Eastern Fleet - Singapore

Singapore

Before the fall of Singapore, the Eastern Fleet's naval base at Singapore (HMNB Singapore) was part of the British Far East Command. British Far East defence planning was based on two assumptions. The first assumption was that the United States would remain as an effective ally in the western Pacific Ocean, with a fleet based at Singapore, and that the Philippines would be available as a forward base for British warships. Secondly, it was assumed that the technical capabilities and aggression of the Imperial Japanese Navy were overestimated. In these circumstances, with the Japanese fleet engaged by the United States Navy (USN), the Admiralty sent the four obsolescent Revenge class battleships to Singapore to provide defensive firepower and a British presence. The British assumptions were destroyed on 7 December 1941: the impact of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor denied substantial USN support to the British defence of the "Malay barrier" and made impossible the relief of American garrisons in the Philippines. Furthermore, Japanese capabilities exceeded expectations.

After the fall of France in June 1940, Japanese pressure on the Vichy authorities in French Indochina resulted in the granting of base and transit rights, albeit with significant restrictions. Despite this, in September 1940, the Japanese launched an invasion of French Indochina. The bases thus acquired in Indochina allowed extended Japanese air coverage of the invasion forces bound for Malaya and for the Dutch East Indies. In these circumstances, the Prince of Wales and Repulse were vulnerable to concerted air attacks from the Japanese bases in Indochina and, without air cover, they were sunk in December 1941.

After the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton assumed command of the Eastern Fleet. The fleet withdrew first to Java and, following the Fall of Singapore, to Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). In March 1942, Admiral Sir James Somerville arrived in Ceylon and assumed command from Layton.