On this day in 1941 Force Z of the Royal Navy (commanded by Admiral Tom Phillips) was attacked by 88 Japanese aircraft from the First Air Force. Force Z consisted of the battleship HMS
Prince of Wales, the battlecruiser HMS
Repulse, and four destroyers. Force Z arrived at Singapore on 2nd December 1941 and was sent to intercept Japanese landings in Malaya.
Prince of Wales and
Repulse were sunk on 10th December 1941 about 50 miles from the coast of Kuantan in Malaya.
