If they let them in, the Tunisians know they'll become, defacto allies of the Axis powers.
Sir John Valentine Carden Survives. Part 2.
- Thread starter allanpcameron
- Start date
I imagine that run will cost them a lot of their gear which will probably make the intelligence and tech-development types very happy because they will get to poke a lot more of the Germans toys.
The other option for the DAK is getting the first ship out of Tripoli. Their is only so long that they can keep the vehicles running, bot armoured and unarmoured. With no guarantees that Vichy let them in a run to the border followed up by a run back to Tripoli in the hopes of getting out before Britain arrives is likely not appealing. Their is also the potential communications from Germany. If no more troops are coming then what is the point in trying to go to Tunisia to drag things out? Yes shipping out of Tripoli will be risky but it may be the best option for preserving as much of the force as possible.
And if they try to defend the border against the DAK then the Germans will probably consider the armistice broken.
Unfortunately we won't see:
Herr Flick of the Gestapo "Tell me minister why did the Gendarmes need B1-ter?"
Mister Renault "I am shocked to discover this, I was assured that this was merely heavy riot equipment in case of anti-German demonstrations"
14 November 1941. Singapore.
allanpcameron
Donor
14 November 1941. Singapore.
The men of 16th Brigade formed up on the docks of Singapore, the shouts of NCOs urging the men to get fell in. About half of the men had stood on similar docks in Egypt and Greece, unloaded from troopships wondering what on earth lay in store for them. The rest of the men were replacements, bringing the three Battalions back up to full strength. Some of the replacements were for the dead and wounded in North Africa and Greece. Other replacements for the men shipped off to training depots to pass on their experience to other recruits for the other Australian Infantry Battalions. The men all had had two weeks home leave, and then after a week in camp integrating the replacements, they’d sailed from Sydney Harbour.
The 16th Brigade had proved itself against the Italians at Tobruk, and the Germans in Greece as part of 6th Australian Division. Now they were part of 8th Division, bringing that Division up to full strength. 6th Division’s other two Brigades (17th and 18th) were being joined by 23rd Brigade (formerly of 8th Division) and each Brigade would act independently in Rabaul (17th), Timor (18th) and Ambon (23rd). General Ivan Mackay, having led 6th Division so successfully, had been considered for a more senior command in Australia. With his Division having been turned into three Independent Brigade Groups, Mackay had requested another command. General Auchinleck at the same time had been requesting that General Gordon Bennett, GOC 8th Division, might be recalled to Australia. There were problems between Bennet and Percival that were making cooperation difficult. Wavell and Blamey both gave Mackay the warmest of recommendations, and so it was decided to swap Mackay for Bennett as GOC 8th Division.
With the imminent arrival of 9th Australian Division and 1st Australian Armoured Division in Malaya, this would allow Mackay to become Corps Commander in due course. The men of the 16th Brigade were relieved that their ‘Mr Chips’ would continue to lead them. They were also happy to see that along with their Brigade, the 6th Calvary Regiment had been renamed as the 8th Division Cavalry Regiment. These had left behind their old Italian tanks and now boasted two squadrons of the new American M3 Light Tanks, as well as another of Humber Armoured Cars. The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion had also been attached to 8th Division, something that Mackay had insisted on, along with 2/1st Field Regiment Royal Artillery.
With practised ease, the men of 16th Brigade followed the orders of their Officers and marched off the docks, heading for trains to take them to Kuala Lumpur. Joining the other two Brigades of 8th Australian Division, they would undergo a series of exercises designed by Mackay and his staff to take on board the lessons learned in North Africa and Greece, as well as learning how to fight in the new country they had been sent to defend.
The men of 16th Brigade formed up on the docks of Singapore, the shouts of NCOs urging the men to get fell in. About half of the men had stood on similar docks in Egypt and Greece, unloaded from troopships wondering what on earth lay in store for them. The rest of the men were replacements, bringing the three Battalions back up to full strength. Some of the replacements were for the dead and wounded in North Africa and Greece. Other replacements for the men shipped off to training depots to pass on their experience to other recruits for the other Australian Infantry Battalions. The men all had had two weeks home leave, and then after a week in camp integrating the replacements, they’d sailed from Sydney Harbour.
