Konstam, Angus Sinking Force Z 1941. The day the Imperial Japanese Navy killed the battleship

In late 1941, war was looming with Japan, and Britain's empire in southeast Asia was at risk. The British government decided to send Force Z, which included the state-of-the-art battleship "Prince of Wales" and the battlecruiser "Repulse", to bolster the naval defences of Singapore, and provide a mighty naval deterrent to Japanese aggression. These two powerful ships arrived in Singapore on 2 December - five days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But crucially, they lacked air cover. On 9 December Japanese scout planes detected Force Z's approach in the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike at Pearl Harbor, battleships at sea could manoeuvre, and their anti-aircraft defences were ready. But it did no good. The Japanese dive-bombers and torpedo-bombers were the most advanced in the world, and the battle was one-sided. Strategically, the loss of Force Z was a colossal disaster for the British, and one that effectively marked the end of its empire in the East. But even more importantly, the sinking marked the last time that battleships were considered to be the masters of the ocean. From that day on, air power rather than big guns would be the deciding factor in naval warfare.

The decisive factor, however, was that they lacked cover from the air. On 9 December, Japanese reconnaissance aircraft detected the approach of Force Z in the Gulf of Thailand. Unlike Pearl Harbor, battleships could manoeuvre at sea and their air defences were ready. But it did them no good. The Japanese dive bombers and torpedo bombers were the most advanced in the world, and the battle was one-sided. Strategically, the loss of Force Z was a colossal disaster for the British, signalling the end of their empire in the east. More importantly, however, the sinking of the two capital ships clearly signalled the end of the battleship's dominance at sea. From that day on, air power rather than big guns would be the decisive factor in naval warfare.