Letters from a Prime Minister

[pws1225]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

The big convoy remains unmolested. It continues to unload, unload more string.

I think you have regained your writer's posture. Very nice imagery. [:)]

[1275psi]

July 16th

Tony works deep into the night.
The war cabinet has worked until past midnight, then, for a bitter hour, a meeting
with his leading ministers.
Topic, policies for the next election.

Now, as Canberra sleeps, he has to somehow coherently put them down on paper, to make
ideas and convictions something the people of Australia might consider.

he sits back, suddenly overwhelmed by the task.
Once, once he knew that the Prime Ministership must be his.
Now, however, come September, he knows Prime Minister Ford will be able to claim
something that will guarantee a Nations loyalty.

Victory.


If so, what of him?

[1275psi]

July 17th

Bass strait.
The endless swells hiss under Enterprises hull, swells that she slowly, agonisingly
climbs, strains against.
She hurts. Jackson can feel her pain under his hands as he grips the bridge coaming, feels
the discordant vibrations.
Port outer shaft, bent like a Banana.
But for now, needed. Needed badly.

The temporary repairs in Melbourne have removed some of the waters, strengthened some of her
shattered bulkheads. But there is only so much a wharf can do.
Enterprise has to go home. Its a long, long way.
Especially bent.
But go they must, and have.
Her captain joins him, grins. "Bloody tight at that bloody rip" he looks around at the
marching swells, the receding coastline. " think she will hold together Jackson?"
"Ï suppose we will find out"
"I suppose we will"

And of course will Yorktown, she too has begun the journey home.




And only 4 escorting destroyers, all that can be spared.

[1275psi]

July 18th

For the lack of a nail, the shoe was lost
For the loss of the shoe, the horse was lost
For the lack of the horse, the message did not get through.
The missing message, a battle is lost.
The lost battle............

This war is not lost (yet), but today a very important nail is lost.



From
CV Saratoga
to
CinC Pac

Damage from two torpedo hits received this morning 300 miles East of perth
has crippled this ship. Transferring flag to Lexington, and retiring
remaining carriers towards Adelaide.
Saratoga badly damaged, but not in danger of sinking, retiring to Cape town.

Enemy CVs operating North of Carnovan.
Consider facing them now a risk un acceptable.
Japanese fleet now in complete control of West coast.



12 system, 39 flood

Damn, damn, damn

How in the hell to enforce a blockade now?????

[Bif1961]

The Lexington was in no danger of sinking until the gasoline explosion much later lead to her demise.

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: Bif1961

The Lexington was in no danger of sinking until the gasoline explosion much later lead to her demise.

That should cheer him right up!! [8|]

[Gridley380]

Great AAR.

[1275psi]

July 19th

Even as Fletcher, and the United States Navy, tries to get its head around this
latest set back, there is a glimmer of good news.

USS Hornet, so long ago torpedoed off Esperance, makes Pearl harbour. She slips immediately, and
the workmen swarm aboard. In some ways this too is a measure of these two great Empires.
Here, the men stare at the great hole in her side, wonder......and wonder but for a moment.
They know what to do, what needs t be done.
And they have the tools, the resources to do it.

70 days
What would have taken Japan three times as many days, will be done in 70.
Or even less.


America has but Lexington, Wasp left. Little Long Island is near Adelaide, loading planes.
The Japanese, apparently, at least 10 carriers.
An immense advantage.
But not for long. Over in the states, a new Carrier, the first of a great flood of builds,
is beginning to take shape.
Leviathan is beginning to stir.

[1275psi]

July 20th
From
Commander South Pacific
to
CinC Pac

Sir
It has come to my attention that the first Marine Corp, promised to this
Command, has been diverted to South West pac command
I must, in the strongest terms, argue for a reconsideration of this deployment.

Great opportunities are calling, if I may point........................



From
Commander South west pac
to
CinC Pac

Plans for deployment of first Marine Corp to Darwin still entrain. This Command seeks
clarification on Carrier repairs, as deployment through Arafura sea considered
too dangerous with out significant carrier support.......




From
Prime Minister
to
POTUS

.....on deployment of first marine Corp, I for one would very much welcome
its deployment against the Japanese in the West. There are signs that Japan intends to stand at Perth,
your Marines would give much needed bite to our attack.
General Blamey, in particular, is calling for more..............

[1275psi]

20th July
Flight Officer Graham picks up his Kit bag, and with out looking back, leaves
India Air Hq.
Despite his Cajoling, his arguing, his persuasive arguments, his threats, his, his.......
Goddam it, Can't they see it?.....the air offensive has been cancelled.

Air HQ India has decided.
The air forces will be stood down, will be re formed, will be retrained and equipped.
Losses have just been too heavy.

But this is war, isn't it?
Yes, the squadrons will recover, stood down on a dozen fields.

But, but, have they all forgotten?
So will the Japanese, so will the Japanese

[1275psi]

20th July
40 miles north of Esperance

The dough boys go in

24th division, backed by 19th, 62nd, 637 tank battalions.
In beautiful tank country.
1C Imperial division, a proud, proud regiment.
It stands, it fights.

