Letters from a Prime Minister

[zuluhour]

I'm in.

[1275psi]

December 9th

With a hesitant wobble, the last of the wildcats bounces uneasily down
Enterprises deck
"That's all of Wakes planes sir"

Lt Jackson watches his Admiral closely. he, above all, detests what this action
represents
The marines at wake are being abandoned.
And Enterprise is running

A bad, very bad way, to start the war

"Course due south, Flank speed"

Kido Bharu is sighted, North east off pearl, and if she chooses too, could reach them...........

[1275psi]

The British airforce, concentrated over Georgetown, rises to fight

Concentrated, the buffaloes, engage "the inferior Japanese airforce"

Concentrated, they die together.

In one horrible day, Malaya's air defences fall.

In peacetime, it is easy to sustain illusions on your strength, on your enemies
"weakness"
War will shatter them.

It might just take time for many to realise that the age of Unicorns and magic fairies
is over.

[1275psi]

From
The Speaker of the house
to
His right honourable Leader of the Opposition.

Tony
Far be it to break convention and protocol, but are you aware
of the latest orders from the Prime Minister to General Blamey?
I have heard (and wish I could confirm this) that he has ordered the 30th
Brigade, in all of its totality to Port Moresby.

Are you aware of this?

Also, even more alarmingly, all troops in Darwin are ordered North into the DEI's
I know he has a close relationship with the Dutch administrator, but this close?

Please keep this to yourself, after all, we do have a constitution to
adhere to

Yours
Jim
Speaker of the house

[1275psi]

Dec 10th

She already has a reputation
Today, she full fills it.

40 miles due North of Miri, in the deepest dark of a moonless night, CA Boise pounces on
the Invasion convoy headed home

There is the dark, then the silence splitting crack of guns, the sun bright starshell illuminating
the stunned Japanese in stark relief.
There is but moments to recover from the shock

Boise gives none

30 minutes later she will fade away into the dark, the sea afire behind her.

First Houston
Now Boise

The message is simple
Come on , you yellow barsteds.........there will be no where you can think your self safe.

[1275psi]

From
Admiral Nimitz
to
The Chiefs of staff

Enemy carriers have vanished from our search.
Possibly returning to Japan, although equal possibility they are refuelling
preparatory to second strike.

Status of battle line grave, all Battleships are extensively damaged.
However, all destroyers , 2 heavy and 2 light cruisers available
Intend to form North Pac squadron,2 CL, 8 DD and dispatch immediately

Remaining ships to south pacific.

Lexington, Enterprise to rendezvous Christmas island, and to await Saratoga.
Deployment to follow Plan 1

Require immediate clarification on SW Pacific, South Pacific and Pacific Command areas
as Discussed last Chief of Staff Meeting.


You will be looking for a hat to hang Pearl harbour debacle upon. I submit respectfully that
Admiral Kimmel is too well qualified to be replaced at this time

Yours
Nimitz

[ny59giants]

For those of us that played WITP, including Boise in your storyline would be greatly appreciated. She was a one ship wrecking crew back in the day. [&o]

[1275psi]

Your wish will be granted!

[1275psi]

Dec 11 1941

Kofiau,

It is the very picture of the Tropical paradise.
Brilliant blue seas lapping gently onto stunning pure white beaches bordered by palms and
tropical jungles.
It is a place barely known by most Westerners, 40 miles away, a small airfield exists,
abandoned already by the allies.
The Japanese want that airfield, want to establish a base for the thrust towards Ambon, towards
Dilli, towards Timor, and maybe even Darwin.

A small fleet lies of those beautiful beaches, 3 tramp steamers, 2 small patrol
boats..
A Steady stream of small boats shuttles troops onto the beaches from the ships, the men initially
grim as they reach the sands, soon relaxing, there is nothing more dangerous here
other than the sun.

The Japanese Octopus is beginning to stretch her tentacles.


They are spotted, the destroyers, at quite a range, white bones in their teeth.
But it will not matter what range they were spotted at.
They are lightly armed, these elderly old dogs. 4 Stackers.........

Lightly armed.
Bloody fast.

