Chapter 296
When during the first week of fighting the Japanese had fallen back readily when they had been overwhelmed by superior Allied Firepower as the Allies were edging ever closer to the coveted Island Capital resistance stiffened. Japanese Engineers and forced conscript labour had been busy while the frontline forces were fighting the enemy and now every road junction, every ford and every bridge, path and road westward that the Japanese knew about and some that ran north-south was defended by field fortifications that became more extensive and intricate the closer one got to Batavia.
Correspondingly the Allied rate of advance slowed almost to a crawl as line after line of log bunkers reinforced with everything from actual concrete to earth-filled oil drums that proved to be invulnerable to anything but the heaviest machine guns in the Allied arsenal. In a first experience of what would be their daily bread in the future the Canadian Marines more often than not were forced to use PIATs or satchel charges to remove the Japanese from their positions when no flame thrower, mounted or otherwise was available.
Slowly but surely however superior Allied firepower told and the Japanese were pushed back in spite of stubborn resistance.
By now the Allies had covered about a third of the way towards the Western Coast of Java and in the light of the desperate news from Singapore where the Garrisson was under siege and would eventually run out of everything Admiral Cunningham became increasingly impatient. An end-run was suggested to get around the threatened stalemate but this was quickly discarded as there were not enough forces to spare to do it and in any case the preparations for it would take too long. The Fleet could also not be counted upon forever as sketchy SIGINT reports indicated that there was fleet movement in the north and frankly if the Japanese Navy was coming south there was only one place for them to go. Resources needed to be husbanded as the Carriers also shared the task of keeping the Japanese Air Forces in the theatre from interfering with the campaign.
The Air Forces were already doing their utmost to isolate the Japanese front and so as things where there was nothing to do but slam into the Japanese lines until they gave way.
In his Darwin Headquarters Cunningham considered all this as he poured over a detailed map of Java and pondered the situation when Colonel Bratton, his Chief of Communications. A short, stocky man with rapidly receding red hair the New Zealander and his cryptology team had proven themselves as important out here as whatever ULTRA actually was for the European theatre.
“The latest JMN-2[1] Intercepts, Admiral.”
Cunningham looked up from what he had been studiyng and looked at Bratton. With the look on the Colonel's face it was clear to him that it had to be something good.
“Anything special, Colonel?”
“For one we confirmed that Yamamoto is dead, the Japanese are doing a state funeral for him as we speak, and secondly we have...not confirmed but some more indications that Yamato is part of the Task Force the Nips are sending south, Sir.”
That made Cunningham look up. The Japanese super-Dreadnought was the stuff of legends in his command and the most ridiculous rumours ran around about the ship. Unfortunately intelligence about the Yamato was scarce at best, while she was the pride of the Japanese Navy the Allies were not even sure about what calibre of guns she carried. Most believed it had to be 16 or 17 inches while some even suggested that 18 was closer to the mark.
Cunningham was a Carrier Admiral to the core though and for him the Yamato was just another target. However if Yamato really was part of what had to be the Japanese relief effort and ran into Doorman's ships then his own gunline was in danger. Partially because it would endanger his heaviest Naval Guns for shore support and because it might also incite the Japanese to send more of their fleet south. While the Allies had near parity in Carriers by now Cunningham wanted to forestall the big clash until the two Carriers currently under construction in Europe arrived.
He nodded and turned to Bratton. “Any inkling on when they will arrive down here?”
“Well, the latest decoded intercepts,” he handed the Admiral several pieces of paper, “that we have place them off Okinawa two days ago, so by now they should be clearing Formosa. They are escorting some transports...”
“So most likely it's still another week or so before they reach the East Indies.” Cunningham nodded again.
“Thank you, Colonel Bratton. Get back to me as soon as you get anything more, however unconfirmed and vague.”
“Yes, Sir.”
The New Zealander saluted and left the Office while Cunningham picked up the phone on his desk.
“Get me General Abercromby[2], Air Vice Marshal Cole,[3] and Colonel Dunston.[4] Oh and make a big one.”
That told the secretary that the Admiral desired that at least a gallon worth of his favourite Darjeeling Tea, scarce as it was, had to be in the works by the time these Officers arrived.
~**---**~
By the time the group was assembled in the expansive Office Cunningham was sipping his second cup of Tea and had formed an idea as to what he wanted to say.
“Gentlemen, as you probably know by now the sons of the Sun are sending a strong reinforcement convoy and recent intelligence is telling us that the Dreadnought Yamato is part of the Surface Escort.”
That excited some comment from the other Officers but they quietened down almost immediately.
“What about their Carriers, Sir?” Cole asked.
“Not that we are aware of. The Americans are doing a good job at diverting their attentions. Rumour has it that they will attack Midway Island by mid-November and as you know we suspect that the Japanese are aware of that.”
He shook his head and then sipped at his cup.
“Now, we can expect for certain that the Japanese will support that move with an effort by their Land-based Air Forces.” Cole said and rose to his feet. He walked over to northern wall of the Office that in it's entirety was taken up by a map of the Command Area of PacCom.[5]
“They have at least two Air Flotillas on Sumatra and Borneo, mostly equipped with Nells and Betties. They could easily support the Japanese line, even more so if they take the western route, and we won't be sure about that until after they've made an appearance.”
Cunningham set his cup down.
“What I want from you Gentlemen is to prepare an appropriate battleplan. I want to avoid a gun engagement if possible and for that we need to attack that convoy or whatever it is from the air and sea as soon as possible. Thomas, what Submarines do we have in that area?”
Abercromby pinched the bridge of his nose for a second as he thought.
“Not much, Sir. Most of our subs are in port for refit. We have the Taurus on picket duty north of Sumatra and they are only a few days out of base, and the two Dutch Submarines on the way could be diverted to cover the area east of Borneo.”
That was awfully thin but Abercromby was right. Most of the Allies Submarines were currently at anchor or heading back towards their bases. Allied Submarine strength wasn't as great in the Pacific as Cunningham would have liked to begin with, two thirds of the British Submarine Force was in Europe, backing up the skeletonized Surface Fleets there.
“Get more of our boats out there as fast as you can, General.”
“Aye, aye Sir.” Abercromby replied.
“Now Air Vice Marshal,” Cunningham went on, “I hate to divert attack aircraft from Java but we might just need those Beaus on torpedo duty.”
And right there was the biggest hindrance of Allied Air Power in the Pacific. The Spitfires were outpacing everything the Japanese had and Allied pilots were by now highly experienced in the tactics needed to defeat superior maneouverability, but they were awfully short ranged for the distances at which this theatre was fought. The Australians were very, very interested in Avro Canada's Mustang and if this aircraft was what the company promised it just might turn the Air War into the Allies' favour.
For the moment however one fought with what was available.
“In any case, the Carriers will have to preserve their aircraft and ammunition. As from this moment they are to cease support operations for the Land Forces and instead patrol north of Java. I want Doorman to keep supporting the advance where he can for now, but he is to stay within easy combat range of the Carriers so that they can cover him as needed.”
Cunningham looked around the room and then dismissed them after no more questions were forthcoming.
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Comments, questions, rotten Tomatoes?
[1] Also known as JN-25. Here it means: 'Japanese, Military, Naval' and the 2 denotes that it is the second code broken by this far-eastern Bletchley Park.
[2] Cunningham's Chief of Staff. British Army
[3] AOC Allied Air Forces Pacific. Royal Australian Air Force.
[4] Australian Government liaison to Cunningham's Headquarters. Australian Army.
[5] Said map can now be gazed at in the Australian War Museum.