Sir John Valentine Carden survives.

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Atrophied

As said earlier in the topic , i think matildas are especially suited to go east . So sending a brigade with the otl british divison doesnt sound like a unrealistic idea since there are already abit more matildas than otl. Another place matildas would super useful would be crete . Mainly cause they arent very useful in the desert campaign tough . Maybe a brigade of them for sieges at best and for accompanying infantry i guess on attacks in the desert.

Also send someone over percival and retain him as ur chief of staff thanks to his local knowledge ? And as many timelines that deal with malaya campaign do , u should start to defend at the isthmus rather about 10 miles south of it . A indian corps with atleast one preferably two british divisons with 2 australian divisons . Also maybe dont send the canadian brigade to get captured at hongkong , It would do good defending sarawak for example . And some aircraft would be good , probably hurricanes maybe cause the itl battle of britain isnt as serious as it was in otl ? And some radar equipment .
 
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Peg Leg Pom

Atrophied said:
And some aircraft would be good , probably hurricanes maybe cause the otl battle of britain isnt as serious as it was in otl ? And some radar equipment .
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Some of the Navy's redundant Skua's, Beaufort's instead Blenheim I's, just about any monoplane fighter rather than the Buffalo and a wing of Hampdens plus of course a seasoned core of veterans to train the green pilots and crews.
 

allanpcameron

Donor
I always struggle to answer everyone's comments and try to do the reading/writing for the updates. Sorry if I don't comment on everything, but please note that we are on 24 May 1940 not 7 December 1941. We all know that Malaya needs reinforced, but in May 1940 they didn't. We all know that the battle of Crete was a close run thing but way too far in the future at this point to foresee. At this point Italy still hasn't declared war! Let's try not get too far ahead of ourselves. I keep having to say that just because the British will have some better tanks and a wee bit more luck because of it, won't change the big stuff, at least not in the short/medium term.
Allan
 

Astrodragon

allanpcameron said:
I always struggle to answer everyone's comments and try to do the reading/writing for the updates. Sorry if I don't comment on everything, but please note that we are on 24 May 1940 not 7 December 1941. We all know that Malaya needs reinforced, but in May 1940 they didn't. We all know that the battle of Crete was a close run thing but way too far in the future at this point to foresee. At this point Italy still hasn't declared war! Let's try not get too far ahead of ourselves. I keep having to say that just because the British will have some better tanks and a wee bit more luck because of it, won't change the big stuff, at least not in the short/medium term.
Allan
Click to expand...
But... but...
We're expecting those 3 Valiants to tear the German panzer spearhead apart and save France!
In time for tea...
:D
 

Unknown

As I've said before, France will still fall, but more British troops and equipment will get out and the Germans are going to get a bloody nose, at the least...
 

Peg Leg Pom

Astrodragon said:
But... but...
We're expecting those 3 Valiants to tear the German panzer spearhead apart and save France!
In time for tea...
:D
Click to expand...

Well if the Panzers stay too close to the sea it could happen.

1610300613563.png
 

Cryhavoc101

sonofpegasus said:
IIRC the British 3.7 gun was designed and fitted for director firing rather than local on gun predictive sighting. The gunners rather than looking through sites sat facing the guns using a match the pointer system to follow the elevation and traverse being sent from the predictor. Even if you abandon the guns getting the predictors out (expensive and time consuming to build) and their trained crews should be a high priority.
In OTL ammunition for the AA guns became a problem and I believe that was a factor in the early abandonment and destruction of the AA guns in the Dunkirk pocket.
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There was IIRC an order that was prematurely made to destroy all artillery and before it could be rescinded many of the light and heavy AAA guns had been nobbled.
 

MattII

Paulo the Limey said:
I think a partly overlooked butterfly is that the pom-pom on the Matilda I and it’s successful use at Arras might give additional impetus for getting a proper HE round for the 2-pounder.
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Possibly, but the 2-pounder is going to start getting phased out by 1941 anyway.

Peg Leg Pom said:
I was thinking about the A11's. They're obviously a stopgap but they could have a lasting legacy in their turrets. That turret able to take the Pom Pom would be very useful for heavy armoured cars.
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Well several armoured cars did take the 2-pounder, so presumably they could switch to the pom-pom later.

marathag said:
View attachment 615264
difference between III and IV was Sponsons moved over the track run on the Mk IV
View attachment 615265
with a slightly tapered turret basket to allow some ammo stowage there
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That's what I mean, have the turret out over the tracks, andyou should be able to squeeze at least a couple of extra inches onto the ring, which will make the Victor's turret that more roomy.

Finbarr the Fair said:
Probably - though a lot depends on whether Rommel's career survives Arras unchanged.

