Singapore Slim

I've got to wonder where those land based 'planes were based. If they were based in Malaya then things could turn out very different.

Range?
Logistics?

I believe that most of the initial air cover came from bombers operating from airfields in Indochina, as the 3rd Air Force Division under Lieutenant General Michio Sugawara was based here prior to the launching of the Centrifugal Offensive.

Heres a couple of links that you might find helpful:

Centrifugal Offensive - This site is extremely useful as it also provides information on the deployment of the Japanese Air Force as well as information on the aircraft deployed during the opening phase of the campaign.

3rd Air Division Order of Battle - A detailed breakdown of Japanese airpower in the region.

Edit: Nifty idea for a TL too. Will be keeping an eye on this to see where it goes.
 
Its been a while, but IIRC a major issue with the defence of Malaya was that the airfields were too easy for the Japanese to capture, especially since their campaign was designed around the rapid forward deployment of air power. The japanese pushed their aircraft forward as quickly as they could, and as they suffered few losses their strength didn't wane at nearly the rate the Allies did.
 

perfectgeneral

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10th Division would deploy their AA at the airfields and their AT on the roads. By the time the Buffaloes get up to KG they will be out numbered and out classed by Japanese fighters from Siam (and Carriers?). At least the airspace will be contested. When hurricanes arrive in theatre they will be a one for one match for the best the Japanese have to offer, but in the meantime 10th and 11th divisions will be under the cosh.

Loads of Hurricanes, Blemheims and Hudsons will be sent from the middle east as it is realised they are no match for the German and Italian aircraft. These won't arrive until the new year however.

The aircraft that dropped Japanese Paras on Palembang, Sumatra and the land based planes that joined the carrier based ones in attacking the five cruisers bent on intercepting troop transports would be without an airbase in range if the 3rd Indian Corps retained the airfields in Malaya north of Singapore.

Palembang_location.png


Burma, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies


Hawker Hurricane Mk.II of No. 232 Squadron shot down on 8 February 1942 during the Battle of Singapore


Following the outbreak of war with Japan, 51 Hurricanes (MkII) were sent in crates to Singapore, with 24 pilots, the nucleus of five squadrons. They arrived on 3 January 1942, by which time the Allied fighter squadrons in Singapore, flying Brewster Buffalos, had been overwhelmed in the Malayan campaign. The Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's fighter force, especially the Nakajima Ki-43, had been underestimated in its capability, numbers and the strategy of its commanders.[30]
Arriving in crates by sea, 51 Hurricanes were assembled in 48 hours and ready for testing. 21 were ready for service within three days, thanks to the efforts of the 151 Maintenance unit. The Hurricanes suffered in performance. The crews equipped them with 12, rather than eight machine guns. This made them slow in the climb and unwieldy in the manoeuvre, although they were more effective bomber killers.[31]
The recently-arrived pilots were formed into No. 232 Squadron. In addition, No. 488 Squadron RNZAF, a Buffalo squadron, converted to Hurricanes. On 18 January, the two squadrons formed the basis of No. 226 Group RAF. 232 Squadron became operational on 20 January and suffered the first losses and victories for the Hurricane in East Asia, when S/L Lawrence Landels was shot down and killed; he was avenged by his wingman, Sgt Jimmy Parker. The squadron destroyed three Ki-43s that day for the loss of three Hurricanes.[32] However, like the Buffalos before them, the Hurricanes began to suffer severe losses in intense dogfights. A future Prime Minister of Australia, John Gorton, saw action with 232 Sqn before being badly injured in a crash.
Between 27 and 30 January, another 48 Hurricanes (Mk IIA) arrived with the aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable, from which they flew to airfields code-named P1 and P2, near Palembang, Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies. A/Cdre Stanley Vincent was appointed CO of 226 Grp.
Because of inadequate early warning systems, Japanese air raids were able to destroy 30 Hurricanes on the ground in Sumatra, most of them in one raid on 7 February. After Japanese landings in Singapore, on 10 February, the remnants of 232 and 488 Squadrons were withdrawn to Palembang. However, Japanese paratroopers began the invasion of Sumatra on 13 February. Hurricanes destroyed six Japanese transport ships on 14 February, but lost seven aircraft in the process. On 18 February, the remaining Allied aircraft and aircrews moved to Java. By this time, only 18 serviceable Hurricanes remained out of the original 99
BrewsterBuffalosMkIRAAFSingaporeOctober1941.jpg

