1941, Sunday 30 November;
He stood looking in the mirror at himself, getting ready for bed, at the end of a very long day. He was in a top floor room of Admiralty House, a guest of Rear Admiral Spooner, the Naval Base commander. Standing in just his white socks, underpants and string singlet, all 5 foot 4 of him, he didn’t look particularly impressive, but to the world outside his room, tomorrow he would be promoted to full admiral and made Commander in Chief of the new Eastern Fleet, a man not to be trifled with.
He’d arrived mid-morning by Catalina, an American flying boat, from Colombo, Ceylon, where he’d left his flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, with his Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Palliser accompanying him. They’d been met by Vice Admiral Layton, who was waiting to whisk them away for quick showers, change of clothes and a light lunch, before a detailed three-hour briefing. At first, he was quite bemused by it all, but as Layton updated them, so he began to appreciate the need for urgency.
Events were unfolding quite fast now, and his first meeting tomorrow morning of the War Council, promised to be a very important one. Both Governor Caldecott and Lord Gort would be expecting him to make some decisions and he needed to understand what the Royal Navy had already committed to. Layton was staying on for now, still commanding the China Station, but in a couple of weeks that would all be folded into the Eastern Fleet.
The appointment as commander of the ‘Flying Squadron’ back in late October had turned his world upside down. No longer a desk admiral, busying himself with plans and reports, it was now a sea going command of some significant importance. The original thought of just the Prince of Wales, had quickly been modified to include the battlecruiser Repulse,
a fast ship, but lacking the extensive refit her sister Renown had been given. These two and only four destroyers, an indication in itself of how stretched the Royal Navy was, was all he had, the inclusion of an aircraft carrier had been denied due to a lack of availability. Nevertheless, this was meant to be a show of strength, a deterrent, and that is what he would do, with plenty of showing the flag!
In anticipation of the arrival of his Flying Squadron, Force Z, Layton and the Admiralty had been assembling what supporting forces they could. Two days ago, the big County class heavy cruiser, HMS Cornwall, had arrived, having just escorted in the latest convoy, to become part of Force Z, joining the heavy cruiser HMS Exeter, which had arrived a week ago. The famous Exeter had, during her year’s rebuild following the Battle of the River Plate, been extensively modernised, with a vastly improved AA suite and radars. Also, at anchor was the old Australian V class destroyer, HMAS Vampire, which having completed an extensive refit, had just returned from a convoy escorting “working up” cruise.
He could also call on the services of the ‘Light Squadron’, an Anglo-Dutch formation, each nation providing one light cruiser and two destroyers, which was currently at sea on manoeuvres. They had enjoyed two full months together, and with the aid of liaison officers and small signalling parties on the Dutch ships, could fully integrate with other British naval units.
Not part of Force Z, but soon to come under Phillips command, was the newly formed 21st Minesweeping Flotilla (RAN), composing of four newly built Bathurst corvettes, Maryborough, Bendigo, Goulburn and Burnie. These vessels were far more capable than just minesweepers, being able to provide ASW escort duties, and for their size a reasonable AA suite. Another potent force that would be at his disposal, was the small 4th Submarine flotilla, the four Rainbow class, with the promise of loaned Dutch submarines, joining them. While he would also have the two inshore squadrons, both of very limited capabilities, experience and strength.
At dinner tonight, Layton had introduced him to Lord Gort, who, despite their senior roles in the UK, he had never really spent time with. Gort outlined the pre-emptive plan of occupying the Kra Isthmus, and how he was considering putting the allocated Army and RAF forces on 24 hours’ notice. As Tom and Tiger discussed the situation here in the Far East, so he appreciated just how important the Royal Navy’s role was, how crucial it was that they work together. Yes, he reflected, the situation called for a strong man, he knew Layton, Cunningham and Somerville thought of him as a desk-based Admiral, a poor appointment, and what was needed was a fighting Admiral, but as he slid into bed, and switched the bedside light out, Admiral Tom Phillips vowed, he would be that man.
