HMS Invincible

[Lord Wyclif]

For four days in a row a heavy sea mist covered the Addu Atoll grounding all aircraft movements. Fortunately for the maintenance team it gave them valuable working times and all 120 Thunderbolts plus thirty spare airframes along with 64 Aces and two dozen spare aircraft achieved their air-worthy certificates.
Captain Grantham along with Captain Wootten, showed Grace, Rutland, lieutenant-Commander Charles Coke and Colonel Fred Dewhurst around the impressive machinery. All were eager to see how they would preform in the tropics.
With over 50,000 men crammed on to the atoll sports were organised. A football tournament was organised for the morning after parade and a more leisurely cricket competition for the afternoons.
Saturday morning saw the final of the knock-out football tournament. The battle of the roses. As in all white v red no quarter was asked and none given. Tackles were hard and every referee decision was controversial. A 90th minute disputed hand ball saw Lancashire get a penalty, but it was saved. As the Lancashire lads demanded for it to be retaken as the goalie had moved of his line. The ref was having none of it, meanwhile Bobbie Browne raced down the wing and scored the winning goal. Dozens of men got involved and the Military Police were called in to quell the trouble. Seventeen men ended up in the brig as a result.

 

[jonnic123]

just reread this and enjoyed it so much. Thanks lord wycliff

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Southern France

What was left of the German forces began to withdraw. Allied armoured columns broke out and pursued the Germans, who could not retreat fast enough. Hitlers attempt to drive the Western Allies into the sea had failed. The Germans suffered 48,039 killed, 77,802 wounded and 83,860 captured.
1,348 valuable AFV’s including 13 Tigers lost to the Americans and 35 taken out by the effective British 17 pounder armed Sentiments. Another 98 were abandoned due to lack of fuel. An additional 2,447 soft skinned vehicles were lost and 1,481 aircraft destroyed.
American casualties were 10,360 killed, 44,387 wounded, 3,000 missing, with 926 tanks lost, 616 other vehicles, 208 field guns destroyed and 1,000 aircraft lost. British casualties were lighter with 6,552 killed and 248 AFV’s lost.

British troops entered Grenoble on Friday morning, the Canadians crossed the river Isère and liberated Vinay. Patton, still leading from the front, won the race to Lyon. On the Saturday evening he stayed in the Fourvière Hôtel. He also visited the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon and the Confluence Museum, as well as visiting some of the area's notable landmarks include Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and Bellecour Square.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

just reread this and enjoyed it so much. Thanks lord wycliff

You’re welcome

 

[Starinski]

Southern France

What was left of the German forces began to withdraw. Allied armoured columns broke out and pursued the Germans, who could not retreat fast enough. Hitlers attempt to drive the Western Allies into the sea had failed. The Germans suffered 48,039 killed, 77,802 wounded and 83,860 captured.
1,348 valuable AFV’s including 13 Tigers lost to the Americans and 35 taken out by the effective British 17 pounder armed Sentiments. Another 98 were abandoned due to lack of fuel. An additional 2,447 soft skinned vehicles were lost and 1,481 aircraft destroyed.
American casualties were 10,360 killed, 44,387 wounded, 3,000 missing, with 926 tanks lost, 616 other vehicles, 208 field guns destroyed and 1,000 aircraft lost. British casualties were lighter with 6,552 killed and 248 AFV’s lost.

British troops entered Grenoble on Friday morning, the Canadians crossed the L’sere river and liberated Vinay. Patton, still leading from the front, won the race to Lyon. On the Saturday evening he stayed in the Fourvière Hôtel. He also visited the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon and the Confluence Museum, as well as visiting some of the area's notable landmarks include Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière and Bellecour Square.

Small mistake. It's the river Isère (I'm living in Grenoble).

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Sunday July 12th - Saturday July 18th

Singapore
Convoys arrived twice daily from the U.K. and America building up a massive supply base of ordinance, equipment and food. Commander Geoffrey Blyth, amassed over 6,000 tons of 4.5” ammunition; 2,000 tons of 100 pounder shells, 500 tons of 200 pounder rounds and 1,000 tons of 15” shells. A further 15,000 tons of light AA rounds were stacked at the ordinance facilities.