By December 1941, approximately 150 Buffalo B-339E aircraft made up the bulk of the British fighter defences of Burma, Malaya and Singapore. The two RAAF, two RAF, and one RNZAF squadrons, during December 1941-January 1942, were beset with numerous problems,[17] including: poorly-built and ill-equipped aircraft,[18] inadequate spare parts and support staff, airfields that were difficult to defend against air attack, lack of a clear and coherent command structure, antagonism between RAF and RAAF squadrons and personnel, and inexperienced pilots lacking appropriate training.[11] When the Japanese invaded northern Malaya on 8 December 1941, the B-339E initially performed adequately. Against the Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate",
300px-Ki-27_2.jpg
the overloaded Brewsters could at least hold their own if given time to get to altitude, and at first achieved a respectable number of kills.[19] However, the appearance of ever greater numbers of Japanese fighters, including markedly superior types such as the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar"
300px-Nakajima_Ki-43-IIa.jpg
soon overwhelmed the Buffalo pilots, both in the air and on the ground. Another significant factor was the Brewster engine's tendency to overheat in the tropical climate, which caused oil to spray over the windscreen, usually forcing an aborted mission and greatly complicating attempts to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft. In the end, more than sixty Brewster Mk I (B-339E) aircraft were shot down in combat, 40 destroyed on the ground, and approximately twenty more destroyed in accidents. Only about 20 Buffalos survived to reach India or the Dutch East Indies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Krohcol
Slim would have done better pushing into Siam, I feel. Also, an extra Brigade available to the 'Battle for the Ledge' might have arrived sooner and held it. No waiting for the second Punjabi unit and less hold up from Thai police with superior fire power.
 
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perfectgeneral

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I believe that most of the initial air cover came from bombers operating from airfields in Indochina, as the 3rd Air Force Division under Lieutenant General Michio Sugawara was based here prior to the launching of the Centrifugal Offensive.

Heres a couple of links that you might find helpful:

Centrifugal Offensive - This site is extremely useful as it also provides information on the deployment of the Japanese Air Force as well as information on the aircraft deployed during the opening phase of the campaign.

3rd Air Division Order of Battle - A detailed breakdown of Japanese airpower in the region.

Edit: Nifty idea for a TL too. Will be keeping an eye on this to see where it goes.

Thanks for the links, condor. I am not worthy. By all means steal the idea or redo it after I have failed to do it justice.

Slim could send a brigade column down the rail line to Yala and another along the road to Pattani. This would still leave him a Brigade at Kota Bharu and a battalion covering Koala Trengganu to repulse any further amphibeous assaults.

Would Japanese tanks still make it ashore at Pattani on the 11th? Would an attack on Yala force a pull back from 'The Ledge'?

ATL_Matador_Map.JPG
 
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perfectgeneral

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Butterflies from the collapse of III Indian Corps...

The Indian National Army (INA) or Azad Hind Fauj (Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज) was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists in 1942 in Southeast Asia during World War II.
The aim of the army was to overthrow the British Raj in colonial India, with Japanese assistance. Initially composed of Indian prisoners of war captured by Japan in her Malayan campaign and at Singapore, it later drew large numbers of volunteers from Indian expatriate population in Malaya and Burma.
Initially formed in 1942 immediately after the fall of Singapore under Mohan Singh, the first INA collapsed in December that year before it was revived under the leadership of Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943 and proclaimed the army of Bose's Arzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind (The Provisional Government of Free India). This second INA fought along with the Imperial Japanese Army against the British and commonwealth forces in the campaigns in Burma, Imphal and Kohima, and later, against the successful Burma Campaign of the allies. The end of the war saw a large number of the troops repatriated to India where some faced trial for treason and became a galvanising point of the Indian Independence movement.

