You're forgiven for not knowing the location of every ship in the water 75 years ago.
I daresay, you may know better where each minor warship is located than the admirals did during the war.
April 1942 Alternate Indian Ocean
- Thread starter Zheng He
- Start date
- Status
You're forgiven for not knowing the location of every ship in the water 75 years ago.
I daresay, you may know better where each minor warship is located than the admirals did during the war.
Interlude North Africa and the Mediterranean, 21 October-16 November 1942 – A period of almost four weeks in October and November 1942 saw a dramatic shift in Allied fortunes in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Events started on 21 October in Egypt with the long-awaited British offensive at El Alamein. After weeks of preparation and probing attacks, Allied forces launched themselves at their outnumbered and overstretched Axis adversaries behind a massive air and artillery bombardment. After two weeks of hard fighting, the German and Italian troops were either overwhelmed or in full retreat and less than three weeks from the start of the operation, British forces had recaptured the port of Tobruk in Libya.
Three days after the start of the Battle of El Alamein, the Mediterranean Fleet successfully executed OPERATION STONEAGE and a ran a convoy of six British, American, and Dutch merchant ships to Malta. Vice Admiral Harwood suspected the Germans were heavily distracted and would not be able to divert assets to interdicting a convoy. He was right more than he knew. Not only was the British 8th Army’s offensive putting immense pressure on Axis air units in Libya, but fuel shortages made worse but the successful interdiction of Axis supply convoys by aircraft and submarines from the island of Malta meant that fuel had to be flown in to Libya from Crete, diverting the attention of German air units on Crete from offensive operations. The situation on Crete was further exasperated by continued raids by RAF and USAAF B-24s against German airfields on the island. With the Germans and Italians distracted the five of the convoy’s six freighters got through while the light cruiser HMS Arethusa was torpedoed during an air attack and needed to be towed back to Alexandria.
On the other side of the Mediterranean, Force H ran a decoy convoy to further distract the Germans and Italians. This operation allowed the faster minelayer HMS Welshman to make run back to Gibraltar after delivering supplies earlier in the month while the carrier HMS Eagle made the final Club Run of the war, flying off 20 Spitfires and six Albacores while HMS Argus flew off another six Albacores. Historians including Stephen Roskill would later conclude that the successful missions to Malta in late October 1942 combined with successful Allied offensive operations in North Africa effectively lifted the siege of the embattled island.
On the heels of the British offensive in Egypt and the operations to resupply Malta, the Allies executed their most ambitious operation of the war to date, OPERATION TORCH, the invasion of French North Africa. Over 100,000 British and American troops landed at three points in Morocco and Algeria against opposition from the Vichy French. The operation was supported by a massive Allied armada including the carriers HMS Victorious, HMS Formidable, HMS Eagle, HMS Argus, and USS Ranger along with four British and four American escort carriers (with two employed as aircraft ferries), making OPERATION TORCH the first large scale use of the new converted ships. Over the course of the operation, the Allies lost several destroyers and smaller combatants to air attacks and submarines while the most significant naval loss of the operation occurred when the escort carrier HMS Archer was torpedoed and sunk by U-155 off the coast of West Africa a day after she flew off 30 USAAF P-40F Warhawks to captured airfields in Morocco. Archer went down with four P-40s still onboard. U-155’s torpedo spread also sank a British troop transport and damaged an American cargo ship.
Three days after the start of the Battle of El Alamein, the Mediterranean Fleet successfully executed OPERATION STONEAGE and a ran a convoy of six British, American, and Dutch merchant ships to Malta. Vice Admiral Harwood suspected the Germans were heavily distracted and would not be able to divert assets to interdicting a convoy. He was right more than he knew. Not only was the British 8th Army’s offensive putting immense pressure on Axis air units in Libya, but fuel shortages made worse but the successful interdiction of Axis supply convoys by aircraft and submarines from the island of Malta meant that fuel had to be flown in to Libya from Crete, diverting the attention of German air units on Crete from offensive operations. The situation on Crete was further exasperated by continued raids by RAF and USAAF B-24s against German airfields on the island. With the Germans and Italians distracted the five of the convoy’s six freighters got through while the light cruiser HMS Arethusa was torpedoed during an air attack and needed to be towed back to Alexandria.