The oil storage depot had amassed 15,000 tons of aviation fuel and 100,000 tons of shipping oil. Enough supplies were stored to keep 50 ships at sea for 90 days and equip 4 divisions for 6 weeks sustained action.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Addu Atoll
The weather finally cleared and Commander Arthur Bolt the CO of the Naval Air Warfare and Flying Training Division, began a series of exercises with Commodore Henry Bovil and his jet aircraft. The carriers operated 150 miles south of the Maldives and by the Friday were launching and recovering aircraft every 80 - 90 minutes. The RNAS strike flights operated over their tasked zones for 15 - 20 minutes. Aircrew fatigue was a problem, and each squadron required an additional half dozen pilots.
Lieutenant Commander John Naish of Combined Operations ran a training program regarding the navigation of landing craft. Alligator, LCI’s, LCM’s and Terrapins were put through their paces. DD Valentine tanks were also acquired and the Royal Marine tank crews began a familiarisation program witH their new charges.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Russia
Meanwhile the Soviets had amassed 3,885,600 men; 3,830 AFV’s; 71,830 pieces of artillery and 3,950 combat aircraft and began probing the German defences. Much to Hitlers displeasure the Wehrmacht fought a carefully organised and disciplined rearguard action. Villages were fortified with machine-gun nests and Panzerfaust positions. During the next three weeks Russian troops were ambushed as they advanced westward and the Germans withdrew undercover of darkness. A further hindrance to the Soviet advance was the implementation of a scorched earth policy, stripping the areas they had to abandon of anything that could be used by the Soviet war effort. Even with their overwhelming numbers no major breakthrough was made, but any advances made resulted in horrendous casualty figures.
However Soviets began a major partisan operation that struck German logistics very hard, creating supply issues.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Greece
A major uprising was launched in the late night hours of Monday the 13th, with the main countrywide and well coordinated operation beginning on the Tuesday morning. The offensive was the largest military operation conducted by either side up to that point in the Balkans involving 80,000 Greek troops, partisans and British Commandoes that struck more than 100 towns and cities, including the capital Athens. Riots, street violence and murder in several Greek cities over the course of the week led the German leaders and their Greek collaborators to flee the capital city.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Austria / Italy border
On the afternoon of the 14th information was received that the Germans were amassing in the Ljubljana Gap. General Władysław Anders, decided to move early on the Wednesday morning to break-up the German advance guard. At 10:00 Panzers were seen and engaged, and the Polish deployed for battle. German SPG’s came into action and a three-hour artillery duel ensued with the Polish 25 pounder field guns. Resulting in the batteries expending their ammunition and had to withdraw. This enabled the Germans to force the left flank back. The left flank comprising of the 3rd Carpathian Rifle Battalion gave way and rolled in a great wave to the right, the 1st Carpathian Rifle Brigade as a result of this pressure was swept away by the pressure of the attack.
E Battery Royal Horse Artillery, comprising of Priest SPG’s and a half-company of Polish Commandoes stood fast, covering the retreat of the entire Carpathian Brigade. E/B RHA kept firing until the last moment, two sections of four Priests withdrew when the Germans were 15 yards away, but the third section was overrun.
The remaining SPG’s the RHA came into action again some 400 yd further back. The Commandoes retreated as the guns withdrew. 14 Commandoes afterwards joined some remnants of the 3rd Carpathian in a small enclosure at a garden where a determined last stand was made. Though the Germans shot them down one by one, they fired steadily until only eleven of their number were left, and the survivors then charged out into the masses of the enemy and perished.


The Polish were routed, but managed a withdrawal due to their own efforts and the apathy of the Germans. Of the 2,476 Polish troops engaged, 21 officers and 948 soldiers killed, and eight officers and 169 men were wounded.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

France


Using speed to its advantage, Patton roared north covering the 100 miles to Dijon before the German forces could slow the American advance. But Patton’s dash ground to a halt shortly after it crossed the L’Ouche. Army Group A had now stretched their supply lines until they snapped.

