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Force Z is a British naval squadron that consists of two capital ships, which are the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and a battlecruiser HMS Repulse and four accompanying destroyers: HMS Electra, HMS Express, HMS Encounter and the HMS Jupiter.
However, HMS Vampire and HMS Tenedos
were the replacement for the HMS Encounter and HMS Jupiter due to a
severe damage that needed to be repaired at Singapore. Even though, they
look like a force to be reckoned with, there is lack of air protection.
Initially, there was supposed to be an aircraft carrier to be included
called the HMS Indomitable but was unable to join after running aground
in the Caribbean during working up trials; and HMS Hermes was to be the
replacement but it was too slow. Therefore, the Force Z was left with a lack of air cover.
Japan knew from its reliable intelligence sources that HMS, Prince of Wales and other British ships that were prepared to be ready in Singapore by then were not in their profitable condition. Prince of
Wales and Repulse usually had never been released from the escort of
the carrier ship Indomitable functioning to give the air protection or
naval air cover, but by then Indomitable was docking for repair.
For Japan, particularly for Admiral Yamamoto as the thinker of maritime strategy, the backbone of a fleet relied on the carrier ship, since it was only a carrier ship, which was capable of providing good air cover, and at the same time using the fighter planes she carried to attack the enemy. Without the presence of a carrier ship, as experienced by the aforesaid British battle ships, put them in weak condition.
Seeing the weakness in the enemy's side, Japan planned a landing in the Malay Peninsula in three different places. This plan had already been made since early November 1941, still far from the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor. And at the beginning of December 1941, the Japanese amphibian task force including 19 ships of LST (Landing Ship Tank) had been waiting and dropping the anchor at Samah waters, Hainan. It was planned that the aforesaid task force would pass through the Siamese Gulf to do the landing in Malay.
Japan had realized that its task force would face the risk of failure if they had to deal with HMS Princes of Wales, Repulse and some other British destroyer ships. Therefore, it was determined to have three places of landing. This was intended to attract all the British air power available in land from the three battle fields with the purpose that the movement of the British battle ships would get no air protection. On the other hand, Japan had already been ready to attack the British ships with its torpedo bomber fighter planes whose base was in Indochina.
Admiral Tom Philips who was on board the HMS Prince of Wales realized that his condition was weak since there was no carrier ship. He did not realize either that there was an air threat to his fleet if he moved Northwards. However, in the effort to prevent Japanese landing in Malaya, Sir Tom Phillips was bound by Navy tradition that the Navy could not keep silent and do nothing and let the Air Force and Army struggle alone to defend themselves. Therefore on December 8, Tom Phillips ordered his squadron to move out toward the Siamese Gulf. The squadron by then consisted of five ships, namely the Princes of Wales battleship, the cruiser Repulse and three destroyers.
For Japan, particularly for Admiral Yamamoto as the thinker of maritime strategy, the backbone of a fleet relied on the carrier ship, since it was only a carrier ship, which was capable of providing good air cover, and at the same time using the fighter planes she carried to attack the enemy. Without the presence of a carrier ship, as experienced by the aforesaid British battle ships, put them in weak condition.
Seeing the weakness in the enemy's side, Japan planned a landing in the Malay Peninsula in three different places. This plan had already been made since early November 1941, still far from the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor. And at the beginning of December 1941, the Japanese amphibian task force including 19 ships of LST (Landing Ship Tank) had been waiting and dropping the anchor at Samah waters, Hainan. It was planned that the aforesaid task force would pass through the Siamese Gulf to do the landing in Malay.
Japan had realized that its task force would face the risk of failure if they had to deal with HMS Princes of Wales, Repulse and some other British destroyer ships. Therefore, it was determined to have three places of landing. This was intended to attract all the British air power available in land from the three battle fields with the purpose that the movement of the British battle ships would get no air protection. On the other hand, Japan had already been ready to attack the British ships with its torpedo bomber fighter planes whose base was in Indochina.
Admiral Tom Philips who was on board the HMS Prince of Wales realized that his condition was weak since there was no carrier ship. He did not realize either that there was an air threat to his fleet if he moved Northwards. However, in the effort to prevent Japanese landing in Malaya, Sir Tom Phillips was bound by Navy tradition that the Navy could not keep silent and do nothing and let the Air Force and Army struggle alone to defend themselves. Therefore on December 8, Tom Phillips ordered his squadron to move out toward the Siamese Gulf. The squadron by then consisted of five ships, namely the Princes of Wales battleship, the cruiser Repulse and three destroyers.
The aforesaid ships
were moving and maneuvering to look for the Japanese task forces with
the goal to destroy them before reaching their landing places. Sir Tom
Phillips took a very brave decision although he knew that all the
fighter planes on land would be mobilized to hit the Japanese landing.
On
December 8, Japan tried to land in Kota Bharu, Malay, but was stricken
to retreat. When the Princes of Wales arrived in those waters, the
Japanese task force had already been withdrawn backwards. This was not
known by Sir Tom Phillips, so he continued his search Northwards.
On
Dec. 9, Sir Tom Phillips realized that the position of his ships had
been 150 miles from South Indochina, and 250 miles East of the Malay
Peninsula, had already been entering the radius of air raid that was
possibly conducted by Japan from Indochina. Therefore, he ordered his
squadron to turn their directions back, and in full speed returned to
Singapore.
Read More at Other Views of Naval Battles
I got my sights set on you
And I'm ready to aim
I have a heart that will
Never be tamed
I knew you were something special
When you spoke my name
Now I can't wait to see you again
I've got a way of knowing
When something is right
I feel like I must have known you
In another life
'cause I felt this deep connection
When you looked in my eyes
Now I can't wait to see you again
[Chorus:]
The last time I freaked out
I just kept looking down
I stuttered when you asked me what I'm thinking about
Felt like I couldn't breathe
You asked what's wrong with me
My best friend Leslie said "Oh she's just being Miley"
The next time we hang out
I will redeem myself
My heart can rest till then (a-whoa a-whoa)
Now I can't wait to see you again
I got this crazy feeling deep inside
When you called and asked to see me tomorrow night
I'm not a mind reader but I'm reading the signs
That you can't wait to see me again
[Chorus]
I got my sight set on you and I'm ready to aim
[Chorus]
(a-whoa a-whoa)
Now I can't wait to see you again
And I'm ready to aim
I have a heart that will
Never be tamed
I knew you were something special
When you spoke my name
Now I can't wait to see you again
I've got a way of knowing
When something is right
I feel like I must have known you
In another life
'cause I felt this deep connection
When you looked in my eyes
Now I can't wait to see you again
[Chorus:]
The last time I freaked out
I just kept looking down
I stuttered when you asked me what I'm thinking about
Felt like I couldn't breathe
You asked what's wrong with me
My best friend Leslie said "Oh she's just being Miley"
The next time we hang out
I will redeem myself
My heart can rest till then (a-whoa a-whoa)
Now I can't wait to see you again
I got this crazy feeling deep inside
When you called and asked to see me tomorrow night
I'm not a mind reader but I'm reading the signs
That you can't wait to see me again
[Chorus]
I got my sight set on you and I'm ready to aim
[Chorus]
(a-whoa a-whoa)
Now I can't wait to see you again
