The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-09-05

Previously, the Commander-in- Chief of the Naval Base, Adm. Sir Godfrey Layton, had several times remarked to newsmen in his con. (idence that the much.publici0ed Naval Base Hacked nothing but a Navy" He stressed that the arriv- als were merely the vanguard and that flor obvious reasons the con- position and disposition of the en- tire fleet cannot be divulged." He snvisaged the White Ensign fiaunt- ing on Pacific horizons In company with the Stars and Stripes singa- pores populace were enthusiastic over the ofIicial announcement and their excitement exceeded that when the first Australian divisions arrived In Singapore during the pre- viouS February.
 Radio Calls Crews
 Adm. Sir Tom Philips hoisted his flag aboard Prince of Wales and nothing more was heard Of the Eastern Fleet until Dec. 6. A uuiet Saturday afternoon ana Singapore was suddenly agog with broadcast notices recalling all na- val officers ands ratings to their ships. From all parts of the island sailors fiocked aboard, terminating their first run ashore for many weeks. One officer was overheard to say: Going to fight the bloody Jans now, suppose"
 The fleet apparently moved out into the blue, but 1t was not until the afternoon of Dec. 8 that resi- dents of Mersing, on the east coast of Malaya, said they heard the sound of heavy guns at sea.
 At about 9 D. rn., on Dec. 10, Singapore's radio program of light music suddenly faded into nothing ness and was replaced by the stir ring strains of Land of Hope and Glory" which was always the fore- runner of bad tidings over the radio.
 Then came the announcer's flat monotone introducing the Hon. Alfred Duff Cooper with an impor- tant announcement to make.
 Singapore Shocked
 Singapore was numbed when Dur Cooper's tragic tones an- nounced, "It is my sad duty in this, the darkest hour in the Far East, to announce the loss of the Prince of Wales and Repulse. :"
 Next morning came the routine communique: Tt is announced with deep regret that Adm. Sir Tom Philips, Commander-in- Chief of the Eastern Fleet. is missing after the loss of HM.s. Prince of Wales, on which he flew his flag. The battleship's Capt. John C.. Leach is also missing. . The conl- bined ships companies of Prince of Wales and Repulse were 2,700. of which 2,200 have been saved. :"
 Survivors, caked with oil fuel and burned with cordite, began to arrive at Singapore's hospitals. They described how more than 60 Japanese planes, mostly using aerial torpedoes, attacked the two battleships for more than three hours.
 They must have been suicide UllOto UCCduoC oO1AAG OA b4ISLl 0ONS smack into us they certainly gave us he'll" the wounded surviv- ors said. They explained that Adm. Philips intended to proceed to the scene of the Japanese landings at Khota Bahru in the northeast ex- tremity of the Malay peninsula, hoping that low visibility would en- able the fleet to approach unseen. Cloudy weather helped him at first, but during the afternoon Repulse reported she was being shadowed by enemy aircraft. This was fol- lowed later by an order from the admiral saying the operation was being abandoned and that the fleet would return to Singapore. Dawn, Wednesday. Dee. 10. brought the first wave of Japanese planes. They concentrated on the Prince of Wales. which took a terrific pound- ing with repeated direct hits. She heeled over. Her stem went down and her stern rose almost to the perpendicular and she sank within 10 minutes-Britain's pride. the "unsinkable Prince of Wales"
 Blinded by oil
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