NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse

The Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a World War II naval engagement which illustrated the effectiveness of aerial attacks against naval forces that were not protected by air cover and the resulting importance of including an aircraft carrier in any major fleet action. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... For other uses, see Pacific War (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, built at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, England. ... HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser, the second to last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. ... HMS Electra, which carried the pennant number H27, was launched on 15 February 1934 at the Hawthorne Leslie shipyard at Hebburn, Tyneside. ... The HMS Express (H.61) was an E-Class destroyer with the Royal Navy. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Filipino name Tagalog: Luzon Sea Portuguese name Portuguese: Mar da China Meridional Vietnamese name Vietnamese: The South China Sea is a marginal sea south of China. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Two World War II military groups were called Force Z An Allied force attached to General Sir Archibald Wavells Middle East Command in 1941, consisting of Nos. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_Japan. ... The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service or Dai Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koku Hombu was a major force in the Pacific War during World War II. The Japanese military acquired their first aircraft in 1910 and followed the development of air combat during World War I with great interest. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Acting Admiral Tom Phillips Admiral Sir Thomas Tom Spencer Vaughan Phillips KCB (1888-1941) had a successful career in the Royal Navy. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... John Catterall Leach (d. ... Image File history File links Naval_Ensign_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Roundel_of_the_Japan_Air_Self-Defense_Force. ... Image File history File links Roundel_of_the_Japan_Air_Self-Defense_Force. ... Combatants Empire of Japan Vichy France Commanders Akihito Nakamura Takuma Nishimura Maurice Martin Strength 34,000 men 2,000 men Casualties ? 800 The Invasion of French Indochina ), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, the Japanese Invasion of Vietnam, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan, during the Second Sino... This article is about the actual attack. ... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... Combatants British Army Canadian Army British Indian Army Royal Hong Kong Regiment Imperial Japanese Army Commanders Mark Aitchison Young Christopher Michael Maltby Sakai Takashi Strength 15,000 troops 50,000 troops Casualties 4,500 killed 8,500 POWs 706 killed 1,534 wounded Pacific campaigns 1941-42 Pearl Harbor â€“ Thailand... Combatants Empire of Japan United States Commanders Shigeyoshi Inoue Sadamichi Kajioka Shigematsu Sakaibara Winfield S. Cunningham Strength 2,500 infantry[1] 523 infantry of the 1st Marine Defense Battalion {understrength}, VMF-211, US Navy/US Army personnel, Others[2] Casualties 700-900 dead, 2 destroyers, 2 patrol boats, 20 aircraft... The Netherlands East Indies campaign was the shortlived defence of the Netherlands East Indies by Allied forces, against invasion by the Empire of Japan in 1941-42. ... The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II. Fighting in the Australian mandated Territory of New Guinea (the north-eastern part of the island of New Guinea and surrounding islands) and Dutch New Guinea, between Allied and Japanese forces, commenced with the Japanese... It has been suggested that Japanese Raids into Indian Ocean be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants United States Japan Commanders James H. Doolittle Hideki Tojo Strength 16 B-25 Mitchells Unknown number of troops and homeland defense Casualties 3 dead, 8 POWs (4 died in captivity); 5 interned in USSR all 16 B-25s About 50 dead, 400 injured Lt. ... Combatants United States Australia New Guinea[1] New Zealand United Kingdom Colony of Fiji[2] Solomon Is. ... Combatants United States Navy Royal Australian Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Frank J. Fletcher John G. Crace Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 light carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 fleet carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker sunk 543 killed 1 light carrier... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Chester W. Nimitz Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi â€ Strength 3 carriers, ~50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft 4 carriers, 7 battleships, ~150 support ships, 248 carrier aircraft, 16 floatplanes Casualties 1 carrier... The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was the name given to the campaigns of the Pacific War in India, Burma, Thailand, Malaya and Singapore. ... Combatants Empire of Japan Vichy France Commanders Akihito Nakamura Takuma Nishimura Maurice Martin Strength 34,000 men 2,000 men Casualties ? 800 The Invasion of French Indochina ), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, the Japanese Invasion of Vietnam, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan, during the Second Sino... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... The Andaman and Nicobar Islands (8,293 sq km on 139 islands), are a group of islands situated in the Bay of Bengal at about 780 miles from Kolkata, 740 miles from Chennai and 120 miles from Cape Nargis in Burma. ... The Pacific War conquest plan set out by the Empire of Japan for the South Sea lands concluded on March 31, 1942 with the attack on and occupation of Christmas Island. ... It has been suggested that Japanese Raids into Indian Ocean be merged into this article or section. ... Allied aircraft bombed Japanese forces in South-East Asia during 1944-45. ... Combatants Empire of Japan France Strength 55,000 Casualties ? 2,129 Europeans killed (military & civil) The Second French Indochina Campaign also known as the Japanese coup of March 1945, was a Japanese military operation in all Vietnam, then a French colony. ... Combatants United Kingdom Empire of Japan Commanders Arthur John Power Manley Laurence Power Shigeru Fukudome Shintaro Hashimotoâ€ Kaju Sugiuraâ€ Strength 5 destroyers 1 cruiser 1 destroyer Casualties 1 destroyer damaged, 2 killed[1] 1 cruiser sunk, 1 destroyer damaged, 927 killed[2] The Battle of the Malacca Strait, sometimes called... Combatants Malaya Command: Indian III Corps Australian 8th Div. ... The Japanese invasion of Malaya began just after midnight on 8th December 1941 before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. ... Operation Krohcol was a British operation in 1942 to move into Siam just after the Japanese attack on Malaya during World War II. It was named Krohcol as it was a column operating on the Kroh-Patani road. ... Combatants 11th Indian Division 1st Leicestershires 2nd East Surreys Imperial Guards Division 5th Division Commanders David Murray-Lyon Tomoyuki Yamashita Casualties 2000 civilians killed The Battle of Jitra was the first major engagement fought between the invading Japanese and British forces in Malaya. ... Combatants 11th Indian Division 41st Infantry Regiment Commanders Archibald Paris Masanobu Tsuji Strength 1,300 4,000 Casualties (Japanese estimate) 150 killed (Japanese estimate) 500 killed The Battle of Kampar was a major engagement of World War II between the 11th Indian Division and the Japanese 5th Division. ... Combatants 11th Indian Division 5th Division Commanders Archibald Paris Hajime Shimada The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya. ... Combatants Westforce: Australian 8th Division Indian 9th Division 45th Indian Brigade 53rd Infantry Brigade Twenty-Fifth Army: Imperial Guards 5th Division Commanders Arthur Percival Gordon Bennett Herbert Duncan â€ Charles Anderson Frederick Galleghan Takuma Nishimura Strength 45th Indian Brigade: 4000 Infantry 60 aircraft 8000 Infantry 400 aircraft Casualties 45th Indian Brigade... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare, including military airlift of cargo to further the national interests as was demonstrated in the Berlin Airlift. ... Naval redirects here. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea...