I'm not saying that there would be no Indian Independence movement, but it would be impacted by this not happening.
 

perfectgeneral

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After the first day the four northern Malay airfields are so easily strafed by Japanese fighters that they are unusable, but they are still held and so denied to the Japanese.

While Percival sees the objective of Matador as to hold up the Japanese advance in Siam, Slim regards it as airfield denial (a push up to the red line past Singora). By the 10th Dec 1941 the armoured train that the 11th division were using has routed south to Gemo and north again round to Slim in Kata Bharu. The brigade (10th) of 10th division by the east coast has taken the Thung Khla pass (the triple tenth pass). The other has cut the Yala-Pattani road at the rail line allowing 8th brigade to push up and beseige Yala/Sateng. The Japanese hold the Tha Sap river bridge to Pattani

The forces coming ashore and airfield at Pattani are in danger so the Japanese divert forces from their assault on Jitra. Even with their undoubted air dominance, the Japanese can't afford to lose one of only two local air bases in their hands. Things are not quite as they expected and their spy in Jitra (Capt Vaughan Heenan) has gone quiet. The 6th Brigade are fighting a retreat along the Prik-Sadao road back out of Siam towards Jitra.
 
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I think it's a bit much to think that Slim could hold the northern Malayan airfields for more than 2 months. Firstly the Japanese could gain local superiority in troops as well as air and armour supermecy to defeat Slim's division. Secondly apparently the Japanese had a counter to Matador planned and if Matador was launched in strength like Slim is doing, they would put their counter-plan into operation. Not that this is a bad thing, it will take precious time and reduce the call on the precious Force Z, but Matador is no panacea.

The British strength is superior infantry and engineer numbers fighting on the defensive in close country with constant reinforcements. These strengths were squandered IOTL but are not inconsiderable.
 

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Happy new year

The five commonwealth squadrons of Brewster Buffalo remain in reasonable fighting order due to the northern airfields being held. Experience of tank fighting, extra AT guns, engineers and strong defensive positions prevent the Japanese from pushing 11th and 10th divisions back. Commonwealth forces have grown to 85,000 men. After a fortnight of fighting the Japanese offensive peters out. Hurricanes start to arrive and two squadrons switch over from Buffaloes. Hudson night bombing flights over Singora fail to prevent a new build up of men and material. Pattani and Yala remain hotly contested and so no reinforcements can be shipped in this close to the front. Commonwealth lines are supplied and reinforced by night as the daylight air superiority of Japanese fighters and bombers keep them on the back foot. While Jitra is surrounded and beseiged, night flights keep it supplied and the garrison consisting mainly of 6th and 15th brigades of the 11th indian division remains engaged in bitter house to house fighting. The 28th brigade (III corps reserve) at Alor Setar has so far failed to breakthough to relieve them. Defences that were improved in the valuable time bought by 6th brigade's fighting retreat have allowed 11th Division to stall the Japanese 5th division. Their bicycles lie idle awaiting a collapse in the lines around Jitra or a push past Alor Setar. A rumour circulates that reinforcements and supplies are arriving in Singora for a major assault after Christmas.


Just as his push on Yala had relieved pressure on elements of 11th division at The Ledge, Slim's second push along the rail line to Singora, after breaking through at Yala, allowed the rest of 11th division to overturn the beseiging forces and join him. The growing fighter presence behind commonwealth lines started to contest daytime supremacy in the air. While still having superior numbers of aircraft, the Japanese airforce were by now limited to the one local air base at Singora. Raiding Hudsons from Ipoh and Butterworth soon put this base out of action.
 
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I think it's a bit much to think that Slim could hold the northern Malayan airfields for more than 2 months.
But he wouldn't have to -- Even holding for 2~3 weeks will allow the British time for the Japanese to run out of Supplies.
 
Holding it for one week, and a few successes down the peninsula would be good enough to have the IJA run out of supplies. But what of Force Z? Is Slim good enough that they are spared their trip north into the the jaws of 2 subs, 6 cruisers and 80 bombers?
 
