UN Forces Background
September 20th, 1999. A force of warships from Australia, the UK, France and other nations is covering the UN Force at Dili, East Timor. 1850 hrs. Wireless reports have been received that an Indonesian LST has landed a force of Marines on the beach at Mirilian village where it was reported that General Yuasa Yahnni had been intercepted by East Timorese FRETLIN Forces and arrested. The General was on his way to West Timor after a successful liaison mission with the Murakin Militia, recently engaged in killing witnesses to the massacres in Dili. Two Frigates are also thought present. Dusk is falling with full darkness expected at 1920 hrs. The UNHRC war crimes commission is very anxious to speak with the General.
1950 hrs. The Australian Fremantle-class patrol boat Dubbo is approaching Mirilian village.
1955 hrs. The village buildings have been observed catching alight. Obviously someone is burning the village down. Considerable small arms fire is being heard from on shore.
2007 hrs. The village is a mass of burning buildings. Dubbo continues to approach. An Australian P-3C Orion is in communication and reports it is approaching. The firing on shore appears to be decreasing.
2032 hrs. Showing navigation lights, the P-3C Orion aircraft circles the village and an unknown naval group. All ships are at electronically silent and without lights. Using FLIR, she identifies one as an Indonesian LST, the other an ex-Dutch Van Speijik-class frigate. The third vessel is farther away and not identified.
2040 hrs. The darkened naval force continues to pull away from the area, but at only 5 knots. The P-3C signals Dubbo that the vessels are in EMCON. The Orion is then forced to leave because of its approaching ‘bingo’ fuel status.
2150 hrs. HMAS Dubbo identifies herself and challenges, demanding the darkened ships identity themselves. The challenge is ignored.
2151 hrs. Suddenly automatic weapons open fire from the LST. Dubbo returns fire at once on the LST, raking is upper decks with machinegun fire and the Bofors gun.
2152 hrs. The two frigates with the LST open fire. The more distant one scores no hits, but the ex-Dutch frigate knocks out the Bofors gun on Dubbo almost at once. Fires break out and the patrol boat is forced to stop temporarily.
2154 hrs The darkened warships cease fire. They move away, leaving Dubbo on fire.
2158 hrs. The fires are already out. Dubbo can still make 11 knots. She is shadowing the force, but has only intermittent communications with her base because of her damage.
2200 hrs. The unknown force is making 10 knots and continues at this speed.
0001 hrs. Sept. 21st. By this time Dubbo is in square 14D on the map provided, near a group of islands to the NW of Timor. All these islands are Indonesian territories. Dubbo has come on the air intermittently, reporting damage, casualties and communication problems to UNFOR.
0313 hrs. All contact with Dubbo has been lost for several hours.
0617 hrs. After a conference at UNFOR HQ the French frigate Vendémiare has been ordered to cover Dili while the other warships present sortie to search for Dubbo and the ships that attacked her. Australian signal intercepts have provided the conference with the identity of the LST, Teluk Langsa and the frigate Ahmed Yani, both of which are confirmed as having fired on Dubbo.
UNFOR Naval Forces
Overall Flagship is HMS Glasgow (Type 42/1 DDG)
TF1. HMS Glasgow (flag) (Type 42/1 class DDG), HMAS Adelaide (US O.H. Perry class FFG), HMAS Anzac (Anzac class FF).
TF2. HMAS Darwin (flag) (US O.H. Perry class FFG), HMNZS Te Kaha (Anzac class FF).
TF 3. If any action takes place before 1300 hrs, which results in the loss or serious damage of any UNFOR warship, the French light frigate Vendémiare (Floréal class) can be ordered to enter the map via 14C or 14D within 4 hours after the request. A P-3C Orion has been called from Darwin to assist. Other aircraft are on standby.
UNFOR Orders
Both Task Forces:
- 1. Locate HMAS Dubbo, or if she has sunk, search for survivors.
2. Darwin and Te Kaha are to go to the site of the burning village first. Confirm the incident and check to see if the fate of Dubbo is known there.
3. Locate the LST and two escorts. Intelligence Intercepts have identified the LST as the Indonesian naval vessel Teluk Langsa. She is accompanied by two frigates, one of which is Ahmed Yani. Both these ships have reported to their own command that they have engaged the Australian patrol boat. UNFOR HQ considers these sufficient grounds to enforce the mandate.
4. You will request the LST and Ahmed Yani to accompany you back to Dili where the UN can investigate the incident.
5. Should the ships refuse, you have permission to use force to persuade them to do so. If they fire on you, UNFOR HQ has given orders for you to respond with all necessary force.
6. TF 1 can enter anywhere along the 14 line, from 14A to 14 F. When last in contact, Dubbo’s course was taking her toward Merolan Island. Entry time onto the map is 0900.
7. TF 2 has confirmed that an attack took place on Mirilian village. The troops involved were ‘Militia’ from onshore, assisted by Indonesian Marines landed from the LST. After the attack the Marines re-embarked. The entire village is destroyed and only a handful of survivors have escaped to confirm what happened. You have not discovered any sign of Dubbo. You will therefore be able to enter the map at 0945 anywhere on the 14 line from 14E to 14H.
8. A P-3C Orion can arrive at squares 14D, 14E, or 14F only at 0900. It is carrying 2 Harpoon missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinders. It must be wary of breaching Indonesian airspace unless hostile activity takes place. It has a loiter time of four hours.
9. Each square of the map is 10 nm and keeping at least 20 nm off shore is considered safe from breaching the territory of the Republic of Indonesia.
10. If an engagement takes place, F/A-18, F-111, and additional P-3C Orion aircraft can be called up. They will enter from the same area as the P-3C Orion.
- Aircraft Availability. Roll a D10:
- 1, 2, 3: A Single P-3C can be called in, entering from square 14F 30 minutes after requested. It is armed the same as the one already present and has a loiter time of four hours also.
4, 5, 6: A pair of AF-18s can be called in 21 minutes after requested. They can enter from 14D, E, or F. They are loaded for air defense only.
7, 8: A pair of AF-18s can be called in 9 minutes after requested. They can enter from 14D, E, or F. They can be configured for shipping attack or air defense, or a mix of both.
9: A pair of AF-18s can arrive 21 minutes after requested. They can enter from 14D, E, or F. They are loaded for air defense only. The are covering 2 F-111 loaded for shipping attack.
10: Four AF/A-18s are available 21 minutes after request. Two can be armed for shipping attack, and two for air defense.
More East Timor Crisis
BT
Back to The Naval Sitrep #20 Table of Contents
Back to Naval Sitrep List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 2001 by Larry Bond and Clash of Arms.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com