British Blunders on the Pacific War

How about Force Z lead by Admiral Tom Spencer, who do not believe in the capacity of the land base japs planes to atack in deep sea ( about 400 milles away) took his squadron to their doom

 

Ok just remember you started this topic room, the Brits don't stand a chance in this area, in fact I bet I can place a few items of interest, along with your opening point, to ask a question, "why were these generals not hanged"?!!

Cheers!

 

Force Z was led by Admiral Tom Philips, not Spencer.

A major blunder was not stockpiling any high explosive shells for the heavy artillery defending Singapore. All they had were armor piercing rounds for use against ships. Had some HE been available, the Japanese would have had a much harder time, as the British gun mounts were fully rotating.

 

Sorry my mistake, the name is:
Admiral Tom Spencer Vaughan Phillips

 

BTW , on this operation against the Force Z cost to the japs only four planes, a bargain!!!!

 

So very true.

The British airforce full of out dated Buffalos etc, also played a huge role; they had no chance against the Zeros.

 

Japanese secret device, during the invasion of Malaya, Singapore; the bicycle.

The Japanese spy, a New Zealander, Captain Patrick Heenan, the British Army's liason officer to the Royal Airforce. This officer provided information on the abilities and defenses of the airfields right up until the first two days of the war in the Pacific.

Cheers!

 

Did they shoot him? Or did he not survive the war?

 

I do not believe they spare him of the shooting squad!!! but anything is possible

 

I would have had him up against a wall just as soon as I could get my hands on him! :bang:

 

What vengefulness all of a sudden... Calm now people!

 

During the final hours of the fortress of Singapore the Red Caps, British Military Police, took Captain Patrick Heenan, the once British Army's Liason Officer to the RAF, to the docks and executed him with a shot to the back of the head, he fell into the harbour as the last remaining evacuation transports and warships left port.

A somber Cheers!

 

Definitely Force Z, a modern day "Charge of the Light Brigade".

 

What happened to this unit?

 

In 1941 Churchill sent the British battleship Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Repulse (with their escorting destroyers this group was named "Force Z") to Singapore. They then sortied out to attack Japanese convoys and possible landings at Kuantan without any air cover. They were swarmed by Japanese planes and both capital ships sunk.

 

Ah yes, thank you. I did know that these two ships were sunk during actions in the Southwest Pacific, but I didn't know to what unti they belonged.

 

I saw a documentary about the loss of the two ships; they even went down and photographed the wrecks. The amount of damage they sustained was incredible. There were also interviews with some of the survivors. It was nicely done.

 

Not a blunder, really, it couldn't be helped, but something that really kicked the British in the teeth...

The fact that many of the British guns and heavy defensive artillery at Singapore were directed at sea, when in fact the Japanese attacked from Thailand, without having to cross the sea, really blew it.

Weren't the Japanese outnumbered at Singapore, but they still managed to win and haul in 85,000 British prisoners?

 

see first post

 

Phantasm, the Japanese were outnumbered in almost every fight, but the british were unprepared, largely unsufficiently trained and poorly led. Moreover, their commanders were not accustomd to the new way of warfare (in the air and with fast mobile units), and they had no tanks.