Holding it for one week, and a few successes down the peninsula would be good enough to have the IJA run out of supplies. But what of Force Z? Is Slim good enough that they are spared their trip north into the the jaws of 2 subs, 6 cruisers and 80 bombers?

Riain

I can't see the changes affecting Force Z setting sail. If nothing else with the Japanese attacking the RN would want to help out and there are plenty of suggestions that Phillips, the commander underestimated the effectiveness of air attacks on modern ships at sea.

However, with a better position and the defeat of the attack on Kota Bhara, they might not push so far north. The key factor was the false report of a Japanese landing at Kuantan, which delayed their move south and enabled the Japanese a/c to catch them while still in range. That might be butterflied by the changed circumstances.

The other thing is if you avoid the initial cripplying strike on PoW, which seems to have twisted a screw, which when the turbine was restarted caused a huge amount of damage. Without that the POW would still have power for its AA guns and be far more mobile. It could survive, although with heavy damage and Repluse might escape relatively unscathed as it was only attacked once PoW was dead in the water.

However the key thing would be winning time for reinforcements to reach Malaya and neighbouring regions from the ME and elsewhere. Especially some more experienced ground forces and air units. If the Japanese can be denied access to the airfields in N Malaya means they have to operate from either the Thai field's, which had less support or the distant ones in Vietnam, greatly reducing their effectiveness. Also if the bulk of Malaya is held an attack on Sumarta is very difficult and only really possible from the east if/when Java falls.

Steve
 
I don't think the Japanese plan was quite so flexible, nor quite so conservative. I think that if they could see that they were being held up in Malaya from day 1 they would re-inforce the Sumatran convoy to ensure Malaya was surrounded and cut off according to their original, tight schedule.
 
I don't think the Japanese plan was quite so flexible, nor quite so conservative. I think that if they could see that they were being held up in Malaya from day 1 they would re-inforce the Sumatran convoy to ensure Malaya was surrounded and cut off according to their original, tight schedule.

Riain

I'm pretty certain the invasion of Sumarta was launched from occupied Malaya. As such if that's still holding it it would be a lot more difficult. Also with British subs probably switched back to the Pacific from the Med and increasing air power in the region its going to be expensive launching an attack by sea and even more expensive supplying the forces if it doesn't win quickly. Not to mention between the huge demands of occupying Manchuria and China and the logistics of shipping forces so far from their bases there is relatively little extra the Japanese can send. The forces that took part in the operation OTL are likely to get pulled into the increasing quadmire in Malaya since unsuccessful Japanese offensives against high firepower opponents were very, very expensive for them.

Steve
 

perfectgeneral

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British Purchasing Commission WI

I did wonder how things might have been different if the five squadrons in Malaya had been equipped with P-39 Aircobras or P-40 Tomahawks. Pretty poor above 16,000 ft they were excellent at lower levels, lacking only a decent supercharged engine (a what if in itself). These types were widely used in the initial stages of war in the pacific theatre.

Of course a Merlin would improve the Aircobra no end. The same dimensions as the Allison V-1710 , except 29.5 inches shorter, you could fit a range extending 85 gallon fuel tank in front of the engine.
The benefits of a two-stage supercharger eventually became so clear cut that Allison did make some efforts in this direction. Allison attached an auxiliary supercharger in various configurations to the existing engine mounted supercharger and carburetor. Early versions of these two-stage supercharger engines were used on the P-63. No intercooler, aftercooler, or backfire screen were incorporated into these two-stage V-1710 engines (except for the V-1710-119 used on the experimental P-51J, which had an aftercooler). The two-stage Merlin engines had all of these features, which were designed to prevent detonation from charge heating and backfire into the supercharger. The G-series V-1710s installed on the F-82 E/F/G models had only anti-detonation injection to deal with these problems, and not surprisingly had severe reliability and maintenance problems. In one record, it was stated that the F-82 required 33 hours of maintenance for one hour of flight.[1]
Although the early V-1710 powered P-39, P-40 and P-51A airplanes were limited to combat operations at a maximum of about 15,000 feet (5,000 m) they were available in comparatively large numbers and were the mainstay of some Allied Air Forces in all but the European theater of operations.
I know a 35 degree swept wing is unlikely, but I like the picture


Was aircraft production limited by engine supply in 1941? Were there enough Merlins available to fit them as standard to the Commonwealth Aircobra (Caribou)?

