A Good Place to Start - Matthew (A) v Fokko (J) - Bottlenecks Mod

[BBfanboy]

I hope you have a source of fuel for Enterprise and company after that sprint. Oz is notoriously short of fuel at game start but if you got a big tanker convoy there you should have some available at Townsville or Perth.

[RangerJoe]

I hope you have a source of fuel for Enterprise and company after that sprint. Oz is notoriously short of fuel at game start but if you got a big tanker convoy there you should have some available at Townsville or Perth.

He still has parts of the DEI so he should have fuel and oil available.

[M Peaston]

A good point there, BB Fanboy. I’ve got a replenishment group with two AOs leaving Darwin heading to just south of Ambon. There is just over 20,000 each at Darwin and Koepang and Ranger Joe’s correct; I’m keeping this topped up from Oosthaven.

I do need to keep a careful eye on fuel though. It’s amazing how it can go from “swimming in fuel” to “okay, there’s still plenty” to “Blimey, where did it all go?” in the space of a couple of turns.

[RangerJoe]

A good point there, BB Fanboy. I’ve got a replenishment group with two AOs leaving Darwin heading to just south of Ambon. There is just over 20,000 each at Darwin and Koepang and Ranger Joe’s correct; I’m keeping this topped up from Oosthaven.

I do need to keep a careful eye on fuel though. It’s amazing how it can go from “swimming in fuel” to “okay, there’s still plenty” to “Blimey, where did it all go?” in the space of a couple of turns.

Actually, you never want to be swimming in fuel in case someone were to light a match!

But you are better off keeping an eye on things. Keep hauling DEI fuel to Australia and even oil if the fuel gets depleted. Australia can also use the oil. Even haul out extra resources to keep Japan from using them! Yes, there was an AAR where the Japanese ran low on resources.

[M Peaston]

1st February 1942




CHINA

Chinese forces still aren’t having any success at Poyang - I’ll keep plugging away though.

An increasing number of Japanese forces are being detected north of Canton - possibly for a push on Kukon



SINGAPORE

The RAF took a bit of a battering over Singapore - severe storms meant that none of the CAP was airborne when the Oscars swept. I’m impressed with the resilience of the Hurricanes though, most are still combat ready so they’ll fly again tomorrow. Other than the sweeps there were no air attacks at Singapore again today, so as far as I’m concerned it’s still a job well done. On the ground another Japanese deliberate assault was held off.



PHILIPPINES

It’s starting to look decidedly dodgy for the Allies at Manila, with continuing air and ground attacks grinding away at the defenders. Morale is low, disruption and fatigue is rising.

Japanese forces are continuing to enter Bataan, although there has not yet been any ground assault.



DEI

Now for the Allied attack on Japanese shipping at Manado. HMAS Australia bombarded Ternate - that went as planned. Nothing else did, but it all worked out well anyway.

Force Z did sweet FA. In the finest traditions of the Royal Navy, the commander decided that he couldn’t fire the guns for fear of blistering his ships’ paintwork, and considering the presence of allied Dutch, Australian and US warships the top priority was for Royal Navy ships to look their best.

Boise and Marblehead went to the opposite extreme. Ignoring orders to concentrate on the Japanese shipping at Manado they charged straight into the Japanese battleship group consisting of Ise, Yamashiro, the light cruiser Oi and six destroyers. Incredibly the USN cruisers had the better of things, with only DD Yakaze on the Japanese side remaining undamaged, and Ise was plastered with 6” shells and left burning. On the Allied side Marblehead took a kicking but should be able to make Darwin OK, John D Ford has made Ambon but is burning fiercely - I don’t think she’ll survive - and Boise somehow managed to shrug off 38cm hits as if the Japanese were firing boiled egg sandwiches at her.

At Manado B17Ds attacked, losing two of their number but I think had an impact in overstretching the Japanese Zero CAP. Despite her high-speed long range run, Enterprise managed to launch AM and PM strikes against both the BB group and the Manado shipping. Japanese CAP broke up the attacks on the BB group - only DD Asagao was hit, but the attacks at Manado were unopposed. Even the stringbags from Hermes got in on the act. Both Enterprise and Hermes were supposed to stay out of range of Manado, but either I miscalculated or they reacted within range. Either way, I won’t complain.