The action took place east of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang where the British battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were attacked by Imperial Japanese Navy land-based bombers and torpedo bombers. Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... Kuantan City Coordinates: , Country State Establishment Late 19th century (early formation of township) Area - City 2,960 kmÂ² (1,143 sq mi) Elevation 21. ... State anthem: Pahang State Anthem Capital Kuantan Royal capital Pekan Ruling party Barisan Nasional - Sultan Sultan Ahmad Shah - Menteri Besar Adnan Yaakob History - Federated into FMS 1895 - Japanese occupation 1942 - Accession into Federation of Malaya 1948 Area - Total 35,964 kmÂ² Population - 2005 estimate 1,372,500 - Density 38. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy, built at the Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead, England. ... [[Image:HMS Hood and HMS Barham. ... HMS Repulse was a Renown-class battlecruiser, the second to last battlecruiser built for the Royal Navy. ... For Combined Fleet, please see that article. ... For other uses, see Bomber (disambiguation). ... A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with torpedoes, but they could also carry out conventional bombings. ...

Background

Both ships were sent to Singapore in December 1941, to serve as a deterrent to Japanese aggression, which had been demonstrated in the invasion of French Indochina. First Sea Lord Sir Dudley Pound felt that Singapore could not be adequately defended, unless the Royal Navy sent the majority of its capital ships there, to achieve parity with the estimated nine Japanese battleships. That was unacceptable as the British were at war with Germany and Italy. However, Prime Minister Winston Churchill was optimistic about the improving situation in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean and allocating two ships to the colony's defence was seen as a vital compromise given the British need to protect its various colonial territories in Malaya, Borneo and the Straits Settlements. The governments of Australia and New Zealand, who had sent the bulk of their armed forces to the North African campaign, also stressed the importance of Singapore in deterring Japanese aggression. For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... Combatants Empire of Japan Vichy France Commanders Akihito Nakamura Takuma Nishimura Maurice Martin Strength 34,000 men 2,000 men Casualties ? 800 The Invasion of French Indochina ), also known as the Vietnam Expedition, the Japanese Invasion of Vietnam, was an attempt by the Empire of Japan, during the Second Sino... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB GCVO RN (August 29, 1877 - October 21, 1943) was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... The capital ships of a navy are its important warships; the ones with the heaviest firepower and armor. ... Churchill redirects here. ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located at the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia. ... The Straits Settlements were a collection of territories of the British East India Company in Southeast Asia, which were given collective administration in 1826. ... During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ...

