloody well ask Winston!"

[1275psi]

26th March

The Japanese have 3 task forces operating west of Perth.
One, carriers, is operating a long, long way west.
It kills today, a slaughter of a large and important convoy, sinking CL Glascow and no less than 13
large AKs, a terrible blow.

Diego Garcia begins operating bomb dropping Betties

Zeros tangle again over Port Moresby, its very much a 1 for 1 loss ratio here.

Car Div 5 strikes cold Bay . Its holding, but the Japs will bring more troops, this
we can almost guarantee.

[1275psi]

26 March

From
POTUS
to
Former Naval Officer

Agree, situation Australia grim, but not critical. Also agree that with
Aleutian thrust, potential India Thrust, no troops to be sent at this time.
How you will explain this will be interesting, I think.
Also, agree with this plan of Blameys.
The rub, as you have so explained so clearly, remains transports.

I believe we have sufficient lift for Blamey's operation. Your gift of eastern
fleet ships will allow movement of my east coast forces next month. On
Warspite, again, thankyou, we really need her services.
Finally, your thoughts on Nimitz's proposal for future command structure, how
will this work for you in India theatre........

[1275psi]

27 March

There are 130 survivors rescued from Westralia
Jeffery Ford is one of them.
He, with most of the other survivors, is suffering hyperthermia.
He like many, has burns
He, unlike most, has a broken, no, a shattered leg.
He lies unconscious this day, a doctor hovering over him, X ray in hand.
He is trying to decide whether the leg should come of, or not.

The Japanese creep ever Eastwards in the Aleutians, Port Heiden ( North east of Cold bay)is taken,
again by fast transports. This, however, is finally a place the Allies can bomb
every day.

DD Monogahan patrolling North of Lunganville intercepts a convoy, sinks 2 patrol boats, 5
AKs.

The Japanese have 2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, a collection of motely DDs in this
theatre. No Carriers.
And Nimitz is taking advantage of it. Monogahan is by no means alone operating in these waters,
3 or 4 destroyers are patrolling from Noumea all the way North to Lunga.

What they are NOT seeing, is almost as interesting as what they are.


The invasion fleet is now clearly located, and now south of Perth.
What it brings will say very, very much.

[kaleun]

He, with most of the other survivors, is suffering hyperthermia

Wouldn't that be hypothermia?

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: kaleun

He, with most of the other survivors, is suffering hyperthermia

Wouldn't that be hypothermia?

They were very excited at the time ;]

[british exil]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

ORIGINAL: kaleun

He, with most of the other survivors, is suffering hyperthermia

Wouldn't that be hypothermia?

They were very excited at the time ;]

I think they would have been too cold to notice anything. [:D]

Enjoying the ride so far. Very exciting.

Mat

[1275psi]

I will blame auto correct.......bah!, who lets good English get in the way of a story!!! LOL

28th of March
SS Grayling hits CV Zuikakau with no less than 4 torpedoes.
None go off..........


38 division undr the cover of Fuso, Yamashiro's guns, lands at cold Bay
The Aleutians are no longer a major problem, now they become a full blown crises.

SS 46 sinks CL Isuzu , already heavily damaged, in Alaska Bay

Japans light cruiser fleet is not having a good war.