WesWorld

Australian Intelligence Service, Ad hoc Kriegsmarine Team, December 13, 1945

"Where the hell are my German cruisers? It's been two weeks since they left Balkipapan, they certainly did not go back to Indochina. Ideas?"

"Hawaii? We haven't heard anything from the Americans. Chile? They did the reverse trip 5 years ago. Tahiti? New Caledonia? They are working closely with the French."

"The Americans would have told us, get in touch with our contacts in Chile, see if they have heard something. They should have already reached New Caledonia if that was their destination unless they stopped to sight-see along the way. Let's keep an eye on the French. Anything else?"

"There's a report from Manus, a bird-watching lieutenant claims to have spotted a single-engine floatplane coming and leaving from the North. There's nothing out there, must have been ship based."

"That could be them but what would be alternative hypothesis for the plane?"

"The Dutch or Americans would have told us. Filipino perhaps? They do have some stuff going on, but it is far from their usual operations areas. I think China has enough issues going on and its quite beyond most their ships range. Its always a possibility it was Japanese, they never are up to anything good. And well it could be the French, I dont trust the Chinese one bit, but I do believe the French might have been snooping around."

"So Germany, France, or Japan... well we need to find out who it was and where the Germans are. Ugh where were our Albatrosses? Alright warn our men in Chile and New Caledonia to be on the lookout for any talk about Germans. Get a hold of the RAAF liaison and get me some Albatrosses and maybe some of those new Mustangs. Talk to the Brits, we are going to need their airfields in the Solomon. Lets find them huns..."

Quoted from "Desertfox"

And well it could be the French, I dont trust the Chinese one bit, but I do believe the French might have been snooping around."

Remember - following Australia's departure from SAER, the French Navy took up their division of responsibility / area of influence for SAER naval patrols in the Southwest Pacific.

So the French patrol that area extremely regularly. Clearly they do it even better than the Australians.

:thumbsup:

No crazy suggestions about Bharat being up to something in the wrong neighbourhood. I must be doing something right.

I disagree. I'd say that you must be doing something wrong.

DesertFox scripset,

Quoted

"So Germany, France, or Japan... well we need to find out who it was and where the Germans are. Ugh where were our Albatrosses? Alright warn our men in Chile and New Caledonia to be on the lookout for any talk about Germans. Get a hold of the RAAF liaison and get me some Albatrosses and maybe some of those new Mustangs. Talk to the Brits, we are going to need their airfields in the Solomon. Lets find them huns..."

Observing OOC, the RAAF's Albatross MR aircraft are either in Queensland or at best Port Moresby; I don't believe that there is prior mention of any infrastructure north of Moresby. As for airfields in the Solomons, I believe that the RAF has had the East Asia Squadron under its observation for some time, as has France, its SAER partner. Perhaps if someone asked politely, they could answer the burning questions of the moment...

OOC I can only go by what's been posted so far, and there had been no mention of the squadron being observed by any aircraft at that time.

Quoted from "Desertfox"

OOC I can only go by what's been posted so far, and there had been no mention of the squadron being observed by any aircraft at that time.

BruceDuncan scripset,

Quoted

Langsdorff stood on the wing of the Graf Spee’s bridge to observe Hipper and Prinz Eugen refuel from Donau – the sight of a cruiser on either beam of the large replenishment ship as all three bounded along at fifteen knots was impressive. Out of habit he turned his gaze skyward and saw the glint of an aircraft – he wondered whether it was a British Sunderland operating out of nearby Tulagi or a French patrol aircraft staging through the New Hebrides. He hoped they found the sight as impressive from the air…

I think that covers it...

That was on the 14th, my report is on the 13th and communications are slow these days

Quoted from "Desertfox"

That was on the 14th, my report is on the 13th and communications are slow these days ;)

<Hands over two tin cans and a length of string>

This might help. :D

Quoted from "BruceDuncan"

DesertFox scripset,
Observing OOC, the RAAF's Albatross MR aircraft are either in Queensland or at best Port Moresby; I don't believe that there is prior mention of any infrastructure north of Moresby.

I'm aware of no rule or requirement regarding the establishment and maintenance of airfields, and I dare say the majority of our players have not publicly listed every such installation. I know I sure haven't spent the time to detail the location of every airfield within Canadian jurisdiction.

I don't see any mention of any "rule" or "requirement" by Bruce in his quote.

Australian Intelligence Service, Ad hoc Kriegsmarine Team, December 20, 1945

"Ok so what do we know about the Germans other than they are for sure in New Caledonia?"

"They took a long time getting there, they must have conducted some sort of exercise along the way. They also took some resupply ships with them. We did an estimated track of the Germans and it does place them near the Admiralty Islands around the time the plane was spotted."

"Well we can't discount the idea of someone else doing so, but I think we can say with high confidence it was the Germans. After all those where their colonies back in the day. Ok, lets get any assets we have on the ground to keep an eye on them, maybe see if we can't get some of the sailors drunk and talkative. Also let's see if we can get 24/7 aerial surveillance of the area, I don't want to lose them again. Just make sure to tell the RAAF boys not to get lost and cross into French airspace. Let's get a report written and delivered as soon as possible, a lot of people are going to be wanting to know whats going on."


Sydney Times, December 21, 1945

The Royal Australian Navy has just announced a major air and naval live fire exercise starting on the 2nd of January to be conducted in the Tasman and Coral Seas. Merchant traffic and neighboring nations will be provided with the specific locations, however, all traffic is warned to be on the lookout especially in reduced visibility conditions to avoid accidents. Rumor has it that this exercise will be the last operational cruise for the battlecruiser HMAS Tiger, and that retired Admiral Crace has been invited back to take the old girl out.

OOC Comments -

A 24/7 air search is going to make considerable demands on your Albatross MR force - its more than 1400 km from Brisbane to Noumea, more than 1900 km to Noumea, and more than 1800 km from Auckland to Noumea. They will have relatively little time on station. It's almost as bad if you stage through Honiara - more than 1500 km. Hope your maintenance crews enjoy the overtime.

OOC What he wants and what he will actually get are two separate things I do have plenty of other assets that can be used. However, this is the exact mission for which the Albatross was designed for. What better training opportunity is there? But the Albatrosses wont be flying much untill the Germans leave port.