A more obedient General in charge of the DAK might simply sit on the defensive rather than gallivant off towards Cairo. Perhaps counter attack British offensives but with no attempt to go beyond Benghazi. The UK may not lose as much material and manpower, but still feel threatened enough not to be able to send much to Malaya. Or mishandle it there.
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True. OTOH, with by the time that come along, they'll be well-equipped with Valiants, and will be starting to field the Valiant Mk. II with the 6-pounder, which may allow them to win Operation Brevity (or a similar battle).

allanpcameron said:
I always struggle to answer everyone's comments and try to do the reading/writing for the updates. Sorry if I don't comment on everything, but please note that we are on 24 May 1940 not 7 December 1941. We all know that Malaya needs reinforced, but in May 1940 they didn't. We all know that the battle of Crete was a close run thing but way too far in the future at this point to foresee. At this point Italy still hasn't declared war! Let's try not get too far ahead of ourselves. I keep having to say that just because the British will have some better tanks and a wee bit more luck because of it, won't change the big stuff, at least not in the short/medium term.
Allan
Click to expand...
There's not a few points in history where slight improvements to one side or another could significantly chance the outcome of a battle. The above-mentioned Operation Brevity for example, having Valiants to hand rather than Matilda IIs would allow the advance to be made much more quickly, and might well allow the British to hang in, rather than having to withdraw,
 
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Coulsdon Eagle

Monthly Donor
Atrophied said:
As said earlier in the topic , i think matildas are especially suited to go east . So sending a brigade with the otl british divison doesnt sound like a unrealistic idea since there are already abit more matildas than otl. Another place matildas would super useful would be crete . Mainly cause they arent very useful in the desert campaign tough . Maybe a brigade of them for sieges at best and for accompanying infantry i guess on attacks in the desert.

Also send someone over percival and retain him as ur chief of staff thanks to his local knowledge ? And as many timelines that deal with malaya campaign do , u should start to defend at the isthmus rather about 10 miles south of it . A indian corps with atleast one preferably two british divisons with 2 australian divisons . Also maybe dont send the canadian brigade to get captured at hongkong , It would do good defending sarawak for example . And some aircraft would be good , probably hurricanes maybe cause the itl battle of britain isnt as serious as it was in otl ? And some radar equipment .
Click to expand...
Malta would also be a good place - I'm sure there were some there OTL in their stone wall camouflage
 

Derwit

Coulsdon Eagle said:
Malta would also be a good place - I'm sure there were some there OTL in their stone wall camouflage
Click to expand...

More than a squadron Matilda 2’s to East Africa would have some really big butterflies. It would significantly speed up the British victory there. This in turn allows forces with combat experience to be moved to the Far East
 
25-27 May 1940. Boulogne, France.
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    • allanpcameron

    Donor
    25-27 May 1940. Boulogne, France.

    The French defensive line had pulled back during the night from their forward positions, they just didn’t have the strength to hold a Panzer Division for any length of time. The Guards Brigade soon found themselves in action as 2nd Panzer Division probed and prodded looking for weak points. The panzers and infantry were supported by artillery and mortar fire, which took a toll on the British and French troops. Late in the morning it was clear that the original perimeter could not be held, and the battalions were drawn back to the outskirts of the town.

    Throughout the morning destroyers of the Royal Navy were coming and going in spite of being under close-range artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire. The ships tried to give as they got, shelling enemy gun-sites and machine-gun nests with conspicuous success. Non-combatant and wounded men were being steadily evacuated under the direction of a contingent of Royal Marines, while preparations to destroy port installations were being carried out by a naval demolition party.

    There was a lull in the fighting in the afternoon, the Germans pulled back to allow a Luftwaffe raid to soften up the defenders further. The raid of over 50 bombers was partly intercepted by the RAF, eight bombers were lost at a cost of three RAF fighters. By late evening the German pressure was telling, and orders from the War Office were received for the Guards Battalions to be evacuated. Communications within the port were extremely poor, so that Brigadier Fox-Pitt, despite his best efforts, wasn’t able to inform General Laquetot, whose command post was in the Citadel, of his new orders.

    HMS Whitshead and Vimiera berthed while engaged in a fierce gun battle with the Germans. They pulled out carrying about a thousand men in each destroyer. HMS Wild Swan, Venomous and Venetia then came in, once more firing over open sights at German panzers and troops, while some 900 men boarded each ship. HMS Windsor took off a further 600, including many wounded and the naval demolition party. During the night HMS Vimiera arrived for the second time, and berthed for an hour 1400 men packed themselves on board, and although dangerously overloaded, made it safely back to Britain.

    Three hundred Welsh Guardsmen were left behind, some of whom were captured the next day trying to break out of the encirclement. Major Windsor Lewis with most of his company, along with some French troops, waited in vain for another destroyer to arrive. In their position at the seaward end of the mole, they held out for a further thirty-six hours, surrounded by the enemy and under heavy fire from tanks, artillery and mortars. Only when it was clear that no more ships could get in and when food and ammunition were giving out, did they capitulate.

    In the French garrison at the Citadel, General Laquetot discovered in the morning that the British had vanished, to say that he was furious is an understatement. His orders were to hold the port, and the two British Battalions made up a significant part of his force. During the day his men attempted to sortie out of the citadel but it was failure. At about the same time that the Welsh Guards surrendered, so did the French. On 27 May the commander of 2nd Panzer Division was able to report that Boulogne was captured.
    UK-Flanders-IV.jpg


    NB Text in italic differs from OTL. The only thing which is different is the date, everything else is as OTL.
     
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    • Finbarr the Fair

    IF I read Lloyd Clark correctly, this happens two days later than OTL.

    So the attacks on Calais and Dunkirk are similarly delayed and the defences better prepared again than OTL.
     
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