SierraJuliet
Posts: 2319
Joined: 2/23/2009
From: Brisbane, Australia
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A more detailed account of the first days of action from the Japanese point of view. I do trawl over some action already mentioned but I include it for completeness.
Hong Kong is blockaded by the destroyers; Natsugumo, Minegumo Ikazuchi and Inazuma. They locate xAK Bennevis on a partly cloudy day. The lookouts on Bennevis spot the Japanese warships and the crafty merchantman manages to evade the Japanese warships.
More on the sorry fate of xAK Zyuyo Maru. She and other ships of her convoy enroute to Babeldaob were located not far from Catanduanes by SS S-39. The Allied sub scored a single torpedo hit (out of a spread of 4) which caused 12 casualties and 1 squad being disabled. Not satisfied with the result S-39 launches another 2 torpedoes and is rewarded with another hit causing 24 casualties with 1 squad destroyed. Still kicking myself for not checking the route setting here. In the scheme of things probably not a big loss for the ground troops but still all so unnecessary…. Stand by for more of this mishap turning up.
HONG KONG
Hong Kong Port receives attention from 7 Ki-27b, 9 Ki-36 and 11 Ki-48-Ib escorted by 6 Ki-44 flying out of Canton. There is no CAP and for the loss of 1 destroyed Ki-36 to flak the following ships are reported as hit; xAKs Hai Lee (2 bombs), Haraldsvang (1 bomb), Hinsang (1 bomb) and xAKLs Kanchow (2 bombs), Yat Shing (1 bomb), Joan Moller (1 bomb) and xAKL Halldor (1 bomb). All ships reported to be on fire. My planes, however, are only dropping 30 and 100 kg GP bombs… still should be enough to mess with this shipping. The repair shipyard took 4 hits, the port 1 hit and port fuel hits 1. Time to lay off on the bombing the port and concentrate instead on the airfield. I don’t want to cause any further damage to the shipyard.
2nd raid by 27 Ki-48-Ib Lily bomb the port. For the loss of 1 they report bomb hits on xAKL Chengtu and xAKs Nanning, Hinsang, Fatshan, Munlock and Hanyang plus 1 repair shipyard hit and 3 port hits.
3rd raid of Hong Kong sees 18 Ki-21-IIa (without loss) report hits on the following shipping… xAKL Yat Shing and Joan Moller. The following xAK were also hit by bombs… xAKs Munlock, MingSang, Haraldsvang, Hinsang and Nanning. Further damage is also inflicted – 2 hits on Repair Shipyards, 4 port hits and 1 port fuel hit.
4th raid on Hong Kong by 24 Sonia – xAK Haraldsvang and Fatshan (2 bombs on each), xAK Ming Sang, Hai Lee and Nanning (1 bomb on each), xAKLs Chengtu and Joan Moller (1 bomb each) and the port takes a solitary hit.
PHILIPPINES
The first morning raid over Manilla is comprised of 81 G4M1 and 9 G3M2 escorted by 31 A6M2 and they are met by a CAP of 18 P-40E Warhawk. 1 Betty is lost for 3 Wahawks and then the bombs rain down.
Destroyers Pillsbury (2 bombs) and John D. Ford (1 bomb), AMs Whippoorwill (1 bomb) and Finch (1 bomb – sunk), PG Isabel (1 bomb), AS Holland (1 bomb), AV Langley (1 bomb), xAPs Rochambeau (1 bomb) and President Madison (1 bomb), xAKL Anakan (1 bomb), xAKs Si Kiang (1 bomb) and Yu Sang (2 bombs) and AO Trinity (1 bomb).
Of the submarines… Sealion – 2 hits, Perch 2 hits and sunk, Searaven, S-41, Sculpin, Seadragon, Stingray and Snapper are all hit by 1 bomb. 6 hits recorded on the port, 4 on port fuel and 1 on port supply.
27 A6M2 sweep Manila and find a lone P-40E and it is dispatched.
A sweep of Clark Field by 13 A6M2 from Akagi is met by 7 P-35A and 7 P-40B Warhawk. 1 Zero is traded for 3 P-35A and 2 Warhawk destroyed.
The four carriers of KB then launch 90 B5N2 Kate and 81 D3A1 Val escorted by 39 Zero. There is no CAP to harass them. Of the submarines… Pike, Searaven, Stingray, Skipjack, Salmon and Pickerel (2 bombs and sunk), Sculpin (1 bomb and sunk). These submarines are hit but no reports of sinking… Spearfish (2 bombs), Snapper, Tarpon, SS S-41 and Permit (1 bomb). These ships are sunk… PG Asheville and Isabel (1 bomb) and the following are reported as damaged… AS Holland and Canopus (1 bomb each), DD Peary (1 bomb), AVD Childs (2 bombs), xAKLs Anakan and Compagnia Filipinas (1 bomb each), and TK Mindanao (2 bombs). 7 ground troops are lost and the bombers also claim 3 repair shipyard hits, 9 port hits, 3 port fuel hits and 2 port supply hits.
