by Row, David
Somerville is also looking at his options for the use of the Far Eastern fleet. He has already ordered a small force of cruisers and destroyers east of Singapore to be ready to attack Japanese convoys to Borneo if possible, and make sure the Japanese surface fleet doesn't interfere with the Allied reinforcements in the south. He is still short of destroyers, and suggests that Admiral Hart and his ships could be based at Singapore to carry on fighting, backed by the heavy units of Force Z. He is trying to get intelligence as to when the Japanese carrier fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor could sortie south; such a powerful force would be difficult for him to stop with his present carrier force, especially if the Japanese replenish their land-based aviation. He hopes that actions by elements of Force Z and the USN can keep the Japanese off balance until he receives his promised reinforcements of ships and planes.
Dec 27th
The British land 600 commandos on Vaagso and Maaloy in the Lofoten Islands. These landings are on the heels of the landing yesterday, on Moskenesoy. Their targets today will be a fish-oil factory and a radio station. These are dummy targets to mask the real intention: an Enigma machine and weather codes at the weather station, on the "Vorstenboote", a 200-ton trawler. The boat was machine-gunned to cut down the crew but not to sink it.
MacArthur declares Manila an open city. US forces have fallen back to their 3rd defence line which runs east and west from Paniqui. This is upsetting to Churchill, who thinks that the Japanese should be made to pay for every inch of ground, and that it is unconscionable to allow them to take the capital of the islands at little cost. Alexander accordingly makes it known to the press that the Imperial forces will defend every inch and every town and city as hard and as long as possible. Alexander agrees on the condition that he has full operational control to NOT do this if he feels it necessary.
The RAF is getting further aircraft from Australia and the Middle East, although the versatile Beaufighters are still in high demand. Now that the Japanese are established in the north Malaya airfields, they are conducting small harassing and strafing raids over the British airfields and troops. The RAF and RAAF are responding in kind, and the better airfields, radar and the general toughness of the British forces mean that despite the undoubted skill of the Japanese pilots they are slowly losing the battle of attrition. In addition to the replacement planes, Park has been promised additional squadrons, including two of Wellingtons once they can be prised free of the Mediterranean Theatre. He has also asked for more of the long-range Whirlwind reconnaissance version to keep an eye on the Japanese ships in the South China Sea, and intends to use the Wellingtons for gardening operations against the Japanese ports. The problem he has is simply the size of the theatre; no one seemed to have realised before the war that a very long range would be needed, and so it is difficult for the British to cover anything much past the French Indo China southern coast. As a result Somerville is having to keep more of his T-class submarines on picket duty than he would like in order to try and make sure a heavy Japanese naval force doesn't take him by surprise.
The Japanese attempt to reinforce their bridgehead in Borneo with a convoy of four small merchant ships escorted by two destroyers. The convoy manages to evade the Allied air patrols in poor weather, but lose one of the transports (and have a second one damaged) to an attack by a Dutch submarine. Despite this setback, they manage to land another 600 troops plus supplies. The British have sent another 1,000 men from the recently arrived 18th division to Borneo, as the Dutch move forces further north. It is hoped that if they can contain any build-up the Allies will be able to defeat the attempt at invasion. The Dutch are also preparing for air strikes against the Japanese force, although they are reluctant to move too many of their available force from the Dutch East Indies, which they see as a target as soon as the Philippine Islands fall, which only seems like a matter of time.
Dec 28th
Alexander is considering ways of making the Japanese supply situation even more difficult - the worse this is, the more time the British have to reinforce and strengthen their defences. As the navy is making life difficult at sea, the planners are looking at ways to strike the coastal railway down the east coast of Thailand which is now the Japanese main supply artery. This is already being supplemented by forced labour - 'voluntary' in Thailand, not even that in Malaya, but cutting the rail line will make it far more difficult to move heavy equipment and supplies. A possible strike from carriers to the west has been considered (the east coast is considered too dangerous), possibly as part of a campaign to strike the airfields in the northwest. While Somerville has no objections to the idea, he points out that until he receives more aircraft he cannot reduce the full-strength squadrons he is maintaining due to the dangers of a heavy Japanese naval attack. It has been three weeks since the attack on Pearl Harbor, and he expects that the main Japanese carrier force will be available for a new deployment very soon. Until it commits itself, its strength means he has to be cautious about keeping his fighting power concentrated. The current preferred options are attacks by Special Forces and/or commandos, either infiltrated across the border or put ashore and recovered by submarine.
Preparations are started in the Middle East to move the newly formed Australian armoured division and a Brigade of the French Foreign Legion to the Far East. A shortage of troopships mean they can't be transported immediately - instead, the plan is to bring them out as soon as the troopships currently with the convoy heading east can return. While this is happening the ships carrying their equipment will be assembled in North Africa.