On the other side of the Mediterranean, Force H ran a decoy convoy to further distract the Germans and Italians. This operation allowed the faster minelayer HMS Welshman to make run back to Gibraltar after delivering supplies earlier in the month while the carrier HMS Eagle made the final Club Run of the war, flying off 20 Spitfires and six Albacores while HMS Argus flew off another six Albacores. Historians including Stephen Roskill would later conclude that the successful missions to Malta in late October 1942 combined with successful Allied offensive operations in North Africa effectively lifted the siege of the embattled island.
On the heels of the British offensive in Egypt and the operations to resupply Malta, the Allies executed their most ambitious operation of the war to date, OPERATION TORCH, the invasion of French North Africa. Over 100,000 British and American troops landed at three points in Morocco and Algeria against opposition from the Vichy French. The operation was supported by a massive Allied armada including the carriers HMS Victorious, HMS Formidable, HMS Eagle, HMS Argus, and USS Ranger along with four British and four American escort carriers (with two employed as aircraft ferries), making OPERATION TORCH the first large scale use of the new converted ships. Over the course of the operation, the Allies lost several destroyers and smaller combatants to air attacks and submarines while the most significant naval loss of the operation occurred when the escort carrier HMS Archer was torpedoed and sunk by U-155 off the coast of West Africa a day after she flew off 30 USAAF P-40F Warhawks to captured airfields in Morocco. Archer went down with four P-40s still onboard. U-155’s torpedo spread also sank a British troop transport and damaged an American cargo ship.
0800 Hours, 22 October 1942, Colombo Harbor, Ceylon – With operations around the Dutch East Indies winding down due to the onset of the rainy season, Allied commanders at Ceylon and Port C could devote their attention to the ongoing process of turning Port C into a major forward base for offensive operations. This was a high priority for both Vice Admiral Layton and Rear Admiral Danckwerts and departing Colombo during the morning hours of 22 October was convoy that included some of the newest members of the Eastern Fleet’s growing fleet train. The convoy consisted of four freighters along with the submarine tender HMS Adamant and the fleet stores and water distillation ship RFA Bacchus recently arrived from Gibraltar accompanied the Norwegian tanker Erling Brovig.
The convoy’s importance was highlighted by the fact that despite requirements that stressed the fleet to the breaking point, Layton still managed assemble a substantial escort consisting of the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire, the sloops HMS Falmouth and HMIS Jumna, the minelayers HMS Manxman and HNLMS Willen van der Zaan, and the Free French aviso Savorgnan de Brazza. By this point the multi-national nature of the escort was fairly standard and more or less went without notice.
As the Port C bound convoy departed, planning began for the departure of the next major convoy, this one comprised mainly of oilers and tankers bound for the Persian Gulf.
The convoy’s importance was highlighted by the fact that despite requirements that stressed the fleet to the breaking point, Layton still managed assemble a substantial escort consisting of the heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire, the sloops HMS Falmouth and HMIS Jumna, the minelayers HMS Manxman and HNLMS Willen van der Zaan, and the Free French aviso Savorgnan de Brazza. By this point the multi-national nature of the escort was fairly standard and more or less went without notice.
As the Port C bound convoy departed, planning began for the departure of the next major convoy, this one comprised mainly of oilers and tankers bound for the Persian Gulf.
1200 Hours, 22 October 1942, Port C, Indian Ocean – The task force had arrived outside of Port C and the ships were maneuvering in preparation for the trip back to Colombo. The ships from the carrier task force that needed fuel topped off from the oilers USS Brazos and USS Trinity and were on their way by 1800 hours. The light cruiser USS St. Louis and the destroyers HMS Laforey, HMS Lightning, HMS Scout, HMS Foxhound, and HMS Hotspur and the last two freighters from the convoy anchored in Port C’s lagoon where the dredging operations were coming along nicely. Brazos and Trinity joined the ships in the lagoon to refuel the destroyers and would then transfer their remaining fuel to the RFA Pearleaf. The next morning, a convoy consisting of the freighters and the oilers was due to depart for Colombo.
Great updates!!!