While Churchill may be seen as thereby making a futile and costly, gesture, the despatch of capital ships to Singapore had been part of the Admiralty's strategic planning since the Singapore naval base had been established. The scale of this deployment had been reduced during the 1930s, as Germany and Italy presented new threats to British interests and in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. Nevertheless, it was still assumed that a significant force of capital ships would deter Japanese aggression. It must also be noted that Churchill's thinking took into account that the US Navy would agree to send its Pacific Fleet, including eight battleships, to Singapore in the event that hostilities with Japan broke out, or that the British contribution would add to the US fleet's deterrent value, should it stay at Pearl Harbor.^[2] Churchill redirects here. ... The capital ships of a navy are its important warships; the ones with the heaviest firepower and armor. ... The United States Pacific Fleet (USPACFLT) is a Pacific Ocean Navy theater-level component command of the United States Navy, under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. ...

The original British plan had called for a larger fleet which included the new Illustrious-class aircraft carrier HMS Indomitable for air cover, although the plan had to be revised when Indomitable was damaged en route. The Illustrious-class aircraft carriers were some of the most important ships to the United Kingdom in World War II. They were laid down in the late 1930s as part of the rearmament of the Royal Navy in response to the threats of Hitler, Mussolini and militarist Japan. ... HMS Indomitable (R92) was a modified Illustrious class aircraft carrier of the British Royal Navy. ...

Deployment

What was then designated as Force G, consisting of the modern battleship Prince of Wales, the World War I era battlecruiser Repulse, and the four destroyers HMS Electra, HMS Express, HMS Encounter, and HMS Jupiter, arrived at Singapore on 2 December, 1941. They were then re-designated Force Z. The new carrier, Indomitable was allocated to Force G, but whilst working up off Bermuda she had run aground in the entrance to Kingston harbour on November 3, 1941 ^[3]. Indomitable required 12 days of dry dock repairs in Norfolk, Virginia and was able to take no further part in the action. They spent a few days there with shore leave and refit, while waiting for orders. On 1 December, it was announced that Sir Tom Phillips had been promoted to full Admiral, and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Fleet. A few days later, Repulse started on a trip to Australia with the HMS Vampire, and HMS Tenedos, but the force was recalled to Singapore to assemble for possible operations against the Japanese. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... [[Image:HMS Hood and HMS Barham. ... USS McFaul underway in the Atlantic Ocean. ... HMS Electra, which carried the pennant number H27, was launched on 15 February 1934 at the Hawthorne Leslie shipyard at Hebburn, Tyneside. ... The HMS Express (H.61) was an E-Class destroyer with the Royal Navy. ... HMS Jupiter (F85) was a J-class destroyer of the Royal Navy laid down by the Yarrow Shipbuilding Company, Limited, at Scotstoun in Glasgow on 28 September 1937, launched on 27 October 1938 and commissioned on 25 June 1939. ... is the 336th day of the year (337th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The City of Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica. ... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... U.S. Navy submarine USS Greeneville in dry dock following collision with a fishing boat. ... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... is the 335th day of the year (336th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Acting Admiral Tom Phillips Admiral Sir Thomas Tom Spencer Vaughan Phillips KCB (1888-1941) had a successful career in the Royal Navy. ... The British Eastern Fleet (also known as the East Indies Fleet) was a fleet of the Royal Navy during World War II. It operated in the Indian Ocean and was based in Trincomalee in Ceylon. ... HMAS Vampire (D68/I68) was a V-class destroyer of the British and Royal Australian navies. ... HMS Tenedos was an Admiralty S class destroyer. ...