The hornets’ nest on the Philippines reacts with 8 B-17D, 7 P-35A, 7 P-40B and 21 P-40E Warhawk descending upon Nagumo’s fleet of carriers. 20 Zero are on hand and without loss destroy 1 P-35A, 1 P40B and 3 P40E. Hiryu dodges the bombs dropped from 8 of the bombers.
The pre-invasion bombardment of San Fernando no reports received of defender losses but 71 Japanese casualties are reported amongst the ground forces. During unloading on the beach 8 casualties (1 squad and 1 non combat destroyed) are reported.
Troops unload at Vigan which is of course unprotected. Vigan is captured by 24th JAAF AF Battalion and airdropped elements of Yokosuka 3rd SNLF.
SS I-124 lays minefield at Bataan ( 78 , 77) and sets course for Takao
MALAYA
At Khota Bharu 29 Ki-27b Nate brush past 2 Buffalo I and report 6 airbase hits, 4 airbase supply hits and 32 runway hits.
Kota Bharu is then visited by 22 Sally escorted by 32 Oscar. The Oscar brush past the 2 Buffalo I on patrol (no loses to either side) – airbase 1 hit, airbase supply 2 hits and runway hits 4.
3rd Kota Bharu raid by 31 Sally results in airbase hits 4, airbase supply hits 1 and 12 runway hits.
Kuantan is hit by 48 Ki-21-IIa Sally and 25 Ki-48-Ib Lily. No allied aircraft meet them and they go on to report Blenheim and Beafuort V damaged on the airfield, 5 allied casualties and 9 airbase hits, 3 airbase supply hits and 36 runway hits.
Ryujo sends out an unescorted force of 12 B5N1 Kate to attack shipping. They meet a CAP of 3 Buffalo I who promptly destroy 4 of the attackers. Undeterred by this the pilots located xAK Demodocus and score 2 torpedo hits and sink her.
After a fruitless morning searching for Allied shipping Yamaguchi gives the order to bomb Singapore. 25 Val escorted by 7 Zero make the assault. 10 Buffalo I are on hand to greet them. 3 Val are lost whilst on the ground a Buffalo I, Catalina I and a Vildebeest III are destroyed and the airbase takes 1 hit and the runway is hit 6 times.
The Allied forces strike back at Carrier Div 5 sailing near Terempa. In clear skies 6 Blenheim IV and 15 Hudson I escorted by 23 Buffalo I make their run towards the expectant Japanese carrier force. The CAP performs very well and without loss accounts for 11 Buffalo and 1 Hudson destroyed. Flak accounts for another Hudson before 3 Hudson get through and make a fruitless run on Hiei.
Next comes a flight of 6 unescorted Blenheim IV. 8 Zero meet them and destroy 1 Blenheim before the attack breaks off.
A third attack is composed of 4 Wirraway escorted by 1 Buffalo against 6 Zero. The Zeros account for the Buffalo and 1 Wirraway. The remaining 3 make their run on Hiei and loose another of their number to flak. Hiei forges on through the bomb splashes.
Near Kuantan the Mersing Invasion Fleet comes under aerial attack. 6 Zero and 5 Claude augmented with 9 Jake, 1 Alf, 4 Dave and 3 Pete are on hand to covers this group of ships. The British have sent in 7 unescorted Swordfish I. A force capable of causing disruption if unmolested but they are dealt with roughly with 5 of their number hacked out of the sky.
In an attempt to cause more damage Ryujo sends aloft another unescorted strike of 8 Kates. They are set upon near Georgetown by 6 Buffalo. The Allied pilots enjoy their hunting and knock down 6 Kates. The remaining head home without having sighted a single Allied ship.
The pre-invasion bombardment of Kota Bharu causes 42 casualties before Japanese troops start their assault on Malaya. 241 casualties (11 squads, 7 non combat destroyed and 3 guns lost) are recorded during the landing phase.
CHINA
China starts out with an aerial bombing of 20th Chinese Corps near Wuchang. 17 Nate and 12 Ann and reports received of 39 casualties (2 squads disabled, 2 non combats disabled and 1 engineer disabled).
Near Nanchang 78th Chinese Corps is subjected to attack from 12 Nate and 12 Sonia for 26 casualties (2 squads and 1 non combat disabled).
At Pengpu 13th Mixed Independent Brigade (64 casualties) pummels 89th Chinese Corps (636 casualties) 25-1 odds and forces a Chinese retreat.
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All of this power and their national will seems to be s... - 
Thus, an important thing to consider is an early assault on Port Blair using paras. This base is important in allowing short legged fighters from Malaya making it safely to Burma/India. Something for you to consider. 
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