Another day, another invasion fleet struck.

Destroyers Stuart, Parrot, Paul Jones, Bulmer, Baker.
Old dogs
Terriers.

The beaches will soon no longer be pure white.
Soon, a new colour.

Blood red.

[1275psi]

The Alarm bells crash through Enterprises decks, to station!, to station!

Men swarm, doors clang, engines rise in sound and fury.

Lt Jackson is still struggling with his helmet as he stumbles onto the bridge.
The Admiral is already there, his eyes twinkle almost in amusment at his Staff officers
struggles.

'lieutenant, I, can't ever imagine this ship going down so quickly that you will need that thing
immediately.......a little less haste, a bit more speed please"
"Captain, situation?"

"Lexington reports 2 torpedoes astern sir, missed by 100 yards"

""Damn, we are spotted...........though I think we might find that this draws the enemy carriers out now"..

[1275psi]

Dec 12th

The four stackers retiring towards Darwin have another brush with a Japanese task force.
Japanese shooting is terrible, a Fubuki class is hit twice, the allies escape.

Nobody will be focused on this battle.
All eyes will be turned North
The Japanese Carriers have been found, but not how they would like to be.









"Captain Jackson to the Bridge!!!"
CL Detroit steams line ahead, Reliegh, behind, 8 destroyers.
As he hurries onto the platform, his eyes take in the scene swiftly.
A calm Pacific, an angry angry sky above him. The Thunderstorm 20000 yards off the port beam
is as impressive as any he has seen, a mountain of white, a wall of dark beneath marching
across the water towards him.

The air is thick, humid......the literal breath before the storm.
And marching across the calm seas, emerging from that wall of black......what appears to be the entire Japanese carrier arm....

"Sweet Jesus..........."signal all ships! follow me, all ahead Flank!"
There is no time to be afraid, no time for thought.
Just the mad litany of closing to action stations, of the reporting of the guns,
of allocating the targets.

The Japanese emerge, one after another, after another from the storm, and seem, for long, long
minutes oblivious to the allied cruisers
Detroit fires first
Reliegh moments later

The first salvo misses, so does the second, the carriers heeling away, seeking the storm
They Hit Akagi
She vanishes into the black
They hit Shokaku, before she too vanishes.
Reliegh hits Zuikaku, Soryu.......

The Japanese Destroyers come at them, guns spitting

"After them!!!..........the storm looms, larger, larger.the air cools in the dark
shadows.................

And BB's Hiei, Kirishima burst out of the dark, Tryanasours, mouths agape

Mugford dies
A wall of steel barrs the gates, covers the carriers somewhere in the storm
"Come about!, hard to port!
Kirishima lines up Detroit, gives her a salvo
Within moments, Jackson feels the cold waters close about him, as
his shattered command slides below the waves.


The japanese fleet vanishes into the storm, shook up, but regretfully, not deterred.

[1275psi]

In the Philippines Mac Aurthur has ordered every man available North.
If the reports are to be believed, only light forces have landed at Vigan.
A bluff?
The first units to arrive at Vigan seem to confirm the reports.
a SNLF, some support troops
The tank unit moves into the attack. The Japanese marines fight hard

But allied troops, more tanks are coming

"Tomorrow, Mac Aurthur promises "we will clear up this little mess"

[BBfanboy]

Too bad the only US cruisers with torpedoes (until Atlanta and Juneau come along) didn't get hits before they went down. [:(]

Is Lt. Jackson of the Enterprise any relation to Capt. Jackson of the lost Detroit?

[1275psi]

A snatch and grab is attempted
A fast transport lands a regiment at Palembang.

It fails to take the base. In sight of the refineries, they are pinned down.
The refinery of course, shuts down. With shells, bullets and soon bombs being
flung around with abandon, the Chances of capturing them un damaged is fading fast.

Plan 1 is all about not letting them be captured at all.

