Shortly after noon on December 6 1941, a Royal Australian Air Force No. 1 Squadron Lockheed Hudson piloted by Flight Lieutenant John Ramshaw operating out of Kota Bharu, a city and major British air complex in northern Malaya, near the Thai border, sighted three Japanese warships headed straight for Bangkok. Were the Japanese going to occupy Thailand and then move down to Malaya? Continuing eastward about 60 miles, Ramshaw spotted a massive convoy headed into the Gulf of Thailand. He requested permission to shadow the convoy until relieved by another Hudson. Incredibly this was denied. Fifteen minutes later, another Hudson, piloted by Flight Lieutenant James Emerton, spotted another convoy about 415 miles northwest of Kota Bharu. He requested permission to shadow the convoy. Once again, it was denied. Eventually at 4:20 pm Flight Lieutenant Ken Smith and his crew took off from Kota Bharu in yet another Hudson to try to find the convoys. But increasing darkness and inclement weather prevented him from finding anything. The drama begins... The pilot is from the great RAF Gear of Tryphon. The aircrafts and ships from different sources. Texture of the Hudson by me.