The Decimation of Force Z and the Impact on the Fall of Singapore

Nick French


Regions:
East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire
Notice Period:
Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
Type:
Edutainer
Fee:
Paid: Negotiable plus travel expenses if long distances are involved
Category:
History
Updated:
10th August 2025

As Malaya and Singapore came under attack from Japan during World War Two, the British took a disastrous decision to dispatch a small fleet of ships from Singapore, northwards up the east coast of Malaya (now Malaysia). The group included two of Britain’s greatest battleships, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, as well as four destroyers. It was named as Force Z. The objective was to repel Japanese beach invasions of northern Malaya. Sadly, many tactical blunders were made which resulted in the loss of the two battleships and the deaths of nearly a third of their crew. In this talk I unveil the events leading up to the start of the Japanese offensive, the reasons Singapore fell so quickly, including the unfortunate end of Force Z.

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About Nick French

I was born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe. After completing my Master’s Degrees in Material Science and Business Administration, I embarked on a successful career in international sales and distribution of petrochemicals. But my true passion of speaking and training lead to an early retirement from salary based employment towards a new career in people development.

My training and consulting business started in Singapore, running workshops and delivering engaging keynote speeches. Later, in 2016 I relocated to Cape Town and discovered a new passion for researching and presenting talks on absorbing historical events. During the Covid years many of these were delivered online across the globe. My audiences now include many diverse clubs and associations.

I am based in Hampshire with my wife Lynette, and two cats and a dog.

As a Distinguished Toastmaster, I am dedicated to entertaining and captivating my audiences. If you’d like to know more about me, my talk offerings and special areas of expertise, give me a call!


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