WesWorld

While not involved in the little scrape between India and Siam/Denmark, the Philippines takes a keen interest on what is happening on their doorstep...

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The Manila Times
4 August 1924

Government Reacts to Indian Blockade

The Filipino Government today voted to neither support or condemn the Indian blockade of the west coast of Siam.

"This is a matter between the governments of India and Siam, and we have nothing to gain by choosing sides," said one government official who asked not to be named. "While we have an close naval relationship with India, we also have an excellent trade relationship with the Siamese; we don't want to upset either applecart."

Commodore Garcia of the Marina de Filipinas stated that the only alteration in Filipino naval activity will be a slight increase in patrols in the Sulu Sea.

Captain Moran of the Manila Constabularty stated that the recent riots in Mindanao are in no way connected to the Chittagong situation.

The Manila Evening Times
7 August 1924

"...while the Filipino Goverment regrets the loss of life in the terrorist attack at Fort Augstus, we also regret the immediate, thinly veiled allegations by the Italian Government that the Indian Government was in any way associated with the assault. We are sure that the Indians would not stoop to such a dishonourable tactic..."

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In light of the recent upswing in terrorist activities in the Indian Ocean area over the past month, as well as the escalating tensions in Siam, the Marina de Filipinas has ordered increased patrols of the Sulu and South China Sea. "It's time for the "R" class to earn its keep," said one MdF officer. In addition, the battleships Fernando and Manila and the "capital cruisers" Luzon and Mindoro will be kept at a three-hour alert...

The Manila Evening Times
10 August 1924

A Danish merchant vessel arrived in the port of Manila today, carrying a shipment of 12 Rohrbach Ro.II seaplanes, to be assembled at the Manila Aeroplane Factory.

Port officials were unusually expeditious in turning around the Danish ship, and the crew seemed surprised when they were asked to leave immediately...

The Manila Evening Times
13 August 1924

PIRATES SINK FILIPINO NAVAL VESSEL!

The light destroyer R-10, patrolling in the South China Sea, was fatally damaged in an engagement with a renegade shore battery in the Kalayaan Islands* today.

The ship managed to make it halfway back to Manila
before she foundered. All surviving crewmembers were rescued.

More info as it becomes available...

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EDIT: Put the "*" in there - then forgot the footnote! "Kalayaan Islands" is the Filipino name for the Spratly Islands. IIRC it translates as "Freedom Islands".

Those pirates really seem well organised and equipped....

But why should they reveal their position by shooting at a navy vessel nearby?

Regards,

HoOmAn

The average height of the Spratly islands is maybe 10m above sea level, if that. They're really just a bunch of reefs. Unless they have small ships, the pirates don't have many places to hide.

They probably opened fire because there was nowhere to hide.

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The Manila Times
14 August 1924

More details have emerged on yesterday's sinking of the R-10...

The ship had noted some unusual activity on a small atoll, and moved in to investigate. While preparing to launch a small boat with a landing party, a medium-caliber gun, concealed in a pile of brush, opened fire on them at very close range.

The ship took three hits, one below the waterline in the boiler room. Returning fire, the crew believes they scored a direct hit on the installation.

Taking on water and with half the engines unoperational, the ship attempted to return to Manila, but bad weather forced the crew to abandon ship halfway home. The R-7, the other boat assigned to South China Sea patrolling, picked up the survivors.

While official sources have been silent, unofficial reports are that an operation is being planned to neutralise the pirate threat once and for all...

The Manila Evening Times
25 August 1924

Official Filipino Government Press Release

MANILA - The Republic of the Philippines yesterday took a major step in the battle against the Pirates of the South China Sea.

Yesterday, a task force, based on the battleship Fernando, the cruiser Mindoro, and numerous civilian ships acting as transports, occupied the Kalayaan Islands.

"Ever since our independence, we have maintained that the Kalayaan - what the Western nations call Spratly - Islands were Filipino territory," said Licenciado Piña, Vice-Presidente of the Philippines. "But until now, we have not exercised our claim, because previously we were unable, or perhaps unwilling, to do so. And the pirates took advantage of our inaction."

"Recent events proved that we could no longer ignore these islands. We have decided that the best course of action is to intigrate the Kalayaan Islands as part of the Republic of the Philippines."

According to sources in the Marina de Filipinas, no pirate vessels or shore batteries were found or engaged, but many islands showed evidence of recent inhabitation.

The MdF is in the process of establishing a small base on Spratly Island itself. It will consist of a weather station and a few tanks for refueling of small craft. Due to limited resources facilities for larger craft will not be constructed. (1)

The Kalayaans will be administered on a provisional basis by Palawan province.

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(1) - IOW, I can't afford to build a port, but I assume you can refuel PT boats without having to build one.

If you have a Tender or a port to work out of it shouldn't be a problem.