OT: wreck of SS Iron Crown found

[jdsrae]

News for the xAK fans out there.
While no CV or BB, 40 lives are still 40 lives no matter what they were floating on.
Lest we forget.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/v ... 2020190423

[Yaab]

Didn't know that Jap submarines operated this far south. The Bass Strait is located between Australia and Tasmania. Tabular record for I-27, the Jap submarine that sank the SS Iron Crown, indicate she started her patrol from Truk, and Wikpedia gives this type B1 submarine the range of 14,000 nautical miles. I guess nobody expected a sub attack down there in June 1942.

[BBfanboy]

I wouldn't say no one expected a sub attack there, I would say that Australia was very strapped for aircraft and escort ships to protect that huge coastline, and with the threat so great on the northern coast what few resources were available went there,

In June 1942 Rommel would have been advancing toward Egypt and the Suez Canal, making it hard for Churchill to release Australian units to return to Oz. I think he only did if Indian units arrived to take their place.

So the xAK was sailing unescorted because there was nothing to send with her.

[Nowi Ribak]

Fascinating - as Yaab posted, so far south ... incredible.

[Moltrey]

This raises a question I had about Allied DD asset utilization in WITP:AE; namely, have you guys used some of the US destroyers that start in the DEI to head to the Australian east coast to escort the more vital transports? I am thinking mostly of the AO and TK ships that are so scarce.

Interested in other alternative suggestions and/or solutions from folks.
Thanks

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Moltrey

This raises a question I had about Allied DD asset utilization in WITP:AE; namely, have you guys used some of the US destroyers that start in the DEI to head to the Australian east coast to escort the more vital transports? I am thinking mostly of the AO and TK ships that are so scarce.

Interested in other alternative suggestions and/or solutions from folks.
Thanks

Australia starts to get a lot of AMs which are not great ASW vessels, but enough to make subs keep their periscope down (if they see them). The big problem is lack of crew experience and lack of really good commanders for small vessels, both needed to counter the high experience and skill levels of IJN sub crews and commanders.

In the first six months I find virtually all the DDs are needed to escort major warships (CL and up) and loaded troop transports. Bring smaller vessels like the Canadian KVs from wherever you find them. But don't forget the IO as well - Japanese subs do like to hunt around big Indian ports.

[TacticalStats]

I just lost two tankers filled with oil bound for Melbourne in the same area....1/14/42 Didn't expect to see subs that south either...Guess that is my fault for being overconfident.

[jdsrae]

That’s what the Bathurst class AM were built for.
I always wondered why the Bathurst class corvettes are called AM in game and not KV, but it is mentioned within the wiki link that they were officially classified as AM to hide their intended ASW capabilities.
Many of the grand daughters of these small ships have inherited the names and battle honours earnt in ww2.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathurst-class_corvette