Shame and Execration Part Deux!

[kaleun]

Thanks. I appreciate your comment.

[Yakface]

Hi Kaleum.  I second Cantona's comment, and will be following in the future - what CHS scenario are you playing?

[kaleun]

Nice question. I don't remember, I'll ask Warspite.

[kaleun]

June 25th 1942
Lunga is a small spot in the island of Guadalcanal. Bang in the middle of the island chain of the Solomons, it is of great importance for the allied forces. A strong base there would defend the bases at Espiritu Santo and, of course Noumea; but not only that. It would expose the left flank of any enemy task force entering the Coral Sea. The right would be exposed by the airbase now being developed at Gili.
There are now strong forces in the malaria infested island. A full division and a Regimental combat team, plus auxiliaries, a battalion of AA and field artillery and another regiment of artillery. Supplies are being ferried in as fast as possible. The airfield can now operate twin engine bombers.
Nimitz reads this report and breathes a sigh of relief. For the first time in the war, he feels confident about his south flank.
“If we could just get ‘Daring Thrust’ going” He tells his adjutant Wayne.
“We might as well call it ‘Spur of the moment’ the way we are assembling it” The young captain answers.


In Colombo, Sommersville smiles at the last report reaching him. The Albacores have scored on the Kongo with four torpedoes, the Fuso with two and the cruiser Atago with another set of two. Bomb hits on Fuso and Atago were however felt to be armor hits with only minimal damage.
“Kongo should go down from this” He says from between clenched teeth “The bast@rds are going to lose so many ships here that they are going to have to supply the island in Sampans”

[kaleun]

June 26th 1942
The recon flights identify multiple task forces withdrawing from Ceylon. It seems like the first wave is over. The HQs military and naval pack up into transports and set off towards Bombay. As they leave the harbor, Sommersville sees two old battleships, Revenge and Resolution steaming into the harbor. They had been moored at Aden for the duration of the war. Slow and superannuated, they do not belong anywhere near the front lines. It had been his intention to leave them there for the duration, and to use them only, if at all, for bombardment missions, in support of amphibious landings, later in the war effort. As soon as it became obvious that this was no ordinary raid, he called the old ships up, hoping not to have to use them.
June 27th 1942
A second wave of transports approaches Tricomalee and starts disgorging more enemy troops. The RAF and the naval aircraft have a field day against the undefended ships. No enemy carrier aircraft show up.
In the slow cargo ships steaming to Bombay, Pownall gets a message. The 2nd British division has reached Madurai; it will be arriving in Trivandrum tomorrow. A plethora of troop transports awaits it there, their boilers up and ready to go.

[kaleun]

Back in the Eastern Pacific, Spruance looks out from the Hornet’s bridge. He can only see the escorts keeping formation on the powerful carrier. The course is west, and the first flight of bombers is taking off. The objective is the enemy airfield, if any, at Tarawa. The invasion forces are almost ready, but, up to now, there has been no recon of the atoll up to now.
“Sloppy” He mumbles “Very sloppy”

[kaleun]

June 28th 1942
The Royal Navy aircraft carriers have been playing a cat and mouse game with the enemy fleet carriers. The enemy forces, far superior in numbers have, yet, been unable to catch the proud British carriers. The British torpedo bombers have kept a constant attack on the enemy transports and warships, but have been, up to now, unable to launch against the enemy carriers.
On the bridge of Illustrious, Rear Admiral CB Williams sucks on his pipe as he looks at the ships steaming in formation. He walks back into the operations center. Shortly afterwards a message is delivered.
“Enemy carriers, 180 miles NE, 12 knots heading WNW”
“Launch everything” He orders.
The RN pilots, in their ready rooms, had been awaiting this order. With surprising speed, the Swordfish and Albacores are armed, fueled and spotted on the armored flight decks. They take off, followed by the Fulmars and Sea Hurricanes.
Now, to wait and wait. The ships zig zag in their predetermined pattern, steaming in the direction where they will rendezvous with the returning bombers.
All present look up at the radio speaker on the wall.
“They should have reached them by now” someone says.
A crackle of static and the air battle is on. The collected officers have a ringside seat as they hear the young airmen calling out targets, warnings:
“At your 12 O’clock, fighters at 12 O’clock”
“Break, Break, he’s on your tail!”
“Get him off me…..”
“I got him! He’s on fire”
A command voice “Torpedo bombers attack”
After a while, a voice comes on “Scored three torpedoes on Ryujo. Listing. Hiryu, Shoho, Zuiho and a smaller carrier also present. Returning”
The officers look at each other, and wonder what the butcher’s bill will be for this light carrier when an alarm goes off. The fleet is under attack.
The Hurricanes on CAP move to intercept the incoming raid, while all remaining fighters are spotted and launched. The admiral steps silently into the bridge to better see the battle, but he remains behind the bridge officers, who are too busy fighting the ship to even notice him.
The events develop in slow motion. The Hurricanes are all wiped out of the sky by the enemy escorts. Huge numbers Zero fighters make short work of the nimble British fighters.
Dive bombers then fall out of the sky, defying the AA guns that have opened up all over the fleet. Formidable twists and turns, her prow splitting the seas, her flak guns putting up a creditable barrage of steel between its armored deck and the diving bombers, it is hit once, twice, but it’s deck repels the bombs. Then on both sides of the ship, Kate bombers, coming in low. The flak guns change their targets, but it is useless. The Kates reach their release points and the torpedoes fall off their bellies. One, two, three torpedoes hit the ship. Massive explosions follow. The ship shudders to a halt and starts listing to starboard. Two Kates, unmolested approach and methodically release their deadly fish. Two more explosions rock the carrier that now comes to a stop. Six more bombs hit the now motionless carrier. Fires rage out of control and the order is given:
Abandon ship.
Indomitable takes four torpedoes and ten bombs. She also, fires raging, signals to abandon ship.
Hermes, more fortunate perhaps takes two torpedoes and 4 bombs. She can still steam and heads for Colombo.
A message to the returning bombers tells them to divert to Colombo.
The remains of the British fleet head back to port.

