April 1942 Alternate Indian Ocean
- Thread starter Zheng He
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That's good to hear that you've gotten over the worst of it. And thanks for the heads-up about the importance to stay hydrated. If it's true that the recovered cases are immune and will eventually eliminate their load of Corona virus so as they aren't carriers I would hope the recovered will have the lock-down restrictions lifted on them. People are going to need to return to work when it's safe for them to do so.
0700 Hours, 4 January 1943, 110 Miles South of Akyab, Bay of Bengal – Choppy surf meant the unloading took longer than expected and with the sun rising, the destroyer transport USS Waters headed due west into open ocean at 20 knots. Fortunately, the strip of coastline where No. 5 Commando had established itself was not frequented by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft and Waters and her crew were getting away clean.
While Waters was making her run out to sea, 150 miles to the northwest the minelayer HMS Manxman broke away from Force A for a solo run to Trincomalee to pick-up another load of mines for her next special mission.
At Allied air bases stretching from Calcutta down to Akyab, air units were standing down with the exception of the fighters needed for basic air defense and the Wellingtons and Hudsons tasked with dropping supplies to the now all but cutoff troops of the 14th Indian Division, aiding the Allies’ meager airlift assets in theater. The stand down for No. 224 and No. 221 Groups was in preparation for what Allied commanders expected to be several days of intense operations. The Japanese offensive against Akyab was picking up steam and a breakthrough that would separate the Allied lines between the 11th East Africa and 14th Indian Divisions was expected in the next 24 to 48 hours. This would cutoff the 14th Indian Division from its land lines of communication and allow the Japanese to bring artillery within range of the airfield at Akyab. It was also exactly what Lieutenant General Slim wanted. While the Japanese continued to push hard against the East African and Indian troops dug in around Akyab achieving their breakthroughs at high cost and usually after the Allied troops retreated in good order, the pieces were just about in place for Slim to spring his trap.
While Waters was making her run out to sea, 150 miles to the northwest the minelayer HMS Manxman broke away from Force A for a solo run to Trincomalee to pick-up another load of mines for her next special mission.
At Allied air bases stretching from Calcutta down to Akyab, air units were standing down with the exception of the fighters needed for basic air defense and the Wellingtons and Hudsons tasked with dropping supplies to the now all but cutoff troops of the 14th Indian Division, aiding the Allies’ meager airlift assets in theater. The stand down for No. 224 and No. 221 Groups was in preparation for what Allied commanders expected to be several days of intense operations. The Japanese offensive against Akyab was picking up steam and a breakthrough that would separate the Allied lines between the 11th East Africa and 14th Indian Divisions was expected in the next 24 to 48 hours. This would cutoff the 14th Indian Division from its land lines of communication and allow the Japanese to bring artillery within range of the airfield at Akyab. It was also exactly what Lieutenant General Slim wanted. While the Japanese continued to push hard against the East African and Indian troops dug in around Akyab achieving their breakthroughs at high cost and usually after the Allied troops retreated in good order, the pieces were just about in place for Slim to spring his trap.
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Driftless
Donor
An early Imphal-Kohima a few hundred miles further south? Give 'em hell, Uncle Bill!
nbcman
Donor
Another great update but was it No. 5 Commando that you were referring to in the first paragraph?
Now the peanut gallery can start wondering what the next special mission will be for Manxman...
Good to hear that you and your family are all ok. My family are doing fine - my wife is retired now and I am working from home and happier than ever.
Stay safe everyone!
0600 Hours, 5 January 1943, Chittagong, India – Five Allied warships slipped out of Chittagong’s harbor while it was still dark and headed south down the Arakan coast. The destroyers HMS Javelin and HNLMS Karel Doorman led the way followed by the cruisers USS St. Louis and Georgios Averof with the destroyer transport USS Waters bringing up the rear. Waters was a late addition to the group having arrived the previous evening and after a quick replenishment and loading of additional goods for the garrison at Ramree Island she and her hard-working crew cleared the harbor with rest of the ships. The cruisers had been sent up to Chittagong to take on fuel (coal in the case of Georgios Averof) in preparation for their next mission while the destroyers went with them as anti-submarine escorts. The cruisers and their guns were part of the surprise Slim had for the Japanese.
Ominous music in the background...old Uncle Georges will get to shoot in anger, the Japanese are in for a RUDE surprise!!!!!
No need to apologize, not your fault the world has gone sideways. Glad to see you back at writing. Do what you have to do, but don't beat yourself up if real life gets in the way.
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(Again)
Previously, @Zheng He, you shown what would be the future build up of warships by both the Allies and the Kriegsmarine. What are the IJN projected plans for the future? Like:
- What will happen to the Shinano hull? (the 3rd Yamato-class battleship converted to a maintance carrier?)
- What will happen to the Taiyo carrier/Unryu-class carriers?
- What will happen to the Fuso/Ise-class Battleships? (Idea: Fuso-class could be converted into AA battleships, and their main turrets in the middle been added to any island/home land defense)
Previously, @Zheng He, you shown what would be the future build up of warships by both the Allies and the Kriegsmarine. What are the IJN projected plans for the future? Like:
- What will happen to the Shinano hull? (the 3rd Yamato-class battleship converted to a maintance carrier?)
- What will happen to the Taiyo carrier/Unryu-class carriers?
- What will happen to the Fuso/Ise-class Battleships? (Idea: Fuso-class could be converted into AA battleships, and their main turrets in the middle been added to any island/home land defense)
Driftless
Donor
Since things are not going as well as they hoped* (they won't know how very well they did historically of course) and they're already a bit knocked back on their heels; might the Japanese Navy try to force the "decisive battle" earlier? Try for a surprise engagement to knock off part of one Allied fleet, before they can fully unite?
*Yamamoto anticipated that the Allies would come back, he just hoped PH and other events would buy the Japanese time to consolidate
*Yamamoto anticipated that the Allies would come back, he just hoped PH and other events would buy the Japanese time to consolidate
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0800 Hours, 5 January 1943, Ramree Island, Burma – The landing ship RFA Derwentdale and the assault transports MS Sobieski and SS Duchess of Atholl departed Ramree Island for Trincomalee. The destroyers HMS Laforey and HMS Lightning arrived the previous evening after topping off their fuel bunkers courtesy of HMS Valiant and they along with the cruiser HMS Ceres were taking the transports back. With the situation on the ground around Akyab and Ramree Island heating up, Slim and Somerville wanted to clear any extraneous shipping from the area. At around the same time, two Seafires operating off of the escort carrier USS Copahee touched down at Akyab. The fast and high-flying Japanese Ki-46 reconnaissance bombers were an increasing annoyance and the Hurricanes and P-36s at Akyab lacked the performance to catch them unless the interception was executed with perfection.
True that. But would it be able to catch a Dinah? If the Dinah pilot spots a threat he could climb away from it. You got to have a good two stage supercharger or a turbocharger for that job. U.S. 5th air force pilots flying P-38s accounted for a few Dinahs over Papau New Guinea.
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