http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/oct41/f25oct41.htm
British battleship heads for Pacific
Saturday, October 25, 1941 www.onwar.com
HMS Prince of WalesFrom Britain... The British battleship Prince of Wales, carrying Admiral Phillips sails for the Far East. The admiral is to take command of the new British Far East Fleet to be created around the Prince of Wales.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/25.htm
October 25th, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM: HMS Prince of Wales sails the Clyde for the Far East. Admiral Tom Phillips is aboard and will command the newly constituted British Far East Fleet.
London: Churchill condemns German reprisal killings in occupied territories.
USS Wickes (DD-75) is re-commissioned as HMS MONTGOMERY as part of the destroyers for bases deal. (Ron Babuka)
Submarine HMS Seraph launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY:
U-117, U-171, U-437 commissioned.
U-90, U-178 launched.
U-471 laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Whilst running supplies to the garrison at Tobruk, fast minelayer HMS Latona is attacked and bombed by German aircraft North of Bardia at 32 15N 24 14E. The cargo and the ship’s ammunition explode, causing the death of 4 officers, 20 ratings and 7 soldiers, but the remainder are taken off by HMS Hero and Encounter. There are 37 casualties. (Alex Gordon)(108)
CANADA:
Minesweepers ordered in Canada - HMS MMS 197, MMS 198, MMS 199, MMS 200 and MMS 201.
Corvette HMCS La Malbaie (ex-Fort William) launched Sorel, Province of Quebec.
U.S.A.:
AA cruiser USS Juneau launched.
Aircraft carrier USS Hornet commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
RCAF Eastern Command makes first attack on a U-boat off Newfoundland.
In the mid-Atlantic, U-107 transferred two ill crewmembers to U-125, which then returned to base. (Dave Shirlaw)
PRINCE OF WALES has to be the unluckiest ship in the Royal Navy. Shot up by BISMARCK, she now heads to the Pacific and the Japanese.
But at least Admiral “Tom Thumb” Phillips may be able to test his theory that battleships are immune to sinking by aircraft.