Also at Singapore were the light cruisers HMS Durban, HMS Danae, HMS Dragon, and HMS Mauritius, and the destroyers HMS Stronghold, Encounter, and Jupiter. The heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, Dutch light cruiser Java, 2 more British destroyers (Scout and Thanet), and 4 United States destroyers (Whipple, John D. Edwards, Edsall, and Alden) would be there within 3 days. HMS Danae, during World War II known as ORP Conrad, was the lead ship of the Danae class cruisers (also known as the D class), serving with the Royal Navy between the world wars and with the Polish Navy during World War II. She was laid 1 December 1916 in... HMS Dragon, a cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Maurituis, pennant C80, was a Crown Colony-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Raleigh a Hawkins class cruiser around which the treaty limits for Heavy cruisers were written. ... The fourth and best known of the Exeters, HMS Exeter (68), was a York class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that served in World War II. She was laid down on 1 August 1928 at the Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth, Devon. ... A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... HNLMS Java was a Sumatra-class light cruiser of the Royal Netherlands Navy. ... USS Whipple (DD- 217/AG-117), a Clemson-class destroyer was the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Captain Abraham Whipple (1733â€“1819), who served in the Continental Navy. ... USS (DD-216) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for John D. Edwards. ... USS Edsall (DD-219), named for Seaman Norman Eckley Edsall (1873–1899), was a Clemson-class destroyer of the United States Navy. ... USS Alden (DD-211) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II, named for James Alden, Jr. ...

Though Durban and Stronghold were available, Admiral Philips decided to leave them at Singapore because they were not as fast as the other units. Additionally, Danae, Dragon, Mauritius, Encounter, and Jupiter were also at Singapore, but were under repair and not ready to sail.

Axis Preparations

The plans for the British to defend Singapore fell into the hands of the Axis when the S.S. Automedon was boarded by the German Raider Atlantis in the Indian Ocean, on November 11, 1940. The Germans discovered the documents and sent them to the Japanese.[1] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Atlantis, known to the Kriegsmarine as Schiff 16 and to the Royal Navy as Raider-C, was a converted German Hilfskreuzer (auxiliary cruiser, or merchant or commerce raider) of the Kriegsmarine, which, during World War II, travelled more than 161,000 km in 602 days, and sank 22 ships totaling...

Furthermore, Winston Churchill publicly announced that the Prince Of Wales and Repulse were to be sent to Singapore as a deterrent to the Japanese. Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto sent 36 Betty torpedo bombers to reinforce the existing Kanoya Naval Force and Genzan Air Corps, whose pilots began training vigorously for an attack on the two capital ships.[2] Churchill redirects here. ... Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto ) (4 April 1884 â€“ 18 April 1943) was Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, graduate of Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and an alumnus of U.S. Naval War College and Harvard University (1919â€“1921). ...

Hostilities Commence

Early in the morning of 8 December (Singapore time), Singapore came under attack by Japanese aircraft. Prince Of Wales and Repulse shot back with anti-aircraft fire; no planes were shot down, and the ships sustained no damage. The Japanese made their landings on Malaya on 8 December 1941 (Singapore time), and the British land forces were hard pressed. Image File history File links G3M.pngâ€Ž Imperial Japanese Navy bomber G3M This pre-1945 image is believed to be copyright-free, as it is a Japanese photograph older than 50 years. ... Image File history File links G3M.pngâ€Ž Imperial Japanese Navy bomber G3M This pre-1945 image is believed to be copyright-free, as it is a Japanese photograph older than 50 years. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Singapore Imperial Japanese Navy Strength Anti-aircraft guns 1 battleship 1 battlecruiser 17 aircraft Casualties 61 killed 700 wounded The first air raid on Singapore was conducted by seventeen bombers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... American troops man an anti-aircraft gun near the Algerian coastline in 1943 Anti-aircraft, or air defense, is any method of combating military aircraft from the ground. ... Map of Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia (Malay: Semenanjung Malaysia) is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula, and shares a land border with Thailand in the north. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ...

Around that time, news came in that Pearl Harbor had been attacked and that eight US battleships has been sunk or disabled. Pre-war planning had presumed that the US Pacific fleet would have moved to Singapore to reinforce the British ships when war broke out but that could now not be done. Philips had concluded in an earlier discussion with US General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Thomas C. Hart that his two capital ships were of insufficient strength to confront the Japanese.[3] This article is about the actual attack. ... This article is about the American general; for the municipality in the Philippines, see General MacArthur, Eastern Samar. ... Thomas Charles Hart (12 June 1877 – 4 July 1971) was an admiral of the United States Navy, whose service extended from the Spanish-American War through World War II. Following retirement from the Navy, he served briefly as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut. ... The capital ships of a navy are its important warships; the ones with the heaviest firepower and armor. ...

However, with the Japanese threatening to overrun Malaya, Philips was pressed to use his ships in an offensive role and he assembled his flotilla to intercept and destroy Japanese invasion convoys in the South China Sea. Churchill and his cabinet had suggested that Force Z be used as "fast fleeting menace" or "rogue elephants", similar to the German battleship Bismarck, but they lacked a preordained battle plan. [4] For other uses, see Convoy (disambiguation). ... Filipino name Tagalog: Luzon Sea Portuguese name Portuguese: Mar da China Meridional Vietnamese name Vietnamese: The South China Sea is a marginal sea south of China. ... Two World War II military groups were called Force Z An Allied force attached to General Sir Archibald Wavells Middle East Command in 1941, consisting of Nos. ... In naval warfare, a fleet in being is a naval force that extends a controlling influence without ever leaving port. ... The German battleship Bismarck is one of the most famous warships of the Second World War. ...

