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***********With Z Special Unit, aboard HMNZS Leander 10 m SE Erromango, 19:40, March 6**************

<he addresses a group of commandoes of Z Special Force, a combined Dutch, Australian and NZ special operations unit. He stands with his hands clasped behind his back, jaw set, a grim look on his face>

Men, I'm Cpt Bevan but you are to immediately forget that. Ostensibly, Leander is to bombard the taro field at Koumac, but our true mission is to put you lads ashore. I'm sure I don't need to say how dangerous this mission is or how important to the Allied effort. Your task is to ingratiated yourselves with the native population by pretending to be gods from afar bringing magical gifts of great value. <He pauses to examine the faces of the commandoes who look at each other nervously> Sure, I realize this may seem unorthodox but I have spent the last 4 month studying the novel religion which has taken hold on Tanna.
Men, the natives there worship a cross-eyed PBY pilot with 20/200 vision simply because he was the first white man they had ever seen and because of his fantastic gifts. <the commandoes begin to shift nervously from foot to foot> Right! Let me show you the inducement. <He pulls back a canvas cover on the life raft to
reveal a 20 qt sauce pan, a large cast iron skillet and a well polished copper pitcher>

Commando A: But sir, those are pots?

Cpt. Bevan, newly assigned CO of Leander: Not merely pots, Sergeant....CARGO!

Commando B: But sir, this is New and Improved Caledonia. Won't the French already have been there? It would seem that would undercut the wonder of our arrival.

Cpt. Bevan, newly assigned CO of Leander: Hmmm, good question, Lt,. I'll have to get back to you on that. Right, then! H Hour is 01:30. You had best all get some hot food and rest if you can. Any other questions?

Commando C: What did you say your name was sir?.....

[:D]
Great! In addition to their 125 pounds of equipment and ammo the commandos now have each a couple of 10 pound cast iron weights to help them get through the surf!

Anyone want to go out on a limb and predict what happens to Leander?[:)]

*******************March 7, 1942(e)******************

Better hurry. [:)]

N&IC:

Night Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 3



Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

No Allied losses

Runway hits 3


More LB-30's

Night Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 3

No Allied losses

Runway hits 1

***************01:30, March 7, 15 m SE of Koumac**************


Cpt. Devan: <with megaphone calls out to the men in the raft. A copper implement glistens in the moonlight> JUST REMEMBER MEN! YOU ARE ALL SPECIAL!

Marus arr ovah prace.

Submarine attack near Belep Islands at 112,153

Japanese Ships
AMC Bankok Maru, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-27

AMC Bankok Maru is sighted by SS S-27
SS S-27 launches 4 torpedoes at AMC Bankok Maru

There goes the Taro harvest!

Night Naval bombardment of Koumac at 113,156

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 22 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied Ships
CL Leander
DD Tucker
DD Walke

Japanese ground losses:
395 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 27
Port hits 10
Port supply hits 2

Walrus II acting as spotter for CL Leander
CL Leander firing at Koumac
DD Tucker firing at Koumac
DD Walke firing at Koumac

******************Porthole near ship's laundry, 07:20, 8 m N of Koumac harbor****************


Ens. Bell SHEISSKY!!!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,156, Range 27,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
DD Urakaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CL Leander
DD Walke
DD Tucker

Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 22,000 yards
Allied TF attempts to evade combat
Range increases to 27,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 27,000 yards
BB Hyuga engages CL Leander at 27,000 yards
BB Fuso engages DD Walke at 27,000 yards
Task forces break off...

Whew!

Oh, crap! 40 miles later.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,155, Range 20,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso, Shell hits 2
BB Yamashiro, Shell hits 1
BB Ise, Shell hits 1
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 3
DD Urakaze
DD Natsugumo, Shell hits 2
DD Minegumo
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Walke, Shell hits 1
DD Tucker, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage


Got away again

Oh crap! 40 miles later.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 114,156, Range 24,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 1
DD Urakaze
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo
DD Yugure, Shell hits 1
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CL Leander, Shell hits 9, and is sunk
DD Walke, Shell hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Tucker, Shell hits 9, and is sunk

Another win for the Toyota Lean method! That was $3,427,822 saved in welding supplies, labor and Bofors guns.

40 miles later

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 115,156, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Fuso
BB Yamashiro
BB Ise
BB Hyuga
DD Urakaze
DD Minegumo
DD Yugure

Allied Ships
DD Walke, Shell hits 7, and is sunk


Theoretically, the SBD's from Tanna should have attacked this big juicy target. Weather? Maybe LRCAP? Too bad.

Somebody's not getting any invites to the Leander Survivors Assoc. reunions down the road.

Saigon Maru is wallowing about

Submarine attack near Belep Islands at 111,153

Japanese Ships
AMC Saigon Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-39

AMC Saigon Maru is sighted by SS S-39
SS S-39 launches 4 torpedoes

Surely this finishes her off? That's 4 torps counting the one from yesterday.

Sub attack near Belep Islands at 111,153

Japanese Ships
AMC Saigon Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-39

Another surface group near Koumac

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 114,156, Range 19,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Natsugumo
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
PT-38
PT-42
PT-46

No attacks either on or from Noumea. Ditto Tanna.

I will be interested to see if the damage to Koumac was worth the sacrifice. JJ can probably bring in fresh Zeroes. Also, I wonder if the Jap BB's will have to retire to rearm. I think at least 3 of them will.

Sydney: JJ realizes the fighter cover at Sydney was withdrawn due to losses.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
G3M2 Nell x 25
G4M1 Betty x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M2 Nell: 8 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 damaged
G4M1 Betty: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied Ships
CA Salt Lake City, Bomb hits 1, heavy damage
CA Canberra, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AG Wanaka, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
CL Boise, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage

Port hits 8
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1

China: JJ tries a Ronson attack at Chihkinag but we stop them with horsies. That's a couple regiments of tankettes out of action.

Ground combat at Chihkiang (78,50)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 1941 troops, 39 guns, 282 vehicles, Assault Value = 985

Defending force 35254 troops, 287 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 703

Japanese adjusted assault: 34

Allied adjusted defense: 1021

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 30 (fort level 1)

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

Japanese ground losses:
Vehicles lost 97 (2 destroyed, 95 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
520 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)

Assaulting units:
116th/B Division
10th Tank Regiment
116th/A Division
116th/C Division
5th Tank Regiment
13th/A Division
15th/C Division
13th/B Division
9th Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
15th/A Division
15th/B Division
11th Tank Regiment
13th/C Division
1st Army
21st Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
28th New Chinese Division
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
9th Chinese Corps
14th Chinese Corps
38th New Chinese Division
20th Artillery Regiment
7th Artillery Regiment
39th Group Army
18th Artillery Regiment
1st Group Army
1st Artillery Regiment
22nd Artillery Regiment

ORIGINAL: anarchyintheuk

Somebody's not getting any invites to the Leander Survivors Assoc. reunions down the road.

Do you think a tearful apology would work?