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Inadequate Air Forces: Reinforcements Arrived Much Too Late To Help Redundant
Wavell Despatch Published
London, Feb. 23,
Inadequate air forces, lack of air cover for a severely reduced naval strik- ing force, and the failure of land reinforcements to arrive until it was too late to save the situation, were the chief causes of the Allied failure to check the Japanese advance in the South-West Pacific.- The acute difficulties under which the British, Dutch and Australian Joint Command operat- ed in January and February, 1942, were dis closed, tonight in the despatch of General Sir Archibald Wavell. Supreme Allied Comman- der in the South-West Pacific, now Field Mar- shal Lord Wavell.
Summing up the situation which drove the Allies back through The Netherlands East Indies and Malaya, General Wavell declared:
Air Pilots
London, Feb. 23. British European Air- ways, a State-owned cor poration which is showing a financial foks, Is to de- clare 1 of Ita 330 pilots re- dundant.
+
Between 15 and 20 radio ́officers and number of senior officers are also to leave the corporation—
driven
Reuter. hack iom Singapore Island, (and that troops deriving in February rauld hardly he landed in Singapore.
[no real relief in the land forces in then proposed to use
the the end. I wa first Australian division to arrive to
Detailing the difficulties of having secure important groups of Acres.
Hurma incluted in his command, dromes in Southera Sumatra, which General Wavell said he would have were "weakly guarded." while the 2nd Division and the 7th Armoured protested about this more strongly
if he had anticipated an
Immediate Brigade reinforced the garrison of
Japanese invasion in force. Java,
"bad miscalculated the extent of Early in February, the 7th Ainue the Japanese preparations and be fed Brigade was sent to reinforce the lieved that while engaged in unive hard-pressed Burma Army and he operations in the Philippines, Malaya Netherlands East Indies, fore shore thats advance are they would not be able to undertake South Sumatra had been captured by Australian corps coulit arrive,
serious campaign in Bunga and, 1
threatened that it would have been
of troops."
apossible to land any age ember
ordered Australians were diverted to Aus duithese defences to be put in head atrofia and Ceylon after the Aus-Rangoon was threatened.
nce and
410
提示腐
the
#f
and The
hur enemies moved the quickly on fof the troops in Malaya so delay the Ja shuple effective plan and never Japanese north of Johure ill Igave us time tu vollert the forces ficient reinforcement could arrive."
necessary to remedy our initial weak- Gloomy Account ness and to make headway against them. Air was the vital factor fences has been made or even plaa tle was concernent to Sad nu de berghi sistes, Without air siperfarned i detall on the north side of the enemy and Java was so closely hoped we should have a breathing i over naval forces, even bar they been stronges, coubt have accomplish.apore island, "although it was
Jabviou the danger of operating driven hark in the island and have ad Gute
brious by that we might b. warships within ange of sauce-base
(to defend b."
General Wavell said he
11
wirerat with fighter cover
啡
several decasions
the short rampaigs,
יי
JOY
received from Mr. Alfred tralian Government had refined coo
"The eden ut euro aly superiority Duff-Capper, the Cabinet representa sest to them helog used to reinforce The outlook altogether was flot ga
Jera
exag
Juste
live
count
on land operations lins berei
ecuted, rise Material damage
in the Far East, "a gloomy ar. and the casualties caused were admiration and the lack of
ou at the efficiency of the civil pazatively ensati but the mat f
ation between the civil and the was great.
General Sir A.E. Percival, the Commander in Malaya, and the Gov. ernor, Sit Shenton Thomas, promised Cull operation,
Civing the Japanese credit for ef- ficient planoring of the use of their air forces, Vieneral Wavell fectared The nevertheless believed the jap. ganese air arm was not a trally for soldable force nee it ould be r on anything like equal terms. methods were stereotypes.
