Aussies, Aussies Here
An ABDA Sweep out Darwin against the Eastern Axis, DTMB
Campaign GT 4, 1-14 February 1942
RAdm Crace (RAN) was sipping tea on the bridge of HMAS Australia at 0400 hours. His steward had roused him from a sound sleep just minutes ago. The Eastern sky was just starting to light, a new dawn was coming fast.
The wind had freshened and was now a Force 4 from the North at 15 knots. There were no squalls or haze in sight but the sky was cloudy and that could change quickly. Visibility was 20,000 yards and opening up. If there was contact it would be a gun fight. Crace ordered the squadrons FPs launched.
The ANZAC Squadron was arrayed with its destroyers (Napier, Nestor, Nizam & Vampire) in line abreast 3,000 yards ahead as a screen. The cruiser squadron was in column divided into two divisions; the heavy under Crace with Australia (flag) and USS Phoenix was in the lead.
The light under Commodore Collins (RAN) with Perth (DF), Hobart, Achilles and Leander followed. The who shebang was cracking on at 25 knots.
HMAS Canberra had taken a bomb hit the week before and was under repair. But Admiral Hart had been in Darwin when Phoenix arrived escorting a convoy and he pirated her to replace Canberra. Crace admired the Yank for that. Crace could only imagine how Admiral Halsey was going to take to having one of his cruisers shanghaied as it was hard to see how it could be described as anything else. Crace would have loved to bum a division (or two) of Clemson destroyers out of the Yanks at Surabaya but RAdm Glassford and Task Force 5 had their hands full there also.
Davo and Jolo on Mindanao had fallen as had Tarakan, Balikpapan and Banjermasin on Borneo. Then it was Menado and Kendari on Celebes and Ambon on Ceram. Intel said it was Makassar on Celebes or Bali’s turn next. Task Force 5 would cover Bali and Makassar was up to Crace. Dili and Koepang on Timor were possible but the Japs would have to sail past Makassar to get there, so Makassar it was.
0400 to 0436 hours the visibility opened up to 21,000 yards but it appeared to Crace shortly afterwards that the weather might be changing. What Crace wanted was a shift in the wind, anywhere but from the North and some squalls to duck into. But no luck yet as visibility again seemed to improve. At 0418 hours he got his wish when the wind veered to the East and with it squalls. Visibility began to come down and his FPs reported sighting the enemy on a bearing of 315 degrees.
Crace noted that no LBA had shown up. After Canberra was bombed Crace sent the IJN 21st and 23rd Air Flotilla targeting officer a bottle of sake and a D12 with only 12s on it as a congratulation gift. Apparently, the wine had gone down well enough for that son of Nippon not to look his gift horse in the mouth.
The FP further reported that she could only see destroyers so far. Crace was sure that would change. He fully expected to run into the Myokos and Maya and possibly a light cruiser or two. He also expected his four destroyers to be out numbered three to one. His advantage in his estimation was his rapid firing 6-inch cruisers especially with the addition of Phoenix. He needed to make this a 6-inch fight. Anything else was fighting the Japanese fight.
Crace would use his destroyers smoke to get Collins cruisers inside 9,000 yards while Australia and Phoenix held the Japanese’s attention. Not the best plan to be sure.
VAdm Takahashi’s distant cover (patrol) for the Makassar invasion convoy was steaming at 25 knots on a heading of 135 degrees. RAdm Nishimura of DesFlot 3 in Naka led followed by DesDiv 2 (Murasame, Harusame, Samidare & Yudachi) in line abreast as a screen. Tskahasi’s flag ship Ashigara followed with RAdm Takagi’s Cruiser Squadron 5 (Haguro SF, Myoko & Nachi) and then the Maya. DesDiv 9 (Asagumo, Minegumo, Natsugumo & Yamagumo) and DesDiv 24 (Umikaze, Kawakaze, Suzukaze & Yamakaze) were in columns to the East and West respectively of the cruisers.
The ANZACs would have to beat the patrol to get at the convoy some distance behind and they would have to retain enough strength to defeat the convoy’s close escort. But no one said (at least no one who knew) that the ABDA would have it easy.
Nothing on radar yet, the FPs would have to remain his eyes. Crace began to rethink his plan. He would go to flank speed now and turn towards the on coming squalls. He would need to divide Collins and destroyers into the squall while he stayed out with the heavy division to keep the Japanese busy. Perhaps he could lure them towards the squall. Anything was better then his lights charging a line of 8 inch in the open. Visibility was still hovering around 20,000 yards. The wind had increased to Force 6 and 20 knots. Crace tried willing the wind to go faster.
