HMS Repulse

Mike Robinson · Issue 79, Jul/Aug 2014 · pp. 48–53

Products mentioned: Canon 550D, Tokina 11-16mm lens, Sea&Sea YS-D1 strobes, Aquatica housing

bombers. The 270m long, 44,000t Prince of Wales was hit by a single torpedo in the first wave of attacks and crippled, her damaged propeller shaft shaking violently and shattering water tight seals and bulkheads throughout the ship. Repulse meanwhile was having better luck and superbly handled by her Captain managed to dodge 19 torpedoes over three separate attacks, but with Prince of Wales out of action the aging battle cruiser could not hold off the Japanese indefinitely. Against a concerted attack by another 17 torpedo bombers she was hit once on the Starboard side and a further four times on the Port side. The 242m, 32,000t ship capsized and sank in just 11 minutes along with 508 of her officers and men. With the Repulse sunk and the Prince of Wales crippled a final attack was made to finish her off in which three torpedoes hit the ship. Finally, almost 2 hours after she was first da…