Page "Ernest John Spooner" Paragraph 3

When the Japanese launched their invasion of Malaya on December 8, 1941, Spooner initially had two immediate superiors: Admiral Sir Tom Philips ( C-in-C Eastern Fleet ) and Vice-Admiral Geoffrey Layton ( Senior Naval Officer, Malaya ).

However, Admiral Philips was killed when his flagship HMS Prince of Wales was sunk along with HMS Repulse on December 10 by Japanese bombers.

Then on January 5, 1942, Vice-Admiral Layton, who had replaced Phillips, moved his headquarters to the island of Java to streamline the organization of supply convoys to the Dutch East Indies and Malaya.

This left Spooner as the senior naval officer in Singapore.