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Part 1
Section XIV: — The Naval Situation.
100. On the outbreak of World War II the greater part of the China Fleet had of necessity lo be withdrawn for operations elsewhere. The Flag of the Commander-in-Chief, China Station, was transferred from Hong Kong to Singapore at the end of June, 1941. He brought with him, however, only a few light cruisers and destroyers as additions to the very inadequate fleet of local naval craft which existed there. We no longer had control over sea communications in the Far East.
On the evacuation of Shanghai in August, 1940, three river gunboats from the Yangtze were transferred to Singapore, while a few days before the outbreak of war with Japan the "Prince of Wales" and "Repulse" with some attendant destroyers arrived. There were. however, still no aircraft carriers, heavy cruisers or submarines, so that there was nothing in the nature of a balanced fleet.
With the arrival of the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse" on 2nd December, Admiral Sir Tom Phillips as Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet, took over command of all Fleet operations, leaving local Naval defence in the hands of Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton, then Commander in Chief, China. The Commamder-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet, immediately left Singapore by flying-boat for Manila to confer with the American Naval Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet, with whom contact had been previously established by Commander-in-Chief, China, and did not return to Singapore till 7th December. On the outbreak of hostilities with Japan, the appointment of Commander-in-Chief, China Station, lapsed.
Naval Headquarters remained at the Naval Base.
By December, 1941, the seaward approaches to the Naval Base and to Keppel Harbour were strongly defended by minefields, booms, submarine nets, detector loops, etc.
The following ships were at Singapore on the 8th December, 1941: —
- Battleship 1
- Battle Cruiser 1
- "D" Class Cruisers 3
- Destroyers (including 2 "S" Class) 7
- Gunboats 3
- Auxiliary Anti-Submarine Vessel 13
- Minesweeping Vessels 4
- Auxiliary Minesweepers 12 (and 5 at Penang).
- Auxiliary Patrol Vessels 5
- Motor Launches 11
- Boom defence, tugs and depot ships 6
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