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Royal Navy
HMS Exeter
Battle of the Java Sea
by
Ronnie Taylor and Tom Jowett
Keeping their Candle Burning
Japan entered the war on 8th December 1941, Exeter formed part of the the American-British-Dutch-Australian Naval Command formed in January 1942 which was intended to defend the Dutch East Indies from Japanese invasion.
After Singapore fell on 15th February 1942. The Japanese amphibious forces gathered to attack Java. Seeing the Japanese intention, on 27th February the American-British-Dutch-Australian Force was gathered under Rear Admiral Karel Doorman and sailed Northwest from Surabaya to intercept the Japanese approaching from the Makassar Straight to attack Java from the East.
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Naval Command included:-
Heavy Cruisers:- HMS Exeter (Six 8 inch guns) and USS Houston (Six 8 inch guns remaining operable).
Light Cruisers:- HNLMS De Ruyter, HNLMS Java and HMAS Perth
Nine Destroyers:- HMS Electra, HMS Encounter, HMS Jupiter, HNLMS Kortenger, HNLMS Witte de With, USS Alden, USS John D. Edwards, USS John D. Ford and USS Paul Jones.
The Japanese task force which protected the landing convoy was commanded by Rear Admiral Takeo Takag and include:-
Heavy Cruisers:- Nachi, and Haguro. (Ten 8 inch guns and torpedoes)
Light Cruisers:- Naka and Jints.
Destroyers:- Yudachi, Samidare, Murasame, Harusame, Minegumo, Asagumo, Yukikaze, Tokitsuikaze, Amatsukaze, Hatsukaze, Yamakaze, Sazanami and Ushio.
The prime target of the Allied fleet was to destroy the Japanese landing craft and the Japanese task force which was protecting the landing craft.
Java Sea
On the 27th February at 16.00 the Allied Fleet and the Japanese Task Force met in the Java Sea, Exeter’s shells failed to reach their targets, and Exeter was badly damaged by an enemy 8 inch shell in the boiler room, killing many of the crew. Unable to continue HMS Exeter disengaged and slowly limped back to Surabaya where her dead were removed for burial.
After the withdrawal of Exeter, the Japanese gained the upper hand sinking HNLMS Kortenger and causing damage to HMS Electra, who was covering Exeter’s retreat, fires then raged on Electra causing her to be abandoned. The Allied Fleet had to disengage at 18.00 and return to Surabaya with a smoke screen laid by US Destroyers.
After emergency repairs were carried out on HMS Exeter, she left Surabaya for Ceylon on the 28th February, limping towards the Sunda Strait escorted by HMS Encounter and USS Pope. On the 1st March the Second Battle of the Java Sea took place when they were attacked by the Japanese Heavy Cruisers, Nachi, Haguri and Ashigara.
The HMS Exeter stood no chance at her reduced speed. Exeter was soon badly damaged by gunfire and a torpedo from the destroyer Inazuma. Taking on water she began to list to starboard, by noon on the same day she sank along with her supporting destroyer HMS Encounter. Although the US Pope escaped she soon after sunk by Japanese Aircraft.
About 800 Allied seamen, including the commander of Exeter, Captain O.L. Gordon, became prisoners of war and were shipped to Makassar.
HMS Exeter
Battle of the Java Sea
1st Battle
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Name
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Rank
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Service/No
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Allsop, William Henry
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Engine Room Artificer 5th Class
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D/MX 73060
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Beasley, Ronald
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Engine Room Artificer 5th Class
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C/MX 17064
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Bowen, William George
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Stoker 1st Class
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D/KX 11176
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Bray, Thomas Seth
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Petty Officer Stoker
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D/K 56364
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Collins, Clement Wilfred
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Stoker 1st Class
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P/KX 108507
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Copperthwaite, Frederick
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Stoker 1st Class
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D/KX 113693
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Cox, Harry
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Marine
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PLY/X 518
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James, George Edward
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Stoker 2nd Class
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P/KX 139578
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Kay, James
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Stoker 1st Class
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D/KX 111152
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Lamb, William
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Corporal
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PLY/X 1780
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Morgan, Stanley Lewis
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Leading Stoker
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D/K 65937
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Muldoon, Clifford
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Chief Stoker
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D/K 62627
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Spice, Albert Percy
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Marine
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PLY/X 100022
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Upton, Leslie George
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Boy Seaman 1st Class
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D/JX 180528
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.
2nd Battle
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Name
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Rank
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Service/No
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Ainsworth, Thomas
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Stoker 2nd Class
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D/KX 129073
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Ayre, Thomas William
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Steward
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D/LX 24503
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Banthorp, Gordon James
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Marine
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PLY/X 100024
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Binns, William Harold
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Leading Seaman
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D/SSX 21350
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Bird, Charles Godfrey
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Lieutenant
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Bramham, Alfred George
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Sick Bay Attendant
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D/MX 64660
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Burston, Stanley Jack
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Marine
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PLY/X 100339
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Callister, Alfred
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Able Seaman
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D/SSX 35799
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Cameron, William James
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Leading Seaman
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D/JX 139214
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Carne, Ernest George Lucas
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Assistant Cook
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D/MX 80268
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Carr, Thomas
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Shipwright 4th Class
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D/MX 65647
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Currie, Hugh
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Marine
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PLY/X 100023
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Echlin, Joshua
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Petty Officer Steward
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D/LX 20506
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Evans, Robert George
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Leading Supply Assistant
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D/MX 66981
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Fleming, Michael
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 208838
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Gordon, Arthur
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 237663
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Gorman, Nicholas
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Stoker 1st Class
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D/KX 107787
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Hallett, Stuart Percival
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 237755
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Hargeaves, Hubert Jackson
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 172361
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Hunt, Ansell Thomas
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 217128
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Jeffereys, Frank Edward
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Able Seaman
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D/SSX 17213
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Jewell, Derek Barrington
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Sub Lieutenant
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Jones, Thomas Joseph Handel
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 227945
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Knapman, Wilfred Donald
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 146806
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Laxton, Robert James
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Chief Stoker
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D/K 60926
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Mackie, William Johnston
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 221235
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McGinty, Francis George
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 192074
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Meredith, James William
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Leading Stoker
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D/KX 81924
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Miller, Charles Edward
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Chief Petty Officer Cook (S)
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D/M 15403
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Nicholls, Frank
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Corporal
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PLY/X 1734
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Palser, Sydney
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Engine Room Artificer 4th Class
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D/MX 73555
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Parsons, Arthur Charles Robert
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OD (Boy-Ordinary Seaman)
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P/JX 236315
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Sanders, Gordon
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Petty Officer Cook (S)
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D/M 10888
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Scannell, David
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Petty Officer Stoker
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D/KX 77858
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Smith, Horatio John
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Leading Stoker
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D/KX 86013
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Smith, Ralph
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Able Seaman
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D/JX 200310
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Summers, Harold Henry
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Petty Officer Cook (S)
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D/MX 49486
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Sutton, William Edward
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Leading Stoker
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D/K 65037
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Trueman, Walter Edward
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Petty Officer Stoker
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D/K 22979
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Ward, William Benson
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Stoker 1st Class
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D/KX 116641
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Weeks, William Arthur
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Electrical Artificer 4th Class
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D/MX 62594
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