In total eight xAKs were heavily damaged at Manado (with multiple sinking sounds heard) and a number of squads and guns reported destroyed and disabled. Also sunk was an SC, and probably DD Asagao. On the Allied side it cost 4 Dauntlesses, 4 Devestators, 4 Wildcats and 3 Albacores, in addition to the 2 B17Ds and probably John D Ford.

To add injury to insult, at the end of the day SS KXVI put a torpedo into Ise

I think I managed to achieve my objectives at Manado, and did so with a lot fewer losses than I expected.

Enterprise is now heading for Port Hedland, Hermes to Darwin and Force Z to Koepang. Boise and Australia are going to rearm at Soerabaja, then probably go to Darwin.




SWPAC/SOPAC/CENPAC.

Still no sign of KB. Recon indicates that Japanese AOs are in a TF at Truk. This could suggest that KB is out on a sustained operation, not just shifting base.




SUBMARINE WARFARE

The Thai Navy gets its first kill, with SS Machanu sinking AVP Poolster off Singkawang.




STRATEGIC/OPERATIONAL ISSUES

Having lost 9 B17Ds in 3 days, these are now restricted to recon, search and transport duties.

[BBfanboy]

Very interesting turn of events at Manado! That torp hit on Ise is sweet - IME the Japanese ships have trouble coping with both fire and flood. Fingers crossed.
What did your Devastators carry at Manado - torps or bombs? I usually use them with bombs at 6000 or 7000 feet to be above medium flak and have a weapon that works!

I do not have a Poyang on my stock map. Is that Loyang by any chance?

[M Peaston]

Sinking Ise would be very nice indeed.

The Devastators were at extended range so they were using bombs. Unfortunately they were at the same altitude as the divebombers and wildcats (11,000ft) so they weren’t very effective. I should give some thought about whether to select bomb or torpedoes rather than just leaving the default settings.

I’m not very clued up on the differences between this map and stock. Poyang is an insignificant dot base. I thought I’d try and be clever and succeeded in isolating the 20th Ind. Mixed Bde there. However, the Japanese look like being able to break out while the Chinese forces (21st and 25th Armies, 4th Guerilla Corps) seem to be coming off worst.

Poyang.png (1.46 MiB) Viewed 1043 times

[JanSako]

One of the big differences are a couple of hundred bases that do not exist in stock .

BTW, taking on a large IJA unit in good defensive terrain is really hard at start, even if you have 4x their raw AV. If you do DA's, you will get disabled faster than they. I had fairly good results with Shock attacks but only on good terrain.
The XP level of the enemy makes a big difference in how many casualties you take on the attack & the resulting 'net' AV.

My rule of thumb is - if your AV halves & their triples, will you win? So for a full IMB ~200 AV, you need ~1200 of yours. In a good terrain if you don't get jumped by Japanese air, a 4:1 advantage should be enough (your AV 1/2, theirs x2).

[M Peaston]

One of the big differences are a couple of hundred bases that do not exist in stock .

BTW, taking on a large IJA unit in good defensive terrain is really hard at start, even if you have 4x their raw AV. If you do DA's, you will get disabled faster than they. I had fairly good results with Shock attacks but only on good terrain.
The XP level of the enemy makes a big difference in how many casualties you take on the attack & the resulting 'net' AV.

My rule of thumb is - if your AV halves & their triples, will you win? So for a full IMB ~200 AV, you need ~1200 of yours. In a good terrain if you don't get jumped by Japanese air, a 4:1 advantage should be enough (your AV 1/2, theirs x2).

As I control all the surrounding hexsides I was hoping lack of supply might begin to bite. Ah well, live and learn. I'll bear that rule of thumb in mind in future

[M Peaston]

A good point there, BB Fanboy. I’ve got a replenishment group with two AOs leaving Darwin heading to just south of Ambon. There is just over 20,000 each at Darwin and Koepang and Ranger Joe’s correct; I’m keeping this topped up from Oosthaven.



Even haul out extra resources to keep Japan from using them! Yes, there was an AAR where the Japanese ran low on resources.

I had wondered if this would be worthwhile. There’s certainly a lot of resources built up at Singapore and other locations. The operation to evacuate civilians is winding down now so I have more shipping available, but I think I’ll turn my attention more to building up my own forces and logistics now. I'd be interested to look at that AAR though.

[M Peaston]

2nd February 1942.



A quiet turn with not much to report.

Oscars swept Singapore - losses were light on both sides: honours pretty even.

