The first battlecruiser to see action in the Pacific War was "Repulse" when she was sunk by Japanese torpedo bombers north of Singapore on 10 December 1941 whilst in company with "Prince of Wales". She was lightly damaged by a single bomb and near-missed by two others in the first Japanese attack. Her speed and agility enabled her to avoid the other attacks by level bombers and dodge 33 torpedoes. The last group of torpedo bombers attacked from multiple directions and "Repulse" was struck by five torpedoes. She quickly capsized with the loss of 27 officers and 486 crewmen; 42 officers and 754 enlisted men were rescued by the escorting destroyers. The loss of "Repulse" and "Prince of Wales" conclusively proved the vulnerability of capital ships to aircraft without air cover of their own.