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Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM |
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This Day in Alternate History Blog
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The
Northern Australian Regiment By David
Atwell [Warning - this article contains some explicit language. It is also another piece of disinformation & is a shameless plug about Australia.] 11 November 1975 Gough Whitlam Australian Labor Party
(ALP) government dismissed by Governor-General John Kerr. Malcolm Fraser of the
Liberal Party (LP) is appointed as caretaker Prime Minister. Indonesia invades East Timor 13
December 1975 Fraser caretaker Government is elected in a overwhelming majority to become the legitimate government of Australia.
Australia officially protests
Indonesia’s invasion & annexation of East Timor. The Fraser Government (LP), in coalition
government with the Country Party (CP), is re-elected to office with a similar
majority. Whitlam retires from politics. Andrew Peacock (LP), the Australian
Foreign Minister, announces that "… the Government has decided that,
although it remains critical of the means by which integration was brought
about, it would be unrealistic to continue to refuse to recognise de facto that
East Timor is part of Indonesia”. East Timorese refugees protest in
Sydney. Many Australian’s express sympathy towards their plight including
Foreign Minister Peacock. East Timorese demonstrate in Dili (East
Timor capital). Indonesian troops open fire without warning. 97 protesters are
killed, hundreds wounded. Word gets out via film after two
survivors of the Dili massacre arrive in Darwin Australia. The world is
horrified. World governments protest to the
Indonesian Government. Several recall their ambassadors as a result. Indonesian
President Suharto denies that the massacre took place. Fraser is furious at Peacock &
demands that he apologise to Indonesia. A battle of significant size occurs in
the mountains behind Dili. Over 100 Indonesians are killed. FRETLIN withdraw
under the cover of night. US President Jimmy Carter offers to be
mediator between Australia & Indonesia. Australia accepts immediately, there
is no reply from Indonesia. Brief fire fights occur throughout E
Timor between FRETLIN & the army. FRETLIN opens an office in Darwin. They
announce to the media, at the humble opening ceremony, information concerning
the village massacre of the 13th. Skirmishes continue in E. Timor. Selected journalists are shown the
alleged massacred village. None of the journalists are Australians or Americans.
They are deliberately shown a different one. The journalists report what they
have been shown, knowing no better. Carter wishes to start the negotiation
process. Suharto defers, saying it would be inconvenient to have the Christmas -
New Years period interrupt the negotiations. He suggests a date early in the New
Year. Skirmishes continue in E Timor. Several
Indonesians are killed. Indonesians retaliate by executing 50 civilians. This
event is secretly filmed by a FRETLIN guerrilla & an ABC journalist. While trying to smuggle the film out of
Timor, the ABC journalist is shot & killed. However the film makes it to
Darwin. Fraser condemns the Indonesian army
& demands Suharto to bring those responsible in the army to justice. There
is no reply from Indonesia. ASIS starts to identify heavy Indonesian
military preparations. They cannot determine the exact reasons, but assume that
they are connected with the fighting in E Timor. Fighting intensifies on E Timor. ASIS
notes that none of the Indonesian military units identified in the military
preparations engage in the fighting. They notify Signals Directorate (SD is
military intelligence) and they concur. SD notes that the Indonesian units are
orientated towards Australia. They issue a joint alert. But due to the holidays,
nothing is done. Fighting continues to grow in E Timor.
Almost 500 Indonesians become casualties in the fighting. FRETLIN casualties are
lower. Fighting continues in E Timor. Fraser
puts the armed forces on alert. Reserves are called up as a result. Confusion
runs riot as both regulars & reserves are on holidays. The few units that
are intact, are sent to Darwin. Some individual personnel are put in improvised
units & are likewise flown to Darwin. The situation in Darwin resembles a zoo
at feeding time. Troops, units & civilians are thoroughly lost. Above all,
no one knows what is going on. Northern Command (NORCOM) organises what it can
& the few units that are operational, a mix of regulars & reserves, are
given their patrol objectives. The
Great Skedaddle. Indonesian paratroops &
assault troops invade Darwin. The airport & port are taken. Those few troops
on guard duty around Darwin are either killed or captured within 15 minutes. 6 January 1980 Australia wakes up finding it has a war
on its hands. The UN & the world, including the
USA, condemns the Indonesian action. However, none offer Australia any military
help. One of the "lost" platoons,
curious as to the lost of communications, returns to Darwin wherein they
discover the Indonesian forces. Fighting soon starts, but the platoon is
overwhelmed. 5 of the soldiers manage to escape, the rest are either killed in
the battle or captured. The second "lost" reserve
platoon (2 platoon, B company, 6 Royal Australian Regiment [RAR]
- 2B6), like the first one, begins to head back to Darwin. They are
intercepted by the 5 survivors. Lt Mark Davis (reserve) is at first shocked by
the news. Davis decides to search for the remaining "lost" platoon. The UN security council demands
Indonesia to explain themselves. The Indonesians argue that they are defending
their country. They claim most of the weapons encountered in E Timor comes
directly from the Australian army & presents several examples proving their
point. They also produce the captured FRETLIN guerrilla who restates his earlier
claims. Peacock counters that the weapons are ones captured in Darwin & that
the guerrilla is lying. Peacock is right, but the damage is done. The UN security council votes. USSR
& China abstain. UK, USA & France votes in favour of Australia, but the
other member's votes are split. Alas Peacock’s request misses by one vote. Platoon 2B6 meets up with the other
"lost" platoon, 1 platoon, A company, 4RAR (1A4), commanded by Lt
Peter Grant (regular). Grant & Davis discuss the situation & decide to
join forces. First priority is to find a way to communicate with their
superiors. They & 66 soldiers, a mix of reserves & regulars, head for
Koolpinyah. Sergeant Watkins (reserve), an aboriginal, jokes that their force is
now the Northern Australian Regiment (NAR).
