Malaya What If

[Fatboy Coxy]

1940, Friday 15 November;

They stood there in the slight rain, at attention for inspection, in front of their aircraft, the newly formed Genzan Air Group. They were the third land-based unit the Imperial Japanese Navy had formed with the long-range bomber/torpedo Mitsubishi G3M Nell Type 96 aircraft. The group was organised into four Hikotai or squadrons of nine planes with an immediate reserve of three aircraft each, giving a group total of 48 aircraft. The Admiral and his entourage were being slowly driven past them all, officers with drawn swords saluting as he passed.

The newly built G3M2’s on show were all Model 22’s, which had been in service for nearly two years now, upgraded from the original design with two Mitsubishi Kinsei radial engines, giving 1,075 horse power each. This delivered a top speed of 230 mph, while cruising at 174 mph it had a service range of 2700 miles, and a ceiling of 30,000 feet. This performance was aided by the fact that the plane’s weight was kept as light as possible, consequently no defensive armour was carried, or self-sealing fuel tanks. Designed to carry a single 18-inch Type 91 aerial torpedo, it was provided with 7.7mm machine guns and a 20mm cannon in its tail as defensive armament.

The airfield, located at Genzan (Wonsan, North Korea), a port city and naval base off the Sea of Japan, had seen a steady flow of men and aircraft, some transfers from the Kanoya and Mihoro air groups, and many others newly trained. They weren’t up to full complement at the moment, but did have two dozen A5M4 Claude fighters attached, as rumour had it, they would be moving to Hankou in China, for operations, and the Claude’s would be their integral fighter escort.

The unit had been formed, same as the previous two, due in no small part to the influence of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, who had worked hard with the Naval Commission to encourage Mitsubishi to develop the G3M. Her long range, heavy payload and high speed, was directly due to the theories of how to counter the heavily armoured US battleships. She gave up protection and defensive armoury, although the Claude was to be considered part of her defensive equation.

They fitted into the Japanese naval strategy of how to counter the larger US Navy’s fleet, joining submarines and light surface forces in applying a gradual attrition of the US Fleet, as it sailed across the Pacific towards Japan, where on arrival the Japanese main battle fleet would engage in the Kanati Kessen, the decisive battle.

With the Admiral’s car and accompanying entourage gone, the aircrew were quickly off to their quarters, to change and prepare for the forthcoming ceremonial dinner, to honour the creation of the group, and later to get gloriously drunk on sake. For the groundcrews, it was time to pull the aircraft out of their long lines of inspection, and back to their hard stands, or into hangers for routine maintenance, their job made harder by the fact their numbers included a lot of newly trained mechanics, fleshing out the cadre, and the fact the drizzle had turned to rain.

 

[Carl Schwamberger]

So I was under the impression that Brooke held Gort in some regards, which I'm now beginning to think he didn't. Was Gort tarnished by promotion to CIGS in 1937, over Dill and Wavell, as Hore-Belisha's boy, who he later fell out with, as well as the scramble to lead the BEF, as opposed to General Ironside, or was he simply the scapegoat for the failing in France 1940, or maybe a bit of both?

Im not well enough versed in British military politics of the era to say. My general impression is Brooke did not like anyone.

 

[Carl Schwamberger]

I think its quite impressive how quickly the Japanese put together such a successful plan. I'm also struck on how good the 25th Army was in its makeup, two crack divisions to spearhead the invasion, plenty of engineers to repair bridges, a Tactical Air Force that was able to keep pace with the advance, and lots more. Sure with hindsight we can find fault, but at the time, wow, a Japanese Blitzkrieg.

Are you sure about Homma, Carl, I thought a broad outline of attack was made by the Japanese General Staff HQ, this was reviewed September- October and became a Basic Agreement, allocating units, and on the 10 November, a Army-Navy agreement on how they would operate, which Yamashita was part of. Secondly there was an operational doctrine worked out by Col Tsuji in Taiwan, re fighting in the jungle and the use of bicycles.

