Summary to Date
OK, we’re only ten posts from kick-off, and this is probably a good place to have a review of where we are in this alternate defence of Malaya. I promised months ago that I would post OOBs to help people follow the conflict as it unfolds, but more recently, there have been requests to provide an overview of the changes to the historical path, and my reasonings behind those changes. And that seems a very fair point to me, so here goes.
My POD started with Britain yielding to Japanese pressure to close the Burma Road in July 1940, which had raised great concerns over the defence and security of British interests in the Far East. Adding to the little that was done to improve the defences in the Far East, I had Pound stopping the transfer of the four Rainbow class submarines to the Med, while Dill authorised the expansion of the Malay Regt and the raising of two British officered Chinese regiments, the Singapore (Chinese) Regt and the Hong Kong (Chinese) Regt. Both of these changes tests the plausibility of my timeline. Regarding the submarines, the Royal Navy needed every submarine it could spare for the Med, to stop Italian supplies to North Africa, along with the advancing creep of the Axis in the Eastern Med. The second is more about Britain's underlying concern about the growth of Communism among the Chinese, and fear that Communists might penetrate the British system.
A month later, with Japan moving into Northern French Indo-China, I used the opportunity to highlight the squabbles between the Army and RAF in Malaya, and allude to the poor civil administration, both of which were known, but ignored. In my TL, Churchill is more decisive, replacing the military and civilian leadership except for the Royal Navy. Placing Andrew Caldecott there is somewhat tricky. At the time, he was firefighting in Ceylon, where there was growing nationalism, but I don’t think the move is too much of a stretch. Lord Gort for Brooke-Popham is giving preference to the Army over the RAF, as the Army will be the senior partner in any defence of the Far East for some time. Gort is very much part of the establishment, and politically a reasonable choice. Park is a different thing, a talent, who has fallen foul of RAF politics, and I think I can use that excuse to take him.
The October local commander’s appreciation of what was needed to defend Malaya gave me my next opportunity for changes. Finding aircraft for the RAF is quite hard. The Fairey Battles are very much make do, but they were no longer front line in Europe, and there were a lot of them, so I feel safe sending them, and I’ve retained the Buffalos, while slightly increasing the Blenheims. Reducing the Hong Kong garrison to something more symbolic is often suggested, and I’ve followed that idea. Those forces go to Malaya, as well as a couple of British infantry battalions which should have gone to or stayed in India. That’s a bit naughty: there were already fewer units there than the CoS would have liked for security reasons. Also, at this time the Admiralty floated (do you like the pun) the idea of an American naval squadron being based in Singapore, which Roosevelt slapped down when Churchill mentioned it. In my TL, Churchill really takes this to heart, recognising the USA will not defend British Empire colonies, although at this moment he still retains the hope that the Americans will manage any Japanese aggression.
Next, I have the Singapore Conference in November 1940, where closer cooperation between the British, Dutch and Americans is discussed. I have remained historically true to the American position, as I have hopefully throughout the TL, until the shooting starts, but I have allowed the British a little more leeway in working with the Dutch. So, given Churchill’s appreciation that he will get no help from the Americans in holding Malaya, he has quietly lent leaned on the Dominions to do more voluntarily in whatever way they can. New Zealand really can’t do much, the two Article XV sqns I have are merely recognising the two sqns of fighter they manned historically. I lean towards them finding more aircrew for the FAA, which will now expand by two squadrons, one of Swordfish, the other, a bit later with navalized Buffalos. This is another reach on my part: expanding the FAA was difficult in the early war years, due in part to aircraft numbers. The Australians are able to do better, earmarking the entire 8th Australian Division to Malaya, as opposed to holding back the 23rd Bde, and a few other units, which they did historically. She has also raised two Independent Companies for Malaya, as well as a Medium Artillery Regt, using ex-Hong Kong and Indian guns. And she has contributed more aircrew, allowing extra Article XV squadrons.
South Africa has not provided any forces; her constitution stops them serving outside of Africa, unless they join the British services as individuals. But industrially, she is sending a reasonable amount of war material, including armoured cars. India is able to do a bit more: a second Cavalry Regt is sent, with both regiments to convert to those South African armoured cars. Here I have swapped the 3rd Cavalry for the 5th King Edward VII’s Own Lancers (Probyn’s Horse), and added the 6th Duke of Connaught’s Own Lancers (Watson’s Horse), simply because I have a little thing for these two old regiments. India has also sent five auxiliary battalions of the Indian Pioneer Corps, which are non-combatants, but help immensely with manpower shortages in preparing and constructing defences. She has also provided another two Brigade HQ’s along with associated smaller units, and has seen the raising of six Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regts, equipped with the nearly obsolete 3-inch AA gun.