CA
If
IL-
militar
The fiest strategical conferences with the American, Dutch and Aux tralian principal officers of the ABDA Staff "revealed the
pauci
of the Allied resources to meet the Japanese advance and the urgent need for reinforcements,”
Contrary to the opinion of the
pace to organise the neglecard de race forces there before having to neet a heavy scale of attack,
By the
the end January, the Allies had lost Madmein in Burme
and
General Wavell said at this stag-
and he reported that he could do ne Burma.
"To sum up, land reinforcements more than try to defend Singapore strived ton late in save the dimation Island the air hases in Southern an in either Malaya The Netherlands Central Sumatra, the naval ha at Fast Indies,"
Soursbaya and the arroitrame Cumumenting sur naval strength, Koepang in Timor, which was General Wavell said a
considerable ntial for reinforcements from Aus part of the available naval forrestralia. were employed in escorting convoys He hoped the arrival of promisen Singapure and occasionally be air reinforcements might men the tween Australia and Jaya,
scale.
He said, in view of the size of furce Singapore Island, the Allied! was obviously weak in number, but the enemy could not employ large forces and "I considered an active
Methodical
"The striking force was therefore small and no air forces were available to cover it once
Ever
WAN
31
well-protected | American and Dutch representatives even a short distance from Javhcę of the island should enable
It declared that all would have been well if, all the siteraft promis ed the ABDA Command had arrived
tiate sam! Arrostromes to receive them
coul have been established with sufficient ground organisation To service them. that in the ABDA Command, we never had the time to ovemble a solliclem forer or to esente favour.
Ponditions for
itions for them to operate." The Wavell despatch covered, the period Jan, 15 to Feb, 25, 1942, thr the existence of the ARDA Command which wasser tip to cover The defence of Burma, "Malaya, The Netherlands East Indies and Philippine Islands;
able
sústrees, the Allies cault afford reinforce forward air bases such Amboina, Keridari in the Celebes, Kuspank in Timor, Samarinda North Borneo, and Sebang in North Sumatra.
while th
operate anywhere within
10 be held for some time." The Japanese were making pro
General Wavell said he was unalite o see how, with the very limited re- frange of a japanese air base wogress with infiltration tactics in the
attack. to invite
a heavy and dangerous air west, "I ordered General Percival to stage a counter-attack with all the "Since the enemy never moved his tags possible, but I left Singapore naval forces or convoys outdide then the morning of Feh, 11 without range of air support, our only hape much confidence in onv prolonger in at night sal out again. of Retina was by a rapid dashing resistance.
fears were justified and Singapore was, surrendered to the very near
enemy on Feb, 15"
He felt that the effort should be concentrated further hack
Close Thing
Summing up the position as he took command on Jan. 15. General Wavell waist he could see no prospect of sending support to General Me Arthur in the Philippines. The past tion
This maneuvre ked to a ccessful destroyer attack Balikpapan on Jan. 23, but the enemy ever gave us the cliance to repeat it."
"My.
-
Last Outpost
Sumatra came into the front line General Wavell declared, that the as the last, autpost of Java. The Japanese advances in The Nether naval force which was schedules to Hurman seemed for the momers lands East Indies were methodical attack an enemy conyoy of transports satisfactory, In Malaya, fresh-Jan-"They secured a line of air buses, and warshipa heading for Southern
then, anese landings on the east
with aircraft established ol Sumatra was not ready for action ni till the day after the Japantas made could be prevented if convoys arriv these bases, they attacked ou ed safely aud na time,
farces an. the next boxes to The their advance. He hoped General
to hold Johors
an-south, Singapore, and at a later date fo
the on their bases was sufficient
Lord The despatch reveals that Wavell had, from the start, argized that Hurma should be placed under cented from India and won included in the ABBA Command.