[zuluhour]

Plan 1 sure makes for more action. [;)]

[1275psi]

To
The Prime Minister
From

Commander ABDA

Sir
As requested, an update and appreciation of the current situation in Malaya
and the DEI's

Plan 1 has swung fully into action, the Dutch, utilising aviation assets have been
reinforcing Kuching as rapidly as possible
I am confident that we will spring a rather nasty surprise when the Japanese move against it.
I am assured by the Navy that they are prepared to defend this base as well.

Movement of forces in Malaya continues, the two Australian Brigades are travelling north, where,
much to my surprise the enemy seem to be very supine.
I intend to attack Singora within the week

The enemy failure at Palembang is very much to our advantage.
The Indian brigades currently at sea are due within a week
Palembang will take some real effort to take then......and I intend that if it
does fall, there will be little useful for him. Every Dutch bomber and British
bomber left , is poised and in range.

Co operation with American forces is good
There are two, possibly three Japanese carriers operating off Manilla.
At great pain it was decided not to evacuate any shipping from Manilla, a fat target for
those carriers.

If they can keep having their "fun" for just a few more days, then I know we can get the Indian
Brigades in.

The Japanese airforce was a shock.........I am calling for Hurricanes.

The Japanese offensive is gathering steam, but I remain confident on the days ahead

ABDA

[1275psi]

Dec 13th

Kuching
Cruiser Boise cuts through the clear seas at full power.

Mere words

But to see the picture

Creaming bow, guns pointing, no straining ahead, blackened already, quivering, as if in
anticipation
The bridge, crowded with helmeted men, every single one it seems with a set of glasses
raised , staring ahead
Funnels, the grey haze of boilers steaming beyond the limits streaming behind.
The great rooster tail.......the great wake , a line of boiling water, due west, with out
variation, with out waver.

Dawn is breaking

That quiet cool time before the sun begins to blaze

Boise steams. Steams hard

Her battle flag streams, tattered
And on her bridge wing, still almost wet, her first battle star.
There will be a need for more..............


She turns a little to port, straightens again
Destroyer Scout slides down her starboard flank, her decks almost awash, her fires hissing
as the sea wallows her up.
There is time, a little, to cheer, before resuming the chase
The two remaining british destroyers, Thanet, Thragan, are fighting for their very lives,
the enemy vague upon the horizon, flashes of fire in the early morning mist

CL Isuzu.......3 destroyers.

The quivering guns swing, swing, rise, fall, steady

Boise belches fire, rapid fire, rapid death, rapid destruction
The enemy reel away, utterly defeated, burning.

Boise's ammunition is now done

The sun rises, the mist clears, the horizon leaps ever further away.
It flashes, flashes....heavy cruisers, multiple ships.

A single shell pierces Boices side, she shudders, steams on, speeds on, and on, too safety...

Cruiser Boise.
How long before all of Japans sailors hear of THIS ship, and shudder??

[1275psi]

Mac Arthur orders his Tank units and the single Philippine regiment to continue the
attack.

The sun has risen as the tanks and regiments deploy from the road, push across the
dry paddy fields, seeking the Japanese tank unit hidden in the line of trees a mile
away.

A storm of fire meets it, forcing the men, the stuart tanks to seek cover, any cover.
The tree line vomits a thousand, two thousand khaki clad men

Mac has had it all wrong
The Japanese have not landed just light forces at Vigan

The 48th division pushes the allied attack aside, shatters the two units, and rolls south.......

[1275psi]

Jeffery Ford sits at his bofor gun position near the Stern of Westralia, watching
Sydney heads pass by, pass astern, begin to fade away

Anger fill him

For the last two days, there has been no leave, no chance to get ashore,
no phones , no communication of any kind.

For two days, he has basically sat here cleaning this piece of crap, asked repeatedly
for a chance to go ashore
But, apparently, not even being the Prime Ministers son can help

Captain (lt) Young has decided.....and so it will be so.

CL Perth, AM Bundbury, Mildura, 3 APs, 4 Luckenback AKs, and themselves.
Going where?
God knows
For how long?
Again.......who knew?


But that does not matter
What does.............Was Margaret, aged 17, pregnant, or not?

[kaleun]

.Was Margaret, aged 17, pregnant, or not?

Well, there are priorities[;)]