In April 1942, the RAF's Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU) tested the Mustang and found its performance inadequate at higher altitudes. As such, it was to be used to replace the Tomahawk in Army Cooperation Command squadrons but the commanding officer was so impressed with its manoeuvrability and low-altitude speeds that he invited Ronnie Harker from Rolls Royce's Flight Test establishment to fly it. Rolls-Royce engineers rapidly realized that equipping the Mustang with a Merlin 61 engine with its two speed, two stage supercharger would substantially improve performance and started converting five aircraft
Could this have happened to the Tomahawk and/or Aircobra?
 
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perfectgeneral

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Snowballs in the tropics?

Supplies to Malaya would be better in this TL. For example, RMS Empress of Asia would be less likely to sink with less Japanese air activity. She was one of five Canadian Pacific Railways ships taking men and materiel to Singapore when sunk by nine dive bombers on the 5th Feb 1942.
 

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Austin Motor Company - Longbridge
Record of Aircraft built
1940-
Hawker Hurricane mk 11b
AP516 – AP550 x35
AP564 – AP613 x50
AP629 – AP648 x20
All except AP516 shipped to U.S.S.R.
1940-
Hawker Harricane mk 11b
AP670 – AP714
AP732 – AP781
AP801 – AP825
AP849 – AP898
AP912 – AP936 x195
Aircraft up to AP879 sent to U.S.S.R.
:eek: Communists! They can have the buffalo, we shall have 5 squadrons of Hurricanes in Malaya. What were the government thinking?

Apparently even the soviets preferred the Aircobra.
 
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Force Z

I *think*, and someone should correct me if they know otherwise, that the 'False sighting' at Kuantan was triggered by IIJN reconnaisance by boat from Khota Bharu after it fell.

So, if KB is held, the Takumi detachment is wiped out, no boats prowling the coast couple of days later, and no sighting. Force Z might well escape altogether. It also might blunder into the Japanese cruiser force and put a world of hurt on them before the Betty's arrive at the party.
 
I think that if Force Z heads north it is screwed, the power arrayed against it was too great. With Japanese everywhere so it was bound to be located, and with plenty of forces which could sink a capital ship available I think Force Z's mission was doomed. Perhaps the best outcome would be an engagement with the IJN Cruiser force before the Bettys and subs closed in.

The Sumatra invasion convoy left from Camn Ranh Bay in Vietnam it was made up of 14 transports, an escort of 1 CA and 4 DDs and a covering force of 1 CVL, 4 CA, 1 CL & 3 DDs. An ABDA force of 1 CA, 4 CL & 10 DDs went to intercept it but air attacks from the CVL Ryujo and land based planes made it turn back with no ships sunk. http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/fall_sumatra.html

I think that if Force Z was with this ABDA Force it could have pushed through this air attack and got amongst the convoy.
 
I think that if Force Z heads north it is screwed, the power arrayed against it was too great. With Japanese everywhere so it was bound to be located, and with plenty of forces which could sink a capital ship available I think Force Z's mission was doomed. Perhaps the best outcome would be an engagement with the IJN Cruiser force before the Bettys and subs closed in.

With Japanese forces landing in northern Malaya and Thailand it would have been impossible for Force Z not to seek to intervene. However it could have got away and nearly did. The Japanese force that sank it was the only unit in SEA the Japanese had at the time with air launched torpedoes and if they had been intercepted by a CAP things could have gone very differently. Agree that hopefully the force would not have probed northwards again.

A clash between the covering cruiser units and Force Z could have been very interesting. Both navies had extensive night training and the British had radar while the Japanese torpedoes could well have come as an unpleasant surprise. [According to one book I once read the two forces were close enough the preceeding night that the Japanese should have shown up on PoW's gunnery radar but no encounter actually occurred. Whether one force wasn't where it thought it was or there was a fault in the radar I don't know].

