At Kuatan, the King of Malaysia (Yang di-Pertuan Agong), Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah unveiled a memorial to the loss of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser HMS Repulse on the 82 anniversary of their loss on 10 December 1941. The battleship and battle cruiser were sunk by Japanese bombers on about 60 nautical miles east of Kuantan.
The centrepiece of the memorial is a kedge anchor from Repulse. Of the combined ships’ companies some 840 men were lost – 513 from Repulse, 327 from Prince of Wales. Among them was Midshipman Robert Davies RAN who drowned when he went down with Repulse still strapped to a 20mm Oerlikon firing at Japanese aircraft. Four RAN midshipman survived the Repulse sinking, including now 100 year old Rear Admiral Guy Griffiths who is Patron of the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse Survivors’ Association.
The memorial was paid for by private donations and installed at Teluk Cempedak beach. The kedge anchor had been seized by the Malaysian authorities following illegal salvage from the wrecks.
Aside from the Malay King and Queen, the dedication service was attended by British and Malay civilian and military VIPs, including Rear Admiral Andrew Betton, Director Joint Warfare, who represented the First Sea Lord, and Henrietta Wood, whose grandfather Captain John Leach was one of those lost and whose father, Admiral Sir Henry Leach, who was First Sea Lord during the Falklands conflict.
Mrs Wood told guests of the impact of the tragedy on her father, aged just 18 in December 1941; serving in Singapore at the time, he had been itching to “have a crack” at the enemy, while his father feared the naval force was probably doomed.
A few days later Captain Leach was proved correct; his distraught son searched desperately for him among the survivors returned to Singapore until one of HMS Prince of Wales gently told him that his father had been lost.
“The memorial is, I hope, not just a grateful remembrance of the 840 men whose grave is the deep waters of the South China Sea but also a reminder to us to learn the lessons of history and look to a future of trust, understanding and respect between nations. The current terrible conflicts just cry out for humanity,” Mrs Wood said.
“This memorial is a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made in war but also it’s a symbol of the bond between our countries and, I hope, will serve as an encouragement to others to accept their differences and work peacefully together.
Ailsa Terry, the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, recited an extract from For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon. She said,
“This memorial will provide an opportunity for visitors to reflect on the enormity of the loss and the cost of war. It is a fitting tribute to the personnel who perished along with the ships, and also serves as a reminder that important naval heritage like this must be protected as well as of the strength of the UK-Malaysia relationship.”
Seven sailors from HMS Spey provided a Guard of Honour for proceedings, less than a month after the patrol ship held a service of remembrance over the wrecks.
Sources: RN & ANI