[kaleun]

June 29th 42
The bad news keeps on coming; CVL Hermes, on the way back to Colombo, is intercepted by an enemy submarine. It sinks within sight of harbor. The torpedo bombers fly to Colombo. They continue the defense effort from land now.
On the good side, the 2nd British Division is now embarked and en route Colombo ETA 1-2 days.

[kaleun]

July 1st 42
Auckland, NZ
SPAC HQ is buzzing today. Enemy ships have been sighted approaching Rabaul. This is the long expected invasion force. Adm. Ghormley orders his carriers to intercept. Fletcher, in command of the Yorktown task force will be the striking arm, Halsey, on Enterprise will move to Lunga and provide support if needed.
Ghormley hands a message to his adjutant. “Send this to Pearl”
“ENEMY ATTACKING RABAUL STOP YORKTOWN INTERCEPTING STOP ENTERPRISE SUPPORT”
As the adjutant leaves, Ghormley rubs his hands “Now they will see I can show initiative” Then he sits down at his desk and looks at the map rubbing his chin.


Meanwhile, in Pearl, orders are going out. Lexington and Hornet prepare for Daring Thrust. The Pellisier and his battleships that had been steaming from Noumea to participate in Daring Thrust have now been redirected to Lunga, to possibly intercept the Rabaul invasion force.
“Go without” Nimitz says. Daring Thrust will start with or without the battlewagons. RADM Drexel, in command of the invasion force does not seem too concerned about this.
“Chances are the Japs are going to be as unprepared as we are” He tells Wayne.

[Gen.Hoepner]

Yes, a very well made AAR...interesting and nice reading!
Keep it up

[kaleun]

Thanks. I appreciate that.

[kaleun]

I am going to be out of the country for three weeks. Let's just say I'm going of to consult with Wimpey about the conduct of the war.
 
 
Thank you for your patience. Your hits are important to us.

[kaleun]

July 2nd 42
Operation Daring Thrust finally sets out.
Adm. Spruance, in Hornet and Adm Train, in Lex will provide air support and attack the garrison at Tarawa. Rear Adm Drexel leads the invasion task force. He is not at ease in his quarters. There has been only minimal recon of the atoll. He faces an unknown, with two Regimental combat teams. There has been no time for more.
At Tricomalee, the sun rises, and with it, new hope. All the damage has been repaired; mechanics work feverishly on the damaged aircraft. A new wave of ships has been detected approaching the island.
In Bombay, the battle cruiser Repulse has reached dry dock, and repairs are on the way. LGen Pownall and VAdm Sommerville have also moved their HQ to Bombay. The teeming city easily accommodates the HQ staff. The naval officers pay close attention to the shipyards trying to assure maximum effort on the Battlecruiser’s repairs.

[kaleun]

[font=calibri]July 3rd 1942[/font]
[font=calibri]The enemy battleships bombard Tricomalee during the night. In the besieged city, soldiers hunch down under the pounding of the big naval guns. The big ships will be far away, away from torpedo bomber range in the morning, an immune from attack.[/font]
[font=calibri]The search aircraft take off in the morning. To everyone’s surprise, the enemy ships are loitering nearby. No one knows why, but the bombers take off immediately. They are not after transports today, and they attack the enemy with fierce determination.[/font]
[font=calibri]One after the other the big battlewagons are attacked. Yamato takes three torpedoes, and one bomb bounces off its armor. Hyuga, two torpedoes. Nagato three, and one bomb. Haruna takes one and so does Ise.[/font]
[font=calibri]The news rapidly leaks to the infantry. The grunts face the enemy today with a sly grin. It may be days before the battlewagons return.[/font]
[font=calibri]Far away, on the other side of the world, a large ship slips into harbor at Suva. A flat top. [/font]
[font=calibri]Captain Reeves looks over the anchorage from the bridge as Wasp takes on fuel. Later on, the carrier will slip its moorings and proceed to join the fleet at Noumea.[/font]

