The Whale Has Wings Vol 3 - Holding the Barrier (10 page)

The destroyer accompanying the ships made for where she supposed the enemy submarine was, but by the time she got around to her estimated position the Triumph had slipped away, slow and silent, and the depth charges did little more than rattle her slightly and kill a considerable quantity of fish. The boat did, after the depth charges died away, take another look - there was, after all, always the chance that a ship might have hung around, and her internal bow tubes were reloaded, but after taking off the crew the cruisers had decided that there was no point in them hanging around and had headed for port at well over 20 knots, followed by the destroyer (who was already claiming a kill on the submarine) The final act of the Battle of the China Sea was over.

The reports by both sides on the results of their actions were interesting, and it was a shame that an impartial observer was not able to correlate the two, as they made quite different reading.

From the British point of view, the action had been successful. Force Z had lost an AA cruiser and a destroyer, and had a light carrier and a battleship put of out action for a considerable time. However they had sunk two light carriers, (granted, old, small ones), two battlecruisers, three heavy cruisers and two destroyers, a quite satisfactory ratio. They had also destroyed the IJN land-based air force until it could be rebuilt. On the tactical side, the performance of their fighters had been adequate, and the new planes in particular had performed well, although it had been noted that the Japanese pilots were brave, determined and the fighter pilots in particular were highly skilled. The Japanese strikes had been as good as anything the Luftwaffe had done in the Mediterranean, and future missions would have to be undertaken with this in mind. The Staff analysis was that, for the time being, the Japanese surface force in the area was so severely weakened as to probably be unable to act. Somerville intended to keep reasonable pressure on the Japanese, especially with his submarines, but did not intend to
pursue aggressive actions unless necessary to protect British possessions - the amount of airpower the Japanese had deployed was still uncertain, and his force was not powerful enough to wage a full-scale air battle on its own. However for the time being it looked like the east coast of Malay was safe and life was looking difficult for the Japanese convoys, which he intended to harry as much as feasible. Somerville intended to replace his losses from the ships finishing working up at Ceylon, although he wanted more ships if possible - he was in particular short of carriers and destroyers, and he needed replacement aircraft urgently. He also wanted a small commando force - he thought around 1,500 men would do, plus sufficient landing craft to lift about twice this. He had in mind using the current naval dominance of the area to consider the possibility of landings behind the Japanese front line, as had proved so successful in General O’Conner’s North African battles.

While the night attack had been a major success, he warned there were still issues. The attack had concentrated too much on the carriers; a more careful approach might have sunk the entire Japanese force. Also, although radar helped, there was still no true counter to a night attack by air, and the Japanese airmen had proved skilled enough to learn how to do this. He wanted immediate action to determine how best he could defend against this type of attack, and what needed to be developed to help this defence.

The Japanese report was surprisingly optimistic - at this stage in the war, their command seemed rather uncritical of the combat claims of its men. While it was accepted that the covering force had suffered heavy losses, this was only to be expected in action with the Royal Navy, especially as they had been outnumbered. Despite this, they had inflicted serious losses on Force Z, and pointed out that the British ships had withdrawn as a sign that they too realised how much damage the Imperial Navy had inflicted on them. A battleship had been nearly sunk, and would not be in action for a very long time, and a second battleship had been hit by the aircraft; it too would no doubt be out of action for some time. A carrier had been sunk by the aircraft torpedo attack, and another one left in flames; since there was no sign of it in Singapore dockyard it had probably sunk from that damage. At least two cruisers and a number of destroyers had been sunk. While it was admitted that they had suffered heavy losses to their land-based air force, the British carrier airgroups had also been savaged. The British had obviously had four carriers with them (as shown by the strength of the night attack), now they only had two, and would need to rebuild their air groups. At least one British submarine had been sunk.

