DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA
♦ AGREEMENT BEFORE WAR USE OF CAPITAL SHIPS AT SINGAPORE LONDON. January 18. “The reasons for the disquieting events in the Far East can be traced to a pre-war source,” said Lord Fletcher. Parliamentary Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty until he was recently elevated to the House of Lords, in a speech. "It was officially laid down after consultation with Australia long before the war that the defence of Australia must be based on the maintenance of a capital ship fleet at Singapore,” he added. “From that day until the arrival of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse, there was not a single capital ship in those waters.” The pre-war Government could be blamed for this, because that Government. as a result of apathy, neglected to provide what was agreed to be the linch-pin of Pacific defence. It was no wonder that the present position had arisen.
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Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23541, 20 January 1942, Page 3
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154DEFENCE OF AUSTRALIA Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23541, 20 January 1942, Page 3
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