Admiral Philips knew the local Royal Air Force unit could not guarantee air cover for his ships as they were equipped with limited numbers of aging fighters and their airfields were threatened by the Japanese land attacks. He elected to proceed anyway because he thought that Japanese forces could not operate so far from land. He also thought that his ships were relatively immune from fatal damage via air attack, since up to that point, no capital ship at sea had ever been sunk by air attack. The largest unit which had been sunk by aircraft alone up to this time was a heavy cruiser. RAF redirects here. ... Air cover is a term used to describe the use of military aircraft to provide protection against enemy attacks on ground or at sea. ... An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ... For other uses, see Airport (disambiguation). ... HMS Raleigh a Hawkins class cruiser around which the treaty limits for Heavy cruisers were written. ...

Departure

Force Z, consisting of the Prince of Wales, Repulse, Electra, Express, Vampire, and Tenedos, sailed from Singapore at 1710 on 8 December. Two World War II military groups were called Force Z An Allied force attached to General Sir Archibald Wavells Middle East Command in 1941, consisting of Nos. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

At 0713 on 9 December, Force Z passed the Anamba Islands to the east, and turned to a new course of 330 degrees, later changing to 345 degrees. Force Z was spotted by Japanese submarine I-65 at 1400 on 9 December, which shadowed the British ships for five hours, radioing their positions. The British ships were unaware that they were being shadowed by the submarine. After this report, Vice Admiral Ozawa, in command of the invasion force, ordered most of his warships to escort the empty transports back to Cam Ranh Bay in Indo-China. is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 343rd day of the year (344th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Ozawa (å°æ²¢ or å°æ¾¤) is a name of: Ichiro Ozawa, a Japanese politician Jisaburo Ozawa, a Japanese admiral during World War II Seiji Ozawa, a Japanese conductor Kenji Ozawa, a Japanese musician, nephew of Seiji Ozawa Categories: Disambiguation ... Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water seaport in Vietnam in the province of Khanh Hoa. ... Indochina, or French Indochina, was a federation of French colonies and protectorates in south-east Asia, part of the French colonial empire. ...

The message of the I-65 confirming the presence of the British battleships reached the 22nd Air Flotilla Headquarters two hours later. At that time their aircraft were in the process of loading bombs for an attack on Singapore Harbour, but they switched to torpedoes as quickly as possible. The bombers were not ready until 1800 hours.

About 1730, just a half hour before sunset, the force was spotted by 3 Aichi E13A seaplanes (Jake), which had been catapulted off the Japanese cruisers Yura, Kinu and Kumano escorting the transports. These aircraft continued shadowing until sunset (1809 hrs local time). At about 1830, Tenedos was detached to return to Singapore, because of her limited fuel capacity. The Aichi E13A (Allied reporting name: Jake) was a longe-range reconaissance seaplane used by the Japanese Imperial Navy from 1941 to 1945. ... The Yura (ç”±è‰¯) was a Nagara Class Light Cruiser scuttled October 25, 1942 off Savo Island. ... Kinu was a Nagara-class light cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy, named after the Kinu River. ... The Kumano (ç†Šé‡Ž) was one of four Mogami-class cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ...

A night attack was attempted by the Japanese bombers because they feared that the British battleships would find their invasion force, but bad weather prevented them from finding the ships and they returned to their airfields at Thu Dau Mot and Saigon about midnight. Thu Dau Mot is a capital city of Binh Duong Province, Vietnam. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: ThÃ nh ChÃ Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ...

Return to Singapore

That night, one of the Japanese search aircraft dropped a flare over the Japanese heavy cruiser Chokai, having mistaken it for the battleship Prince of Wales. After this, the Japanese force of six cruisers and several destroyers turned away to the northeast. The flare was also seen by the British force, which feared they had been identified and then turned away to the southeast. At this point, the forces were approximately 5 miles apart, but did not sight each other, and the Japanese force was not picked up on the radar of the Prince Of Wales. At 2055, Admiral Philips cancelled the operation, saying that they had lost the element of surprise, and ordered the force to return to Singapore.

