The Whale Has Wings Vol 2 - Taranto to Singapore (18 page)

He now has a small force unloaded and ready (the local dockworkers not having proven terribly keen or efficient at unloading his ships), consisting of the 3rd Reconnaissance Ba
ttalion, elements of the 39th antitank battalion and infantry from the Italian Ariete Division. Despite his bold assumptions about taking Suez, Rommel's force is short of tanks (the bulk of 5th Light Division is sitting outside Naples, and the Ariete division lost most of its heavy tanks when they were sent on ahead to Benghazi (ironically they will soon face them again in the hands of the French). Rommel is also very short of petrol, although he has asked for supplies to be sent from Algiers. The result is that his advance only moves close to the Algerian-Tunisia border where it forms a covering force. At the moment the Axis have little concrete information as to what exactly is happening in Tunis, and how strong the allied force there is. Rommel has suggested an immediate attack, but he has been ordered to wait. The German High Command has rather more pessimistic reports of Allied forces in Tunisia.

The Italian navy estimate it will take about a month to get the rest of the 5th Light and Ariete divisions to North Africa, assuming that they will land at Algiers (they consider Bone both too small and ill-equipped, and altogether too close to the RAF). The biggest problem is that the convoys have to travel considerably further to Algiers than they would have had to reach Tripoli, and they are allowing for losses to the Royal Navy. They point out that they can only continue the convoys if they can get control of the air in their vicinity, otherwise there is nothing to stop Royal Navy heavy units from destroying them. Assuming losses to the Royal Navy and RAF are not too severe, they believe they can meet Rommel's requirement for a fully supplied three-division force by the beginning of May. Rommel considers this 'unacceptably long', and is pressing the German High Command to 'push the Italians as hard as possible'.

10th March

In what will prove to be the only success of the entire Italian offensive, the alpini of the Pusteria Division capture the fortified peak of Mali Spadarit, on the extreme left wing. However, this leaves them far in advance of any friendly troops, and heavy fire from adjacent Greek positions on their flanks and rear forces them to withdraw somewhat back down the slope. In Gambarra's sector, attempts to manoeuvre against Monastery Hill get nowhere, and Gambarra already has to bring up troops from his reserve Bari Division to reinforce the Puglie and Cagliari.

The French battleship Richelieu arrives at Gibraltar with an escort of three French destroyers, having finished her repairs in the USA. In addition to repairing the damage she suffered during the invasion of Dakar, she has also been refitted with modern AA guns and had equipment modified to allow her to work more easily with the RN. She will be attached to Force H, whose current role is to harass and strike Italian shipping in the Mediterranean and conduct strikes on shore targets. Her arrival allows the Admiralty to send HMS Renown back to the UK for a refit, and to free up four destroyers for much-needed convoy escorts.

11th March

President Roosevelt this afternoon signs into law the Lend-Lease Bill, Public Law 11, 77th Congress. The bill passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with large majorities. It seeks, as its congressional sponsors put it, to give "legislative form to the policy of making this country an Arsenal for the Democracies and seeks to carry out President Roosevelt's pledge to send these countries in ever-increasing numbers, ships, aeroplanes, tanks and guns." The bill empowers the President to lease to Britain munitions owned and paid for by the US government.

Debate on the bill was fierce, and its isolationist opponents in the Senate filibustered against it. On 6 March, however, Senator Walter George, the influential chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, made a powerful speech in favour of its passage, arguing "the collapse of the British Empire would mean chaos in this world." Two days later the bill was finally passed by the Senate - by 60 votes to 31.

Immediately after the bill was signed the US Army and Navy approved the export of the first material to be released under the terms of the act. Though what is involved is being kept secret for military reasons, it is believed that the first shipments will include 24 motor torpedo boats already ordered to British design which have been held up by the US attorney-general and will help to defend Britain against invasion.

Most of the material released today will go to Britain. Some will go to the Free French forces, Greece, and some to China. The president's assistant, Laughlin Currie, has been sent to determine what the Chinese need. A few hours after the vote the president sent Congress a request for $7,000 million for munitions. The New York Times predicted that if American convoys are needed to deliver the products from the arsenal to the democracies, they will be sent.