[kaleun]

July 4th 1942
In Pearl Harbor the, somewhat muted, celebrations of the US national holiday go on, the admirals are encouraged by the news that Operation Daring Thrust has finally set out, with the ships two days short of their target: Tarawa.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in Colombo, lines of men disembark from their transports: The 2nd British Division is landing at the harbor and with nary a moment’s rest, sets out towards Triconmalee. The morale is high. Soon the enemy will be pushed back into the sea, where it belongs.
At Tricomalee the morale is not so high. It is true that the enemy battleships were roughly treated yesterday by the allied torpedo bombers. It has not prevented the Japanese from assembling yet another bombardment task force and giving the defenders a once over. The bombardment is weaker since only one enemy battleship is able to participate: The Ise, apparently none the worse for the wear.

[1275psi]

Also a nice read from here as well
Good to see a game where the japanese advance seems to have been pretty historical -and the same with the Allied defence
Looks a fun game -well done.
Hope it continues.............

[kaleun]

July 5th 1942
The message arrives at Pearl.
“Tarawa taken. Minimal resistance. Losses are negligible.”
Nimitz exhales. He walks over and looks at the map.
“The Japs seem committed to their attack against Ceylon. We can attempt another landing, if we do not lose time”
Capt Wayne suggests: “How about Nauru sir? It would be a good seaplane base”
“So it would” mumbles the Admiral. “So it would”

[kaleun]

July 6th 1942
RAdm Williams looks out of the bridge of his flagship, HMS Resolution. The old R Class battleship leads a 14 ship task force into the vicinity of Tricomalee. The Admiral has very little hope for his task force. Several large enemy formations have been tracked approaching Tricomalee. Doubtless they bring reinforcements for the enemy that has clung tenaciously to the beachhead. It is pathetic, he thinks that the best the Royal Navy can send to protect such a vital position consists of two superannuated battleships, and four heavy cruisers, plus assorted escorts. If only he could get lucky and the enemy did not bring carriers…
Of course, the enemy will bring carriers but perhaps the land base air can get a lucky hit and knock them out of the picture, then he might, just might play old Harry with the transports; if they do not bring battleships, or even heavy cruisers. Resolution and Revenge might not do well against modern heavy cruisers either. So many ifs.

[kaleun]

Even before first light the search airplanes take off from Tricomalee and Colombo. The attack aircraft are already loaded for bear with bombs and torpedoes. They await only the signal from the scouts to take off in search of the enemy ships.
The news arrives. Two enemy carriers are identified: Hosho and Unyo. Adm Williams feels lucky. Those two small carriers might be enough for his CAP to handle. For the first time in this mission he feels a shade of optimism. He orders his task force ahead.
The bombers find their targets and bore in. The enemy CAP is up in numbers. The bombers push through though and drop their ordnance. All misses.
Williams maneuvers his task force to engage the bombers that are sure to come.
The incoming strike is detected by radar, and shortly afterwards by the lookouts. The destroyers open up with their AA guns. The admiral raises his binoculars to his eyes but stops. Those planes are not coming out of two escort carriers. They are coming at him in huge numbers. The torpedo bombers bore in, shrugging the ineffective CAP aside. The old, slow and ponderous battleships cannot avoid the bombers. Revenge takes 4 torpedoes and Resolution is hit by another four. Only the close proximity of the harbor at Trincomalee saves the heavy ships from destruction.
On the other hand, the allied bombers score many hits on the transports.

[kaleun]

July 9th 1942
Admiral Sommersville and General Pownall look at the map on the wall of the British HQ in Bombay. Little red icons denote the enemy task forces and ships. Yellow icons would designate the allied task forces; if there were any. A bunch of red icons appear at Tricomalee as the IJN reinforces their beachhead, oblivious to the allied air force efforts. The coastal batteries at Trincomalee score hit upon hit on the enemy ships. The bombers score again, with bombs and torpedoes; but there is no ending in sight. More and more men and materiel are landing in Triconmalee. Farther offshore, the recon birds show yet more enemy forces approaching. Wordlessly, Sommersville snaps a pencil between his hands.
The two officers look at each other without words. Nothing need be said.
After a long pause Pownall asks:
“Perhaps the Americans can put some pressure on the Pacific?”
“They have taken Tarawa” Sommersville answers “They have also raided Rabaul a number of times with carriers and surface forces. They are also planning another operation; ‘Threatening sponge’ they call it”
“What is their objective?”
“Some pissing island named Nauru, I believe”
“I don’t think the Japs are going to be paying much attention to that” Pownall states.
“No; I don’t think so. Not yet”