As well as Malaya, reinforcements are still arriving in Burma, which is seen as the next target for the Japanese. It is expected to shortly have four divisions plus an armoured brigade in place (although 1 Burma division is not considered sufficiently trained), plus the possible addition of up to two Chinese divisions to protect the Burma Road. The main aim of Burma command is to hold the Japanese at bay until the monsoon season makes any major attack impossible; with the additional time this will bring, it is expected that Burma will be sufficiently supported to make a Japanese invasion impossible over the poor overland supply routes, so long as the Bay of Bengal remains impassable to Japanese troop convoys. Possession of the sea route will allow the British to move and reinforce troops, and in particular supplies, much more easily than the tracks which pass for roads in most of rural Burma.
Elements of the Japanese 33rd division have made a number of small incursions into southern Burma, presumably in advance of major operations planned soon. Since any forces attacking the country will have to share the same supply network as the army in Malaya, the interdiction of the coastal railway is moved up in priority.
Dec 29th
The Imperial forces landed at Kuching in Borneo contact the Japanese in the northern part of the country. Both sides suffer casualties as aggressive patrols run into each other. The Imperial troops have been having more success at 'borrowing' small craft to move up the coast. The Japanese policy of brutality is steadily spreading through the native population, and the mood of the natives towards their oriental 'liberators' is turning nasty.
Major General Lewis H Brereton, Commanding General Far East Air Force, arrives at his new headquarters at Darwin, Northern Territory.
The submarine HMS Triumph fails to return from patrol, thought to be the victim of a mine. The RN has been steadily clearing mines laid by the Japanese at the start of the war, but apparently their submarines are re-laying some of them.
Dec 30th
In Borneo, the Imperial formations make an attack on the Japanese. This is a confused affair of infantry actions in the jungle, and the Japanese, more experienced in jungle fighting, finally come out best, pushing the Allies back and inflicting 700 casualties for the loss of 500 men. While the Imperial forces reform, the Dutch expect to be able to make their own attack the following day, keeping up pressure on the Japanese. Both the RAF and the Dutch air force are flying patrol missions along the coast, and so far this seems
to be deterring the Japanese from further reinforcing their position.
The US forces on Luzon fall back from positions at Tarlac. These are their last prepared positions before Bataan. They need to hold this line because the forces to the south must pass through Manila to get to Bataan - if they fail to hold here, they will be lost.
The air echelons of two USAAF Far East Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress squadrons arrive at Sinosari, Java, Netherlands East Indies, from Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Admiral King is appointed CINCUS (Commander in Chief) - US Fleet. To avoid use of what he considers the pejorative acronym CINCUS, he introduces COMINCH
General Alexander and Admiral Somerville hold discussions with the Dutch as to where best to deploy to protect Borneo and the western part of the DEI. Borneo is a large country with poor communications, and realistically a successful defence will require control of the sea. However if it can be held it will force the Japanese into a single line of attack through the DEI, unless they in turn can control the sea area. After considerable discussions the Dutch agree to place their naval forces under British overall command, as the Far Eastern Fleet is obviously the heavy naval force in the area. As a start, aggressive patrols by light forces of cruisers and destroyers will continue, with the capital ships being held ready to contest any attempt by Japan to move into the area with heavy ships.
As a result of these decisions, London is informed of the need for more aircraft as soon as possible to control the eastern part of the sea area. While a considerable number of aircraft are on the convoy heading east, the longer-range planes can make it their on their own through the established air routes. The USAAF is also asked if it can provide planes to help, pointing out that the further forward the Japanese can be held the easier it will be to retake the Philippines. Discussions are ongoing to move Admiral Hart's remaining ships to bases in the DEI and Singapore. As a result of the telegrams to London, that evening HMS Ark Royal, HMS Renown and a destroyer escort enter the Suez Canal.
Dec 31st
Two of the RN's T-class submarines are recalled from patrol to take part in Operation Stiletto. A force of SOE-trained men and Australian volunteers is already training for their part in the operation.
General Yamashita is pushing the Imperial Guard forward as fast as possible; he needs these troops for his planned new offensive in Malaya. There has been considerable discussion in the army about which coast is the best for an advance; in the end the west has been chosen due to the far superior transport network (the Japanese supply officers in Thailand and French Indo China are starting to get nervous tics when pushed on the issues of supply shortages), and the eastern coast is only viable if the Japanese navy controls the sea, which they don't. A number of diversions will be conducted on the east coast, using coastal craft if possible. He hopes to have all the men in place in a few days.
The Japanese attempt another night raid against Singapore. This is again roughly handled by the radar-equipped night fighters, and thirteen bombers are lost out of 50 for the cost of light damage to an airfield and the city. As a result Somerville thinks it will be possible to station heavier forces in Singapore, although he does point out that if the Japanese start to conduct effective air raids he will be obliged to pull them back again.