There has been much discussion between the USA and Britain over the way the act will work, particularly with regard to items that Britain and the Free French can still pay for, and the British in particular are unhappy about some of what they see as severely restrictive trade clauses. In the end a compromise is reached; since it is in practice impossible to distinguish the end use of war consumables such as ammunition and fuel, these items will be supplied to Britain with the agreement she will distribute these to the various allied forces in exile as well as use them herself in support of them. For capital items, Britain (and also the Free French) will continue to pay for items they wish, and can use these however they wish (the French, in view of the German occupation of their country, are rather less concerned about trade clauses). In practice, it is known to the US government that many items such as tanks and planes 'given' to the French and others will end up used by British forces, but the facade helps the bill gets passed. The US government is taking the practical approach that it is better to have Germany defeated than worry too much about trade clauses (and in fact is assuming that the British will have to sign them anyway in about a year when they estimate their money will run out)

12th March

In Hawaii, the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Admiral Kimmel, sends the following message to the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Stark: “In view of (your letter of 15 February), the Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Pacific Fleet, recommends that until a light efficient net, that can be laid temporarily and quickly is developed, no anti-torpedo nets (for protection against torpedo plane attacks) be supplied this area.”

The Australian government informs London that it expects the first production Beaufighters made in the country to become operational in October. Since the night fighter situation is easing in the UK, they ask for one, preferably two squadrons as soon as possible for pilot training and to develop tactics with the planes. The RAF was in fact hoping to use the first of its operational squadrons in the North Sea (against light German coastal shipping), and in the Mediterranean against light shipping. They suggest as a compromise that at least one squadron to be formed in the Mediterranean be from the RAAF, to give the necessary training and useful operational experience in the over-water role.

The development of a Torpex (an improved high explosive) warhead for the Navy's torpedoes is basically complete, and the first production units will be tested in May. They will be used on the new Mix torpedo, initially on Beaufighters and Wellingtons, and on the Fairy Spearfish when it enters service later in the year. The torpedo can be fitted with attachments that allow it to be dropped at up to 225knots, and it hoped to develop these further to allow a drop at 300knots, to take advantage of the performance of the new planes. It has already been seen how vulnerable torpedo planes are against any sort of fighter defence, and the new torpedo will, it is hoped, make the attacks more survivable. The new heavier torpedo will, with the more effective explosive, be nearly as destructive as a pre-war 21" submarine launched torpedo.

Two further Audacious class carriers are laid down, intended to be in service in 1944. The navy is currently examining the capability of the Audacious class against the expected further development of naval aircraft with a view to designing a new, larger ship to follow on from the Audacious. There has been opposition to so much of the navy's limited warship building going on the carriers rather than other heavy ships, but the FAA point out that apart from the fleet carriers, the other ships are intended for convoy duties, to work with the huge escort building program. In any case, shortages of armour, fire-control equipment and heavy guns mean they simply cannot build any more cruisers or battleships at the present, so fleet carriers are the obvious alternative. By early 1942 they expect to have some 19 battleships and battlecruisers in service and with the lack of capital ship opposition in home waters and the Mediterranean the need for additional battleships is reduced - indeed the Navy is looking at the possibility of putting the old R-class battleships into reserve to free up trained manpower for the carriers.

The US Navy announces that as a result of its increased production rate (instituted last year) the Grumman 4F Wildcat fighter will have replaced all the older Brewster Buffalo fighters in navy and marine service by June of this year. A number of the 'Martlet' version of the fighter are being used by the Free French in the Mediterranean and Africa (a version of this was offered to the RN but they decided it was inferior to the later models of the Goshawk fighter). The US will expedite orders of the Buffalo to the exiled Dutch government (who want them for the Dutch East Indies). The rest of the planes will be used for training or put into war reserve.

