British Forces

Force Z

  • Admiral Sir Tom Spencer Vaughan Phillips †(killed)
  • Prince Of Wales (flagship)(flagship) (sunk)(sunk)
    Commanding officer: Captain John C. Leach †(killed)
    Notes: 327 men lost.
  • Repulse (sunk)(sunk)
    Commanding officer: Captain William G. Tennant
    Notes: 513 men lost.
  • Express
    Commanding officer: Lieutenant-Commander Cartwright
  • Electra
    Commanding officer: Commander C.W. May
  • Vampire
    Commanding officer: Commander W.T.A. Moran
    Notes: Royal Australian Navy.
  • Tenedos
    Commanding officer: Lieutenant R. Dyer

453 Squadron

From Sembawang
  • Flt. Lieutenant Timothy Vigors
  • 11 Brewster Buffalos
    Notes: Armed with 4 x 0.50 MG. One aircraft back with engine troubles.

Japanese Forces

Genzan Air Corps Attack Group

From Saigon
  • Lieutenant-Commander Nakanishi
  • 1st Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Ishihara
    Notes: 9 Nells, each armed with 1 torpedo.
  • 2nd Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Takai
    Notes: 8 Nells, each armed with 1 torpedo.
  • 3rd Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Nikaido
    Notes: 8 Nells, each armed with 1 bomb.

Kanoya Air Corps Attack Group

From Dau Mot
  • Lieutenant-Commander Miyauchi
  • 1st Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Nabeta
    Notes: 9 Bettys, each armed with 1 torpedo.
  • 2nd Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Higahimori
    Notes: 8 Bettys, each armed with 1 torpedo.
  • 3rd Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Iki
    Notes: 9 Bettys, each armed with 1 torpedo.

Mihoro Air Corps Attack Group

From Dau Mot
  • 5th Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Shirai
    Notes: 8 Nell, each armed with 2 bombs.
  • 6th Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Takeda
    Notes: 8 Nell, each armed with 1 bomb.
  • 7th Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Ohira
    Notes: 9 Nell, each armed with 1 bomb.
  • 8th Squadron
    Commanding officer: Lt. Takahashi
    Notes: 8 Nell, each armed with 1 torpedo.

Summary

Breakdown of Japanese attack aircraft
Aircraft Armament Total
Bombs Torpedoes
Nell 34 25 59
Betty - 26 26
Total 34 51 85

One Genzan and two Kanoya torpedo bombers were lost during the attack, killing their crews of eighteen petty officers and ratings. One further Mihoro bomber crashed on landing and was written off. In addition, seven Genzan and ten Kanoya torpedo bombers and ten Mihoro bombers were damaged to some extent but all but three were repairable. It is not recorded if any of crews of the returning aircraft suffered any casualties.

Events

Vice Admiral Kondo in cruisers ATAGO and TAKAO, BBs HARUNA and KONGO and DDs ARASHI, HAGIKAZE, NOWAKE, MAIKAZE, IKAZUCHI, INAZUMA, ASASHIO, OSHIO, MICHISHIO and ARASHIO is proceeding South from Poulo Condore.

Kondo orders RearAdmiral Kurita during the night of 9 December 1941 to join him with cruisers KUMANO, MIKUMA, MOGAMI and SUZUYA and DDs FUBUKI, HATSUYUKI and SHIRAYUKI and vice Admiral Ozawa with cruiser CHOKAI and DD SAGIRI.

From the assault area cruiser SENDAI with DDs ASAGIRI, MURAKUMO, SHINONOME, SHIRAKUMO, USUGUMO, AMAGIRI, YUGIRI, AYANAMI, ISONAMI, SHIKINAMI and URANAMI recieve orders to close up, as do cruisers KINU and YURA stationed between Puolo Condore and Kurita.

When Force Z, as a result of a false report of landings in Kurantan, turns away to the SW, they are sighted shortly after midnight 9-10 December by Japanese Submarine I-59 (Co OHASHI) which unsuccessfully attacks with torpedoes but does manage to shadow Force Z for over 5 1/2 hours.

Sources

Information drawn mainly from:

  • King George V Class Battleships by V.E. Tarrant
  • Battleship by Martin Middlebrook and Patrick Mahoney