While the Japanese command admitted that their own losses meant it would be difficult to take much offensive action at sea until they had received reinforcement, the same applied to the Royal Navy, and they were much further away from their home bases. This meant that there was no overriding reason why the next phase of landings could not go ahead broadly on schedule, although they would need more planes before this would be entirely safe. Regarding the longer-term plans, they pointed out that if the Royal Navy was reinforced again, with the current forces they expected to have it might be difficult to keep pressure on Malaya at sea. They therefore suggested two possible courses of action; first, to send significant reinforcements, this would mean battleships from home waters as well as at least part of the carrier striking force. If this proved impossible, a modification of the plan could be made. Instead of moving on the DEI by means of two pincers from the PI and Malaya, as the actions in the Philippines seemed so far to be going satisfactorily they could keep the pressure on the British in Malaya with the army, then roll up the DEI from the east against the anvil of their advance into Malaya. This would allow them to keep the planned attack into Burma as soon as the Army had moved sufficiently far into Malaya.

All in all, although they had received a setback at the hands of the Royal Navy they had damaged their opponent equally severely and the overall plan was still going well, although small modification might have to be made to keep abreast of the changing situation.

Dec 14th

In Europe, Germany blames the failure of the attack on Moscow on the bitter Russian winter, and vows that as soon as it finishes German troops will march through the ruins of the Kremlin over the bodies of Josef Stalin and his commissars.

In the north of Malaya the Japanese army keeps pressure on the defenders of Jitra, although at the moment the Australians defences are holding firm, thanks to the delaying tactics that gave them extra time to prepare. After being forced to withdraw down the eastern coast due to the pressure of Japanese attacks, Imperial troops have formed new defensive lines and positions. This has been helped by the use of some Australian troops and tanks to form blocking positions to allow the retreating force to recover and re-establish their lines. Reports from the Australians report that the Indian troops appeared badly shaken after their retreat, but steadied once they realized reinforcements were to hand to cover them and allow them to reorganise.

The government of Siam signs a treaty formally legitimizing the Japanese invasion as 'necessary to prevent a British invasion of our country'. This was a disappointment to the British, as they had been hoping their battle against the Japanese invasion would at least make the Siamese government wait until the outcome was more certain. It was not realised until after the war that the men in charge of the government had already made an arrangement with the Japanese.

In the Mediterranean, the cruiser HMS Galatea is sunk by a U-boat. Cunningham, while no longer having much to worry about from surface ships, and currently having the air situation under control (especially with the bulk of the Luftwaffe currently frozen to the ground in Russia), is having problems with the U-boats sent to harass him and the convoys. A study is underway as to the best way to neutralize this threat, as the situation in the Far East will be much easier to supply if the route through the Mediterranean remains reasonably loss-free.

The results of the Bomber Command raid on Hamburg have been analyzed, and are impressive - even Dowding considers it a success. The raid involved some 500 Lancaster and Halifax bombers, and had resulted in the estimated destruction of 70% of the cities shipyards, a major producer of U-boats, mainly due to the large fires caused by the incendiary loads. Bomber Command has a number of other raids planned, on differing targets, to evaluate the new techniques before starting a major campaign. 23 bombers were lost during the raid, which is considered acceptable. Work is also continuing to find a way to destroy the huge U-boat pens the Germans have been constructing.

Dec 15th

Northwest of Moscow, the Soviet Army retakes Klin and Kalinin. Russian radio announces that the advance of the Red Army against the frozen and pitifully unprepared German army will continue until they are forced from Russian soil.

The Japanese force investing Hong Kong attempts its first landings on the island itself, but these are repelled, albeit with difficulty. It is clearly only a matter of time before the colony falls.

The RAF in Malaya resumes offensive operations against the Japanese airfields in Siam from the more southerly bases. These bases are in no danger from the Japanese army at present, and are inside the southern Malaya radar net, allowing the defenders more warning of attacks.

The day sees a number of confused raids from both sides, each trying to catch the other on the ground as well as damage the airbases they are using. The RAF loses six Blenheim bombers, eight Beaufighters and nine Sparrowhawks. The Japanese lose seven Sally bombers and eleven Nate fighters. The use of a radar system and ground control is starting to give the defenders an advantage over the Japanese tactics of small, constant raids, but it is clear that the operators require considerably more experience before the threat can be completely contained.