16th March

Two He111's of the German 10th Air Corps went on an armed reconnaissance mission during which they attacked units of the British Mediterranean Fleet west of Crete. Upon returning to base, the crews report torpedo hits on two heavy naval vessels which they describe as battleships. This supposed success meant a substantial reduction in the Royal Navy's strength in the Mediterranean. German leaders urge the Italian navy to get involved and to cooperate with the German attack on Greece that is planned for April 6, by sending their vessels forward into the eastern Mediterranean north and south of Crete. The Italians point out that the ships they are most worried about are the carriers and the Luftwaffe seems to have missed these, but they will do what they can with the light forces available to them.

British convoys are still bringing units of the army into Greece and Crete. Priority has been given to take the New Zealand Division to Crete (as it is considered vital to protecting a line of retreat if needed), but the Australian formations are steadily growing in Greece itself. The defence infrastructure of Crete itself is considered inadequate, and the New Zealanders are being used in an improvement program; this will take some time, especially as vital equipment such as AA guns is not available in the needed quantities.

The supply situation is made worse in Egypt due to mining raids on the Suez Canal by German aircraft. As a result badly-needed supplies are unable to get ashore. The British solution is, almost bizarrely, to hang nets over the canal so they can at least see where the mines land and deal with them.

20th March

In Hawaii Admiral Bloch states in a letter that the depth of water at Pearl Harbor is 45 feet, and for that and other reasons, he does not recommend anti-torpedo baffles. CINCPAC agrees, until such time as a light efficient net is developed. No-one seems to have pointed out to the Admiral how shallow Taranto harbour is (some 40 feet).

It has taken Rommel much longer than he anticipated to get all his force unloaded and ready for operations. Losing two of the supply ships to air attack didn't help (although at least one of the two ships was already unloaded). In fact is has taken so long that the following convoy is already on its way to Algiers with the next part of his force. Fortunately for the Italian navy, the Mediterranean fleet is preoccupied with the operations planned in the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Greece, and so far the convoy has only been harassed by aircraft from Malta, sinking one transport ship.

The Vichy government is doing everything it can short of declaring war on Britain to show it is cooperating with Germany, whose veiled threats about what will happen if they DON'T cooperate are becoming increasingly blunt. Fortunately for them, Hitler is preoccupied with the preparations for Barbarossa at the moment. Their current position is to offer the Axis all help possible in Algeria, including port facilities, fuel, and food supplies. There is growing opposition and resentment to this, which is being suppressed by the regime with an increasingly heavy hand.

In Egypt, General O'Connor is looking at how best to allocate his troops to deal with what he expects to be an attack on Tunisia once Rommel's force is established in Algeria. His main problem is that no sooner do more forces arrive, they are tasked to something else, and as a result he has had little in the way of substantial reinforcements. Currently XIII Corps consists of three divisions, 2nd Armoured, 6th Australian and 4th Indian. He has 7th Armoured refitting in the delta and a South African Brigade as his reserves. The Free French expect to have about a division in Tunisia once they have finished relocating from Ethiopia, plus what will effectively be a somewhat under-armed armoured brigade.

His main problem is equipment. While considerable supplies have been arriving, much of this has gone to Greece and Crete with the ANZAC forces. While the base workshops have repaired what was repairable after the campaign across the desert, much of the transport simply had to be written off for spares. Fortunately a considerable amount of Italian equipment is available; indeed the Free French are outfitted with Italian trucks and support vehicles. Because of the transport shortage and the poor infrastructure in Libya, he intends to position his forces in a number of locations where, as far as possible, they can be supplied at sea until he can build up enough strength to foray into Algeria (assuming, of course, that the politicians will let him). One brigade of 2nd Armoured will be forward in Tunisia in support of the Free French forces until their Armoured Brigade is ready to deploy. The 4th Indian Division will be at Tripoli. The 6th Australian Division plus a brigade of 7th Armoured will be at El Agheila and Benghazi. He is still not happy with the state of training of 2nd Armoured, who he feels are insufficiently prepared compared to 7th Armoured, so the remaining two brigades will be held around Tobruk where they will keep training (the advanced Brigade is the one which saw combat in the Cyrenaica campaign).