Somehow the orders for Hermes got muddled up and she stayed where she was, launching her stringbags on another attack on shipping around Manado. Much to Fokko’s chagrin they managed to dodge the 22 Zeros on CAP and land four 500lb bombs on an xAK. Naturally, I’ll portray this as Hermes skilfully covering the fleet’s retreat rather than the cock-up it actually was.

Mini-KB has been spotted entering the eastern DEI so Hermes really does need to scarper this time - she is off to Koepang rather than Darwin now.

There is still no sign of KB.

An Allied xAKL transporting resources/supplies between Hilo and Pearl Harbor was sunk by a mini-sub at Hilo. I though I had a sloop on escort but apparently not.

Shipping entering the theatre had been backing up at Panama as I had neglected to provide any escorts (I had rather lazily assumed there would always be something suitable turning up there as reinforcements). I’ve now organised a large convoy (about 50 ships) from Panama to San Diego under escort. I don’t particularly like large convoys of multi-speed ships, but needs must. I’ll make sure there’s a regular flow of escorts in future.

[M Peaston]

3rd February 1942



CHINA

Japanese troop movements indicate they may possibly be crossing the border from Indochina towards Nanning. Coupled with today’s heavy bombing of Wuchow by the Japanese it may be that the direction of advance will be northwest from Canton linking up with a northeast advance from Indochina. Something to keep an eye on.

In the North Japanese forces are definitely moving along the main road away from Kiuchuan/Hami. Meanwhile the 12th Ind Infantry Rgt has been detected moving towards Ningsia. I think it likely the Japanese will be concentrating their forces for a push on Lanchow. If this is the case I intend to defend Ningsia in order to deny the Japanese the ability to build an airbase there for as long as possible, then fall back on Lanchow itself.

The Japanese Bde escapes the net at Poyang. 21st and 25th Army will shift eastwards to meet the Japanese advancing from that direction.



INDIA/BURMA

18th Bde of the Australian 7th Division is at Aden embarking for Karachi.

Elements of the Japanese 55th Div are slowly advancing on Moulmein.



SINGAPORE

After another deliberate assault the defenders are looking decidedly shaky. Again there was no bombing from the Japanese air force, only fighter sweeps. I suspect Fokko may think he can take Singapore without air attacks, in which case there is probably little point in defending against Japanese sweeps. Accordingly I’m pulling back the RAF Fighter cover to Java. I’ll keep it under review.



PHILIPPINES

Manila and Iba are still holding out. A Japanese bombardment at Bataan shows they have 2 divisions (21st and 38th) and 4 artillery units (3rd Ind Heavy Art Bn, 1st Heavy Art Rgt, 1st Medium Rgt and 15th Ind Mortar Bn).



DEI

DD John D Ford burned up and sank at Ambon. I should have scuttled her but I forgot. Joining her on the bottom at Ambon is AVP Arend after a visit from Japanese dive-bombers from Mini-KB, loitering with a BB/CA group southwest of Ternate. I don’t anticipate Mini-KB and the BBs/CAs pushing on deeper into the DEI at the moment; that’s not been the pattern to date. However, just in case the Japanese are inclined to raid farther in, I’ve got Banshees, Stringbags and P40s on alert at Koepang and Makassar, Force Z is tasked with Koepang from any naval bombardment, and Enterprise and Hermes are lurking south of Timor. If the Japanese raid Darwin I have more of a problem, as there’s just one squadron of P40s and a couple of AA Rgts for protection there. Out of caution I’m distributing some of the shipping at Darwin to nearby ports. As I said, I don’t anticipate an attack, but I can’t rule it out.

Japanese Zeros swept Balikpapan - the first Japanese action here that I can remember.



SWPAC/SOPAC/CENPAC

Recon over Truk reported sighting a TF containing two fleet carriers. I’ve had recon flights over Truk almost daily and as a result detection levels have been pretty good. I wonder if KB has been split up? I think I”d need some more evidence before reaching such a conclusion.



SUBMARINE WARFARE

A couple of Subs encountered cargo ships/Patrol Boats in the East China Sea, and another couple of USN subs tussled with Japanese DDs near Truk. Lots of torpedoes fired and depth charges dropped, but no-one hit anything.

[JanSako]

He is really late with a push to Rabaul. Or from where are you flying your recon over Truk? If he cannot take Port Moresby & he probably cannot at this point, there is no point for him to go further South towards Lunga/Tulagi. You could consider pushing your defensive line up to Rabaul with whatever was earmarked for Noumea. It would be really hard for him to take a well defended Rabaul with support from PM & supply lines open to Australia.