On the way back, they were spotted and reported by the Japanese submarine I-58. I-58 reported that it had fired 5 torpedoes and missed, and then lost sight of the force 3 hours later. The British force did not see the torpedoes, and never knew they had been attacked. Japanese submarine I-58 Forward torpedo room of I-58. ...

The report from the I-58 reached the 22nd Air Flotilla Headquarters at 0315, and ten bombers of the Genzan Air Corps were dispatched at 0600 to conduct a sector search for the ships. The Flotilla left their airfields about an hour later, and were ordered to proceed to the best estimated position of the ships.

The Japanese air attack

The next morning, 10 December, they received a report of Japanese landings at Kuantan, a town on the east coast of Malaya, halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu. Force Z headed in that general direction. At 0515, objects were spotted on the horizon. Thinking that they were the invasion force, Force Z turned towards them. They turned out to be a trawler towing barges. At 0630, Repulse reported seeing an aircraft shadowing the ships. At 0718, Prince Of Wales catapulted off a Supermarine Walrus reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft flew to Kuantan, saw nothing, reported back to the Prince of Wales, and flew to Singapore. Express was sent to investigate the area, finding nothing. At 1005, Tenedos reported that she was being attacked by Japanese aircraft, about 140 miles southeast of Force Z. The attack was by nine Mitsubishi G3M 'Nell' twin-engined medium bombers from the Genzan Air Corps from the 22nd Air Flotilla based at Saigon which were armed with one 500 kg (1,102 lb) armor-piercing bomb. But they mistook the destroyer for a battleship and wasted their attack with all bombs scoring no hits. At 1015, more Japanese aircraft spotted the ships, after Force Z failed to find any Japanese invasion forces and was heading back south. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Kota Bharu (Jawi:ÙƒÙˆØª Ø¨Ù‡Ø§Ø±Ùˆ), a town in Malaysia, is the state capital of Kelantan. ... The Supermarine Walrus was a single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm. ... Imperial Japanese Navy bomber Mitsubishi G3M. The Mitsubishi G3M (ä¹å…å¼é™¸ä¸Šæ”»æ’ƒæ©Ÿ:Type 96 land-based attack aircraft; Allied reporting name Nell) was a Japanese bomber aircraft used during World War Two, mostly against the Chinese. ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: ThÃ nh ChÃ Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ...

At 1113 hours, the fleet was attacked by three waves of Japanese planes the first being the high-level bombers from the Mihoro Air Corps which was made up of 17 Nell bombers with 500 kg (1,102 lb) bombs, as well as eight Nells with two 225 kg (500 lb) bombs. They scored just one hit on the hangar deck area of the Repulse, which started a small fire. Then at about 1140 hours came the first of the torpedo bombers made up of 16 Nells from the Genzan Air Corps.

The Prince of Wales suffered one catastrophic hit on her outer port propeller shaft; this shaft, turning at maximum revolutions, twisted and breached several compartments as well as rupturing the glands that prevented sea water entering the ship via the broad shaft trunnel. This led to not only severe flooding, a list and loss of speed, but also affected steerage. Furthermore power to some of Prince of Wales' 5.25inch dual purpose turrets was cut leaving Prince of Wales unable to effecively counter further attacks while power loss to her pumps meant an inability to pump flood water faster than it was entering the breached hull.

Another high altitude attack by bombers aimed at the Repulse passed without damage. Then a second attack by eight torpedo bombers from the Mihoro Air Corps attacked the Repulse from two directions, but she avoided all the torpedoes and continued to steam. The third and final attack by 26 Mitsubishi G4M 'Betty' torpedo bombers from the Kanoya Air Corps, a detachment from the 21st Air Flotilla also based near Saigon, struck from several directions. Repulse, who had been masterfully handled by Captain Tennant in previous attacks, was caught between two skillfully delivered Japanese torpedo attacks and hit by four more torpedoes, the first jamming the rudder. The Captain ordered the crew overboard, the Repulse listed heavily to port over a period of about six minutes, finally rolling over and sinking at 1223. Mitsubishi G4M The Mitsubishi G4M (ä¸€å¼é™¸ä¸Šæ”»æ’ƒæ©Ÿ:Type 1 land-based attack aircraft; Allied reporting name Betty) was a twin-engined, land-based bomber aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. The bomber is nicknamed the Betty by the American military. ... The torpedo, historically called a locomotive torpedo, is a self-propelled explosive projectile weapon, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater toward a target, and designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ...

