Peep,peep, peep: "Hellew Singapore calling"

[Basson]

Grand Campaign WITP Basson(Allied)vs Gilgawath(Japanese)

Diary 15 Dec 1941 Group Captain St John-Smythe


It was a shocking week. The Japs bombing Pearl Harbour, landings at Khota Baru, 3 landings on the north coast of Luzon, and days later, landings at Brunei on the Borneo north coast, Menado (Sulawesi) and in Java. Hong Kong about to fall.

Our own chaps showed some spirit with force Z sailing north on Dec 8, under adml Tennant (Phillips sacked)They sank a heavy cruiser, battered one of the Kongo's for the loss of 4 destroyers. The Jap escorts prevented harm to the transports, and the landings went ahead.
But was the Khota landings a ruse? Days later a stronger force landed much to the south at Kuantan. If we can't contain this, Singapore will be threatened. The RAF bombed around the clock with little result. Our fighters are roughly handled by the Jap fighters....they told us the Japs all wear glasses and can't see properly?.

All quiet in Burma. India a hive of activity to organise defenses, reserves etc. Wavell replaced the dithering Percival in command of fortress Singapore.

In the Dutch Indies they put up a splendid fight beating off a landing a Kuching (N Borneo) with submarines, air attack and mines. Force Z also intervened here. Dutch sub 019 sank 2 Jap transports. The Dutch colonial air force attacking Jap transports everywhere. Adml de Ruiter tried to intercept a landing at Menado but was attacked by carrier a/c and lost a cruiser.

In the Phillipines the situation is grave. McArthur's air force was largely destroyed on the ground and Clark field is a shambles. The Japs are landing almost unopposed all along the north coast, and a major landing in Lingayen gulf. A surprise landing on Jolo on Dec 14 have nearly severed comm with the Phillipines. Poor bastards. Most of the important larger ships got away from Manila when the curtain dropped.

Australia and NZ nervously organising defense and shifting forces. A push south by the Japs a real possibility. The Russians are viewing events from a distance. In China 2 major inland drives by the Japs are in progress.

In the central Pacific they quickly captured Guam and Tarawa. At Wake a Jap landing was beaten back with loss, but they will surely be back.

Pearl Harbor is slowly recovering from the shock and going through the wreckage to see what is there to salvage. The day of the battleship is truly over. After the air attacks a surface task force was organised and raced blindly in a westerly direction on Dec 8 in the hope of surface action. The Japs carriers responded and sank the Maryland, Tennesee, and Idaho. A ghastly mistake and tragedy. No command changes for the time being. For now the air presence is being restored and forces reorganised to meet threats to the lines of comm with Australia and US mainland. Thank goodness the carriers were spared.

No air raids on Singapore yet. Not even a black out in force. Raffles is still Raffles. "Wetaa! Another pink gin please"

SinJinSmythe