Two veterans that were on board HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse when they were sunk during the Second World War have recalled that day 80 years ago. More than 800 crew members were killed when the ships were attacked and sunk by the Imperial Japanese Navy on 10 December 1941 - one of the Royal Navy's darkest days. | Forces News

The sinking of Force Z in December 1941 is considered a symbolic end to the battleship era because it was the first time capital ships were sunk solely by air power, signaling that naval dominance had shifted to air power from big guns. The British warships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, sent to the Far East without adequate air support, were attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft, demonstrating the vulnerability of battleships to aerial attack. #reel #reels #reelsinstagram #reelitfeelit #

Force Z and the Sinking in 1941 The Decision to Send the Ships: The dispatch of Repulse and Prince of Wales to Singapore in 1941 was a strategic decision to deter Japanese aggression, though it was a gamble that exposed the ships to the risk of air attacks without adequate carrier support. Lack of Air Support: The absence of the carrier HMS Indomitable, which ran aground before it could join Force Z, left the task force without crucial air cover. The Attack: On December 10, 1941, Japanese bomber