Chapter 8 - A New Year
Jan 1st 1942
The Chinese request lend-lease aid for construction of a road across northern Burma to link with the Burma Road. The projected road would extend from Ledo, India, to Fort Hertz and Myitkyina, Burma, and Lung-ling, China.
The RAF conducts a heavy raid against Italian oil storage facilities near Rome, leaving half the storage tanks aflame, the planes flying on to North Africa to refuel. On their return trip, they make another raid, this time on armament works.
Dutch troops attack the Japanese in Borneo, aided by air strikes from the Dutch air force, including heavy strafing operations by the Dutch Buffalo squadrons. This time the situation is less confused than the initial attacks by the Allies, and although the Dutch do not push the Japanese back, both sides lose about 500 men killed and wounded. The Allied force to the south has reformed after its initial defeat, and will strike north tomorrow to put further pressure on the Japanese.
Jan 2nd
Japanese troops occupy the remains of Cavite naval base as well as the capital of Manila as US forces withdraw to the Bataan peninsula. This is good news to the Japanese army, who immediately start looking at options to redeploy some of the troops, and in particular, the transports they have been using, to other areas which are not progressing as well.
President Roosevelt announces the beginning of the Liberty Ship program, the construction of 200 merchant ships of a standardized design. This is welcomed by the British, as while the opening of the Mediterranean and the use of North African supplies has eased their shipping situation, the new requirements in the Far East are threatening to overwhelm existing capacity. This is not helped by the need to move large numbers of troops and the lack of a US sealift capability.
Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum, Commanding General First Army, tentatively selected for a field command in China, arrives in Washington, D.C. where he confers with various military leaders, finding widely divergent opinions as to role of U.S. in China.
The Imperial Borneo force strikes the Japanese positions while they are still recovering from the Dutch attack - a rather fortuitous timing. This time the force keeps pressing the Japanese, who finally start to pull back after suffering over 600 casualties to the Imperial losses of some 400.
Jan 3rd
During the night of 3/4 January, RAF Bomber Command dispatches ten planes on a mine-laying mission in the Frisian Islands; one aircraft is lost.
In Washington President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill announce the creation of a unified command in the Southwest Pacific, with British General Alexander as supreme commander of American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) forces in that area. General Alexander is directed
(1) To hold the Malay Barrier (the line Malay Peninsula-Sumatra-Java-Northern Australia) and operate as far beyond the barrier as possible in order to check the Japanese advance
(2) Hold Malaya, Burma and Australia
(3) Restore communications with the Philippine Islands through the Netherlands East Indies
(4) Maintain communications within the theatre
Above all, Alexander's forces, mostly Australians and British, are to hold Australia and Burma. In another move, Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek is named Commander in Chief of Allied Forces in China. The Arcadia Conference makes Chiang Kai-shek, a Chinese leader, the leader of Allied troops stationed in and around China. In order to relieve Alexander of direct responsibility for Malaya, General Blamey is appointed head of ground forces in Malaya, a promotion which is popular in Australia.
Military planners come to the realization that it will be impossible to reinforce the Philippine Islands and the troops in those islands are doomed. When told of this, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson notes, "There are times when men must die."
Jan 4th
Japanese Lieutenant General Homma, Commanding General 14th Army, meets with Manila Mayor Jorge Vargas. Homma imposes a Japanese Military Administration under Major General Hayashi. He imposes a curfew, blackout, martial law, firearms turn-in, a ban on radio transmissions and listening to non-Japanese statements. He also warns that any hostile act against the Japanese will result in ten Filipinos dying for every Japanese that is killed. All industries, factories, banks, schools, churches, and printing presses must come under Japanese control. The flying of the Filipino or U.S. flags or singing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" is forbidden.
The Japanese begin an air offensive against Rabaul on New Britain Island, the strategic base in the Bismarck Archipelago, garrisoned by 5,400 men (principally the Australian 2/22d Battalion, 8th Division; an RAAF detachment; 100 men of the New Guinea Volunteer Reserve; and a few Royal Australian Navy officers)
. Located at Rabaul are a fighter strip at Lakunai and a bomber strip at Vunakanu.
The Imperial Guards division makes a series of probing attacks on the British defensive line in Malaya. These are beaten off (in some cases with difficulty). The Imperial Guards have a reputation as fearless troops, but they have no recent combat experience. The British have built up defensive positions supported by artillery and small armoured units, which while discommoded by attempts to attack by infiltration have no great difficulty in holding their positions and wiping out the Japanese units in the rear. After the first day Blamey informs Malaya command that the Japanese appear to have no new tactics or equipment, and his experienced Australian troops are confident that unless the circumstances change considerably in favour of the Japanese they can be held here. Unfortunately, it is likely that nothing but local counterattacks can be made until the reinforcement convoy arrives later in the month.
In the Mediterranean British and Greek commandos start what will be a series of raids against the Greek coast. As with the raids in Norway, the main purpose is to keep the Italians off balance and occupied while the Allies build up strength for a major amphibious operation.