In the USA, there has been much controversy over the construction of the Alaska-class battlecruisers. Many feel they are unnecessary, and even though a war has begun, there is no sign of the Japanese battlecruisers they were intended to fight. There is pressure by the 'air faction' in the navy to cancel them, and build three additional Essex-class carriers in place of them, especially since the Royal Navy is steadily showing that a surface ship is as the mercy of a carrier which comes within range. The first ship of the class is about to be laid down; as a result of the discussions, this is postponed for two weeks until a final decision can be made.

Dec 16th

The U .S. War Department gives Brigadier General John Magruder, head of the American Military Mission to China (AMMISCA), permission to divert Chinese lend-lease supplies to the British, provided the Chinese agree. The operations in Malaya have been of sufficient intensity to worry the British regarding their logistics. It isn't realised yet just how inadequate the Japanese logistics system is compared to that of the Allies.

The Secretary of the Navy approves an expansion of the pilot training program from the existing schedule of assigning 800 students per month to one calling for 2,500 per month, leading to a production of 20,000 pilots annually by mid-1943.

The Japanese army postpones the planned invasion of Borneo for a short time. This is to allow the Royal Navy force to retreat to Singapore, out of easy range of interfering. While the Navy is convinced that Force Z is retreating beaten, the Army is less trusting, especially when getting reports sourced by the Navy.

Admiral Fletcher's Task Force 11 is deployed in support of Admiral Brown’s TF 14. This consists of the fleet carrier Saratoga, the fleet oiler Neches, seaplane tender Tangier (loaded with supplies), the heavy cruisers Astoria, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, and ten destroyers. The convoy carries the 4th Marine Defence Battalion, a fighter squadron equipped with Grumman Wildcat fighters, along with 9,000 5 in (130 mm) rounds, 12,000 3 in (76 mm) rounds, and 3,000,000 .50 in (12.7 mm) rounds, as well as a large amount of ammunition for mortars and other battalion small arms. TF 14 - consisting of the fleet carrier Lexington, three heavy cruisers, eight destroyers, and an oiler - is to undertake a raid on the Marshall Islands to divert Japanese attention.

After the recent events in theatre and in SE Asia, Fletcher was instructed to relieve Wake 'with all speed'. Unofficially the commanders have it pointed out to them that the Navy's honour requires them to be seen to act in support of US interests and territories, especially in view of the comments some Congressmen are making. There is some concern at the way the fleet is being used in small elements, inviting defeat in detail, after the way it has been shown in the war so far that better results are obtained from concentrated force. With the present available forces, and the sheer size of the Pacific Theatre, such dispersion is seen as inevitable.

Dec 17th

In the Crimea, German attacks by 54th Corps of the German Army Group South begin against the city of Sevastopol despite continuing Soviet offensives in other areas.

A plan is drawn up for using Australia as an Allied supply base under command of Major General George H. Brett, USA.  Meanwhile B-17 Flying Fortresses, evacuating the Philippine Islands, begin arriving at Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory. It is not yet certain if the planes will be based here, but as it is likely the DEI are the eventual target of the Japanese attack they will stay here to be used to attack the expected incursion.

The Australian “Gull Force” (1,100 men from the Australian 8th Division) lands on Ambon Island, DEI to reinforce the Dutch garrison. The Dutch are poorly equipped, and the Australians urgently recommend supply of items such as radios and other basic military supplies.

Dec 18th

MacArthur is promoted to full General. There are a certain amount of barbed comments (carefully not in the presence of senior officers) as to what rank he would have been promoted to if he had been successful at defending the Philippines.