The nickname sticks. Indonesian army attacks in numbers at
Katherine. Severe fighting results & casualties are high. The Australian
line holds. NAR arrives at Koolpinyah & finds
food, shelter & above all a working radio. The local civilians appear
nonplused by the resent events & are amused to have such visitors. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) sends a
small task force of 2 frigates HMAS Newcastle
(FFG), HMAS Torrens (FF) & 2
patrol boats to intercept a convoy heading for Darwin. The convoy is escorted by
two small escorts, which are quickly sunk. The 4 convoy transports carrying food
& equipment are also sunk. Indonesian forces, due to radio
intercepts, locate the NAR at Koolpinyah. The army sends a unit to investigate. NAR pickets inform Grant that the
Indonesians are approaching. NAR has organised good defenses since they arrived
& ambush the Indonesians. The Indonesians are defeated with heavy
casualties. Those that are not captured run off into the countryside to escape. NAR withdraw from Koolpinyah & head
for Woolner. Woolner has an airport & Davis hopes that they can be
evacuated. With NAR comes most of the local civilians & Indonesian
prisoners. Indonesians attack Katherine in a
determined effort. Fighting is intense. Casualties are high. The Australian line
holds. Indonesians send another force to
Koolpinyah to investigate the situation. This force discovers the remains of
their earlier force & some old civilians. The Indonesians execute them in
retaliation. NAR arrive in Woolner & report to
1st Brigade using the post office radio. They are told no evacuation can occur,
but to hold were they are. Hopefully the situation will change in the air &
some RAAF Hercules transport planes can evacuate them. Three Indonesian helicopters start
searching east of Koolpinyah for the NAR. One helicopter flies over Woolner
spotting them. Although the Australians shoot at the helicopter, it evades &
leaves. Needless to say it reports it findings. The three helicopters attack Woolner in
the morning. Three Indonesian prisoners & five civilians are killed. Several
more are wounded. The helicopters return to find Woolner
deserted. The troops aboard the helicopters debus & enter the town. The 8
remain elderly inhabitants are executed in retaliation of the previous day’s
defeat. The Indonesian forces attack, in their
largest effort yet, the Katherine Line. Battle is desperate & several times
the Indonesians break through the first line. Only frightful counterattacks by
the Australians repulse the Indonesians. An Indonesian helicopter spots the NAR
& attacks. Four prisoners & two civilians are killed. However, the
helicopter is shot down & all 8 aboard are killed. The helicopter did not
communicate its finding. NAR arrive in Point Stuart & reports
to 1st Brigade via the town radio. The achievements of NAR has started to get
attention. Davis is given a combat promotion to captain. Again Davis requests an
evacuation & this is organised for March 1. Word reaches Point Stuart, through the
aboriginal "grape vine", that the elderly people in Woolmer &
Koolpinyah have been executed. Everyone is horrified. Some try to kill the
prisoners & need to be restrained. Davis reports this to 1st Brigade who
passes the information on. The RAAF fly 2 Hercules transport planes
into Point Stuart as planned. The SAS head off by road to confirm
& collect evidence of the Indonesian massacres. They are intercepted by a
large Indonesian force at Wildman Lagoon. The small SAS force has no chance, but
fight like demons. Indonesian casualties are high. One "jeep" with 3
wounded SAS troops, including the driver, manages to flee & makes Point
Stuart, thus warning the NAR. Word quickly gets out about the NAR as
the media interviews the refuges. The massacre is confirmed & it now has a
human face. The Indonesian prisoners also provide the face of evil. These images
& the refugee’s stories are televised around the world. The Indonesian force that encountered
the SAS reach Point Stuart. Battle immediately commences. The Indonesians
withdraw after suffering heavy casualties. Indonesian reinforcements reach Point
Stuart. NAR patrols discover this. Skirmishes continue throughout the day. Davis
screams for help, but none is promised. He is ordered to withdraw as best he
can. Davis says no & breaks contact with HQ. When Sergeant Waktins hears the
news, he says "Yeah well fuck! What else is new?". "I hear
Australia might win in the West Indies" is a mate’s reply. Although they
might banter, trying to relieve the tension, no one laughs. A huge tropical storm hits Point Stuart
in the morning prior to the anticipated Indonesian attack. The Indonesians
attack, nonetheless, but they can hardly walk let alone see. The Indonesians are
slaughtered & the survivors withdraw to their earlier defensive position. Reinforcements increase the Indonesian
force at Point Stuart to about 600 troops. The NAR is outnumbered 6 to 1.