The Sumatra invasion convoy left from Camn Ranh Bay in Vietnam it was made up of 14 transports, an escort of 1 CA and 4 DDs and a covering force of 1 CVL, 4 CA, 1 CL & 3 DDs. An ABDA force of 1 CA, 4 CL & 10 DDs went to intercept it but air attacks from the CVL Ryujo and land based planes made it turn back with no ships sunk. http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/fall_sumatra.html

Interesting reading and as you say the bulk of the Japanese invasion force for Sumarta did come from Vietnam. However without possession of the airfields in Malaya the Japanese wouldn't have been able to drop the paras that caused so much destruction and disorder or support any such attack with a/c. As such, if they had tried such an invasion, even without Force Z it would probably have got heavily mauled if not destroyed. Suspect they would have required markedly more carrier air cover although if they getting blocked and heavily handled in northern Malaya I rather suspect such forces would have been directed to there.


I think that if Force Z was with this ABDA Force it could have pushed through this air attack and got amongst the convoy.

Very likely, especially since without Malaya the Japanese would only have had carrier based air support, plus possibly anything they might have been able to base in Boroneo at the time.

Steve
 

perfectgeneral

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Re: Sumatra

/dutcheastindies/fall_sumatra.html
The air support was provided by the carrier Ryujo, land based naval air formations and the Japanese Army 3rd Air Division.

Nihon Rikugun (Imperial Japanese Army)

• 229th Infantry Regiment of 38th Japanese Infantry Division. The 229th Infantry Regiment was concetrated at Camranh Bay (French Indochina)
• 1st Parachute Force:
- Parachute Regiment (four companies with 425 men) under command of Colonel Seiichi Kume
• Infantry Battalion of the 230th Infantry Regiment
• elements of the Japanese Imperial Guard Division

Teikoku Kaigun (Imperial Japanese Navy)
The Western Force came under the command of Vice-Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa aboard the cruiser Chokai and was intended for the landings at Banka and Palembang and consisted of an Advance Force and a Main Force.
Advance Force:
Convoy for Palembang numbered 8 transport ships carrying part of the 229th Infantry Regiment. Convoy escort was under command of Rear-Admiral Shintaro Hashimoto in the light cruiser Sendai (flagship) and the convoy was escorted by:
• 20th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Asagiri
• 11th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki
• 1st Minesweeper Division
minesweepers- W 1, W 2, W 3, W 4, W 5
• 11th Submarine-chaser Division
submarine-chasers- Ch 7, Ch 8
Main Force:
Main Force was under command of Vice-Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa in the heavy cruiser Chokai. Convoy numbered 14 transport ships carrying the 229th Infantry Regiment (minus the part of the Advance Force) and a battalion of the 230th Infantry Regiment. Convoy was escorted by:
training ship Kashii
• 20th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Yugiri, Amagiri
escort vessel Shimushu
• 11th Submarine-chaser Division
submarine-chasers- Ch 9
Base Force:
minelayer Hatsutaka
minesweepers- W ?, W ?
transport ship Konyu Maru
Tanker Eikyo Maru
Covering Force was under command of Vice-Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa.
• 4th Cruiser Division
heavy cruiser Chokai (flagship)
cruiser Yura
• 7th Cruiser Division
heavy cruisers- Mogami, Mikuma, Suzuya, Kumano
• 12th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Shirakumo
• 19th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Isonami, Ayanami
Air Group was under command of Rear-Admiral Kakaji Kakuta.
• 4th Carrier Squadron
carrier Ryujo with the 3rd Air Group
• 19th Destroyer Division
destroyers- Shikinami
The Army 3rd air division would be occupied and held back. Plus bases in southern Malaya, still in allied hands, could help resist the invasion. The paras have a long flight over enemy airspace. That could prove disastrous (assuming their air transports have the range). I suppose elements of the Imperial Guards Division could be pulled out of the line in southern Siam, but it seems to me that their would be less ground forces (more of the 22 transports sunk) and less airbourne infantry forces. Some of the forces captured as they turned up in Singapore in OTL could be diverted to Sumatra in TTL.
 
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