The little ship that could.

[1275psi]

With a thunderous roar, the Allied artillery begins pounding across the Singapore straights.
For the second time in 5 years, an army will defy the mangroves, the open water, the mudflats.

And for a second time, they are successful

5 full divisions, 3 brigades of armour, 10 Artillery regiments.

Japan resists with the 18th division (still at full strength) , and 9 regiments of various strength
We cannot count the 3rd, the 39th divisions, they exist in name only.

japan bounced the straights with guile, daring, cunning.
The Allies simply blast an artillery road, set an exclusion zone that nothing can pass.
They throw no less than three pontoon bridges across.
And the armour leads the way.




They wake the Emperor just before dawn
"They have a bridgehead............and we have lost 14000 men"

So, Singapore is to fall........our great triumph......how do I tell the people?
He does not know.
Does any one?

[1275psi]

Oct 17
Hirate and Okano are sitting on a bench seat that overlooks the Bay of Kagoshima. The air is cold this morning
, but the sun is shining, and the water sparkles.
Before them, lying in rows, their Charges rock gently.
Both men can contemplate them today with a little satisfaction. All of them (fingers crossed) are at least
goers.
They are making progress.

Out in the bay, 3 carriers are at anchor, as are some eight destroyers. But both men barely consider
them, Carriers seem to be so long ago in their history, having a bed , and the chance of a beer
every evening seems so much more inviting

Shortly they will have to go back to work, but the sun is good........

A siren , somewhere in the city, begins to wail
A sound they have heard many times before, air raid siren
'A drill?......I thought it was due Friday?"
"So did I........"
Both men look up, and see them together...fighters rising. And high, high above, contrails.

B-29's

There is no sense of danger, just curiosity, as they track the flight, maybe two dozen strong,
ever closer to the city

Kagoshima's AA batteries begin to bark, apparently with no effect.

The shriek of the bombs falling, comes as a shock....bombers, over Japan?......over here?

Somewhere behind them, the thunder of the bombs.



The sirens sound for many hours this day.
Fire engines
Ambulances
Many others


The two men will not be having a beer tonight





(22 attacked, we shot down 6)

[1275psi]

Oct 18th

The B-29's come again to kagoshima.
But this time the citizens are spared. None of the small raid reach Japan, 4 of the 4 shot down well
before they reach Japan.

The allies must have 100's of the B-29 now, their absence in numbers anywhere baffles the Japanese
high command.
Clarke field in the Philippines is now in Allied hands, is it in range?


The Japanese Army continues to die
In Singapore the allies are firmly established, and on the island to stay.
And now, at Minando (Hosho's old armies last stand) the allies finally launch a real assault,
and shatter all resistance

Another great army begins to dissolve.


Hirate and Okano, still working hard on the MTB's note that the fleet of carriers have vanished,
hiding somewhere else, no doubt.

They have not moved far, Hiroshima bay.

Battleship Musashi still needs 43 days.
In japan there is no shortage of idle shipworkers to throw at her.

But pitifully little steel and materials......

[1275psi]

After what, 3 years of posting, and probably 10 on matrix forums, a rant.......

Please bear with me

Every Friday night, I work the streets with an organisation called Hands and feet,
Feeding the homeless.
We feed, and give blankets and warm clothing to about 460 people

That's not the rant

The rant is this...why, why, why, are so many of them our combat veterans...........
I am, at times, beyond despair.......


End rant, back to the war...

[1275psi]

October 19th.

The allies renew the assault in Singapore.
It costs 3000 allied casualties.

9000 Japanese fall. The fighting reaches the city limits

In Korea, the Russians enter Kanko
8 Infantry divisions, 4 guard tank corps, 4 tank Brigades, 5 SU regiments, 8 artillery regiments

And more coming...........
japan has 1 division there, and countless shattered refugees
They will not stand.......so they flee

[1275psi]

Hirate and Okano gather breath

Its been a long morning.

"If that's not the hardest thing I have ever done" Hirate sighs' if not the most terrifying"
Okano grins
'Worse than Minobe?"
'Worse, far worse"
"And think, brother, we get to do it all over again"
'Fuel pump timing?"
"Fuel pump timing"

100 young sailors. 4 intensive hours of classroom training and practical....

And yes, for Hirate, to face them , all those young faces......
he would definitely swap them for Minobe again

[1275psi]

Oct 20th
1945

The Russians attack Kanko Korea

104000 men, against 180000 Japanese defenders

This is not war in the Pacific
This is Verdun, all over again

14500 Japanese soldiers fall

The Russians do not pause to count their dead.
The endless hordes will continue to attack



Ogowa's eagles reach 29 fighters in strength.
They hardly dare fly any of them.
Put into the sky, land............and put it into the hanger, for repairs, again.

