On 22 May 1941, Prince of Wales, the battlecruiser and six destroyers were ordered to take station south of Iceland and intercept the if she attempted to break out into the Atlantic. Captain John Leach knew that main-battery breakdowns were likely to occur, since Vickers-Armstrongs technicians had already corrected some that took place during training exercises in Scapa Flow. These technicians were personally requested by the captain to remain aboard. They did so and played an important role in the resulting action.Garzke pp. 177–79