Of course a CV TF at Truk is less than a day sailing from being in a strike range of Rabaul so there is that...

[M Peaston]

He is really late with a push to Rabaul. Or from where are you flying your recon over Truk? If he cannot take Port Moresby & he probably cannot at this point, there is no point for him to go further South towards Lunga/Tulagi. You could consider pushing your defensive line up to Rabaul with whatever was earmarked for Noumea. It would be really hard for him to take a well defended Rabaul with support from PM & supply lines open to Australia.

Of course a CV TF at Truk is less than a day sailing from being in a strike range of Rabaul so there is that...

You’re correct, I’m flying recon from Rabaul. At the moment Rabaul is defended by Lark Bn and the Rabaul base detachment, plus a flotilla of PT boats. I am puzzled by Japan’s failure to capture Rabaul; from what I’ve seen the Japanese have the forces in theatre to take it anytime they want.

My original plan was to secure Fiji and New Caledonia as quickly as possible, and then push north in an ‘Advance to Contact’. My planning assumption was that this would probably be around Luganville or the southern Solomons. I never envisaged I would still hold Rabaul at this stage. I have mulled over whether I could reinforce Rabaul. At the moment I’ve got the 7th Marine RCT and 148th Field Artillery Bn at Noumea. At Suva there is the 8th Marine RCT, 8th NZ Bde, 2 x Art Bns and 45th US BF. Leapfrogging 8th Marine Rgt to Rabaul is an option; Lexington is at Brisbane and available to cover any landing. Wondering how to reinforce Rabaul is a nice problem to have at this stage of the war, but It rather depends on how much time Fokko is going to allow me. If I get there first, great. If he gets there first, so be it. If we get there at the same time….that would be very bad……

Rabaul.png (3.3 MiB) Viewed 889 times

HEADING INTO THEATRE SO FAR ARE:

Due Sydney 9th Feb
II US Fighter Command
3 x Warhawk Squadrons
95th AA Rgt.

Due Sydney 13th Feb
1st Marine RCT

Due Sydney 19th Feb
24th and 30th US BFs
1 x Lightning Squadron
1 x Marauder Squadron

Due Sydney 23rd Feb
2nd and 5th Marine RCTs

Due Melbourne 24th Feb
6th AIF Div (slated for Port Moresby).

Due Sydney 3rd March
132nd and 182nd US Infantry Rgts
70th AA Rgt
181st Field Art Bn
1st Marine Raider Bn
2 x Warhawk Squadrons

My thinking has been shifting from ‘how to defend the South Pacific/Australia’ to ‘what can I divert from here to northern Australia/DEI?’ I’m seriously thinking of diverting 6th Div to Darwin.

[M Peaston]

4th February 1942



CHINA

Apart from the Lanchow, Kiuchuan and Ningsia area, and some behind-the-lines raiding, I haven’t done enough to organise my forces in China. I haven’t done anything really. Japanese moves in the southwest are forcing me to pay attention. I’ve decided to try and defend Wuchow as long as possible in the event of a Japanese attack. For one, Wuchow and Kweilin have 100 Light Industry between them, supply that I'm reluctant to give up. Secondly, the rail links between Tuyun, Kukong and Changsha make this probably the only area where the Chinese can shift forces around more quickly than the Japanese, and thirdly, the 64th Army at Wuchow and the flanking 36th Army are static and won’t be of much use unless as part of a wider defence.

Farther east, 7th Army and 3rd Guerrilla Corps were trying to retreat from Huaishang and join up with 48th Army, but a Japanese assault booted them out in the opposite direction leaving them trapped to the east.

Wuchow.png (2.1 MiB) Viewed 887 times

ABDA

There was a bit of a reprieve for Allied forces at Singapore and Manilla, as the Japanese bombarded rather than assaulted. Either could fall any day. 31st PA Div is still standing firm at Iba though.

Japanese fighters again sweep Balikpapan, but I had already withdrawn the P40’s previously stationed there back to Makassar. Tarakan has been on a plate for the Japanese for some time now, and I've recently added Balikpapan to the dish, but Japan has not taken up the offer.

My strategy in this part of the DEI has turned into a partial ‘Sir Robin’ by default. My original intention was to fight to cause delay and/or loss in order to try and culminate the Japanese attack at the point I want to defend, but I think I’m getting the time I need anyway.

Mini-KB has disappeared from the Ternate/Manado area.