Yamashita had three infantry divisions, the 5th which was mechanized (by Japanese standards), the 18th which were amphibious trained, both top line units, and had fostered on him the Imperial Guards, which he didn't rate, but was forced to take. He could have taken the 56th division as well, but like you say, recognising the importance of logistics, chose not to.

There is a lot more, and I hope to cover a lot of this in following posts, as chronology allows.

I've heard a Maylasian campaign had been war gamed in January 1941 by some section or other of the IGS. Which makes sense. Every staff has a stack of memos, outline plans, staff studies, war-games, and even some detailed plans for every contingency imaginable. Few of those connect strongly to the reality when someone actually has to execute one. Swinson describes Homma as skeptical about the intelligence summaries he was reading, and being negative about the earlier planning. Perhaps is time to reread Swinson in reference to this thread.

 

[Draconis]

The IJNAF unit mentioned being stood up here, the new Genzan, and the older Kanoya and Mihoro groups. Did they participate in the attack that sank the Prince of Wales and the Repulse in OTL?

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

The IJNAF unit mentioned being stood up here, the new Genzan, and the older Kanoya and Mihoro groups. Did they participate in the attack that sank the Prince of Wales and the Repulse in OTL?

Historically all three did

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

I've heard a Maylasian campaign had been war gamed in January 1941 by some section or other of the IGS. Which makes sense. Every staff has a stack of memos, outline plans, staff studies, war-games, and even some detailed plans for every contingency imaginable. Few of those connect strongly to the reality when someone actually has to execute one. Swinson describes Homma as skeptical about the intelligence summaries he was reading, and being negative about the earlier planning. Perhaps is time to reread Swinson in reference to this thread.

OK so I'm researching this at the moment, the IJA Air Force war gamed how to support an attack on Malaya, that's in Senshi Sōsho (War History Series) Vol 34 page 37, see https://scholarlypublications.unive...smax&f[0]=mods_subject_topic_ms:Senshi\ Sōsho, link provide by HJ Tulp (thank you), while I know Yamamoto was doing something similar, in Jan 1941, but that might have been Pearl Harbor. I don't have Swinson, I'll have a look for it.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

Im not well enough versed in British military politics of the era to say. My general impression is Brooke did not like anyone.

I wouldn't say I was well versed, after what I've been learning about Lord Gort, but regarding Brooke, I think he had a very small tight knit group of personal friends, and then everybody else was kept at arms length, which when your trying to run a war, and handle Churchill at the same time, is probably the right thing to do.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

1940, Monday 18 November;

The 5th Auxiliary Battalion, Indian Pioneer Corps had settled down under canvas in the quarters of the recently expanded Batu Caves cantonment. The 4 labour companies were all newly raised and lacking in even basic military skills. Since arriving in Singapore only seven days ago, it had been hectic for the battalion, officers and men disembarking from the ship, two nights in temporary accommodation before being brought up to Kuala Lumpur by train, and then finding nothing readied for them on their arrival.

CRE Malaya Command, Brigadier JAC Pennycuick was painfully aware of the lack of training and skills held by the young Engineers and Pioneers coming into the Command and had gained agreement for the building of a training facility to help improve their development. The only problem was he’d have to build it himself.

A small number of Indian Engineers had been waiting, and now today was the first day the battalion would begin working under their direction. Two companies were quickly detailed to begin the hard labour of providing the basic groundwork of the greatly expanding Army Engineers camp, preparing roads and paths, many building foundations for the various buildings and accommodation blocks required for the training school, a new barracks, as well as store houses and workshops, and perimeter fencing. A third company was employed on providing new railway sidings, while the last was going to be daily marched up to the Batu Caves, where they would begin preparing some of the caves to be used as munition dumps for the RAOC. All companies were learning on the job, and progress would initially be slow.

