Second World War HMS Repulse (1916)

repulse escorting last convoy reach singapore, december 1941

repulse assigned support allied operations during norwegian campaign in april–june 1940. on 7 april, repulse, along bulk of home fleet, ordered sea intercept thought attempt break-out north atlantic. ship detached following day search german ship reported destroyer hms glowworm, destroyer had been sunk german cruiser admiral hipper before repulse arrived , ordered rendezvous sister renown south of lofoten islands, off norwegian coast. on 12 april repulse ordered return scapa flow refuel , escorted troop convoy upon return. in june ship sent north atlantic search german raiders , played no part in evacuation of norway.

accompanied renown , 1st cruiser squadron, repulse attempted intercept german battleship gneisenau sailed trondheim germany in july. until may 1941 ship escorted convoys , unsuccessfully searched german ships. on 22 may repulse diverted escorting convoy ws8b assist in search german battleship bismarck, had break off search on 25 may running low on fuel. ship refitted june august , received 8 oerlikon 20-millimetre (0.79 in) autocannon type 284 surface gunnery radar. repulse escorted troop convoy around cape of hope august october , transferred east indies command.

force z


repulse departing singapore on 8 december 1941

in late 1941 winston churchill decided send small group of fast capital ships, along 1 modern aircraft carrier singapore, deter expected japanese aggression. in november, repulse in indian ocean ordered colombo, ceylon rendezvous new battleship hms prince of wales. carrier hms indomitable, assigned join them, delayed when ran aground in caribbean. prince of wales , repulse , escorting destroyers comprised force z, arrived in singapore on 2 december 1941. on evening of 8 december, force z departed attempt destroy japanese troop convoys , protect army s seaward flanks japanese landings in rear.

force z spotted during afternoon of 9 december japanese submarine i-65 , floatplanes several japanese cruisers spotted british ships later afternoon , shadowed them until dark. admiral sir tom phillips decided cancel operation japanese alerted. force z turned during evening, after having tried deceive japanese heading singora. @ 00:50 on 10 december admiral philips received signal of enemy landings @ kuantan , correspondingly altered course arrive shortly after dawn.

the crew of i-58 spotted force z @ 02:20, reported position, , fired 5 torpedoes, of missed. based on report japanese launched 11 reconnaissance aircraft before dawn locate force z. several hours later 86 bombers 22nd air flotilla based in saigon launched carrying bombs or torpedoes. crew of mitsubishi g3m nell reconnaissance bomber spotted british @ 10:15 , radioed in several reports. pilot ordered maintain contact , broadcast directional signal other japanese bombers follow.

repulse @ bottom, having been hit bomb, 10 december 1941

the first attack began @ 11:13 when 250 kilograms (551 lb) bombs dropped 8 g3ms altitude of 11,500 feet (3,505 m). battlecruiser straddled 2 bombs, hit third penetrated through hangar explode on armoured deck below. inflicted number of casualties , damaged ship s supermarine walrus seaplane, pushed on side remove fire hazard.

anti-aircraft fire damaged 5 of japanese bombers, 2 badly returned saigon. in ensuing attacks, repulse skilfully handled captain, bill tennant managed avoid 19 torpedoes remaining bombs g3ms. however, repulse caught synchronised pincer attack 17 mitsubishi g4m torpedo bombers , hit 4 or 5 torpedoes in rapid succession. gunners on repulse shot down 2 planes , heavily damaged 8 more, torpedo damage proved fatal. @ 12:23 repulse listed severely port , capsized loss of 508 officers , men. destroyers hms electra , hmas vampire rescued survivors.