IChristie
Posts: 673
Joined: 3/26/2002 From: Ottawa, Canada Status: offline
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Another weird wild and wonderful couple of weeks in the south pacific. 13 Oct LBA from Port Vila bomb the HMAS(?) Australia again as she limps into Noumea harbour without getting any hits this time. Acting on the interesting suggestion from the general staff I start the 2nd Recon reg't down the track from Koumac to Basse Poya in the hopes of sowing more disruption in the enemy rear areas. There is a track, we'll have to see how quickly they march down it. Things are finally starting to look up at Port Vila (hereafter known as PV). The fast tpt's arrive and deposit a full base force. Av support is now up over 100 and there is half a chance of getting a/c repaired in the same week they get damaged I switch tactics with the bombardment forces and have them go north after bombardment instead of over to PV. This will likely cost more fuel, but it keeps them out of range of LBA from Noumea. Yamato & co. are on their way to Nevea to RV with the tankers. One set of tankers is almost dry, I send them to Lunga to off load the rest of their fuel before heading to Truk for a refill. The BIG (29K) replenishment convoy is now on station so I should be OK for a while. I also have a CA TF (2CA's, 1CL, 5DD) which has been making the L'ville run. 14 Oct A US convoy is spotted coming up to L'ville from Noumea. The BB's are still in Nevea refueling as are my CA's. The CA's fuel up but spend enough operations points that they won't get down to L'ville tonight. I desperately want some surface units on station to greet the convoy so I quickly scramble the CL force at anchor in PV and move them across to L'ville with orders to stay put and react to the enemy. After a quiet day yesterday when the weather closed Noumea down the bombers get active again today, pounding Koumac and going after ships at PV and L'ville. One raid of B-17's gets through to the convoy at L'ville and severely damages one of the transports. The transports are almost empty so I think it's time to get the convoy out while the getting is good. Another wave of 26(!) Avengers has a go at the CL's in PV as they prepare to make the run to L'ville. It does not look like they are skip bombing (usually accompanied by strafing, which is absent) and their aim is atrocious. They do not cause any damage. My CAP intercepts another air supply attempt. 15 Oct Morning finds the CL's in L'ville. The US convoy is stopped and appears to be loitering off PV. Perhaps they are on "retirement allowed" and so will not enter harbour with an enemey TF there. Yamato & co. are also on their way back to L'ville so life their situation is not going to get any easier. A/C at PV are up to about 70% strength. Weather kept them mostly on the ground yesterday but I am looking forward to great carnage on the convoy which now sits just 3 hexes off shore. My convoy sails from L'ville harbour leaving all LCU's with about 10x supplies. They have been lying low until now, but with supplies brimming I start bombardment attacks. Their strength is down to about 35K, while the enemy still has around 45K. The tide should start to turn soon as supplies must be getting tight over there by now. 17 Oct I watch in helpless frustration as the weather once again grounds PV for the 4th STRAIGHT DAY and the Convoy continues to loiter so close off shore that they can smell the latrines. The only consolation is that weather has also kept Noumea LBA on the ground and their has been next to no air activity over the beachead for days My second set of resupply convoys arrive. The largest one carries 35K tons of supplies. It's all big tpt's as well so it will likely take about week to unload. The smaller convoy is 1000 tonners and should unload more quickly CAP intercepts another air resupply attempt. More to come. In the next installment, the "New Hebrides Turkey Shoot" and "Is that a battleship in your TF or are you just glad to see me"
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Iain Christie ----------------- "If patience is a virtue then persistence is it's part. It's better to light a candle than stand and curse the dark" - James Keelaghan
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