The 16th Brigade had proved itself against the Italians at Tobruk, and the Germans in Greece as part of 6th Australian Division. Now they were part of 8th Division, bringing that Division up to full strength. 6th Division’s other two Brigades (17th and 18th) were being joined by 23rd Brigade (formerly of 8th Division) and each Brigade would act independently in Rabaul (17th), Timor (18th) and Ambon (23rd). General Ivan Mackay, having led 6th Division so successfully, had been considered for a more senior command in Australia. With his Division having been turned into three Independent Brigade Groups, Mackay had requested another command. General Auchinleck at the same time had been requesting that General Gordon Bennett, GOC 8th Division, might be recalled to Australia. There were problems between Bennet and Percival that were making cooperation difficult. Wavell and Blamey both gave Mackay the warmest of recommendations, and so it was decided to swap Mackay for Bennett as GOC 8th Division.
With the imminent arrival of 9th Australian Division and 1st Australian Armoured Division in Malaya, this would allow Mackay to become Corps Commander in due course. The men of the 16th Brigade were relieved that their ‘Mr Chips’ would continue to lead them. They were also happy to see that along with their Brigade, the 6th Calvary Regiment had been renamed as the 8th Division Cavalry Regiment. These had left behind their old Italian tanks and now boasted two squadrons of the new American M3 Light Tanks, as well as another of Humber Armoured Cars. The 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion had also been attached to 8th Division, something that Mackay had insisted on, along with 2/1st Field Regiment Royal Artillery.
With practised ease, the men of 16th Brigade followed the orders of their Officers and marched off the docks, heading for trains to take them to Kuala Lumpur. Joining the other two Brigades of 8th Australian Division, they would undergo a series of exercises designed by Mackay and his staff to take on board the lessons learned in North Africa and Greece, as well as learning how to fight in the new country they had been sent to defend.
Damn, that is some serious reinforcements. Rabaul and Timor have a damn good chance of holding or at least severely delaying being conquered with veteran, well supplied and led brigade size garrisons instead of fairly green battalions and the Singapore/Malaya garrison is being significantly strengthened with veteran units.
Japan will find it tough going I imagine...
I also suspect HMS Formidable didn't buy a bomb on 26 May this time around, which means that's likely still in active service.
At least one I would have thought.
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Less than a month before Pearl, hope they acclimatize and learn quickly. Maybe get the forces doing battalion exercises?
With 11th Batallion RTR (w/ 58 Maltida IIs) in place, and a good number of M3 Light tanks flowing in, along with some Tomahawk IIbs, I suspect they'll get the time to acclimatise properly.
That's De Lattre we are talking about with Juin in overall command in Algiers. Colour me unconvinced they'll side with the Germans or let them occupy Tunisia without a shot...
Have a much better chance they did OTL, and with NA nearly effectively over, for the time being, pressure will come off on that front.
Look More Closely Later
Gone Fishin'
The Imperial Japanese spies in Singapore will be reporting arrivals/troop movements.
And at this point, the Imperial Japanese administration (edit: still just about- less than a month to go now) has the option for some kind of face-saving backdown in French Indochina, such as 'we were just liberating it from the evil French colonisers', before turning it over to a friendly local regime and demanding the Americans now remove their embargos (unless, of course, the Americans support evil French colonialism...)
And how likely is do you think that they'll go for that?
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I'm not sure if they can the Imperial Japanese Military ran roughshod over what passes for the government in Japan, and cabals of officers effectively assassinated anyone who they had major issues with heck at some points it was government by assassination. That is also not to say as well that groups of officers effectively went rouge and started various wars as well.
Look More Closely Later
Gone Fishin'
Well with the British reinforcing now of all the times, there may not be enough time to find extra troops for Malaya/Singapore with less than a month to go to the original deadline, so either some sort of delay or climbdown is required.
If climbdown is impossible, delay it has to be.
I don't think the IJN carrier strike force will have set out for Pearl Harbour yet, so putting everything back a week or two should still be possible.
As @kelgar04 has pointed out, the Japanese military culture wouldn't allow pull-back, so it would have to be a delay. Of course, that serves the British better than it does the Japanese, since it allows them more time to acclimatise and dig in. Also, Japan has a limited sealift capability, so they're only going to be able to get more troops for Malaya by pulling them from elsewhere.
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