by Row, David
The fall of Corregidor has been anticipated since Bataan surrendered 27 days ago. Since then the island, only two miles away, has had 300 air raids and been hit by 300 shells a day.
Force Z, consisting of the fleet carriers HMS Implacable, HMS Bulwark and the new carrier HMS Audacious, supported by the battleships MNS Richeleau, HMS Anson and HMS King George V, with supporting cruisers and destroyers, leaves Singapore heading east. Somerville has also ordered for a tanker to be sent to Fiji as a matter of urgency; this will allow the force to refuel and so keep up a higher passage speed.
Churchill and the CIGS approve the fleet operation to support the US in principle. Washington will be contacted immediately to discuss sending the US Task Force in the Mediterranean to Singapore as partial replacements.
8th May
The German offensive for 1942, Operation Bustard, opens in Russia in the Crimea led by von Manstein's 22nd Panzer Division. The aim is to recapture the Kerch peninsula.
10th May
Prime Minister Churchill warns Germany that the British will hit it hard if it introduces poison gas in the USSR.
The 1st Army Group (consisting of the British 8th Army and the 1st Free French Army) in the Mediterranean under General O'Connor is put on alert for the impending Operation Husky. This is now provisionally planned to go ahead at the beginning of June, as soon as the German Army is committed to its summer offensive in Russia.
The aircraft carrier USS Ranger launches 68 USAAF P-40E fighters off the coast of Africa. The aircraft land at Accra, Gold Coast and then proceed across Africa, India then to the Dutch East Indies.
Assuming that the US intelligence is correct, and that the main Japanese fleet will be involved in Midway, Somerville starts to consider operations in the China Sea area. The most likely opportunity seems to be to retake the parts of Borneo currently under Japanese control. While he is very short of proper landing craft, coastal shipping is available, and with control of the sea and air can be used to overwhelm the small Japanese forces holding parts of the coast. He asks Alexander and Blamey what they can provide in the way of light/commando forces for this type of operation, assuming a start date of late May/early June.
11th May
Force Z arrives off Darwin during the night to refuel. The force sails soon after dawn, heading east along the north coast of Australia.
12th May
A two-pronged Russian attack on Kharkov begins. Marshal Timoshenko is attempting to trap German forces against the Sea of Azov. Tonight the Soviet high command claims that the Red Army has broken the German line after one of the biggest tank battles of the war.
Torrential rain continues to hamper operations but the Russians are pressing westwards after the fleeing Germans. They have captured a great quantity of munitions assembled immediately behind the front in readiness for the German summer campaign.
Admiral Yamamoto gives the go-ahead for the Midway Operation, scheduled to commence on the 31st May. Despite the proposals, he has no intention of using its capture to be a possible base for an invasion of Hawaii - the sealift is not available, nor, more importantly, is the fuel. He expects the operation to shatter the US Pacific fleet as an offensive weapon for the rest of the year, and allow his submarines to further weaken it if attempts are made to retake Midway. This will allow him to swing west and support an operation to take the DEI and the vital oil there as soon as possible.
14th May
Obsessed with winning the Russian war, Hitler refuses Admiral Dönitz's plea for all-out war on Allied merchant shipping.
The air offensive against Germany's industrial heartland - the Battle of the Ruhr - has reached a new intensity in the past 48 hours. On 12-13 May, the inland port of Duisburg was hit for the fifth time in a raid led by ten target-marking "Oboe" Mosquitoes, which were followed by 400 heavy bombers. The total weight of explosive dropped on this one town is now the best part of 10,000 tons. On 13-14 May, much of Bochum, a coal-rich area near Dortmund, was also reduced to burning rubble. So dense was the coverage that one Halifax returned with three incendiary bombs embedded in its wings.
Additional raids have taken place to stretch the German air defence and pull its attention away from the Ruhr. Targets have included Berlin, Czechoslovakia and Belgium. American Flying Fortresses have attacked the General Motors plant at Antwerp, US-owned before the war. The total bomb tonnage delivered in this 48-hour period was 4,000 tons. Over 50 aircraft have been lost, but Bomber Command reluctantly accepts such losses as inevitable, and the production program is currently able to keep up with the losses.
The first Japanese coded radio messages are completely broken that indicate the upcoming Japanese operation is indeed targeted at Midway. Previously only partial decodes had been made, although traffic analysis and other methods of determining where Japanese units were had all pointed to Midway. The estimate is that the operation will begin in less than two weeks.
16th May
The change earlier in the year to convoys and tactics on the East Coast of the USA has made U-boat operations steadily more costly. Today the first of the new US converted escort carriers joins the escort forces, and the US forces involved are rapidly improving their efficiency. Doenitz is increasingly concerned at the rise in his losses and the steady fall in sinkings (even though these are in fact being heavily exaggerated by his crews). He is starting to plan a withdrawal back into the Atlantic where the shorter range means more U-boats can be concentrated in an attempt to overwhelm a convoy's defences.