O’Gowans British 2nd Army crossed the Rhône at Lagnieu on Wednesday evening. Again fuel shortages forced Steels XXX Corps to halt at the L’Albarine on Friday.

The Canadian Expeditionary Force under General Sansom followed the Rhône valley north reaching Musinens by Saturday evening.

On the 14th Bastille Day Charles de Gaulle and his Free French troops liberated the town of Vichy.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Sunday July 19th - Saturday July 25th
Leyte
Minesweeping Operations were conducted at the entrance to Sogod Bay and reconnaissance by underwater demolition teams revealed clear landing beaches for assault troops on Leyte.

The landings proper took place at dawn on the 20th. At 13:30 General MacArthur to make a dramatic entrance through the surf onto Red Beach and announce to the populace the beginning of their liberation: "People of the Philippines, I have returned! By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil."

Over the next four days the Japanese air forces attacked the American beach-head damaging several supply dumps. Dozens of aircraft were shot down by fighters from USS Bunker Hill, USS Enterprise, USS Essex, USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. Attacks on Japanese airfields so reduced enemy air strength that air raids ceased to be a major threat.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Addu Atoll
RNAS aircraft continued their exercised throughout the week. A different carrier sailed every day as Captains, crew and weapon systems working out operational kinks, training sailors and writing the book on how the carriers will operate in tropical climates. Major problems still continued with the catapults on Captain Hallett’s HMS Victorious.

By Friday HMS Invincible and HMS Excalibur both sailed out of Port T to conduct some command and control exercises. The two carriers didn’t exchange any aircraft but worked on command and control and communications between the two flattops and imaginary sailing of HMS Victorious and HMS Vengeance. Additionally, the carriers operated with Captain Sidney Boucher’s destroyer squadron assets.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

All summer long dozens of military and civilian convoys cris crossed the North Atlantic. Supported by MAC ships, escort carriers, blimps, flying boats and long range bombers, the numbers sunk quickly dwindled down to zero by the end of August.

With the loss of the French Atlantic ports the number of U-boats lost also fell rapidly.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

In France the Western Allies reached the Rhine as far north as Koblenz. Paris had been liberated and American and French troops had crossed the Somme river.

Polish troops finally secured the Ljubljana Gap and were advancing towards the Danube. The British 8th Army deployed in a supporting role protecting the Polish right flank from Axis forces being trapped in the Balkans.

The Balkans themselves were in complete mayhem as dozens of differing guerrilla groups fought each other as well as German ground troops. British Commando units supported by the USAAF and RAF fighter-bombers also caused heavy casualties among the entrapped Wehrmacht troops. British commanders in theatre were increasing concerned at the escalating humanitarian crises in the region.

On the eastern front, wave after wave of Soviet forces attacked the East Wall. By September it still held, but with casualties approaching the 250,000 mark a collapse was imminent.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

For four days in a row a heavy sea mist covered the Addu Atoll grounding all aircraft movements. Fortunately for the maintenance team it gave them valuable working times and all 120 Thunderbolts plus thirty spare airframes along with 64 Aces and two dozen spare aircraft achieved their air-worthy certificates.
Captain Grantham along with Captain Wootten, showed Grace, Rutland, lieutenant-Commander Charles Coke and Colonel Fred Dewhurst around the impressive machinery. All were eager to see how they would preform in the tropics.
With over 50,000 men crammed on to the atoll sports were organised. A football tournament was organised for the morning after parade and a more leisurely cricket competition for the afternoons.
Saturday morning saw the final of the knock-out football tournament. The battle of the roses. As in all white v red no quarter was asked and none given. Tackles were hard and every referee decision was controversial. A 90th minute disputed hand ball saw Lancashire get a penalty, but it was saved. As the Lancashire lads demanded for it to be retaken as the goalie had moved of his line. The ref was having none of it, meanwhile Bobbie Browne raced down the wing and scored the winning goal. Dozens of men got involved and the Military Police were called in to quell the trouble. Seventeen men ended up in the brig as a result.

