Agreed. I'd argue they'd be better off putting the divisional commander on a horse or in a universal carrier and have another gun tank but if it's just being used as an jeep replacement that makes considerably more sense than trying to command a division from a Matilda II tank turret.
Sir John Valentine Carden survives.
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Agreed. I'd argue they'd be better off putting the divisional commander on a horse or in a universal carrier and have another gun tank but if it's just being used as an jeep replacement that makes considerably more sense than trying to command a division from a Matilda II tank turret.
They’d probably be better to ask someone like Vickers in the long run to develop a tracked divisional command vehicle in the long run. But I do agree he would have been better in a universal carrier rather than taking up a tank.
Mind you that being said....they were learning how to modern soldier at the time
Part of the mind set might have been a desire for the commander to (or at least seen to) be leading from the front (rightly or wrongly)
Think a commander would want something with a bit more protection if going near the front. Plus the universal carrier is just too small especially if you have a couple of ww2 size radio's installed.
Vickers know how to do that because they already did in the late 20's. The layout of the Vickers Medium made it a versatile beast.
More good troops in Malaya means more good troops captured by the Japanese. The army forces in Malaya Command weren't great but they were perfectly adequate to stop the Japanese 15th Army providing
a.) The RAF presence is of sufficient scale and quality that the Japanese don't acquire total air superiority
b.) The RN presence is of sufficient scale and quality that the Japanese don't acquire total naval superiority
General Percival was awful but he had a very difficult job because any defensive line he formed could be outflanked by a naval landing and as in France in 1940 air superiority is a massive force multiplier.
Now an earlier end to the North Africa campaign i.e. pre October so there is enough time to get RAF and RN reinforcements to Malaya would be a complete game changer. But I'm not sure Britain can reach the Algerian border. While in OTL the advance to Tripoli post El Alamein was incredibly fast that was because Montgomery had amassed an enormous stockpile of engineer stores so he could repair the coast road and railway line very rapidly. Here none of that has been prepared.
i think this is the 10th time i mention this here but you cant save singapore with this minor of a pod altough butterflys are finally starting to flap their wings i think finally but not enough without hindsight helping things along. You could do alot better in the fight and delay the fall a few months even but thats it i think . Instead i propose a more extensive burma campaign especially in 42 when the brits arent distracted yet and are building landing ship stuff and do a practice run or two at rhodes and other islands in the eastern med . If burma campaign goes well enough you could liberate singapore yourself wich would help british prestige wise .
Singapore was gross incompetence, so butterflies certainly could save it.
Step 1: Learn the difference between Jungle and Rubber plantations......
Step 2. Make sure you infantry know the difference between the sound of tank tracks and the sound of bycles with no tires on the roads
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Step 2: Make sure your guns work and some of them face landward.
Also get an accurate count of your enemies before considering your odds in a siege.
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North africa and Greece are far more important right now for any troops to be sent to the Far east. We are still roughly 6 months away form the Japanese being seen as a threat.
More troops is enough assuming they are properly led even with the air force deficit, it is difficult though. The main thing more troops gets you is more time to redeploy the assets you need to actually stop the Japanese.
As for reaching Algeria, that is completely possible within the next six months. A big part of the reason the British have stopped is to build up the forces needed to push on to Tripoli. Once Tripoli is within artillery range even then the game is effectively over unless the Axis go into Tunisia and that might make things worse for the Axis not the British.
Saving Malaya is completely possible given the POD. A small change over time can lead to big changes and we are 6 years on from the POD ITTL. The advantages the Japanese had are easy to overcome with even a couple of small changes.
The lack of experience of the Commonwealth forces is easily remedied if experienced troops are able to be redeployed from North Africa ITTL.
Experienced troops will not only point out that armour is perfectly viable in Malaya but will also be able to withstand the Japanese armour far more effectively even if only poorly or completely unsupported.
The ability to redeploy troops means that Air resources can also be redeployed so that advantages is negated somewhat or possibly completely.
The same is also true with Naval Assets and any additional naval assets, especially carriers will make further Naval operations very difficult if not impossible.
Finally more troops being able to be sent means that the numbers advantage the Japanese had will likely not exist, that not only helps in head to head fights but means that some of the units that were isolated may well not be making things better again for the British.
All of that is eminently possible ITTL. It is also important to remember that the second line British Equipment ITTL like the Matilda II and A15 are more than capable of taking on the Japanese equivalents as are the lighter elements.
About the only thing I'd think of sending to the Far East at this point is a few of the surviving Vickers Wellesleys.
Problem is you need the air support and the navy to hold Malaysia and Singapore.You just need armoured, weaponised butterflies...
All good points. With Algeria I think we can assume neither side would go in. France is "neutral" at this point and the Allies won't want to push them towards the Axis camp by act of stupid (especially as Algeria is considered part of France itself). Meanwhile if the Allies have got that far even Hitler has to see all starting a fight there does is hand all of North Africa to the Allies.
In the far east Japan had a tendency to use crap tanks so even if they only send over the Matilda's that should be enough until better stuff is deployed in early 1942.
Like decent tanks and battle hardened troops fresh off kicking the Nazi's out of a place for a change. Of course against the type 97 even average will do and the Valiant and ITTL Matilda is anything but if they can get a few there.You just need armoured, weaponised butterflies...
Which could happen if North Africa is over (or at least safely stalemated on the Tunisian border) and a larger carrier force can be sent east with crated planes for Singapore
Just having their own air cover could save Force H as outside surprise attacks or no opposing cover Japanese planes are quite fragile.
They didn't lose because the guns faced the wrong way (the army had its own artillery) - by the time the guns would have been in range it was far far too late
The land battle needs to be won in Thailand at the Kra Isthmus (and denying the East coast ports as well) and far more air and sea power was needed to guarantee it.
And then the barrier islands (Ambon, Timor and Rabual each with at least a Brigade with trimmings - OTL each got a reinforced Battalion) and ensuring that the Dutch East Indies can be held which would take even more troops.
This would take at least 3 more Divisions (and better ones), at least 300 more aircraft (probably more) and far more ships, coastal forces and submarines than were capable of being deployed OTL.
However it might not have taken much - I think had Operation Matador been launched (perhaps have a couple of regular/better Divisions arrive with AFVs) preventing the East coast ports from being captured and 'spoiling' the IJA attack into Malaya and then drag out the campaign into the spring monsoon season which lasted most of 1942 the place might be held and certainly delay prevents Burma and more importantly Rangoon from falling (most of the IJA units used where fighting in Malaya and made great use of captured materials) thus keeping the Burma Road open for business which make things harder for Japan in China.
So with the campaign in North and East Africa going better than OTL there might be opportunity's to free up units earlier and let see what 'Sunflower' brings in Feb/March and if Op Mercury goes better for the British ITTL (if it gets launched)
I just hope no one gets the bright idea that they can withdraw across the Corinth Canal and successfully hold the Peloponnese.
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