I have been focusing on the wrong part of the Force Z debacle and have missed a little AH gem of info. The night before Force Z was sunk by air attack an IJN floatplane accidently dropped a flare over the CA Chokai, part of a force of 6 cruisers plus destoyers. Force Z saw this flare, because it was only 9km away from the IJN force at the time, but didn't get anything on PoWs radar. However both forces turned away from each other at this time and the rest is history.
But WI Force Z had capitalised on this IJN mistake and found and attacked this IJN force?
But WI Force Z had capitalised on this IJN mistake and found and attacked this IJN force?