[1275psi]

Sorry no posts lately
Been busy finishing Yamato

Her maiden voyage slated 5 September

Been building a trolley for her

[1275psi]

another view (back to story soon, I promise, but this baby has been going longer than even this game!)

[1275psi]

and here he is, the evil Herbiesan

[1275psi]

Oct 21
1945

"From, Southern Command
to
His Imperial Emperor

The enemy have entered the City proper, Singapore.
We have fought to the last bullet, the last shell.

Tomorrow, I will order a special attack, and die valiantly for Japan
may she live a thousand years

This harbour, so gloriously taken in 1942, will forever remain as a reminder that
the British Imperial Rule is finished forever

Even in defeat, we cling to that.

The harbour will be rendered utterly useless, in our last duty

Long Live the Emperor
Long live Japan

[1275psi]

For a long, long time now, the Russians have been chasing Japanese troops out of Manchuria,
out of China,out of Northern Korea

Confident, arrogant, almost, 104000 Russians attack Kanko

japan has 180000 men here


SUPPLIED


Yamato and her Sister, her little brothers, has removed the Russian Navy from these seas,
and although she has pitifully few Supply vessels left, there are enough to run into Kanko

For the first time, in a long time, each man has a full magazine
And more importantly

A full belly


1 to 3

The attack is stopped

But Japan will not hold here, the army is ordered south, an attempt to take these sieges to even higher stakes

[BBfanboy]

Awesome build of Yamato! Love the sand bag detail! [&o][&o]
How long is that puppy? Scale?
Do the guns fire pellets, as modeller sometimes build them?

Enjoying the read, as always, but completely understand why you are giving the launch of Yamato priority!

[John 3rd]

Holy Bat GUANO! That is some ship...

[1275psi]

Hello BBfanboy

1/72 scale
No, the guns don't fire pellets, but are remote controlled, as are the directors
Port, stbd engine controls, and sound effects
about 12 foot long, 160 odd KGs all up

First model ship I have attempted..........

(the next one will be better!!!)

[1275psi]

October 21, 22, 23

The killing, the dying continues

The fighting in Singapore reaches the rubble of the city
The remaining defenders are now split into pockets, in the cellars, in the sewers, the rubble

The fight on.
There are no prisoners being taken in Singapore. Too many allied soldiers have lost comrades in the last
years past

The fight will be to the death

Japan abandons Kenko

But fights on.





Musashi continues her repairs, a month away now. So is Kaga

The weather is turning foul over Japan now........invasion season is over

Hunger season begins.................

[1275psi]

Hirate is in the baths when he gets the message
"Report to the commanders office, ASAP"

The office is busy. A harassed junior officer barely glances at him, hands a single sheaf of paper.
'You have 15 minutes...she is down at south dock"

She is T-25, fast APD
Breathless Hirate makes the gangway, barely missing its removal to the wharf.

Its happened too quick
CPO Hirate, emergency replacement, finds himself headed south, at speed.
Destination unknown

[pws1225]

(the next one will be better!!!)

That's difficult to imagine. That ship is beautiful!

[CV Zuikaku]

what is the propulsion of your Yamato?

[1275psi]

October 24th
The captain of T-25 has barely passed from boyhood to manhood, he meets Hirate with a smile
"Apologies Chief!.I lost Engines to a bar room brawl last night......needed an engineer at the rush.
You should find she goes well.......enjoy the trip!"
Either this Captain is incredibly brave, or incredibly ignorant of how deadly the war has become
thinks Hirate.
As he watches his casual wandering about the bridge, he decides it must be the later.....

T-25 is almost new, 6 months maybe, and in this the Captain is right, she goes well
Hirate visits the small spaces, standard stuff...young men running her....there seems little point in making
friendships.
He returns to the upper deck, watches the waters rush by

If trouble occurs below, they will find him for sure.

T-25 is bound for Ishigaki, last island almost in the chain leading towards Tiawan, her hold
filled with medical supplies.

Trouble is not expected.
A bold prediction, with nearly 400 allied ships reported to be lurking east of Manilla.
But then, the boys tell him, they have been doing these runs for weeks....


Eventually, as they plow swiftly ever southwards, Hirate relaxes, even begins to enjoy the journey

After all, nothing is finer than a destroyer at speed, especially if you don't have to do the work.