When I was reading background for my annotations to " I Think I Prefer the Tinned Variety" I tried to understand what preceded British involvement in the war in the Pacific. Although the British Pacific Fleet didn't commence operations until 1945, the preparations were evolving throughout 1944. I stumbled upon some new information recently while reading "Churchill and Sea Power" by Christopher M. Bell. Apparently Churchill himself was very keen on a British only initiative in S.E. Asia and was not at all in favour of sending the Royal Navy to join with the Americans. He was committed to Operation Culverin which was intended to establish a British presence in Malaya and Sumatra with the objective of ultimately re-taking Singapore. However, since November 1943, the Chiefs of Staff of the three armed forces had been in discussions with the Americans about a British presence in the Pacific using bases in Australia. Churchill managed to get confirmation fro