Admiral Somerville completes preparation for Operation Machete, landings on the coast of Borneo to destroy the Japanese on the north and east of the island. The operation will commence as soon as the Japanese fleet (expected to sail soon) is located. While the US code breakers have proved reliable so far, he wishes to locate the main Japanese fleet before he gives the go-ahead.
18th May
The USAAF's 7th Air Force in Hawaii is placed on alert in anticipation of a possible attack on Midway Island. For the next ten days the old Martin B-18's will be used on sea searches to supplement the B-17's.The VII Bomber Command receives an influx of B-17's during this period, and one squadron is converted from B-18's to B-17's.
Meanwhile the Marine Corps is sending more Corsair fighters to Midway. Before the start of the war against Japan the fighter, although showing very high performance, was considered dangerous to operate and had been refused deck-landing clearance. Since hostilities commenced the peacetime rules have been relaxed, however the Marine squadrons flying the plane have been scattered and it is only with the expected invasion of Midway that they have been given priority to build up on the island itself. It is hoped to get at least one squadron onto the island in the next week.
Force Z arrives at Fiji, where a number of tankers have been sent to provide the force with fuel. The force pauses only to refuel and take on water, then heads north, destination Pearl Harbor.
19th May
A strong German counterattack at Kharkov in the Ukraine against the Russians begins.
General MacArthur is recalled to Washington to discuss possible operational commands - there have been rumours circulating in the War Department about a new Allied commander being needed in China.
21st May
Task Force 39 with the battleship USS Washington, the aircraft carrier USS Wasp, the heavy cruisers USS Wichita and Tuscaloosa and six destroyers, arrives at Singapore after a high speed transit from Alexandria. The Task Force is assigned temporarily to work under Admiral Somerville while Force Z is with the USN. The opportunity is also taken to carry on the work started in the Mediterranean to integrate common procedures between the RN and USN to facilitate future combined operation. The Japanese attack in the mid-Pacific is now considered too close for the Wasp to arrive in time to aid it.
22nd May
Mexico declares war on the Axis from 1 June.
The German and Russian armies are involved in mutual offensives south of Kharkov. The Germans are in danger of sur
rounding part of Timoshenko's force, but he has to convince Stalin that the best course is to pull them back.
US submarines sail to patrol positions from Hawaii to counter the Japanese Midway operation.
23rd May
The Japanese 1st Carrier Fleet, under Admiral Nagumo, leaves the Inland Sea to begin their part in the Midway operation. The following day the main Japanese Invasion Fleet sails from the Marianas toward Midway.
The Americal Division of the US Army is constituted. It is organised as a square division, from units assigned to Task Force 6814.
25th May
The Japanese army issues orders to the Second and Seventh divisions to begin preparing for an amphibious attack against Hawaii. Training for the assault is to be completed by September 1942.
The light cruiser USS St. Louis arrives at Midway and disembarks Companies "C" and "D," 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, and a 37 mm gun battery of the 3rd defence Battalion. The aircraft ferry USS Kitty Hawk brings Marine reinforcements including a detachment of a 3-inch (76.2 mm) antiaircraft group of the 3rd defence Battalion, a light tank platoon and additional personnel for Marine Air Group Twenty Two. The Japanese operation is now imminent, and these will be the last supplies to reach the island before the Japanese attack.
Task Force 16, centred around the carriers Enterprise and Hornet, returns to Pearl Harbor. They are under orders to replenish as quickly as possible and be ready to sail on the following day. This is disappointing to the crews, who had hoped for shore leave after their last mission. No indication of the Midway operation is given to the crews until the ships are back at sea, to maintain security.
The remainder of the Japanese forces sail to join the Midway operation. This includes a number of ships tasked with diversionary missions.
26th May
Vice Admiral Lyster, the commander of Force Z, lands at Pearl Harbor by carrier plane to discuss the operation with Admiral Nimitz and his staff. In view of the operation planned, command of the RN force has been given to him due to his experience in multi-carrier operations. Admiral Somerville had seriously considered commanding in person, but his responsibilities in SE Asia and the issue that he would be the senior officer afloat (causing a problem as the operations are under US overall control) has forced him to remain in Singapore. The size of the RN force has made discussions of who is to command somewhat delicate (the USN and RN forces are of a similar size), but Somerville has already decided with Nimitz that the American local knowledge and territory mean it is best for them to be in overall command. Nimitz has agreed that Lyster will have as free a hand as possible over the use of his ships, particularly if the RN carriers can get off a night strike, something outside of the USN capability.
Task Force 16, carriers Enterprise and Hornet under Admiral Spruance, and Task Force 17, carriers Yorktown and Ticonderoga under Admiral Fletcher, sail from Pearl Harbor for Midway. Once on their way, the crews are ordered to paint large US flags on the flight deck to allow easier identification. Tricolour striping is painted on the turrets of the other ships. Admiral Halsey, originally intended to be in overall command, is in hospital with a skin condition and reported to be furious.
