Ashmore refused the Japanese boarding party access and redirected it to Brind, using his lack of decision-making authority as a form of polite obstruction. Brind had Royal Marines and an embarked Army detachment available aboard Birmingham, yet he sent only a midshipman, a petty officer, and four ratings. They raised the gangway and made entry difficult without turning the merchantman into an overt fighting position. The party had little combat power, but forcing it aside would make the seizure an unmistakable confrontation with uniformed Royal Navy personnel.
Chapter · 43:27-47:14
A six-person guard as a naval tripwire
Ashmore, a petty officer, and four ratings prevented another boarding through formal obstruction, creating a tiny but politically potent tripwire aboard the merchantman.