0424 hours The FP estimated the enemy at 25 knots, they were going to pop into sight at any moment and that first squall (Crace wasn’t sure how many more were behind the first) was still at least 13,000 yards away. This was going to be a near run and smart money was on the Japanese. Crace figured he needed 12 more minutes to reach the squall. He got 6. A Japanese light cruiser followed immediately by 4 destroyers abreast appeared some 20,000 yards to the NE just as they popped up on Australia’s radar.
0436 hours Crace’s destroyers and Collins cruisers plunged into the squall while Crace’s heavy division reversed course through 135 degrees to a heading of 45 degrees. Crace could only hope that the Japanese admiral upon obtaining visual contact would have his attention held by the cruisers he could see and not the ones that had fled into the squall. Crace had already lost sight of Collins and destroyers and he hoped the radar on Perth, Achilles and Leander not mention the destroyers would allow Collins to remain apprised of the situation while remaining out of sight. In any case Collins’ FP could fill that role if needed. That reminded Crace that his FPs had been up for over 30 minutes already. How long could they stay up? Would it be long enough?
0442 hours Crace engaged the Japanese light cruiser (Naka) and Australia hit her once in the hull.
0448 hours the Japanese heavies appeared behind their van with destroyers to either flank. The Gods must love Aussies as the Japanese turned 45 degrees to port to open up their broadsides (they rolled an 11). There was hope. But there were also 5 Japanese heavy cruisers and 8 more destroyers. That by Crace’s count was 50 eight inch to his 8 eight inch and 47 six inch. He could not win a long-range fight and if Collin’s cruisers could not get to grips within 9,000 yards quickly, Crace was going to have to withdraw behind smoke to preserve his force.
0454 hours The Japanese had gone to flank and were heading 270 degrees. Collins apprised by radar and his FPs had turned 90 degrees to North was trying to get across the Japanese Tee covered by the squall while Crace stayed out side 15 ,000 yards and tried to keep the Japanese attention firmly fixed up him.
The squall was a rather large on but not endless and at 32 knots it was not going to cover Collins for long. But would it be long enough?
The Japanese heavies opened on Australia and Phoenix and they shot back. Australia missed but Phoenix quickly found the range (over 18,000 yards) and hit the second Japanese heavy (Haguro) twice. The first hit was in the a/c handling facilities and caused a fire. The second was in the hull for minor damage. The Japanese return fire caused minor hull damage to Australia. But three cruisers targeted Phoenix and 30 eight inch rained down her the resulting in four hits that bounced off her fore turret and her belt but caused enough minor damage to her hull to slow her to 29 knots. Well, that calls for another bottle or two of sake and as many fixed D12 as he could come up mused Crace ruefully. But really it was just too many 8 inch.
0500 hours The Haguro failed to put her fire out and suffered more damage for it. The Japanese cruisers slowed to 30 knots. Crace cursed (guns and torpedoes, not into hull) he muttered under his breath as the Japanese cruisers continued due East. Collin’s cruisers emerged at 32 knots from the squall heading 315 degrees at 13,000 yards from the Japanese heavies and crossing their Tee. Unfortunately the Naka and her accompanying 4 destroyers were half that distance and between causing Collins to engage them first.
Perth engaged Naka, firing rapidly and hit her thrice. Naka lost her starboard TT had a major fire set and was hit twice in the hull slowing her to 21 knots. Hobart targeted Murusame and firing rapidly hit her 6 times. Murasame had her DC damaged, was set afire, lost both TT, both her fore gun mounts and hull damage that slowed her to 31 knots. Achilles targeted Harusame and firing rapidly hit her once. Harusame had her DC damaged and was set afire. Achilles targeted Samidare and firing rapidly hit her 9 times (NZ show offs!). Samidare lost all her guns and TT with 3 major fires, a damaged bulkhead and 2 hull hits that slowed her to 22 knots. Leander targeted Yudachi and firing rapidly hit her 5 times (OK maybe that FC radar works). Yudachi took it all in the hull and a bulkhead and slowed to 10 knots. Napier targeted Murasame and firing rapidly hit her thrice. Murasame had the rubble of her TT stirred and lost the rest of her guns. Nestor targeted Harusame and firing rapidly hit her once. Harusame took another hit in her DC and a second fire was set. Nizam targeted Samidare and firing rapidly hit her twice. Samidare took both hits in the rubble of her TT and guns. Vampire with her 4” popguns targeted Yudachi and hit once damaging her hull and and slowing her further to 5 knots.
Because of the angle of approach, the Naka and her destroyers could only bring their fore guns to bear and their return fire was ineffective. Australia and Phoenix engaged as before. Australia missed and Phoenix hit Haguro once causing minor hull damage.
Then came the 50 eight inch return fire. Australia took three hits in her hull that slowed her to 29 knots or bounced of her belt. Phoenix took a hit that caused minor hull damage.