Fighting starts & the numbers begin to tell. The world media runs the story of the
Battle of Point Stuart. The evacuees tell of their experiences to national &
international audiences. Indonesian forces mount their largest
offensive at Katherine. The fighting is desperate & savage. Casualties are
high. At several points, Indonesian forces break the line. Fighting occurs near
Tindal RAAF base where army & air force personnel stop the Indonesian
advance. The UN security council votes. Only
China abstains, while the UK, France, USA & USSR, along with the majority of
the others, all vote for a cease fire, followed by Indonesia’s withdrawal from
all Australian territory. Australian forces counterattack the
Tindal Bulge. Included in the attacks are large number of Leopard tanks, used
for the first time, in a well planed offensive. Although casualties are high,
the Indonesians are pushed back to their original line of March 10. The first Australian volunteers start to
arrive at the front. Some 15 000 soldiers join the battle hardened veterans. The FRETLIN prisoner that the
Indonesians used as evidence in the UN debates escapes from the Indonesian UN
mission in New York. He pleads for political asylum in the US. He is immediately
debriefed by the Americans. He thoroughly admits he was lying earlier for fear
of his life. The Americans make this public. The UN Security Council passes economic
sanctions against Indonesia & once again orders them to withdraw from all
Australian territory. Suharto once again refuses Carter announces that war equipment will
be released to Australia. Peacock presents evidence of the
Indonesian massacres before the UN. NAR patrols make contact with the
Indonesian force at Wildman Lagoon. Some shots are exchanged, but there are no
casualties. UN declares that there is a clear case
for the charge of "crimes against humanity" against the Indonesian
army. RAN orders three of their submarines to
commence patrolling the Timor Sea. Australia soberly celebrates ANZAC day. 3 Indonesian convoys are intercepted in
the Timor Sea. 10 transport ships & two naval escorts are sunk. Australian forces go on the offensive at
Katherine. The Indonesian defence is effective. Casualties are high on both
sides. The Australian offensive fails. NAR attacks Wildman Lagoon. The
Indonesians fall back on defensive positions at Mary River. Indonesians rush
whatever units that can be spared to Mary River. The RAN submarines intercept three more
Indonesian convoys. All 12 transport ships & two escorts are sunk. NAR attacks the Indonesians dug in at
Mary River. The Indonesians defend their position gallantly & repeal the
Australian attack. Indonesian Navy conducts a major
offensive against the RAN submarines in the Timor Sea. Although three Indonesian
ships are sunk, the submarine HMAS Oxley
is sunk & the other two submarines withdraw. Australian forces attack at Katherine in
their biggest offensive to date. Although several initial breaches of the
Indonesian line occurs, the Indonesians are successful with their
counterattacks. The status quo remains. The tanks and other equipment arrives
from the USA & is rushed to the front lines. 4th Brigade starts to arrive at Point
Stuart. They will reinforce NAR. RAAF conducts a massive air offensive
across Northern Australia. The Indonesian loses are significant; only a handful
of Indonesian aircraft survive. RAN orders three submarines back into
the Timor Sea. NAR, with 4th Brigade support, attacks
Mary River. The fighting is desperate, but the Indonesians manage to repeal the
attack. RAAF conducts continuous strike missions
on targets all across Indonesia. 40 F-111s & 35 FA-18s destroy barracks,
munition depots, factories, military bases, airports & ports. 30 F-111s & 10 FA-18s single out
Jakarta for strike missions. Among the targets it the Presidential Palace of
Suharto. Suharto is not at the Palace & survives the raids. RAN submarines intercept a large convoy
heading for Darwin. 10 of the transports are sunk. The Indonesian Fleet sorties everything
they can spare and moves 18 ships, of various sizes, into the Timor Sea. Battle of the Timor Sea. RAN submarines
report the Indonesian Navy locations. The trap is sprung. As the artillery barrage continues to
pound the Indonesian defences at Katherine, the RAAF begin to pound the
Indonesian positions throughout Northern Australia. Mary Creek is singled out
for special attention. Australia army at Katherine attack the
Indonesians. Although the first defence line is taken, the Indonesian reserve
line holds. The artillery barrage once again starts
to pound the Indonesian reserve defence lines at Katherine. Indonesia’s
Day of Darkness. Indonesia loses two important
battles. The Australian forces attack once again
at Katherine. 50 000 Australians, involved in the largest battle in Australia,
defeat 25 000 Indonesian defenders. The Indonesians conduct a fighting
withdrawal to Pine Creek. Major Davis, at the head of NAR, enters
Darwin. There is no resistance & the few Indonesian forces there surrender.