In northern Malaya the Japanese assault on the Jitra defences continues, with fresh troops from the 18th division aided by tanks. The Australian defence is starting to weaken as the continuing assault allows them little rest, and the infantry infiltration and assaults, although often costly to the Japanese, are steadily eroding their positions. With the local airfields now evacuated and destroyed, planning is made to withdraw the defenders to the defence line further south, which they have bought time to have prepared and manned. The Australians will blow bridges and cause as much delay as possible while defence lines are strengthened. While it might have been possible to hold Jitra by committing his reserves, Blamey is concerned at being outflanked by a push from Kroh, the Japanese having now overcome the earlier delaying tactics. Fortunately for the defenders the Japanese have had to pause in their attacks on a number of occasions to wait for more supplies. Apparently the planned convoys are having some difficulties. Indeed, Yamashita has already ordered that the maximum amount of supplies be brought overland, requisitioning whatever his logistics troops can get from the locals. So far the Australian and Indian troops have lost some 3,000 men, about 1/3 of them killed. The Japanese have lost over twice this (including troops lost on the transports), mostly killed, and the 5th Division is running very short on men.

The issues with the transports are only going to get worse. Dutch submarines operating out of Singapore have sunk four transports and an oiler (although with the loss of three submarines to attacks and mines), the US submarine Swordfish has sunk a freighter off Hainan, and the British submarines have sunk two more tankers. For the time being, there is little surface shipping available to supply 25th Army

The attack has been costly in terms of aircraft to both sides. The RAF and RAAF have lost another eight Sparrowhawks, nine Beaufighters and five Blenhiems as they struggle to attack the Japanese ground troops and the air bases. The Japanese have been defending their bases and helping their troops on the ground with air strikes and strafing attacks, losing eleven Oscars and fifteen Ki-51 Sonjas. Both sides are now asking their command for more planes and pilots. It’s not only the number of planes lost in combat; both sides are suffering from depleted squadrons due to non-combat damage. This is hitting the Japanese worse as the airfields they are using are not surfaced, and planes are being put out of action due to poor landings. While the planes are normally repairable, the strain is telling on the ground crews.

As the Royal Navy returns to Singapore, the Japanese mount a heavy night raid against the city. It had originally been planned for this to be made by navy G3M Nell and G4M Betty bombers, but after the Battle of the South China Sea, these are 'not available'. A heavy raid is therefore undertaken by 40 Ki-21 Sally bombers. There is some concern that the lack of a moon will make navigation difficult, but the position of Singapore Island makes it easier to spot.

The new moon also gives the bomber pilots confidence that they will be difficult to intercept. This confidence proves misplaced when twelve Reaper night-fighters are vectored onto the bomber groups by the island's radar net. While the Japanese bombers have good performance, their target is obvious, and as a result, fifteen of them are shot down, many before they even reach Singapore. The only loss to the night-fighters is one which crashes on landing. The bombers which do manage to attack find that with some of the fleet in, the AA fire from the docks is heavy, and by now, the authorities have worked out how to fix the blackout. One more plane is lost to AA, and while bombs are scattered across the base, causing a fair amount of damage, nothing critical and no ships are hit.

The northeastern part of the South China Sea had been kept under observation since the battle by Dutch Do34 flying boats. On the 17th a formation of ten transports and a tanker were spotted some 300 miles north-west of Lutang. Although there were now Dutch fighters on some of the Borneo airbases, the Dutch were not equipped adequately for anti-shipping strikes, and a squadron of Beaufighters is arranged to leave tomorrow, stopping at Kuching airfield to refuel.

Planes were not the only forces the Allies had in the area, however. Although she had been unlucky in not managing to find any of the Japanese warships in the earlier action, the submarine HMS Unbroken had been looking for trade off the Borneo coast. She was close enough to intercept the convoy on receiving the sighting report from the Dutch aircraft. The small submarine found the convoy without any proper naval escort - it was surmised that the Japanese had assumed the naval actions had drawn all the Allied warships away from this area, and only one destroyer was seen accompanying the transports. In two attacks, she sank the tanker and two of the transports before the convoy escaped. While the Unbroken was depth charged (and claimed sunk by the Japanese destroyer), she suffered only minor damage.