Part 132: Operational Report: 17/04/42

The S-38 is continuing to hunt around Soerabaja. Today's catch is a troop transport.



The Dutch KVII also has a good time with a Japanese cargo ship.



But misses a chance at getting a Patrol boat in the afternoon.



Our men in Borneo, who spent a couple of months in the mountains before retaking an empty base have drawn an invasion force to them.



This is a massive expenditure in ships and fuel to deal with four hundred men, none of which are true combat soldiers.



I think this was a worthwhile attack.





The supply base at Chunking is bombed once more.



Our planes do a good job of breaking up the raid.

Kiukiang smoulders on.



While the losses at Sinyang are nearly equal today.



At Amoy, the enemy continue their futile assaults on our men.



As do their forces in Tsiaotso.







That task force that was sighted a couple of days ago comes into range of our planes at Wake.



That is another troop filled transport that's going to have trouble making it home.



That is not enough for the Navy pilots, who slam some more bombs into another transport.






The Formidable makes another raid on Luganville, but sends no escort for the bombers, who get attacked by the Zeros once more.



This is still good cover for the approaching troop transports, who make it to the shore unmolested by the bombers.



The men storm ashore under a hail of bullets, and an accident with a winch leads to the loss of a light tank. But they are ashore, and its time to retake this base for the Allies!



The Japanese, on the other hand, have other ideas, and have reinforced the island to 30,000 defenders! They smother the men in the first wave and we see a mass surrender of these units.









We got four extra ships today, two from the subs, and two from a couple of months ago. I think we should get a couple more soon from the damage near Wake. They may all be cargo ships, but their still useful kills.



We do get the Illustrious at Capetown today, I've given her an escort of a few cruisers that have turned up in the last couple of weeks and sent her off to Sydney. The Devonshire and Newcastle should be able to protect her, the only destroyers I have here are short ranged ones, and would be more of a hindrance than a help.



The Ramillies and Resolution should reach Sydney tomorrow, adding two more Royal Sovereign class battleships to our fleet.

I'm also calling off the invasion of Luganville.



The invasion force was designed to deal with 10-15,000 men, not 32,000. I'm not throwing any more men away.
Plan two is to try and starve them out, I think I may be able to interdict their supplies, and 30,000 men will chew through them quiet rapidly.

Finally the Revenge and support ships are going to Shortlands to see what the defences there are like – I have a lot of men sitting in Port Moersby, and its looking more and more like they are not going to be used.