Here's a thought: If HMS Eagle hasn't been sunk ITTL (unlike OTL) then does that mean that the RN has extra carrier to send to the Far East? Either HMS Eagle herself or, more likely, having Eagle replace a CV in the European theater and sending that carrier, hopefully a modern one, to reinforce Somerville?
Here's a thought: If HMS Eagle hasn't been sunk ITTL (unlike OTL) then does that mean that the RN has extra carrier to send to the Far East? Either HMS Eagle herself or, more likely, having Eagle replace a CV in the European theater and sending that carrier, hopefully a modern one, to reinforce Somerville?
0700 Hours, 23 October 1942, Port C, Indian Ocean – With their portion of OPERATION PAPERBACK complete, the oilers USS Brazos and USS Trinity departed Port C for Colombo with the two empty freighters. From there the oilers were continue on to the Persian Gulf to bring more fuel back to the frontline bases. Escorting the oilers and cargo ships were the light cruisers USS St. Louis and HMNZS Achilles, and the destroyers HMS Scout, HMS Foxhound, and HMS Hotspur. The destroyers HMS Laforey and HMS Lightning were remaining behind to provide anti-submarine assistance to a convoy due to arrive from Fremantle in another two days.
0900 Hours, 23 October 1942, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean – At Christmas Island, the weather officer reported the system would clear out, at least temporarily in another 36-40 hours and would give them a day or two of consistently good weather. With that in mind, the Phosphate Air Force’s planners were hard at work on their next mission, another visit to the forward Japanese base near Pulau Island in the Sunda Strait. The hope was that continued pressure on the enemy’s forward bases on the southern end of Java would get them to stop using them all together.
1200 Hours, 23 October 1942, Headquarters First Southern Area Expeditionary Fleet, Batavia, Java – Vice Admiral Ozawa was using the break offered by the lousy weather to plan as well. He needed to run resupply convoys to his forward bases in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and at Sabang and his staff was busy gathering assets to support those efforts. He also had a message in his hands from his boss Vice Admirals Takahashi to begin preparing to move the 65th Infantry Brigade off of Timor for temporary redeployment back to Java. At least he did not need to worry about that mission for another four weeks.
1700 Hours, 23 October 1942, Exmouth Gulf, Australia – The merchant ships SS Torrens and SS El Marquis and their escorting corvettes arrived at Exmouth Gulf to deliver supplies and construction materials. Exmouth Gulf was still a bare bones air and seaplane base but its further development had high priority and given the distances involved and limited road and rail infrastructure in Western Australia, coastal convoys were the best way to bring in materials. Unloading operations went quickly and the convoy was underway for Fremantle by 0800 hours the next morning.
0700 Hours, 24 October 1942, Colombo Harbor, Ceylon – After a six-day transit from Port C, seven empty cargo ships, the RFA Athelstane, the aircraft transport HMS Engadine with No. 30 Squadron’s Hurricanes along with the destroyers HMS Duncan, USS Alden, and USS King, the sloop HMS Egret, and the merchant cruiser HMS Carthage arrived at Colombo. Dock workers immediately began the laborious process of unloading the fighters from HMS Engadine for transport to Ratmalana Airfield. The American destroyers were due for maintenance and the cargo ships and Athelstane began replenishing in preparation for departure for the Persian Gulf bound convoy due to depart the next morning.
0900 Hours, 24 October 1942, Durban, South Africa – Six empty cargo ships and the destroyers HMS Paladin, HMS Panther, HMS Express, and HMS Javelin arrived in Durban to the scene of a harbor bustling with an even higher degree of activity than normal. A large convoy was assembling with supplies destined for Bengal and the Arakan to support Allied preparations for upcoming offensive operations in Burma. As soon as the empty cargo ships docked, loading operations commenced while the destroyer skippers were ordered to report to an escort commanders’ briefing.
0700 Hours, 25 October 1942, Colombo Harbor, Ceylon – Another convoy was departing Colombo, this one headed in the opposite direction bound for Bombay and the Persian Gulf. Ten empty cargo ships were headed for Bombay where they would either pickup cargo or join other convoys bound for East Africa and the Mediterranean. Six oilers, the RFAs Brown Ranger, Eaglesdale, British Genius, British Sergeant, Athelstane, and Appleleaf were all bound for the Persian Gulf to load up with oil for the tank farms at Colombo, Trincomalee, Fremantle, and Port C. The convoy’s escort was comprised of the destroyers HMS Duncan, Spetsai, and Kountouriotis, the sloop HMS Egret, and the corvettes HMS Erica and HMS Primula.
