The Grand Alliance (126 page)

At 12.22 P.M. another attack proved fatal to both capital ships. After successfully avoiding a number of torpedoes

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the
Repulse
was struck amidships. Soon afterwards, in yet another attack, a torpedo wrecked her steering-gear, and then in quick succession three more torpedoes found their mark. Captain Tennant realised that his ship was doomed.

He promptly ordered all hands on deck, and there is no doubt that this timely action saved many lives. At 12.33 P.

M. the
Repulse
turned over and sank. The
Prince of Wales
had received two more torpedo hits at about 12.23 P.M., and another shortly afterwards. Her speed was reduced to eight knots, and she too was soon in a sinking condition.

After another bombing attack, which scored one more hit, she capsized and sank at 1.20 P.M. The destroyers rescued two thousand officers and men out of nearly three thousand. The Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Sir Tom Phillips, and his Flag-Captain, John Leach, were drowned.

In reply to certain questions of the Chiefs of Staff about why no fighter aircraft were sent from Singapore to aid the squadron, it was confirmed that Admiral Phillips did not signal his change of plan on the 9th, as he was keeping wireless silence. His position on the morning of the 10th was not therefore known in Singapore till Captain Tennant’s emergency signal was received at noon. Fighters were then sent at once. They arrived only in time to witness the sinking of the
Prince ofWales.

In judging the actions of Admiral Phillips during these calamitous days it should be emphasised that there were sound reasons for his belief that his intended attack at Kuantan would be outside the effective range of enemy shore-based torpedo bombers, which were his chief anxiety, and that he would only have to deal with hastily organised strikes by ordinary long-range bombers during

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his retirement. The distance from the Saigon airfields to Kuantan was four hundred miles, and at this date no attacks by torpedo bombers had been attempted at anything approaching this range. The efficiency of the Japanese in air warfare was at this time greatly underestimated both by ourselves and by the Americans.

I was opening my boxes on the 10th when the telephone at my bedside rang. It was the First Sea Lord. His voice sounded odd. He gave a sort of cough and gulp, and at first I could not hear quite clearly. “Prime Minister, I have to report to you that the
Prince of Wales
and the
Repulse
have both been sunk by the Japanese – we think by aircraft. Tom Phillips is drowned.” “Are you sure it’s true?” “There is no doubt at all.” So I put the telephone down. I was thankful to be alone. In all the war I never received a more direct shock. The reader of these pages will realise how many efforts, hopes, and plans foundered with these two ships.

As I turned over and twisted in bed the full horror of the news sank in upon me. There were no British or American capital ships in the Indian Ocean or the Pacific except the American survivors of Pearl Harbour, who were hastening back to California. Over all this vast expanse of waters Japan was supreme, and we everywhere weak and naked.

I went down to the House of Commons as soon as they met at eleven that morning to tell them myself what had happened.

Mr. Churchill’s Speech to the House of Commons,
December 10, 1941

I have bad news for the House which I think I should
pass on to them at the earliest moment. A report has
been received from Singapore that H.M.S. Prince of
Wales and H.M.S. Repulsehave been sunk while

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carrying out operations against the Japanese in their
attack on Malaya. No details are yet available except
those contained in the Japanese official communiqué,
which claims that both ships were sunk by air attack.

I may add that at the next sitting of the House I shall
take occasion to make a short statement on the general
war situation, which has from many points of view, both
favourable and adverse, undergone important changes
in the last few days.

All plans were now being made in secret for my starting for the United States on the 14th. The intervening ninety-six hours were crowded. On the 12th I had to make a full statement to the House upon the new situation. There was much anxiety and not a little discontent with the long-drawn battle in Libya, which evidently hung in the balance. I did not at all conceal the prospect that very severe punishment awaited us at the hands of Japan. On the other hand, the Russian victories had revealed the fatal error of Hitler’s Eastern campaign, and winter was still to assert its power.

The U-boat war was at the moment under control, and our losses greatly reduced. Finally, four-fifths of the world were now fighting on our side. Ultimate victory was certain. In this sense I spoke. I used the coolest form of factual narration, avoiding all promises of early success. I ended thus:

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Naturally, I should not be prepared to discuss the resulting situation in the Far East and in the Pacific or the measures which must be taken to restore it. It may well be that we shall have to suffer considerable punishment, but we shall defend ourselves everywhere with the utmost vigour in close co-operation with the United States and the Netherlands. The naval power of Great Britain and the United States was very greatly superior – and is still largely superior – to the combined forces of the three Axis Powers. But no one must underrate the gravity of the loss which has been inflicted in Malaya and Hawaii, or the power of the new antagonist who has fallen upon us, or the length of time it will take to create, marshal, and mount the great force in the Far East which will be necessary to achieve absolute victory.

We have a very hard period to go through, and a new surge of impulse will be required, and will be forthcoming, from everybody. We must, as I have said, faithfully keep our engagements to Russia in supplies, and at the same time we must expect, at any rate for the next few months, that the volume of American supplies reaching Britain and the degree of help given

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by the United States Navy will be reduced. The gap must be filled, and only our own efforts will fill it. I cannot doubt however, now that the hundred and thirty million people in the United States have bound themselves to this war, that once they have settled down to it and have bent themselves to it – as they will – as their main purpose in life, then the flow of munitions and aid of every kind will vastly exceed anything that could have been expected on the peace-time basis that has ruled up to the present. Not only the British Empire now but the United States are fighting for life; Russia is fighting for life, and China is fighting for life. Behind these four great combatant communities are ranged all the spirit and hopes of all the conquered countries in Europe, prostrate under the cruel domination of the foe.

I said the other day that four-fifths of the human race were on our side. It may well be an understatement.

Just these gangs and cliques of wicked men and their military or party organisations have been able to bring these hideous evils upon mankind. It would indeed bring shame upon our generation if we did not teach them a lesson which will not be forgotten in the records of a thousand years.

The House was very silent, and seemed to hold its judgment in suspense. I did not seek or expect more.

During the night of December 7/8 Mr. Eden had sailed from Scapa Flow on his journey to Moscow while the news of Pearl Harbour was actually breaking upon us. There would have been time to turn him back, but I considered his mission was all the more important in consequence of the new explosion. The relations between Russia and Japan and the inevitable reshuffling of all American supplies of munitions both to Russia and Britain raised large issues, which were also delicate. The Cabinet took this view The Grand Alliance

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strongly. Eden continued his voyage, and I kept him well informed. There was plenty to tell.

Prime Minister to Mr.

10 Dec. 41

Eden (at sea)

Since you left much has happened. United States
have sustained a major disaster at Hawaii, and have
now only two battleships effective in Pacific against ten
Japanese. They are recalling all their battleships from
the Atlantic. Secondly, according to American sources,
we are going to be heavily attacked in Malaya and
throughout Far East by Japanese forces enjoying
command of the sea. Thirdly, it seems to me certain
that Italy and Germany will declare war on United
States. Fourthly, magnificent Russian successes at
Leningrad, on whole Moscow front, at Kursk and in
South; German armies largely on defensive or in
retreat, under terrible winter conditions and ever-strengthening Russian counter-attacks. Fifthly, Auchinleck reports tide turned in Libya, but much heavy
fighting lies ahead on this our second front. Sixthly,
urgent necessity to reinforce Malaya with aircraft from
Middle East.