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To deal with the second Matador. In Duff Coopers report of the Defence of Singapore in 1939 it was stated that no less than 8 war ships would be needed to defend Fortress Singapore. Churchill was not in the business of land forces at the time, he was First Lord of the Admiralty as such was fighting for his part in any forthcoming action, as a Sea based Matador. As he had access to Cooper before the report was handed in, had Cooper place this aspect in the report. This was based on what Churchill had been told of the situation of what he later proclaimed in Parliament as, "Fortress Singapore" and its armaments. (It had Several big guns and there were a lot of troops on a island that he had never seen, but not enough in the way of Navy) At Duff Coopers conference of the 29th September 1941 in Singapore, it was stated that at the least Two Battleships would be needed as a minimum. At this meeting were Sir Robert Brook-Popham, Sir Earl Page (Australia), Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr, Sir Shenton Thomas Governor of Singapore and Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton |
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Once he became Prime Minister he held the final decision.
But what Churchill sent and eventually happened, was a cobbled result.
'The Prince of Wales' and 'Repulse' that turned up, and an Aircraft
carrier 'Indomitable' after running aground that did not, with escorts
called "Force Z".
DIFFERENCES But there was one major difference between both, and this is critical. Brook-Pophams Matador was an attacking and defensive plan, Churchill’s was a Deterrent. .I make this as an obvious assumption based on the following. Firstly the intended "very public" message that Churchill wanted to put across to the Japanese. If they intended to invade Malaya and Singapore, was that we would put up a very hard and credible defence force at sea that the Japanese would have to overcome, before they even got within sight of land. But if they got past this, there were several thousand well armed troops waiting for them as shown on the 'Pathe' news reels. In this it was a Deterrent one, not an attacking one. Secondly if it was to be an Attacking force, why publicise all its movements? Why show to all and sundry what we had, in advance? |
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