Periodically, in his account of this phase of Allied servic
activities, he men reinforce- Hinns the efforts to send trenes and munktion to Douglas MacArthur in the Philip pines, but this was found impossible foxcept for small quantities of arms.
by
Bad Loading Another factur emplosives! General Wavell as contributing the general inability as check the Japanese was the inethod by which reinforcements of men were arriving {h the final
of the operations,
In the final stages, when the at Erival of reinfurreinenis was a matter extreme urgency, ships with reint forcements were not Inaded tactically
This was a handicap.
མ
to counter-offensive. Reinforcements
when they julged Istranced, they sent a, seaborne et. Wavell held a conference with the
were argently ly
16
34
Too Small
Peninsula
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Feb, 15 there I became obvious by wo little hope of holding Sowbern Sumatra. On the same day, General
АНТРА
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SAILINGS
SHIP
"NELLORE"
ΤΟ
of reinforcements which
Gea
needed in Sumatra and Java, and pedition to seize them and so on Governor General of The Nether further Japanese advances
"On capturing an aerome, they lands East Indies and Dutch Wert
septe- probable in Harmen and the Celebes were very quick in repairing any Įsentatives on the position created by The Japanese were also likely to try destruction auil in establishing air the fall of Singapore and the attack to cut the supply route hetween
orces and developing an air ward- on Sumatra, Australia and The Netherlands Easting tem
ships Two tudies by the occupation of Amboing, 80 stereotyped were their methods would be too late for Sumatra were Tine and positions farther east to that reasonable accuracy the date of Wavell warned, the Governor-Gen- that it became possible to predict diverted to Java, but General command the Torres Strait.
He emphasised that "obr ini-the next advance and his objective." eral that the Australian Government mediate isjectives should r
might he unwilling
their to allow secure Singapore and to check
troops on board to land at java. hamper the
It was later decided that the rise advance Επι "For instance, the personnel of a Borneo and
The Allies did their best to inflict of allowing the Australlan troops In machine-gun battalion arrived in
During another visit to Malaya, heavy losses on the Japanese experi- and in Jayn was unjustified as Jaya and might have been invalu; General Wavell said he bad cable tons in the latter part of January eral Wavell decided, "that thr able. it their machine guns and the Chiefs of Staff that the battle for and early February, but air resources security of
of Burras julment were in another ship, due Singapore would
and Australia be "a close-cut were too small. Enemy convoys and were the most vital requirements in many days later,
thing."
landing forces were usually out of the war against Japan and efforis "In face it was usually necessary
Remarkable
reach of all but the American heavy should not be made to reloforce JavH, for several lights of ships to arrive,
bombers and these were too few in which might compromise the defence sometimes spread over two, or three Commenting that the establishment
number.. of ARDA Headquarters at Lembang
of Burma or Australia." weeks, before nite farmation, such an
Meanwhile, the situation in Malaya He recommended the diversion of hrigade, was complete. Such by Jan. 18. was a "remarkable piece was deteriorating and the hope of the Australians to Burma, and eronomy of shipping space may thef staff work," the general paid holding the enemy on the Segamat this point received a exemial, but it is apt to prove
tribe to the Dutch authorities in River Muar Lice until the whole of transfer to the control of India" or
proposal of te=3] grave tactical handicap."
The Netherlands East Indies, who the 18th Division landed in reinforce Burma Command. Burma was trim- Speaking of the broad overall
all their resources at the forward troops had been disap-ferred on Feb. 21, four days before "spret ni
the dissolution of ABDA; which had contrasted the position to avala", "ște added nothing way There was every prospect of the fought the battle of the South-West with the defence of Greece, a year left undone by the civil and military force being driven, from Johore in-Pacific for 4 days. carlier, when he said it might have authorities in Jeya that could conto Singapore Island. been argued it would have
ง
en Werations, however, ond and did all in their power pointed.
and the gains in Libya,
Right Decision
It might have been consideret mori) prudent to let The Netherlands East
spoke
Duage dife, A! 19, warning him that the defence of later he reduced the estimate to one
been tribute to the efficiency and good found that very little had been Dutch General Praised better to concentrate on holding Crete working order of his headquarters done in the preparations of the de General Wavell had warned the
and to the comfort of the personnel.