0900 Hours, 25 October 1942, Fremantle, Australia – After a mission lasting almost four weeks, the crew of the merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia and the accompanying Royal Marines were thrilled to see the welcome sight of the Australian port of Fremantle. The ship was in definite need of maintenance and would not be going anywhere for at least two weeks. This meant plenty of liberty call for everyone. Over the past two days, Captain Kershaw had addressed the crew and the Marines more than once regarding the need to behave themselves while on liberty along with the lectures on what parts of Fremantle and Perth to avoid and what to do when arrested. Kershaw and his officers also drew up duty schedules and made it clear than anyone who failed to show up for his assigned rotations while in port would find himself permanently assigned to one of the scenic islands they had just visited.
Driftless
Donor
"The Outback" TV documentary. As luck has it.... The local Public TV network is showing a science series that has several episodes on the very northwest corner of Australia (Kimberley region, Roebuck Bay). The series provides an interesting overview of some of the regions featured in this TL. Since it's public TV, I think most folks should be able to view.
0900 Hours, 25 October 1942, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean – With the weather clear, the Phosphate Air Force was sending eight SBDs and 20 Battles escorted by eight P-40s against the Japanese anchorage at Pulau Island hoping to repeat the successful raid on Tjilatjap five days earlier. All 36 planes were in the air and formed up by 0930 hours and heading northwest.
The formation hit the Japanese base at the southern end of the Sunda Strait at 1100 hours. There were no fighters present, just a single Pete floatplane on anti-submarine patrol and it was easily dispatched by one of the escorting P-40s. There were several supply barges present and a small merchant ship and what appeared to be a large supply buildup on the shore. The Battles hit the supply dump and the barges with their 250-pound bombs while the dive bombers hit the merchant ship and the barges. All of the targets got a good going over, including strafing from the P-40s with light anti-aircraft fire claiming a Battle and an SBD. Two of the Battles made a pass over the target area after the attack with the crews taking pictures of the damage for a post-strike assessment.
All of the surviving planes were back to Christmas Island by 1300 hours and there was a general agreement that the strike was successful. What the Allied pilots could not know is that the Japanese had pulled a fast one on them. Earlier strikes by the Phosphate Air Force had convinced the Japanese that keeping a seaplane base and forward anchorage at Pulau Island was untenable for the time being so they pulled their forces out and used supply barges to bring in garbage and worn out pieces of equipment, all to give them impression of an ongoing buildup. Even the merchant ship sunk by the dive bombers was a derelict with worn out engines and a leaky hull. For the Japanese, the “successful” attack by the Phosphate Air Force provided a needed reprieve after their failure to shutdown the Allied presence on Christmas Island.
The formation hit the Japanese base at the southern end of the Sunda Strait at 1100 hours. There were no fighters present, just a single Pete floatplane on anti-submarine patrol and it was easily dispatched by one of the escorting P-40s. There were several supply barges present and a small merchant ship and what appeared to be a large supply buildup on the shore. The Battles hit the supply dump and the barges with their 250-pound bombs while the dive bombers hit the merchant ship and the barges. All of the targets got a good going over, including strafing from the P-40s with light anti-aircraft fire claiming a Battle and an SBD. Two of the Battles made a pass over the target area after the attack with the crews taking pictures of the damage for a post-strike assessment.
All of the surviving planes were back to Christmas Island by 1300 hours and there was a general agreement that the strike was successful. What the Allied pilots could not know is that the Japanese had pulled a fast one on them. Earlier strikes by the Phosphate Air Force had convinced the Japanese that keeping a seaplane base and forward anchorage at Pulau Island was untenable for the time being so they pulled their forces out and used supply barges to bring in garbage and worn out pieces of equipment, all to give them impression of an ongoing buildup. Even the merchant ship sunk by the dive bombers was a derelict with worn out engines and a leaky hull. For the Japanese, the “successful” attack by the Phosphate Air Force provided a needed reprieve after their failure to shutdown the Allied presence on Christmas Island.
- Status