As mentioned, Prince of Wales was hit by at least six torpedoes, one hit in particular from the first attack causing fatal damage. An unseen torpedo struck her aft on the port side near the A-bracket of the port-outer shaft. This caused the shaft to dislodge and, still spinning at high speed before it could be stopped, it tore through much of the internal supports and bulkheads that sealed the shaft tunnel. Testimony from Lt Wildish, (see Middlebrook, Battleship, p201) in command of B engine room, indicates that the shaft was stopped successfully, but upon restarting the shaft, water rushed in through the damaged shaft passage, flooding 'B' engine room. Also flooded from this hit, and the subsequent shaft passage flooding, was 'Y' boiler room, the central auxiliary machinery room, 'Y' action machinery room, the port diesel dynamo room and a number of compartments aft. This single hit had three crippling effects. Firstly, it caused a 10 degree list to port, jamming some 5.25-inch turrets and meaning those on the starboard side were unable to depress low enough to engage the attackers. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ...

Secondly, it denied Prince of Wales much of her auxiliary electrical power that was vital for internal communications, ventilation, the steering gear and pumps and that the 5.25-inch and 2-pounder gun mountings relied on to train and elevate. All but S1 and S2 5.25 inch turrets were almost unmanageable, a factor compounded by the list, their crews unable even to drag them round manually using chains. The crews also had difficulty bringing the heavy 2-pounder mountings into manual operation. Thirdly, the extensive internal flooding and shaft damage left the ship under power of only the starboard engines and able to make only 15 knots at best, and with her electric steering unresponsive the ship was virtually unmaneuverable. She was still able to fire at a high level bombing attack with S1 and S2 turrets at 12:41, the bombs straddling her but not penetrating the deck armour. One bomb fell horribly amongst the wounded gathered in Prince of Wales' hangar causing horrendous casualties. HMS Express came alongside to take off wounded and non-fighting crew. The order to abandon ship was then given and she capsized to port and sank at 1318.

Repulse had managed to dodge 19 torpedoes. However, the Repulse did not have the anti-torpedo blisters, that her sister ship HMS Renown had received, and did not benefit from the more modern battleship's subdivision. As it was when she was struck, she was hit heavily and suddenly and so sank soon afterwards with heavy casualties. The anti-torpedo bulge (also known as an anti torpedo blister) is a form of passive defence against naval torpedoes that featured in warship construction in the period between the First and Second World Wars. ...

The Japanese had achieved 11 hits out of 49 torpedoes launched, and three Japanese aircraft were shot down during the attack: one Nell torpedo bomber from the Genzan Air Group, and two Betty torpedo bombers from the Kanoya Air Group. The air cover assigned to Force Z, Brewster Buffaloes of the Australian No. 453 Squadron, arrived over the force just as the Prince of Wales sank. The ten aircraft caught a Japanese bomber which stayed behind to observe results, but it managed to escape as they gave chase.^[4] The Brewster Buffalo, or Brewster F2A, was a U.S. fighter plane which saw extensive service with both Allied and Axis air forces during World War II. The fighters, derided by some American servicemen as flying coffins,[1] had a reputation for poor construction and performance, though they were relatively... No. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

After the action

The destroyers Electra and Vampire moved in to rescue survivors of Repulse, while Express rescued survivors of the Prince Of Wales. 840 sailors were lost, 513 on Repulse and 327 on Prince Of Wales. Even after they were rescued, some survivors of the Repulse manned Action Stations on Electra, to free the Electra sailors to rescue more survivors. In particular, Repulse gunners manned the 'X' and 'Y' 4.7-inch (120 mm) mounts, and the ship's dentist of the Repulse even assisted the Electra's medical teams with the wounded. In total, nearly 1,000 survivors of the Repulse were rescued, of which Electra saved 571. Vampire rescued 9 officers, 213 ratings, and 1 civilian war correspondent from Repulse, and 2 sailors from Prince Of Wales. Admiral Phillips and Captain John Leach, commanding officer of the Prince Of Wales, were among the lost as they chose to go down with the ship. Captain William G. Tennant of the Repulse was rescued by Vampire. The senior survivor of Prince Of Wales was Lt Cdr A. G. Skipwith, the ship's First Lieutenant, who was rescued by Express. Three Japanese planes were shot down, and 1 more was so damaged that it crashed on landing. John Catterall Leach (d. ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ...

After the battle, a Japanese plane swung low over the water and dropped a wreath of flowers over where the ships sank.

On the way back to Singapore with the survivors, Express passed the Stronghold and the 4 American destroyers heading north. Express signalled that the action was over, but the ships continued on and searched the area where the 2 large ships sank, looking for more survivors. None were found. While returning to Singapore from this search, Edsall boarded the fishing trawler that was towing boats that was sighted by Force Z that morning. The trawler was identified as the Shofu Fu Maru, and was taken to Singapore where the crew was interned.

