alternatehistory.com

As diplomatic relations with Japan worsened, in August 1941, the Admiralty and the Chiefs of Staff began considering what ships could be sent. The Chiefs of Staff decided to recommend sending HMS Barham to the Far East from the Mediterranean, followed by four Revenge-class battleships that were refitting at home and in the United States

Winston Churchill was opposed to this scheme, calling the old battleships "coffin ships", so the newer HMS Prince of Wales and the faster HMS Repulse were sent instead

So, let's give Britain a proper fleet at Singapore without seriously affecting other operations

Barnham is not sunk by a lucky U-Boat
PoW and Repulse get sent as OTL
the 4 Revenge-class BBs get sent as well, with the Italian sabotage at Alexandria foiled

and while we're at it, let's throw a few carriers in there as well:

HMS Eagle does not suffer a hangar fire that puts all but 4 of her Swordfish out of action, and she gets sent to Singapore instead of a refit back home
HMS indomitable sets out on her maiden voyage a few days earlier, does not run aground on a coral reef near Jamaica, and reaches Singapore just in time
HMS Formidable is not spotted by the squadron of Stukas that weren't even searching for her, is thus undamaged, and gets sent as well

This would give the British a force of 5 old battleships, 1 battlecruiser and 1 new battleship + 3 carriers carrying about 25+50+40=115 aircraft between them.

How does this affect the coming battle?

(from what I understand, the Japanese had 2 Battleships, 9 cruisers and 12 destroyers in the immediate area, as well as lots of land-based aircraft)
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