07-20-2008, 03:47 PM
Gents,
Following the previous Java scens, chronologically, here is the first of the 2 March 42 scens, ~0810 hrs.
Blackforce was originally supposed to be included in this attack but was deleted from the OB because of the pressing nature at the Leuwiliang Bridge to the west of this fight. This one was fought first, and was the only time the Dutch Motorized force was used in any kind of mass...if what they had could be called a mass. They did surprise the Japanese, initially...
Hope you enjoy: "The Battle of Sabang"
viz:
2 March, 1942
Sabang, Java: By the evening of March 1st, the Japanese Shoji
Detachment had secured Kalidjati Airfield, west of Sabang. Over
night, the bulk of the detachment was making it's way south from the landing beach at Eretanwetan into Sabang then west to Kalidjati,
across the Pamanoeken Bridge. The Egashira Unit had pulled up for the night in the area of Pamanoeken. At 0500 hrs, on the 2nd, Col. Shoji's HQ and some reserves had arrived at Sabang. The work scheduled for the 2nd included reinforcing the Wakamatsu Unit at the airfield so it could begin it's advance from there, south toward Bandung. For the Allied ABDA command, enough was enough. It seemed impossible for them to stop the Japanese advance,
anywhere. Bandung, in central Java, was not only the gathering
place for all of the refugee units streaming in from western Java but it was also the location of most of the operating ABDA headquarters units. "Blackforce" was slowing the Japanese advance west of Bandung at Leuwiliang, on the other side of Buitzenzorg, but the advance of the Japanese to within 25 miles north of Bandung
was a situation that had to be redressed. On the afternoon of
March 1st, the Dutch Mobiele Eenheid, and some hastily attached
units, were alerted in Bandung and moved out, heading north,
in the direction of Kalidjati. Their route, to the airfield, would take them through Sabang. Their mission was to defeat the Japanese somewhere in the vicinity of Sabang and retrieve the airfield at Kalidjati. At 0810 hrs they began their attack...at Sabang.
.....................................
Next in line, I have decided that the Blackforce scen will have to be sliced into (3) stand alone scenarios, covering: (a) the late afternoon/dusk of 2 March 42, the initial Japanese probing attack south of the Leuwiliang Bridge; (b) the early dawn attack of 3 March where the Japanese made a lodgement on the east bank of the river; and © later in the day of 3 March as the Allies counterattacked (including the venerable Mk VIB no less). Blackforce was forced to abandon the river line on the 4th, retreating toward Buitzenzorg.
It is going to take a while to separate this mess...the sources jumble things up a bit and often mix different events with different times...usual stuff one runs across, I suppose.
Again, Hope you enjoy them.
Cheers
Curt
Following the previous Java scens, chronologically, here is the first of the 2 March 42 scens, ~0810 hrs.
Blackforce was originally supposed to be included in this attack but was deleted from the OB because of the pressing nature at the Leuwiliang Bridge to the west of this fight. This one was fought first, and was the only time the Dutch Motorized force was used in any kind of mass...if what they had could be called a mass. They did surprise the Japanese, initially...
Hope you enjoy: "The Battle of Sabang"
viz:
2 March, 1942
Sabang, Java: By the evening of March 1st, the Japanese Shoji
Detachment had secured Kalidjati Airfield, west of Sabang. Over
night, the bulk of the detachment was making it's way south from the landing beach at Eretanwetan into Sabang then west to Kalidjati,
across the Pamanoeken Bridge. The Egashira Unit had pulled up for the night in the area of Pamanoeken. At 0500 hrs, on the 2nd, Col. Shoji's HQ and some reserves had arrived at Sabang. The work scheduled for the 2nd included reinforcing the Wakamatsu Unit at the airfield so it could begin it's advance from there, south toward Bandung. For the Allied ABDA command, enough was enough. It seemed impossible for them to stop the Japanese advance,
anywhere. Bandung, in central Java, was not only the gathering
place for all of the refugee units streaming in from western Java but it was also the location of most of the operating ABDA headquarters units. "Blackforce" was slowing the Japanese advance west of Bandung at Leuwiliang, on the other side of Buitzenzorg, but the advance of the Japanese to within 25 miles north of Bandung
was a situation that had to be redressed. On the afternoon of
March 1st, the Dutch Mobiele Eenheid, and some hastily attached
units, were alerted in Bandung and moved out, heading north,
in the direction of Kalidjati. Their route, to the airfield, would take them through Sabang. Their mission was to defeat the Japanese somewhere in the vicinity of Sabang and retrieve the airfield at Kalidjati. At 0810 hrs they began their attack...at Sabang.
.....................................
Next in line, I have decided that the Blackforce scen will have to be sliced into (3) stand alone scenarios, covering: (a) the late afternoon/dusk of 2 March 42, the initial Japanese probing attack south of the Leuwiliang Bridge; (b) the early dawn attack of 3 March where the Japanese made a lodgement on the east bank of the river; and © later in the day of 3 March as the Allies counterattacked (including the venerable Mk VIB no less). Blackforce was forced to abandon the river line on the 4th, retreating toward Buitzenzorg.
It is going to take a while to separate this mess...the sources jumble things up a bit and often mix different events with different times...usual stuff one runs across, I suppose.
Again, Hope you enjoy them.
Cheers
Curt