SWPAC/SOPAC

7th US BF is embarking at Townsville for Port Moresby.
1st and 2nd Marine Para Bns, 193rd Tank Bn and an artillery Bn arrive at Luganville and should begin to unload tomorrow.

[M Peaston]

Truk.png (1.46 MiB) Viewed 884 times

[M Peaston]

5th February 1942.

Not a great day for the British Empire.



CHINA

An interesting and timely piece of Sigint stating that the 23rd Army is preparing for an attack on Wuchow. The Second Army in reserve at Kweilin will now also go to Wuchow; 200th Division currently at Kweiyang will go into reserve at Kweilin. Heavy Artillery group H and 41st AA had already started moving from Chunking to Changsha; they will now be diverted to Wuchow.



INDIA/BURMA

An unidentified Japanese unit has arrived at Moulmein, which has already been evacuated.



ABDA

I’m trying to find a way of quickly glossing over this and moving on to something else…..but I can’t think of anything. The Imperial Japanese Army accepted the surrender of Singapore. Percival is off my Christmas card list. I knew Singapore was looking shaky, but I rather hoping it would hold out for a little longer. I had set out in Malaya to try and keep the Japanese air forces at arms length from Singapore for as long as possible, and I thought it was working. As it happened, Malaya Command got smashed up in the process and in the event the Japanese launched very few successful bombing raids on Singapore.

On a more positive note, Manila and Iba are still holding out, and the Japanese are yet to make much progress against Bataan.



SWPAC/SOPAC

Two US Marine Para Bns and supporting Army units are now firmly ashore at Luganville.



SUBMARINE WARFARE

Allied submarines have engaged in a series of running fights with Japanese ASW units off Saigon, Miri, southwest Japan, Truk and in the East China Sea over the last 3 days. No-one has done much damage to anyone but Japan seems to be making a concerted effort to drive my subs away, which makes me think I might be starting to get them into the right places.

[M Peaston]

The Final Battle at Singapore.......


Ground combat at Singapore (50,84)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39798 troops, 584 guns, 346 vehicles, Assault Value = 1274

Defending force 27342 troops, 343 guns, 254 vehicles, Assault Value = 227

Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 2668

Allied adjusted defense: 1009

Japanese assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Singapore !!!

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIb Trop: 2 destroyed
Buffalo I: 2 destroyed

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
1190 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 14 disabled
Guns lost 10 (2 destroyed, 8 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
25020 casualties reported
Squads: 758 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2512 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 45 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 404 (404 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 281 (281 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 17

Assaulting units:
2ID 16th Infantry Regiment
18th Division
1TD 5th Tank Regiment
Imperial Guards' Division
4th Ind Engineer Regiment
2ID 2nd Recon Regiment
23rd Ind Engineer Regiment
56ID 56th Engineer Regiment
5th Division
15th Ind Engineer Regiment
2ID 24th Infantry Regiment
14th Ind.Art.Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
55ID 55th Engineer Regiment
3rd Mortar Battalion
56ID 56th Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st RF Gun Battalion
21st Medium Field Artillery Battalion

Defending units:
SSVF~ Brigade
11th Indian Division
8th Australian Division
2nd Loyal Battalion
12th Indian Brigade
Malayan Air Wing~
III Indian
Singapore Fortress
2nd Malay~ Battalion
Malaya Command~
1st Hyderabad Battalion
1st Indian Heavy AA Regiment
2nd ISF Base Force
Singapore Base Force
3rd Heavy~ AA Regiment
2nd HK&S Heavy AA Regiment
2/17 Dogra Bn /3

[M Peaston]

6th February 1942




CHINA

The Japanese launch deliberate assaults at Shuozhou, Tuanfeng and Huangshan. The Chinese, both Nationalist and Communist, show they are not going to be a walkover.

Japanese barges on the Yangtze land an unidentified force at Duchang (between Hankow and Nanking). This is where the Japanese Bde I tried to encircle had retreated to. I don’t know if this just an attempt to extract the brigade or part of a wider effort against the 3rd War Area.



INDIA/BURMA

The Japanese 33rd Div seizes Moulmein. I’m going to make an initial stand at Toungoo (where 17th Indian Div is digging in) rather than Pegu. Pegu is open terrain and looks more vulnerable to being outflanked. Rangoon has a small rearguard (2nd Burma Bde plus and RN and RAF BF) to keep the Burma Road open as long as possible; the timing of an evacuation depends on what forces the Japanese commit and where.