Some basic training in woodworking, bricklaying and general construction would be given, and as they learnt, those who displayed a good aptitude to learning engineering skills were being marked down for transfer to one of the Indian Engineer Companies in Malaya, who had a great need for new recruits. But for the Auxiliary Pioneers, other than formal discipline, marching and basic parade ground work, no other military training would be given, these were to be non-combatants.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

1940, Wednesday 20 November;

He sat in the back of the car, looking out at Government House, a white majestic stately building with large colonnades, as they turned into its drive, his home for the foreseeable future. His terms of office were unlike the previous Governor, being empowered to bring about some changes in how the country was governed. Some of it could be done under the guise of ‘emergencies of war’ but a lot would be about persuasion, deals and agreements, new posts to be created, civil servants to be moved on. There was a rising sense of excitement within him, a keenest to get started.

He was coming from City Hall, where he’d been sworn in as Governor of the Straits Settlements, and had the first of what no doubt what would be a series of banquets, where he would be introduced to local dignitaries. Some were new to him, but some he remembered, all keen to make a good impression on him, and some serious toadying, some of it from people who didn’t have the time of day for him when he was last here. Who would have thought Andrew Caldecott would have been coming back as Governor? He gave a small smile to that thought, everyone would start with a clean slate, but some he remembered from before and he would be watching them with a close eye, and would enjoy making them work hard for any favours.

He also though of his wife Olive and his children, son John and daughter Joan. Olive would have enjoyed tonight; she’d known so many people when they were last here. They would be coming over in a couple of months’ time, there were still a few things to be sorted. Joan was very taken with his former Private Secretary, John O’Regan, and he’d been waiting for O’Regan to find the balls to ask for her hand in marriage, this move to Singapore might well prompt that. Son John was well into his studies, and also might not come, but he thought that less likely. But he missed Olive the most and would be immeasurably happier when she arrived.

He thought of what’s to come, Kuala Lumpur, to be sworn in as High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States, then a tour of all the states both the four Federated and five Unfederated. No doubt he’d meet all the Sultans in Kuala Lumpur, but if he was going to get them all working with him, he needed to be seen to be paying them respect, and a visit to each, with no doubt the formal banquets and all the pomp and ceremony for the occasion, would be a good start along that road.

He’d also briefly met the Military leaders, and had taken an immediate liking to Layton, who’d invited him round to dinner at their house to meet his wife Saturday evening. Lord Gort he’d heard about, well hadn’t everybody, was a lot more standoffish, reserved, but no doubt he’d get to know the man in due course. The others, Percival and Park had been merely introductions, although Percival didn’t look to him as a particularly impressive fellow. Well, it had been his first full day here, the arrival yesterday afternoon by Catalina flying boat had left him tired, and today had been a whirlwind, he’d have a last brandy before retiring to bed, and look forward to a first day in his new office tomorrow.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

1940, Friday 22 November;

“Mr Mamoru Shinozaki, having found you guilty of the afore mentioned charges, I hereby sentence you to three years rigorous imprisonment, and a fine of $1,000, or an extra six months’ simple imprisonment, officers, take him away!” Judge Mr Justice Pedlow struck a single blow of his gavel, and the two Sikh police officers flanking Shinozaki, took an arm each, and led him through the court door, and back down into the cell block, to await transport to Changi Prison.

Shinozaki had stood throughout the trial, maintaining an impassive face, trying to generate an aura of dignified respectability, while his defence lawyer, Mr Walters did his best to diminish the seriousness of two of the charges, and had successfully argued the third away, portraying Shinozaki merely as a Japanese journalist, who like to hold a party or two at his home in Wareham Rd, and you couldn’t help but to be in knowledge of something about Singapore’s defences given how numerous they were. Mr Griffith-Jones, the Deputy Public Prosecutor had cleverly countered with “A spy is no less a spy because he is a bad one, and a spy is no less a spy because the information he collects is inaccurate”. And the testimony from the gunner, Frank Gardner RA, who had seen the light, so to speak, and was singing like a canary, no doubt in hope of lessening his own sentence, when he would stand trial, was damming.

