2 replies to this topic

[W. Clark]

Action off Ambon

Early January 1942

It was midnight and the Freaks had come out. The wind was a Force 4 Northeasterly at 15 knots and smoke was still an option, albeit a short lived one. The moon was full, but the cloud state had reduced that to a quarter. There was Sea Haze to the South that reduced visibility by 5,000 yards. There were no squalls in sight.

 

Force X was steaming NE at 25 knots on a heading of 45 degrees. VAdm Godroy took a cup of cognac from his steward (he would leave tea to the God Damms). Godroy was in a foul mood. He had felt compelled to lead at night with Commodore Collins (RAN) division of cruisers because Perth had SW radar and the French night acquisition (he would never admit it openly) was not up the RN/RAN standard. He followed with cruisers (Suffren, flag) and then the destroyers in a single column to keep the possibility of fratricide to a minimun.

 

0003 hours Perth’s radar contacted 3 contacts approaching her at 11 knots 4 points to starboard on a heading of 225 degrees.

 

0009 hours (there is a 2 turn delay due to W/T and language barrier) Godroy ordered an increase to 30 knots and a 2-point turn to port.

 

0012 hours the range had closed to 8,000 yards when sides fired star-shell to illuminate each other. Perth and Hobart’s 4 inch illuminated 3 Myoko class cruisers while at least 10 IJN DDs illuminated Perth and Hobart.

 

0015 hours Perth and Hobart fired on the lead destroyers of the port and starboard destroyers respectively while Suffern, Duquesne and Tourville fired at their opposite number cruiser. The lead two Japanese cruisers engaged Perth and Hobart. Perth and Hobart each hit their respective targets ((Natsushimo & Asagumo) thrice each. The French cruisers firing at illuminated targets and unengaged hit Haguro (thrice) and missed the other 2 entirely. The Japanese cruisers firing at the illuminated Perth and Hobart hit Perth 4 times and Hobart 5 times. Natsushimo suffered a hit to her DC racks that caused a fire, lost her fore turret and an engineering hit. Asagumo suffered hull damage, lost her fore turret and an engineering hit. Haguro lost her fore turret and suffered damage to her hull and a bulkhead. Perth lost both her fore turrets and suffered damage to her hull and a bulkhead. Hobart lost both her fore turrets, was hit in the hull twice and had a bulkhead damaged.

 

0018 hours Perth repaired her bulkhead but Hobart failed in her attempt. Natsushimo broke her engine repair and now required a dockyard. Asagumo repaired her engine hit. Haguro repaired her bulkhead. Perth and Hobart fired off their SBS torpedoes at the leading IJN cruisers turned to port under smoke to avoid further damage. The French cruisers including the Duguay-Trouin fired off their SBS torpedoes at the IJN cruisers and made a 2-point turn to port. The IJN increased speed as much as they could and their DDs turned due South to open up their torpedo arcs. The range had now closed to 6,000 yards with Haguro, Natsushimo and Asagumo still illuminated from damage induced fires and EDR fires.

The French cruisers fired at the same targets again and Duguay opened on the Asagumo. Suffren hit Haguro 4 more times while the Duquesnes continued to miss altogether as did Duguay. Haguro hit Suffren thrice while Myoko hit Duquesne twice and Nachi missed Tourville. Haguro suffered a hit to her PS fore TT and a serious fire as well as damage to her hull and to a bulkhead. But the critical hit to her bridge killed RAdm Takagi. Suffren suffered a hit to her SS fore TT, damage to her hull and to her engine. Duquesne lost her fore SS SB and a critical hit to her engineering.

 

0021 hours Perth failed to put out an EDR fire. Hobart failed to repair her bulkhead again. Suffren repaired her engine hit as did Duquesne. Haguro failed to repair her bulkhead. Other IJN attempts to put fires out failed.

The French DDs and Vampire fired their torpedoes at the IJN cruisers. Godroy decided to turn away together under smoke and disengage while he had the speed to do so.

Haguro failed to evade Perth and Hobart’s torpedoes and both of them hit her once each. Suffren and Duquesne had fired 3 mounts at Myoko and hit her once as she failed to evade. Tourville and Duguay fire 3 mounts at Nachi and missed her altogether. Haguro took 5 hull hits and sank.  Myoko took 4 hull hits and an engine hit.

 

0024 hours Hobart failed to repair her bulkhead and sank. Asagumo took 1 hit from the 8 mounts fired at her, took 4 hull and an engine hit and was reduced to 1 hull box.

 

Ambon fell but the EAF cruiser squadron had been mauled.

 

[simanton]

A very interesting night action!

[W. Clark]

I put myself in Godroy's position and figured he had cause to withdraw but I left it to a die roll, and he failed his morale roll.

1. He has to figure that if he has fired torps that the IJN had or is about to do the same and putting his collective stern towards them while opening the range was going to severely attenuate their chances of hitting him.

2. If he turns away to avoid torpedoes, then he needs to so under smoke to prevent end on fire and that is going to break LOS,

3. Perth is his only SW radar equipped ship, and she is already seriously damaged and withdrawing. So, maintaining contact with the IJN through the smoke is not going to happen.

4. The subsequent lack of SW radar means that he is down to French night acquisition if he tries to reestablish acquisition and the IJN were engaging French ships that were not illuminated at a range that exceeded the French ability when targeting unilluminated ships. Although I would have allowed the French new acquisition rolls there was no guarantee that they would improve.

 

So, if he broke off at all, there was no going back without significant risk that he would be ambushed the second time around. Given that he had suffered more damage from gun fire then he inflicted it appeared that to continue the engagement was to risk his ability to sortie again without any guarantee that he would save Ambon in the bargain. Given all of that it appeared to me that withdrawal at that point was the better part of discretion and to do otherwise required him to make his morale which he failed to do.

 

The sinking of Haguro and crippling of Myoko occurred after the French had broken LOS and was knowledge that I felt they could not take advantage in that case. The French torpedoes are more numerous than the Brits/Aussies but without SW radar are crippled by the French night acquisition. Perth gives the French radar, but they have to risk her in order to get the benefit. The Aussie N class will become usable on Turn 4 and give Force X SW radar even if Perth is not repaired by then.