Crushed under the tank tracks, the un feeling armour.

It dies.

[Ian R]

Just to put that last posting in context for our European correspondents-

Perth to Esperance is 713.3 km = 443.22407142289 miles.

Caen to Eindhoven is 596.9 km = 370.89646 miles.

I.E., you can insert the entire area of Belgium on the map between Perth and Esperance. And a bit of France, too.

I suspect that the force ratios are rather smaller than those present in August 1944.

I also anticipate that HIJM forces may have shot their bolt, and, despite there being only one all weather road of consequence, the allied advance will be more limited by logistics than by opposition. That, at least, is a common thread.

[1275psi]

July 21

There are no plans this time to evacuate the Hospital.
There are few patients anyway.
Margaret tries not to think about what is approaching Port Moresby.
In fact, she tries her hardest not to think about that night at all.

But there are too many empty beds...........

The defences go onto alert around Midday.
A short time later, the defences go to work.
With that deep beautiful beat, half a dozen of the dauntless Dive bombers growl out across
the harbour, and vanish to the east.
15 Minutes later, the beaufighters follow.
But its the P39s that sweep low across the bay, engines snarling, that make the loudest statement.

Less than an hour later, the planes begin to return.
The constant beat of the engines continues through out the day, rising and falling.

The enemy, reported as 4 destroyers, will not arrive tonight.


The convoy in the harbour unloads, unmolested.
Port Moresby brigade begins up the track.

[1275psi]

July 22nd

Blamey stares anxiously to the North, as if he can actually see across the hundred of mile of
desert scrub and bush between him and this latest news.
"Än entire division you say?"

"745th tank regiment reports it so sir, apparently the 4th. It has to be, 745th was at full strength
before the engagement"
Blamey scowls, that sentence, that word, "was"......he does not like the implication of it at all
He returns to the map.
16 enemy units at Kalgoorlie reported. A dozen or more facing first corp.
He must be cautious.
"I need Kalgoorlie , I need the rail head. Where is 2nd division?, and the Americal?"
Gods, how many men do I face?
Perth seems a million miles away.

[1275psi]

22nd July

75th RAAf reforms at Schofields, western districts of Sydney.
10 planes, a couple of sheds, lots of cows, the odd skippy.
The lack of facilities does not matter.

Jack surveys the faces about him.
Not a man lost, all his friends still together.
Battle hardened now.

Ready for the next challenge
Eager for it

[1275psi]

July 23rd

The allied army marches west towards Kalgoorlie, a straddle the rail line.
Like the Israelites, they march towards a column of fire by night, a column of smoke by day.
Kalgoorlie burns.
It is obvious the Japanese are going to leave, and leave nothing behind.

Just after dawn, overhead, a new weapon.

True thunder, true power, glittering, awesome.

The B17s have entered the action, today, 20 strong. Target, Cunderin.

The Americans, however today, are more show than go.
They miss.

But that's OK. The swarms of zeros and Oscars that rise to intercept can barely
get close enough to the flying porcupines to get a chance to miss.

[Major Shane]

Just curious, what altitude were the B-17s at? This being their first mission.

[1275psi]

July 24th
John and Jason Ford lie side by side again, again amongst the stones and light scrub,
again on a slight rise, again observing Cunderdin through binoculars.
There is a change though, this time they are looking west, the First Australian Corp
has now swung to the East of the town, leaving just minor deployments on the road to
the North.

They are watching, not with out a little relish, todays show.

Glittering, high, nearly 20000 feet high, the Fortress formation is flawless.
It seems impervious to the Zeros rising, swarming up against it.

The Bombing, today, is much better, a satisfactory black cloud of smoke rising steadily
after the dust of the bombs settle.
Most of the division rests spread about them, their commander content, apparently
to merely observe and blockade.
The allied army is swarming towards Kalgoorlie.


If the Japs run, they can only run North.
6th and 7th division rest, conserving their strength.

[1275psi]

July 25th

20 miles north of Darwin.
In the deep of the night, under just a sliver of a moon, they hunt.

Allied cruisers have paid a terrible toll this war.
Undoubtedly, a greater one yet to pay.
But they will continue to seek a fight.

Tonight they find it.
Tonight they achieve that most precious of commodities.

Surprise

Cruisers Indianapolis, Louisville.

An LSD, 5 fat AKs.

Gunfire, un opposed gunfire.

Tremendous carnage.
Satisfying carnage
Undoubtedly disturbing, surprising, carnage.

[1275psi]

July 26th

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
We know this. We all know this.

And I wonder, how many of these men think that thought, wonder, where will this journey take them,
will they see the full thousand miles?
But not one of them hesitate.
One, after another, after another, that first step. Onto the gangway, from friendly
sure land, into the unknown.
A first step. Then another, and another. Up the gangway, onto the ship.

Thousands of first steps.



1st Marine CORP, begins to load.