Shinozaki had resigned himself to the fact he’d been caught due to the pressure to provide more and more information on the British defences, which had caused him to take risks. Nevertheless, he’d expected to be sentenced and the repatriated back home, not sent to prison. It was just his luck the Britain felt a need to retaliate following the Japanese arrests and treatment of a number of British businessmen in Japan, including the suspicious suicide of Melville Cox, a British Reuters correspondent in Tokyo, following an interrogation, and the imprisonment of others like Ringer and Peters. The three-year sentence hit him hard, he could only hope a deal might be made once pubic interest had quietened.

It had emerged from the trial, that Special Branch had been watching him since July, or more possibly, his home, as well as his contact, Gardner, but they hadn’t effectively monitored all his activities, as he’d spent quite a bit of early September taking a couple of Japanese Army General Staff officers, Lt Col Tankikawa and Capt Kunitake to various locations, not just on Singapore Island but also to Kota Tinggi and Mersing in Johore, as well as Malacca, to study British defensive capability. He thanked his lucky stars Special Branch hadn’t found that out, as the three years would have been considerably more.

What Shinozaki wouldn’t know was the fallout of all this. On the British side, the discomfort of discovering how much Shinozaki knew, along with Japan’s increasing aggressive attitude towards Britain, highlighted their need for a large increase in resources for Special Branch, along with a harder approach to dealing with the Japanese diplomatically.

While for Japan, the discovery of major expansion works relating to the defence of Singapore and Malaya, created a voracious appetite for more information. The current Consular General, Toyoda Kaoru, would soon be replaced by a far more capable espionage operator, Tsurumi Ken, and the work on intelligence gathering would continue at a pace.

 

[edgeworthy]

"Pubic interest"???

 

[Geordie]

"Pubic interest"???

The tabloid press never changes.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

This was big news in Malaya and Singapore, catching a spy was bad enough but a serving member of the armed forces helping him was really worrying. Mamoru Shinozaki would have hoped for some kind of a swap deal with one of the British citizens being held in Japan at the time, once 'Public Interest' had died. You'll hear a bit about those British Citizens in Japan in a coming story.

Have a look at these newspaper clippings about the trial

NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions

SHINOZAKI CONVICTED ON TWO SECRETS CHARGES Japanese Sentenced To Three Years' Imprisonment And $1,000 Fine JURY'S VERDICT AFTER SEVENTYMINUTE RETIREMENT MAMORU SHINOZAKI, PRESS CLERK AT THE JAPANESE CONSULATE, WAS FOUND GUILTY YESTERDAY AT THE SINGAPORE ASSIZES ON TWO OF THE THREE CHARGE? UNDER...

eresources.nlb.gov.sg

NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions

COURT CONSIDERS SHINOZAKI'S SENTENCE WAS TOO LIGHT Consular Press Clerk 's Appeal Dismissed MAMORU SHINOZAKI who failed in his appeal before IVI the Court of Criminal Appeal in Singapore yesterday against conviction for two offences under the Official Secrets Ordinance, was told by the president...

eresources.nlb.gov.sg

NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions

COURT MARTIAL OF GUNNER GARDNER Singapore, Monday. THE trial by court martial of Gunner Frank Gardner of the Royal Artillery under the Official Secrets Ordinance began at the Gillman Barracks this morning. Gunner Frank Gardner, it will be recalled, was one of the important witnesses in the...

eresources.nlb.gov.sg

NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions

DISMISSED WITH IGNOMINY Court Sentence On Gunner Gardner SENTENCE of five years’ penal servitude and dismissal from the service with ignominy has been passed on Gunner Frank Gardner, of the Royal Artillery, as a result of the findings of the Court Martial recently. Gardner was concerned in the...

eresources.nlb.gov.sg

NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions

JAPANESE JOURNALIST GUILTY OF CHARGE UNDER DEFENCE ACT Singapore, Friday. X* 1 sr Jl KASHIWABARA, a Japanese press reporter, to-day sentenced to two months' rigorous imprisonment, with a recommendation for repatriation, by nd magistrate, Mr. Conrad Oldham, when he pleaded guilty to a charge...

eresources.nlb.gov.sg

I've taken a few other stories from what I've found among the clippings, a little treasure trove for those who have an interest of those times out there.