NAR & 4th Brigade spread out & take possession of the city. Fraser calls for the Indonesians to
surrender. Suharto refuses. The Indonesians at Pine Creek withdraw
to Adelaide River wherein they discover that Darwin has been taken. The Indonesian commander at Adelaide
River requests for cease fire, which is granted. The Indonesian forces at Adelaide River
surrender. 20 000 Indonesian soldiers march into captivity. Northern Australia
is liberated. Fraser, Carter & the UN all call for
peace talks. There is no reply from Indonesia. Fraser arrives in Darwin to see for
himself the destruction & to review the troops. Both Davis & Watkins are
presented to Fraser. He congratulates them & has a pleasant announcement.
Both soldiers are awarded the Victoria
Cross. Peacock arrives in Singapore & heads
off to meet with his opposite number. Unfortunately he is assassinated getting
out of the car at the Singapore Foreign Ministry. The Singapore police shoot
& kill the assassins. They are identified as Indonesians. The CIA announce that the Indonesian
assassins belonged to the Indonesian Intelligence Agency. The fighting on E Timor intensifies
dramatically. Casualties are in their thousands. This includes several hundred
civilians that Indonesians have retaliated against during the fighting. The UN security council, after reviewing
the compelling evidence, grants the E Timor Independence Mandate. The fighting continues in E Timor. The
Indonesians are having a hard time of it. They slowly withdraw to the main
cities & towns. The Allies discover that the Indonesians
massacred, a few days previously, an entire village of 200 E Timorese. It is
decided that some action must take place immediately. Australian 1 Commando, along with other
support units, lands on the east coast of Timor. No opposition is met by the
Indonesian forces. FRETLIN units make contact. As more Allied units arrive in E Timor,
the Indonesian forces slowly withdraw. Fighting starts. Casualties are high. The
Indonesians defend every metre. The need for reinforcements becomes a
demanding issue for the Allies. Not only have they suffered casualties, but the
withdrawal of FRETLIN units has begun to make itself felt. 4
October 1980 Even though Australia is still in the middle of a war, the country holds its Federal elections. Although the Fraser Government &, needless to say, the country has survived invasion & now final victory appears near, the Government is returned with a much reduced majority.
NAR is back on the front line. Major
Davis is deputy commander of 6RAR, 8th Brigade’s second
battalion, while the newly promoted Captain Watkins commands its alpha
company. Heavy fighting continues as the Allies
methodically push the Indonesians back. However, it is feared that Suharto might
be right when he stated that Australian blood would flow in E Timor. Civil war starts in Ambon. Allied forces continue to push the
Indonesians back. Many Indonesians start surrendering. It is noticed that many
are out of ammunition & are starving. As the fighting continues, Indonesian
generals in Timor begin negotiations for a cease fire. Suharto is not informed
of these negotiations. Cease fire goes into effect in Timor.
Surrender negotiations commence. The cease fire holds, although many
FRETLIN units wish to re-enter the fray & attack the Indonesians, killing as
many as possible. Indonesian forces surrender in E Timor.
The surrender conditions outrage FRETLIN, but saves thousands of casualties. The
FRETLIN leadership, nonetheless, abide by the terms. As per the agreement with the Allies,
FRETLIN triumphantly enters Dili followed by the NAR. It is the greatest
Christmas present the E Timorese could ever receive. Victory is almost complete. President Carter calls for peace &
negotiations with Suharto. A peace conference takes place in Papua
New Guinea between representatives from Indonesia, Australia & the Allies. The terms of the peace treaty are made
public. A subsequent settlement treaty is also announced. These are: The original NAR including the volunteer "platoon", dressed in their ANZAC uniforms, is given the honour of being the ceremonial guard at the signing ceremony. The Indonesian - Australian war is officially over.
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