[okie01]

(Believe they lost the Ark and the Dove to the Japs which killed their offensive and defensive capabilities re Singapore, Burma, etc.

The Brits had no aircraft carrier stationed in Asian waters at the beginning of WW II.

You are probably referring to the loss of the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battle cruiser HMS Repulse, sunk by land-based Japanese planes off Malaya in December, 1941 -- eliminating the major units of the RN in the Far East.

The Ark Royal was sunk by a U-boat off Gibraltar.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

You’re right. Got my ships mixed up. Those loses crippled the British Navy’s fighting abilities in Asia and hurt them in the European Theater.

As I recall, British carrier planes destroyed the Italian navy at Taranto Bay by using aerial torpedoes with devastating effect.

Can’t get to my WW2 history books right now so I’m winging it.

[Hiryusan]

Wasn’t HMS Hermes sunk off Ceylon in April 1942 when the IJN came into the Indian Ocean. Around the same time Cornwall and Dorsetshire were sunk.