ABDA

Japanese fighter sweeps have caused last Dutch fighters to evacuate Sumatra for Java. The Buffalos simply couldn’t compete with the Oscars and Tojos.

US and Philippine forces survive another assault at Manila and Iba.

Indomitable and her escorts have refuelled at Oosthaven and are now approaching Cocos Island to join two RN light cruisers already there. I established a small base at Cocos early on (tanker, supplies, auxiliaries) as a staging post into and out of the DEI. Indomitable will remain for the moment at Cocos where she can intervene at Java, Timor, or return to Ceylon as needed.



SWPAC/SOPAC

Also near Cocos Island (passing to the west) is the convoy carrying 6th AIF Division. Thinking it through, I’ve decided to stick to my initial plan and send 6th Div to Port Moresby rather than Darwin. Securing communications between the USA and Australia, and protecting eastern Australia from invasion are a top priority.



USA

125th (Sep) Rgt has been bought out and is boarding Queen Elizabeth at San Francisco bound for Sydney.



SUBMARINE WARFARE


HMS Trusty got stonked at Miri, system damage 24, flotation 46, engine 5. She can make 5 knots and hopefully she’ll reach Batavia, which I think is the nearest port likely to stay out of Japanese hands long enough for her to be patched up. It’s so frustrating losing a sub out of action which has torpedoes that actually go bang….

USS Bonita took a nasty hit at Truk and is heading back for repairs.

SS KXVII torpedoed and damaged an xAK in the East China Sea

[M Peaston]

7th February 1942




CHINA

The Japanese reopened the Anking/Hankow road by forcing the Chinese 84th army to retreat from Tuanfeng. At Shuozhou the communists hold back another Deliberate Assault by the equivalent of two Japanese divisions, but without reinforcements how much longer can they hold?

The Japanese air force was in action all over China. Over 70 Sonias escorted by Tojos plastered the airfield at Kukong. I’m pretty convinced that Japan is going to make a major effort to break out north of Canton soon enough.

The Chinese airforce retaliated with some SB-IIIs bombing 37th Division at Ningsia and the 12th Ind Infantry Rgt on the road just beyond. The Chinese bombers didn’t seem to have quite the same impact as the Japanese though.




INDIA/BURMA

A squadron of Blenheims from Rangoon bombed 33rd Div at Moulmein - impact not known. They are going in again tomorrow, escorted by Hurricanes. The Gunboat ’Tarantula’ has been ordered from Rangoon to bombard Moulmein with her 6” guns.



ABDA

The Japanese capture Iba, destroying the 31st PA Div. Manila is still somehow manages to hold on another day.

18th Div has finished deploying to Koepang. I’m now looking at evacuating Kendari and Ambon, as the purpose of reinforcing and holding these two bases was to provide time for me to establish a defensive position on Timor, which I have now done. At the moment Gull Bn is at Kendari, with Sparrow Bn and 2/4 AIF Pioneers at Ambon. A small convoy will leave Darwin tomorrow bound for Kendari and protected by CAs Australia and Cornwall. Force Z is also patrolling the Banda Sea. Air cover will be provided by P40s at Makassar. Once Kendari has been evacuated it’s Ambon’s turn (I don’t have enough escorts to do both at once).

When brought out the Australian Battalions will join 2/4 MG Bn and 111th RAF BF at Saumlaki. I originally intended to send 8th AIF Div there, but that’s gone so I’m trying to scrape together anything I can for Saumlaki. I’m hoping to send the 2nd Gordon Highlanders there too, but there has been a bit of a hiccough. After the Gordons retreated from Kuching to Singkawang II, I ordered Dutch transport aircraft to fly them to Palembang, which they did. Unfortunately I took my eye off the ball, some orders must have got garbled in translation and now the transports have flown the Gordons back to Singkawang II. Such, alas, are the frictions of war……



SWPAC/SOPAC


The 21st US BF is en route to Luganville from Pearl Harbor aboard a pair of fast transports. I want to get Luganville properly secured and up and running as a forward base as soon as I can.

A Japanase Naval Guard unit marching south from Kavieng took the dot base of Namantanai, evicting N Detachment of 1st Ind. Coy in the process. If this is the full extent of Japanese offensive activity in the area then I can live with that...but somehow I think there may be more down the line.




SUBMARINE WARFARE

The usual tussles in the South China Sea, off Saigon and near Truk. No hit recorded.