[Ron Perlman ]"Because Football....Football never changes"[/Ron Perlman]

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Hong Kong

Monday night the 27th of July, 6 Wellington bombers escorted by 14 Mosquito fighters attacked Stonecutter Island after failing to locate a Japanese convoy they had been dispatched to destroy.

Tuesday night 28th of July, 6 RAF Wellington bombers escorted by 9 Mosquitos bombed the Taikoo Dockyard.

Wednesday night July 29th, 18 RAF Sterling heavy bombers with fighter escort attacked the Hong Kong, Kowloon and the Taikoo Docks.

Following a week long lull the RAF returned on Friday August 7th. During the day 4 RAF Mosquitoes attacked a Japanese convoy sailing to the east of Hong Kong. One freighter was heavily damaged and two others were lightly damaged. Then overnight 8 Wellingtons escorted by Mosquitoes bombed the Kowloon Docks. On Saturday night 15 Wellingtons escorted by 17 Mosquitoes bombed the Kowloon Docks. Five Japanese fighters were shot down.

The RAF aircraft were now roaming freely over the Donqshan Sea and 4 marauding Mosquitoes attacked another convoy sailing to the east of Hong Kong, badly damaging a freighter and inflicting lighter damage on several others with 20mm gunfire. Then 3 Wellingtons attacked a freighter near Stonecutters Island, with their pilots claiming to have heavily damaged it.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

The British carriers sailed from Port T on July 30th taking nine days to reach Singapore. Following a series on anti-submarine exercises the warships undertook another journey to the Australian port of Fremantle. Here the most powerful ever Royal Navy battle fleet assembled.

However Invincible’s old problem of the stern elevator played up again. On a sunny Saturday evening HMS Invincible was preparing for launching operations a Thunderbolt with a 2,000lbs ‘cookie’ bomb rolled of the rear elevator halting operations. The aircraft was destroyed, but thankfully the device did not detonate. The service crew were able to clear the debris and raise the lift to the flight deck level. The damage done would prevent the carrier from operating jet aircraft. With two Thunderbolts still aloft, they were diverted to the only other carrier at sea, HMS Britannia. An arresting wire breaks during the landing of of one of the aircraft killing two men and injuring three. Four Sea Mosquitoes aircraft and the Thunderbolt are damaged beyond repair.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

Captain Grantham reported to Admiral Summerville’s office the following morning, Sunday 29th of August. He was told the disappointing news, his ship could no longer be part of the 1st Carrier Squadron. Her attack squadrons, 800 would be transferred to HMS Excalibur, 801 to HMS Victorious and 845 to HMS Vengeance. The vessel herself would return to Blighty for the necessary repairs to be carried out, though both officers knew she would most likely be laid up to await disposal.

 

[Lord Wyclif]

22:35 Tuesday September 7th 20*58’57”N 119*16’55”E

Lieutenant Commander Mackenzie brought his boat HMS Tantalus back up to periscope depth. For the third time that night he tracked a convoy of Japanese ships sailing in the South China Sea. This time he was within 500 yards of the Kyokko Maru. Two torpedoes were fired and he dived quickly to the ocean floor, with all engines stopped. A dull thud confirmed one of the fish hit home. It took all of twenty minutes for the cargo ship to disappear. For over an hour two Japanese destroyers searched in vain for the silent killer. It was 01:40 before Mackenzie made his move. Silently he returned to periscope depth. No enemy vessels were spotted, so he surfaced to give his crew some well earned fresh air.

The Kyokko Maru was the fifth ship of the convoy to fall victim to a British submarine. The convoy had lost the Daian Maru and the Hishigata Maru the previous night, both victims of HMS Trident. The escort ship Kanju was the first ship lost on Sunday evening, at 21*35’09”N, 122*10’33”E, sunk by HMS Templar commanded by Lieutenant Beckley, his first kill. Early on Monday morning Beckley bagged a second when he sunk the cargo ship Koryo Maru just before sunrise.