HMS Repulse

HMS Repulse was built at Clydebank by John Brown, and launched on 8th January 1916 . She saw action in the First World war on the 17 November 1917 at Heligoland Bight (a sortie by British battle cruisers). The light protection of this class of two battle cruisers was a considerable cause for concern and, soon after the Armistice, Repulse received an extensive refit. This significantly increased her armour, and her displacement, which rose some six-thousand tons. The work was completed in 1922, after which the ship began a peacetime career of fleet operations and long-distance cruises. During World War Two. She operated off Norway in 1940, and on Convoy duty until the summer of 1941. Repulse joined the eastern Fleet in October 1941, arriving at Singapore on the 2nd of December, she sailed with HMS Prince of Wales and four destroyers to attack Japanese naval forces in their landing areas around Malaya. On the 10th December both the repulse and Prince of Wales were attacked by 80 Japanese aircraft and were sunk, HMS Repulse being hit by a Torpedo and sunk at 1233 hours, after being hit by a further 4 Torpedos.