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

1940, Sunday 24 November;

The machine gun team was redeploying, moving to an already scouted alternative position, 100 yards up the inclining path. They had another thirty yards to go, first came the lance corporal, the insignia of the Straits Settlements Volunteer Force on the side of his pith helmet, denoting they were part time soldiers. He was carrying the condenser and flexible tube, a band of ammo around his neck, 10 yards back came the gun itself, carried on the shoulder, the gunner, panting as he stumbled along the rough path, closely followed by the third member, with an ammo box in each hand, a big heavy pack on his back, the gritted teeth and bulging veins in the neck below his red face indicating the physical exertion he was under. And lastly further 10 yards back came the tripod, the short portly soldier’s shirt darkened with sweat, struggling to keep up with the others.

The lance corporal was the first to notice the officers watching them, the red cap band and collars causing his eyes to widen. He paused and looked back at his team, and called “come on lads, nearly there, Frobisher old boy, don’t dawdle at the back there”. The others all lifted their heads and noticed the officers. It brought a reaction of redoubled efforts, both the gun and ammo box carriers picking up the pace, but at the back, Frobisher, looking up, caught his boot on a root and over he went, the tripod flying off to his right into some dense bush, his pith helmet rolling forward along the path, his landing marked by a loud cry of obscenities.

The lance corporal hesitated for a moment, indecision etched on his face, “carry on you two”, as they stumbled past him, and placing the condenser on the floor, the ammo belt coiled on top of it, he trotted down the path to Frobisher. Frobisher was picking himself up, a bloody and dirt knee, looking around for the tripod. The lance corporal reached him and they lowered their conversation, muttering to each other, with only a few words to be heard by the officers. Both were trampling through the undergrowth, looking for the tripod, Frobisher limping, complaining he’d sprained his ankle. Another oath, as the lance corporal found the tripod, kicking it with his toe, before pulling it clear onto the path.

At this point Maj Gen Frank Simmons, commander of the Singapore Fortress, felt it was opportune to suggest to Lord Gort that they could continue observing the exercise, from the roadside, back up the small path they had descended, and with Gort’s agreement, led the way. Just as the party of officers reached the road, a ford 3-ton lorry came down the road, the driver controlling his speed by using his gears. It pulled up at a gravel layby 50 yards down the road, and an NCO climbed out of the cab, ran to the back and called to the men in the back to dismount. The back board dropped down and half a dozen SSFV soldiers began to dismount. Gort stood still and watched as the NCO, helped each man out, as they carefully climbed down, passing their rifles to him in turn, being helped out, before taking back their rifle, and waiting for the others to dismount. Gort shook his head in wonder.

Time passed and so the weekend exercise ended, and with early evening came a last parade back at Telok Paku, Changi Camp. Gort had requested to inspect the 1200 odd men of the Singapore SSVF battalions before they stood down and returned to their civilian occupations. They were formed up in companies, in parade dress, some having returned from exercise a couple of hours ago, but some had literally just come from the field, and still had dirty faces. They were tired and hungry but proud of their regiment and pleased to be honoured by an inspection from the newly arrived commander in chief. They had heard about Gort, Dunkirk and all that, but were keen to see what he looked like. And what they saw, they liked, he looked the part, a bit portly, but his bearing and manner carried it off.

Gort sauntered down the lines, with lots of nods, occasionally a “very good” remark, and now and then a quick chat with a soldier that caught his eye. It was the red face of the ammo carrying member of the machine gun party that first caught his eye, and he then quickly recognised the other three, all stood together in the line. He spoke to red face, a tall big set man, “name”, Collins Sir, came back with a soft Irish brogue, Gort nodded back, noticing the grey in his hair, and spider veins on his cheeks. He then spoke to the man next to him, a shorter man, the tunic buttons struggling not to pop open. “Hello Frobisher, how’s the foot?” Frobisher stuttered back an answer, he was fine, Lord Gort, Sir. Gort looked down at the mudded strapping around the ankle, a dressing strapped around his knee, clearly, he had struggled on. Turning to the next man in line he found the gunner, a young thin gangly teenager who anticipating the question, barked quite loudly “Nethercott, Lord Gort Sir” and nervously stood rigidly to attention.

