Pool, Richard Anthony West (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Repulse in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Far East, 1940-1941 including sinking off Malaya, 10/12/1941

REEL 1 Aspects of period as officer aboard HMS Repulse in GB coastal waters, North Atlantic and Far East, 1940-1941: background to joining Royal Navy, 1937; duties aboard; ship's close range armament; ship's role with Home Fleet; watch keeping duties; character of ship; conning the ship; reasons for ship being as happy one; discipline; accommodation; rations and availability of alcohol; conduct of gunroom mess; gunroom art work; relations with Captain William Tennant; ignorance of destination. REEL 2 Continues: escorting convoy from GB to South Africa; voyage to Colombo, Ceylon; rendezvous with HMS Prince of Wales in Indian Ocean; arrival in Singapore, Malaya, 12/1941; ship's morale; opinion of Japanese; reception on arrival in Singapore, Malaya; abortive visit to Darwin, Australia; opening fire during Japanese high level air raid on Singapore, Malaya, 7/12/1941; announcement of declaration of war on Japan, 8/12/1941; leaving harbour with Force Z; Captain William Tennant's broadcast to ship's company; aim of British ships; course set; keenness of crew for action; spotting of ships by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft and plans to evade action; intention to interfere with Japanese transports; lack of activity prior to approach of Japanese aircraft. REEL 3 Continues: Recollections of sinking of HMS Repulse, Force Z off Malaya, 10/12/1941: opinion of Japanese high level bombing; bomb hits on ship; sight of Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service torpedo bombers coming in from port side; torpedo hits on HMS Prince of Wales; dropping of torpedoes beyond close range armaments; control of guns; ship's combing of torpedo tracks; reaction to approach of torpedo; effects of torpedo hit; attempt of Captain William Tennant to aid HMS Prince of Wales; clearing deck of spent ammunition; second high level bombing attack on ship; further torpedo hits; failure of one torpedo to explode; listing of ship to port; order to abandon ship; shooting down of two Japanese aircraft; abandoning ship; swimming away from ship; sight of ship sinking; rescue by HMS Electra; character of voyage to Singapore aboard HMS Electra; arrival in Singapore, Malaya. REEL 4 Continues: reception on arrival in Singapore, Malaya; attempts to clean up in office of club; writing report of action; effect on morale in Singapore, Malaya of sinkings; question of responsibility for sinking of ships; reaction to sight of Brewster Buffalo aircraft overhead after sinkings; reasons for failure of air support; performance of ship's anti-aircraft guns; pattern of Japanese air attacks; opinion of performance of Hawker Hurricane and superiority of Mitsubishi A6M-2 Zero; failure of intelligence; need for balanced naval forces.