WesWorld

India, Q3 1930

4 July 1930

Significant damage is reported following the passage of Cyclone 1930C through the Bay of Bengal. The storm made landfall east of Vishakaphatnam two days ago. Emergency response teams have starting arriving in the area and initial reports are of significant damage due to winds and associated coastal surges.

The Bharatiya Nau Sena is hoping that its searches will reveal the minelayer Penganga, which was last heard from during the storm. The six hundred tonne warship was reported overdue at Port Blair this morning, following routine training operations in the Bay of Bengal. A number of other ships, including a coal carrier and a coastal ferry, are also reported missing.

A number of naval vessels are involved in both recovery and search and rescue operations. The aircraft carrier Urumi and the recently commissioned seaplane carrier Ghaudi Sagar are using their aircraft to fly grid patterns in search of the missing vessels or their survivors. Two tenders, the Ramalingam and the Iraani, are en route to the hardest hit areas to employ their medical facilities as floating field hospitals, it being expected that army field hospitals will be slowed by flooding and washed out roads. Sloops, destroyers, and anti-submarine launches are also involved in rescue and relief operations, with the cruiser Agra overseeing these tasks.

9 July 1930

The Bharatiya Nau Sena has reported the rescue of three survivors from the minelayer Penganga, sunk by last week’s deadly cyclone. A boat carrying the men and one deceased comrade was spotted by Urumi’s aircraft yesterday and was recovered by the sloop Banas during the afternoon.

Approximately thirty survivors from various vessels have been plucked from the water in the past five days, mostly fishermen that managed to avoid the worst effects of the storm.

The death toll from the storm is currently estimated at 2,800, with several thousand injured.

11 July 1930

Samraja Shrinivas spoke to reporters from the seaplane carrier Ghaudi Sagar today, following a brief visit to the coastal areas hit by last week’s cyclone.

“I wanted to come earlier but did not wish to impose a disruption on the recovery operations”, the young emperor commented. “With the most pressing crises now dealt with, I felt it was now reasonable to examine the scale of the damage and assure the people that they will receive all the aid they require.”

The Samraja noted that he was impressed with the impact of naval activities thus far. “I’m pleased that our fighting forces can be agents of charity and mercy when called upon. I will be meeting with my officials and senior naval staff following the conclusion of their operations to discuss future planning for similar emergencies.

1 August 1930

The Samraja has set out on his first international trip since being crowned. Surprisingly, he is not bound for one of India’s major allies. Rather, he is embarking on a brief excursion to our smaller neighbours of Nepal, Tibet, and Burma.*

A spokesman for the Samraja characterized the visits as, “A matter of saying hello and making introductions”, noting that it had been several years since there had been state visits to any of the three nations.

[*I’d add Bhutan, but India swallowed that one up some time ago...]

7 August 1930

Delegates from around the world have gathered in Trincomalee to discuss the matter of piracy at the inaugural Global Conference on Anti-Piracy Operations. The gathering draws together military personnel, academics, and government officials to learn from the past and develop plans to combat maritime criminal activity in the future.

[I’ll create a discussion thread in the next few days, but won’t have a story to post for about a week]

19 August 1930

The Bharatiya Nau Sena has released a preliminary report into the loss of the minelayer Penganga seven weeks ago in a cyclone. The results did not please Admiral Kashiram Paswan.

“I am saddened to say that the minelayer Penganga appears to have been lost due to a combination of poor judgement on the part of her commanding officer, and structural failure of the ship’s hull”, he said at Chennai. “This is our conclusion based on radio transcripts from the ship and interviews with the three survivors - a gunner’s mate, an enlisted man standing watch on the bridge, and a petty officer in charge of a damage control team.

“Standing orders are for all ship’s commanding officers to take all necessary action to avoid or minimize exposure to cyclones. Yet Penganga’s commanding officer did not bring the ship to its best speed to evade the storm. Further, the officer attempted to maintain his southeasterly course to Port Blair for seven hours after being overrun by the storm, when a course to the northwest would have removed the vessel from the storm much sooner. Consequently, Penganga was pummelled for several hours by waves that caused considerable damage to the vessel’s more exposed starboard side.

“When the commanding officer eventually issued a change in course, the ship was subject to strong oblique wave action that caused the hull to buckle amidships. The commanding officer immediately ordered distress signals relayed, and directed that personnel prepare to abandon the ship. Approximately four minutes later, as the ship’s remaining boat was being swung out to port, Penganga broke in half, the stern section sinking immediately. The bow section began listing severely and the petty officer ordered the lines to the boat cut before the davits were rendered ineffective. Between seven and nine men were able to reach the deck and abandon ship in the general location of the boat, of whom four were able to actually get aboard. The bow section rolled over and sank approximately two minutes after the ship broke in half.