Finally, there was the lance corporal, who on Gort’s nod said “Ridley, Lord Gort Sir” Gort looked at the man, a neatly clipped salt and pepper moustache, wrinkles around the eyes. “What service Ridley” Ridley kept his eyes forward, and spoke in a clear Yorkshire accent, with an air of almost resignation, that part of his private life was to be discussed. “The great war, Lord Gort, signed up with the Sheffield Pals, 10th September 1914, with my three younger brothers. Was offered a commission but joined as a private, promised my mother I’d look after my brothers. We lost George at the Somme and at the same time William lost an arm and a leg. Mother wrote to me telling me he hung himself about a couple of months after being discharged from the army hospital. Thomas went at Arras, in 17, a shell, never found his body, the neighbours told me mum died of a broken heart, after reading my letter. Thomas was always her favourite, the youngest, he was going to be a musician, it was lovely to hear him play on the piano. I was a sergeant then, but with no one left, I took a commission, and finished as a captain. After the war, there really wasn’t anything to go back to so I came out here. Been here ever since”.

Gort looked at the military medal ribbon on his chest, “thank you Ridley, I’m sorry to hear of your losses, what’s your first name?” Francis, Lord Gort, but everyone calls me Frank”, “Thank you Frank, and what do you all do in civilian life?”. “I’m a civil engineer, with John Aird & Sons, Collins works for an import/export trader, deals in rice, speaks Chinese and Thai fluently, rose from the ranks and finished the last war as a sergeant major in the Connaught Rangers, Frobisher is an agent for a Dutch shipping line, married to a Dutch girl, Nethercott has just got a job with a Chinese Insurance company, came out here just over 10 years with his family, when he was 7, speaks Chinese like a Chinaman. I know we’re unfit, poorly trained, and many of us are past our prime Sir, but we do want to do our bit”. Gort looked him in the eye, and liked what he saw, “I understand Frank, thank you for that” and moved on down the line.

 

[duckie]

Oh Boy, If Gort has any sense, those men are wasted as an machinegun crew

 

[stubear1012]

The key thing that I picked up was that these men have made this their home. They are fighting for the Empire but more importantly for family and friends. With the reputation that the Japanese have for treatment of civilians, these men will hold the line as long as possible.

This timeline is very well written.

 

[Parma]

The key thing that I picked up was that these men have made this their home. They are fighting for the Empire but more importantly for family and friends. With the reputation that the Japanese have for treatment of civilians, these men will hold the line as long as possible.

This timeline is very well written.

That was my reading too, very nice. Many Dutch in Indonesia had simmilair connections and were more Asian than European. And all spoke Malay at least...

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

Oh Boy, If Gort has any sense, those men are wasted as an machinegun crew

You're going to meet these characters later in other stories

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

The key thing that I picked up was that these men have made this their home. They are fighting for the Empire but more importantly for family and friends. With the reputation that the Japanese have for treatment of civilians, these men will hold the line as long as possible.

This timeline is very well written.

Thank you. Despite what happened in Nanking in 1937, before the fighting, I don't think the British had any idea that they would be treated anywhere nearly as bad as the Japanese treated the Chinese, and that may smack of more than a hint of racism on the part of the British. And indeed although the treatment of British, Indian and Australian POWs was appalling what happened to the Chinese was even worse, see Sook Ching link below
[URLunfurl="true"]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sook_...Chinese,Japanese military during the Japanese[/URL]

 

[Fatboy Coxy]

That was my reading too, very nice. Many Dutch in Indonesia had simmilair connections and were more Asian than European. And all spoke Malay at least...

There will be a number of stories coming up about the Dutch in the NEI in the future