27th May
Czech partisans ambush SS Obergruppenführer Reinhardt Heydrich, the deputy Reichprotector of Bohemia and Moravia.
B-17's on detached service at Midway Island begin search operations. U.S. Navy PBY Catalinas concentrate their searches to the northeast, from where the Japanese invasion fleet is expected to approach.
The Royal Navy Force Z arrives at Pearl Harbor under as much security as the base can manage. Overnight the fleet is refuelled and a stream of US navy communications personnel and their equipment is hurried on board. Preparations have been made during their voyage to Hawaii to add the US radio equipment to allow them to communicate with the US Task Forces and aircraft. A US light cruiser will also accompany the force to aid in this. Engineers are also onboard helping with the inevitable small problems that have cropped up during the high-speed run. Fortunately, only one of the destroyers is forced to remain behind due to serious problems. The carriers also take on a USN deck landing officer each in case any US aircraft need to be recovered (the landing procedures and signals are different in the two navies).
It had been hoped that Force Z would arrive in time to integrate it with the US carrier group now on its way to Midway, but there was not time before the Japanese sailed. Current intentions are for the Force to move southwest of Midway, to catch the Japanese force between the two groups. The worry is that if the Japanese have concentrated their carriers, they will be able to defeat either of the two Allied groups in detail. If this proves to be the case, the orders are to pull back and draw the Japanese onto the combined carrier forces. As with the USN ships, flags and markings are painted on the ships to reduce the chance of mis-identification.
28th May
Force Z sails from Pearl Harbor - due to the size of the ships, especially HMS Audacious, the sailing was delayed to high tide, just in case, as the bridge crews are unfamiliar with Pearl. For additional security the force leaves harbour flying the US ensign to help disguise their origin - although the size of the Audacious makes this problematical, she is nearly twice the displacement of the US carriers.
29th May
The Germans complete encirclement of the Russian forces west of the Donets. 250,000 Russian soldiers are killed or captured.
A RN T-class submarine operating south of Formosa spots a Japanese force of 'a couple of cruisers and destroyers' steaming south towards the South China Sea during the night. The submarine is unable to make an attack, but Somerville asks the RAF to conduct a reconnaissance of the area to try and find out what they are up to.
30th May
Three Russian destroyers joined up with convoy, PQ-16 today to help escort it through the last stage of what has been the most hazardous Arctic journey so far. The convoy - with 35 ships - set sail on 21 May for Murmansk and Archangel. For the last three days, it has been under attack from no fewer than 260 German aircraft.
The convoy was joined on 25 May by a force of four British cruisers, HMS Norfolk, HMS Nigeria, HMS Kent and HMS Liverpool, and two escort carriers Only one ship has been sunk by U-boat, but three have been sunk by air attack despite the efforts of the escort carriers, one of which was heavily damaged by Stuka dive bombers. The attacks proved costly to the Luftwaffe, a heavy toll being taken of the attackers by the defending Goshawks. Nevertheless, 93,000 tons of new war material has been delivered to the USSR, including 320 tanks, 125 aircraft and 2,500 military vehicles.
Task Force17 under Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher and Task Force 16 under Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, rendezvous about 350-miles (648 km) northeast of Midway Island. The joint force, under tactical command of Admiral Fletcher, is composed of four aircraft carriers, seven heavy cruisers, 16 destroyers and two oilers. Supporting are 25 submarines deployed around Midway. The two forces sailed separately in case they were spotted by Japanese patrols.
31st May
The heaviest attack yet by the RAF targets the city of Cologne. Some 600 bombers, including 150 Coventry high-altitude planes, led by Pathfinder Mosquitoes, drop over 3,000 tons of bombs, half of them incendiaries. The city is left in flames, and the chemical works 90% destroyed. So heavy were the fires that reconnaissance planes were unable to get photographs on the following day due to the thick clouds of smoke.
The fighting south of Kharkov which started so well for the Red Army has ended in disaster. The Germans, who launched their counter-thrust, Operation Fridericus, at the base of the Soviet breakthrough, have destroyed the five Russian armies caught in their pincer movement. Throughout the battle the Russians were poorly supported by their air force, and the Germans had complete supremacy over the battlefield. They now hold a line along the Donets and are preparing to launch further offensives against their badly mauled enemies.
A force of Japanese midget submarines (the Japanese submarines HIJMS I-22, HIJMS
I-24 and HIJMS I-27) each launch a Type A midget submarine which penetrate the harbour defences of Sydney and attack shipping. They fire torpedoes that miss the heavy cruiser USS Chicago but sink the accommodation ship HMAS Kuttabul and damage the Dutch submarine HNMS K 9 beyond economical repair. All the attackers are killed in the attack.
The Japanese Invasion Group is spotted by land-based aircraft from Midway. This is a few days later than expected, but getting the ships into position has taken the Japanese a little longer than anticipated.
