Part 17: Operational Report: 23/12/41

An enemy task force destroys a couple of our patrol boats. This is no great loss, as we cannot get them out due to their poor range.







The curse of the defective torpedoes continues as the Sealion bounces another fish off another lucky Japanese Freighter.







The Dutch torpedoes, luckily for us, are not as defective as the American ones. And the KXVI claims another ship, this one a enemy destroyer.



A destroyer may not be a large warship, but she's still a warship. And I'll take any kill at the moment.



It looks like the O20, another Dutch sub, may not be long for this world after she runs into some other escorts.



George Town is still receiving its daily visits from half the Japanese air force in an attempt to soften up the defenders.







An exceptionally quiet day today, with only the normal bombing raids over George Town, Wake and Rangoon. There was not even a raid over Manila today, which is odd. But anything that gives us breathing room is a good thing.



There's not even much to mention here. The defensive positions of the empire are of little interest to us while we are on the defensive.




There is good news in this theater.



Our first hurricanes have arrived at Cape Town! At last we have some modern fighters, even if we have no ships around to transport them to us yet. But there are many other ships coming in to the port soon, we can ship them out as soon as we can.

Add to this the fact that the 1st and 9th Brigades have arrived at Port Moresby and its a good day for the Aussies. The 7th and 11th Brigades and a dive bomber squadron are a day or two out, so the defences of this key area are finally swelling.







My Aunt has arrived at Soerabaja and I've transferred the extra swordfish fighters to the city defence.
The Hermes is then ordered northward with the two cruiser task forces to cause some trouble. Hopefully her arrival in the area will be a surprise to our enemies. And the torpedoes loaded beneath her Swordfishes a greater one.





Here I have ordered a number of Corps forward to take two seemingly undefended bases, trying to take them an disrupt the enemy supply lines.



This will be a morale boost if nothing else. Supplies in the area are to few to risk on major offensives.






Seeing the opportunity for a limited counter-attack, I order the 51st Philippines Division against a force much smaller than their own.



Everyone else in Luzon continues to dig in like ticks. We don't know how many men the enemy have landed by now, but we must not give in without a fight.