Wavell said be got lovetences in the northern part of Sings: Chiefs of Staff that on Allied fighter | General
pore, Islant and 1 had already force could not remain effective for In the South-West Pacific, he said. Cooperation from his colleagues on cabled to the Prime Minister on Janmore than two weeks.: ·!
the international
Two days Dutch
there was Singapore Idland was very far from week, which proved correct. Indles go and concentrate on anaking
the difficulties of building long if Johore wallon."
strong and might not hold out for General Wavell received Burma and Australia secure.
"Our attempt to hold The Nether achieve the main objectives began General Percival continue the naval or air reinforcements in The tions on Feb. 23 that Java› abould, be up the air defences as the efforts to General Wavell said he instructed defended to the last and that any lands East Indles cost us Burma and General Wavell said the distances by fight in Johore 12td endeavour 10 Netherlands East Indies be ordered places India and Ceylon in danger," sea from the sources of supply Bri hold the enemy of 16 malulend un forward He was instructed to with he declared, "but that, in both intain and, the Piances (Greece. and East Indies), that few lates-were, so further reinforcements arrived,PAVE
the United Stat
ABDA, ileadquarters."„from
no
Kreat thip-before the
evacuation.
laland.
>
bdt
instruc
on General Wavell's
On branding over the command, General Wavell told the Chiefs qi Staff thai-5,500 British-
ub
by we took the right-and only-deci
bitt to make every, preparation': fore the command was divjölved; xions,
I have no doubt."
Air 7 routes from Australi on the defence p He added: "The principle of engaging the enemy as closely and star by Africa, India and Burma
on the
* long and haxa weit were as far forward as possible' must, be
dous that wastage. maintained at all costs and will, high. The Australian Government was extremely the end, bring victory," -
Before he assumed command
Jan. 15, General Wavell cable
the Chiefs of Sian in London
of
After the Japanese made fresh 16,000 Royal. Air" Føres, Mobi
on-10 Rucceeded ja getting number General Wavell-decidit it would be about 3,000 Australian And 300 Unit
to ABDA were add the better to withdraw This forefronited States. 1
which were diverted to the the mainland. infalible Island and Javas
ed States troops were left_to_defeod
in defence of Australia continue the fight there rather than The American naval seaplane ten
it seemed an attack en enemy hip-
Australia via Manila
Sandakan & Rabaul
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EMPIRE PARK"
ping by air, and submarine and ob While trorganisation was ificom ter it be overwhelmed, before reine der, Langley, we ordered to unload
pete, the ** | Ekromes; In Southern Bumatra “
Amiel
enemy air bases by air should be primary, objective and, that 216 Decure a line of neval and xir bases Port
Darivin In-Timor-Java-Southern
would
probably h represent the trources which were likely
sé"attacked, sero
quijiment" who lost par waen Malaya and Bubatta be
Allied Air Force, clawtand- En strength and obtai „uperiority over the Japanese,
dyras Rally comp
Summite-SAK tit possible, with the Kinesi
General Wavell few to Ringspore | arriving on “Jan,^«7«lle rald, ha-had.
realised, frons, the first, thus againxfičtines wang involved
(of: Blaff÷was÷ko, bai hoidjakdi „much would depend upon the; kapa
enta¿Jand
Telugu Frome -P-40 îns
.
from General, we planes in Jays, but::sho drewn^to. ** TheTM forced destruction M
Pof other, 48.2007 P-408 to prevent them falling into in jo fight"|Japutiesë" (hands" "distroyed, the, fast
the chance of prelonging the fighter,
sistance to the
Among the fibu
his despatch, Geni
the efficiency and Lion, in all circumsta Lieutenant-G.
LOADING 1st MARCH 1948. SAILING 2nd MARCH, 1948.
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