Murasame and Samidare made their morale. Collins complained (out loud), asking what he had to do to get these sons of Nippon to leave?
0506 hours Haguro and Murasame put their fires out. Naka did not and was slowed to 15 knots. Harusame put one of her fires out. Samidare failed to repair her bulkhead and that coupled with three major fires sank her. Yudachi failed to fix her bullhead and slowed to 5 knots.
The Japanese cruisers turned 90 degrees to port and were now heading due North. The trailing two Japanese DesDivs split. One going North and the other east trying to cover the cruisers from Australia and Phoenix with smoke but not quite succeeding. Collins and Crace continued their headings.
Collins left his destroyers to mop up the Naka and her three surviving destroyers while he engaged the heavies. Crace switched his targeting to the two trailing heavies.
Perth and Hobart engaged Ashigare and firing rapidly hit her eight times. The range had closed to 5,500 yards. Ashigara had her FP facilites hit and was set afire, she lost two of her fore turrets, 2 hull and took three hits to her engines knocking her DIW and permanently damaging one engine (requires dockyard).
Achilles engaged Haguro and firing rapidly hit her 5 times. Haguro lost 2 fore turrets (1 to flooding), and three hits to her hull that also damaged a bulkhead. Haguro slowed to 10 knots. Leander targeted Myoko and firing rapidly hit her 4 times. Myoko lost both starboard secondaries, a fore turret and hull damage that slowed her to 30 knots. Australia targeted Nachi and missed her. Phoenix targeted Maya and hit her once, knocking out a fore turret.
Napier targeted Naka and firing rapidly and hit her twice. Naka lost another gun with hull damage that slowed her to 10 knots. Nestor targeted Hurasame and firing rapidly whiffed. Nizam targeted Murasame and firing rapidly hit her 5 times. Harusame lost a gun mount and took two hull hits before two critical hits knocked out her FC and damaged her engines. Harusame slowed to 22 knots. Vampire targeted Yudachi and firing rapidly Whiffed.
Ashigara targeted Perth and hit her 8 times. Perth had her FP facilities damaged and was set afire, she lost all her turrets and suffered hull damage including a bulkhead that reduced to 21 knots. Haguro targeted Hobart and hit her thrice. Perth had her FP facilites hit thrice, setting three fires. Myoko targeted Achilles and hit her once knocking out a fore turret. Nachi targeted Leander and whiffed. Maya targeted Australia and missed. Naka targeted Napier while Murasame, Harusame and Yudachi targeted the Aussie destroyers and all of them whiffed.
The DesDiv 2 failed morale and now tried to withdraw. Naka made her morale. Perth made her morale (Crace let his breath out and promised to put Collins in for a VC)
0512 hours Ashigara fixed one engine and was slowed to 21 knots but her fire caused minor hull damage. Haguro failed to fix her bulkhead and slowed to 5 knots allowing her to swing out of line. Perth failed to fix her bulkhead and suffered further hull damage that along with her fire reduced her 14 knots. Hobart failed to put a fire out and suffered hull damage that slowed her to 27 knots. All the ANZAC light cruisers fired off their bearing TT as did the Japanese heavies. The ANZAC light cruisers and the Japanese heavies now tried to turn 90 degrees directly away from each other to present stern arcs while making smoke to cover themselves from each other. The ANZAC DesDiv had turned due West and was trying to get into position to deliver a torpedo attack on the Japanese heavies. Crace had turned the heavy division due West to try and get past the smoke screen DesDiv 24 was laying eastward.
The Japanese torps were faster and struck first. Ashigara’s torps missed Perth. Haguro’s torps missed Hobart. But Myoko hit Achilles twice for 10 hull sinking her outright. Nachi and Maya hit Leander 5 times for 13 hull sinking her also.
Perth hit Ashigara once for 2 hull and a fire. Hobart missed. But Achilles hit Myoko thrice for 11 hull sinking her. Leander hit Nachi once for three hull and a aft turret. Firing arcs between the cruisers was blanked by smoke. The surviving light cruisers with what remained of their fore turrets along with the ANZAC DesDiv finished Naka and DesDiv 2.
Collins now failed his morale as did Crace. Takahashi also failed his morale and both sides withdrew under smoke as fast as they could go.
The Japanese LBA attacked the ANZACs on the way back to Darwin (they had apparently discovered the nature of Crace’s gift) and sank Perth. Ashigara failed to repair repeatedly and sank as did Haguro (bulkheads are a bitch).
The tally in the end was that the ANZACs lost three light cruisers while the EAF lost 2 heavy and 1 light cruiser as well as 4 destroyers. But the invasion convoy went through and took Makassar.
WMC