The last Dominion to help is Canada, who, despite not sending C-Force to Hong Kong, has contributed massively. Firstly, two of the auxiliary cruisers, HMCS Prince David and Prince Henry, have been altered differently to from their historical rebuild, retaining an ability to carry up to 450 troops/passengers, while keeping all their other military improvements. These ships have been transporting Canadian servicemen to Singapore/Malaya, where a significant RCAF presence has been established. Five Article XV RCAF squadrons have been raised; also two airfield construction companies and a Royal Canadian Signals communication construction company are deployed and a decent number of Canadians are serving in the expanded radar network that Keith Park is building. But more importantly than its her military contribution, is the war materials it she is supplying. Generous amounts of rails and railway engineering equipment is are being shipped, along with cement, and other important building materials. Large numbers of motor vehicles are being supplied, and lastly, over 150 Hurricane aircraft, minus their engines, have been sent. All of it is carried by Canadian chartered tramp steamers crossing the Pacific, which don't have to be convoyed.
Britain has done more too, robbing West African ports of designated radar units to provide Keith Park with a reasonably effective network covering Singapore, as well a few strategically placed in Northern Malaya. The replacement of the Buffalo by the Hurricane is a second major step in providing a decent air defence. The recognition that the Hurricane is no longer a premier fighter in Western Europe, doesn’t detract from the fact that it can do a good job in the Far East. Its robust design allows it to work off poor airfields, as well as take quite a bit of damage, and it can be repaired easier.
Even though the Dominions have given more, Churchill and the RAF have had to alter strategy. They have sent 200 aero engines to power the Hurricanes, and shipped less war material to the USSR, the Hurricane being the most obvious reduction. Britain has also sent further units: 151 Wing of RAF fighters, a regiment of Valentine tanks, a company of Royal Marines, and small increases in Wrens, staff officers, etc, while extra equipment includes 180 3-inch AA guns, ASDIC, and specialist vehicles.
Locally, Malaya and Hong Kong have done their bit, Hong Kong recruiting probably over extra 5,000 Chinese for the local armed forces, as well as another 3,000 in civil defence duties. For Malaya, another 3,500 Malays are in the Army, as well as 3,000 Chinese, and more of both serve with the RAF and Royal Navy. Also, Lord Gort has taken the brave decision to disband many volunteer forces, enabling a lot of the Europeans to serve in roles much better suited to their own personal skill sets. This is a minus on paper, but in general, performance overall - in administration, planning, and organisation - will be better than it was historically.
Strategy in Malaya has changed too. Park is putting more emphasis firstly on his southern airfields, and has generally improved defensive measures on them all. Wann’s RAF 223 Group, in northern Malaya, has shaped into a reasonable attacking force, admittedly only with Battles and Blenheims, but Hunter’s RAF 225 Group is still equipped with Hudson and Vildebeest aircraft. However, Vincent’s RAF 224 Group, linked with a working radar network, provides a decent air defence in the south, though somewhat patchy in the north.
The Army under Percival still has the angst of not knowing if Matador is a going concern or not, but it is stronger, a bit better equipped, and somewhat better trained. If Matador happens, it will be led by the Australian 8th Division under Rowell. If Matador doesn’t happen, it will be Godwin-Austen’s Indian III Corps which will defend Kelantan and Kuantan in the east, and the Jitra line in the Northwest, but with a viable backstop line at Gurun. It will also conduct smaller operations into Southern Thailand, i.e. securing the famous ‘Ledge’.
Force Z has arrived, the Prince of Wales has her radars working, and they’ve been augmented, with four cruisers and a few extra destroyers. Working more closely with the Dutch, means the Dutch are contributing to a light squadron, and adding submarines to the small RN flotilla.
But perhaps a bigger change is the attitude among colony residents. They know they are close to war, but it's something they have been preparing for for over a year, recognising they need to train hard and realistically. This has all been driven from the top. Caldecott has persuaded the Malay and Chinese populace to buy into this, with recruitment into the services, and also plenty of contracts awarded to local firms.
Elsewhere, things are less rosy, Burma is as unprepared as it was historically, and Borneo has been stripped of any defensive force, merely left with a denial of resources plan. Hong Kong, also stripped of over half of her garrison, and with no C Force, now relies on recent Chinese recruits to help a small British garrison provide an honourable defence of the colony. In the Philippines, MacArthur holds sway, while Hart is doing all he can to save the Asiatic Fleet. The Dutch are desperately trying to rearm, and Australia has only just realised she needs to take a lot more responsibility for her own defence. Japan is as ready as she’ll ever be. It’s now or never: the die is cast!
Orders of Battle to follow.