“The survivors lashed themselves to the boat and say that they were very surprised not to have been swamped or capsized. Their injured counterpart lost consciousness soon after coming aboard and died from a fractured skull at some point in the next few hours. As reported, they were subsequently rescued on the 9th of July.

“The Bharatiya Nau Sena will be re-issuing its orders on cyclone avoidance and will be requiring written acknowledgement of the orders by its commanding officers. We will also be examining the remaining three units of the Pranhita class of minelayers to determine whether there is evidence of structural weakness. These are long, narrow vessels intended for coastal operations but have on occasion been in open waters; we need to know if the ships are at excessive risk of hull failure and plan accordingly.”

This note is hand-delivered by India's ambassadors to the United Kingdom, Burma, Siam, Denmark, and South Africa, with the latter requested to also pass the information on to the Netherlands

30 August 1930

Dear Sir/Madam:

Please be advised that the Contracting Powers of the South Asian Trade, Scientific Undertaking and Military Accord (SATSUMA) will be conducting a broad military exercise in Indian and adjacent international waters between October 2 and October 20 of this year.

In addition to warships and aircraft from India, Japan, the Philippines, Formosa, Chosen, and Pacifica, invitations to participate are also being extended to Germany, the United States of America, Turkey and Chile.

The exercise will not include the use of live ammunition, excepting for target shoots at existing naval gunfire ranges within Indian waters.

It is my expectation that the exercise will not interfere with other vessels in international waters. Should you have any concerns, please contact my representatives at the nearest Indian embassy.

Sincerely,

Shrinivas I, Samraja of Bharat and Warden of Asir




*Edit: modified the list of invitees.

Incidently, SATSUMA will be inviting some local neighbours - Burma, Siam, China - to send observers. SATSUMA member Persia will be sending observers in lieu of active participation in the exercises.

3 September 1930

Admiral of the Navy Kashiram Paswan says that planning for the coming SATSUMA exercise is coming along well. "This has been in the works for some months now, and as we are looking to test everybody from the youngest sailor up to myself, we've gone outside the active service for some organizational functions."

The exercise is in fact being put together primarily by Bharatiya Defence Consulting, a private firm headed up by retired Admiral of the Navy Sanjay Das. "Admiral Das and his partners - all of whom are experienced and retired military personel - are designing the exercise itself, primarily as it relates to non-SATSUMA, or 'Red Force' deployments and missions. This ensures that I, as commander in chief of SATSUMA, or 'Blue Force', will not be privy to information I would not have in an actual conflict."

When asked to explain what the exercise would look like, Admiral Paswan merely noted, "There's not a great deal I can tell you. I know what units are available to Red Force, but not their dispositions or missions. We will be simulating the early days of a war between SATSUMA and an enemy force with assets in the Indian Ocean. We'll likely be interdicting enemy shipping while protecting our own shipping and bases. About the only thing I do know for certain is that the Bay of Bengal is not in play - we focussed on the Andamans last time we hosted the exercise, after all."

With ten nations actively participating in the exercise, logistical issues are expected to be a major concern. "It won't be as large as the recent American Fleet Problem, but it's certainly the largest and most widespread naval exercise SATSUMA has ever undertaken. The current tally of vessels includes about twenty capital ships and aircraft carriers, plus supporting elements", noted Admiral Paswan. "We've chartered several civilian oilers to assist in operational support, and other participants will be bringing along fleet train units of their own."

As for linguistic issues, Admiral Paswan commented, "Generally speaking, this will be a SATSUMA versus non-SATSUMA exercise, with a few ships exchanged for the purpose of inter-operability training.
SATSUMA protocol calls for the use of Japanese in multi-national forces, and use of the native language in uni-national forces, so we're not expecting a lot of issues for Blue Force. In the event that non-SATSUMA ships are added to Blue Force, or vice-versa, we will ensure that the individual vessels and the flagship of their respective formations are provided with translators.

"As for the Red Force, I expect Admiral Das has taken the issue of language into consideration in shaping the exercise."

Your Excellency,

On behalf of his Majesty The King, I hereby gratefully accept your invitation to attend the forthcoming SATSUMA exercises as an observer.

Please forward to my office any conditions that may apply.

For his Majesty

Adm. Chavalit Silpa-archa,
Royal Siamese Navy

Admiral Silpa-archa will be welcome to make use of command facilities aboard the battleship Jahangir.

The South African Empire sends its condolences to the Indian nation that suffered the death of some beloved children, women and men.

Presidente de la Vega and all Filipinos express profound sympathy. A national call for monetary donations towards the victims of this tragedy has already raised a substantial amount of aid.

On a happier note, the Armada de Filipinas is eager to join their fellow SATSUMA navies in the upcoming exercises.