For other places with the same name, see Brighton (disambiguation). ... A Flight Lieutenants sleeve/shoulder insignia Flight Lieutenant (abbreviated as Flt Lt and pronounced as flight lef-tenant, see Lieutenant) is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. ... The Distinguished Flying Cross (D.F.C.) is a decoration for courage shown in air combat. ... The RAAF Roundel is based on that of the British Royal Air Force, with the central circle replaced by a Kangaroo, a symbol of Australia. ...

Effects of the sinking

The next morning after the battle, Prime Minister Churchill received a phonecall at his bedside from Sir Dudley Pound, the First Sea Lord. Churchill redirects here. ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB GCVO RN (August 29, 1877 - October 21, 1943) was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943. ... The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the British Royal Navy. ...

Singapore had essentially been reduced to a land base after both capital ships were lost, and that was also the Royal Navy's greatest matériel lost in a single engagement. Combined with the earlier attack on Pearl Harbor, this left the Allies with no operational capital ships in the Pacific Theatre ^[7]. This article is about the actual attack. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Largest metro area Greater Los Angeles Area Ranked 3rd - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 kmÂ²) - Width 250 miles (400 km) - Length 770 miles (1,240 km) - % water 4. ... MatÃ©riel (from the French for equipment or hardware, related to the word material) is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management. ... This article is about the actual attack. ...

The two ships were the first capital ships actively defending themselves to be sunk solely by airpower while steaming on the open sea. This incident demonstrated the vulnerability of even the most modern surface ships to the potency of air attack and drove home the necessity of air cover to protect against such an incident. The Genzan Air Corps would attempt a torpedo attack on USS Lexington in early 1942, but they lost seventeen aircraft to the carrier's combat air patrol and anti-aircraft guns. The capital ships of a navy are its important warships; the ones with the heaviest firepower and armor. ... The fourth USS Lexington (CV-2), nicknamed the Gray Lady or Lady Lex, was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. ...

The ships today

The wrecks of the two ships were found after the war, Repulse in 183 feet (56 m) of water, and Prince of Wales in 223 feet (68 m). Both are in a nearly upside-down position. Buoys were attached to the propeller shafts, and flags of the Royal Navy are attached to the lines and are regularly changed by divers. The Royal Navy considers the wrecks to be Crown property. The Prince of Wales' bell was removed from the wreck by British technical divers Gavin Haywood and George McClure 2002 using closed circuit mixed-gas rebreathers in a combined recovery operation with the Royal Navy in response to fears that it would be stolen by unauthorised divers and is now on display at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 599 KB) The bell from the HMS Prince of Wales on display at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 599 KB) The bell from the HMS Prince of Wales on display at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in Liverpool. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... Liverpoolâ€™s seafaring heritage brought to life in the historic Albert Dock. ... For other uses, see Liverpool (disambiguation). ...

References

Notes

^ 3 aircraft were shot down in the attack, 1 crash-landed later, and 2 scout aircraft failed to return from their missions.
^ Alan Matthews, 2006, "The sinking of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse" (Force Z Survivors Association). Access date: October 13, 2007.
^ Martin Middlebrook & Patrick Mahoney, Battleship; The Loss of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse, Penguin History, 1979, ISBN 0-14-02-3469-1
^ http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/pilot.html
^ Frank Owen, The Fall of Singapore, Penguin Books, 2001, ISBN 0-14-139133-2
^ Ibid.
^ http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/sinking2.html

Books

Martin Middlebrook Martin Middlebrook (born Boston, Lincolnshire, 1932) is a British military historian and Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. ... RAdm Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976), USN historian Samuel Eliot Morison, RAdm, USNR (July 9, 1887 â€“ May 15, 1976) was an American historian, notable for producing scholarly works that were both authoritative and highly readable, an ability recognized with two Pulitzer Prizes. ... The History of United States Naval Operations in World War II is a 15-volume account of the United States Navy in World War II, written by eminent historian Samuel Eliot Morison and published by Little, Brown and Company between 1947 and 1962. ... Military Heritage is a glossy, bi-monthly history magazine published by Sovereign Media. ...

Contents

Background

Deployment

Axis Preparations

Hostilities Commence

Departure

Return to Singapore

The Japanese air attack

After the action

Effects of the sinking

The ships today

References

Notes

Books

Web

Contents

Background GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Deployment

Axis Preparations

Hostilities Commence

Departure

Return to Singapore

The Japanese air attack

After the action

Effects of the sinking

The ships today

References

Notes

Books

Web

Background