Second Battle of the Java Sea

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of the Java Sea (II)


caption=HMS "Exeter" sinking
partof=World War II, Pacific War
date=March 1, 1942
place=Java Sea
result= Japanese victory
combatant1=flagicon|United Kingdom|naval Royal Navy
flagicon|United States United States Navy
combatant2=flagicon|Japan|naval Imperial Japanese Navy
commander1=flagicon|United Kingdom|naval Oliver Gordon
commander2=flagicon|Japan|naval Takeo Takagi
flagicon|Japan|naval Ibo Takahashi
strength1=1 heavy cruiser
2 destroyers
strength2=4 heavy cruisers
5 destroyers
casualties1=1 heavy cruiser sunk
2 destroyers sunk
casualties2=1 destroyer heavily damaged|

The Second Battle of the Java Sea was the last naval action of the Netherlands East Indies campaign, of 1941-42. It occurred on 1 March, 1942, two days after the first Battle of the Java Sea. It saw the end of the last Allied ships operating in the waters around Java, allowing Japanese forces to complete their conquest of the Netherlands East Indies unhindered.

Background

The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command fleet defeated at the first battle, on 27 February 1942 had been dispersed or sunk by the Japanese.
HMAS "Perth" and USS Houston had retired to Tanjong Priok, the port of the capital, Batavia, in the west of the island. They were to withdraw via the Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap on the south of the island and departed on the evening of 28 February; but encountering the Japanese Western Invasion Force later that night in Bantam Bay, they were both sunk. This is referred to as the battle of Sunda Strait.

HMS "Exeter" , severely damaged in the battle, had withdrawn to Surabaya in the east, escorted by the Dutch destroyer HNLMS "Witte de With". There she was joined by HMS "Encounter", which arrived with the survivors from the HNLMS "Kortenaer". Also at Surabaya were the four US destroyers of Destroyer Squadron (Des Ron) 58, which had also withdrawn there from the battle, and the USS "Pope" , which had been undergoing repairs.

On 28 February, after nightfall, the USS "John D. Edwards", USS "John D. Ford", USS "Alden", and USS "Paul Jones", of DesRon 58 departed for Australia via the Bali Strait; after a brief encounter with a Japanese destroyer they arrived safely at Fremantle on 4 March.

After emergency repairs "Exeter" also left for further repairs in Ceylon, leaving at dusk on 28 February, and escorted by "Encounter" and "Pope". "Witte de With" was unable to leave,due to mechanical trouble, and was later bombed and sunk at Surabaya on 2 March.

As the "Exeter" had too much draught for the Bali Strait, it was decided to go via Sunda Strait, which was thought still open; the morning of 1 March found the three Allied ships northwest of Bawean island, heading westwards. The ships were making 23 knots, as much as "Exeter" could manage.

The battle

At 4am on 1 March ships were sighted to the west; being in no fit state for a battle, "Exeter" and her consorts reversed course, turning northwest to avoid contact.

More ships were sighted at 0750, bearing southwest; again the Allied ships had to alter course to avoid them.

At 0935, two heavy cruisers were sighted approaching from the south; these were "Nachi" and "Haguro" of the Eastern Invasion Force with three destroyers, under Admiral Takeo Takagi, whom they had met two days previously at the battle of the Java Sea.

"Exeter" and the destroyers turned northeast and increased speed, but soon sighted more ships approaching from the northwest; this was Admiral Ibo Takahashi with two more heavy cruisers, "Ashigara" and "Myoko", with two destroyers.

Closing in on either side of the fleeing Allied ships, the cruisers opened fire at 1020 as they came in range.

"Encounter" and "Pope" responded by making smoke, and later attempted a torpedo attack, while "Exeter" returned fire, but at 1120 "Exeter" sustained a major hit in her boiler room, resulting in a loss of power and slowing her to 4 knots.As the four Japanese cruisers closed in on "Exeter", "Encounter" and "Pope" were ordered to make all speed for a nearby rain squall, in an attempt to shake off pursuit; wracked by gunfire," Exeter" was brought to a standstill, and the destroyer "Inazuma" closed in for a torpedo attack."Exeter" sank at 1140, 50 miles south of Borneo.

The cruisers switched their attention to the fleeing destroyers; "Encounter" was quickly hit by 8 inch shell fire and sunk, but "Pope" was able to reach the rain squall and was lost to sight.

The respite was short-lived, however; shortly after noon she was spotted by planes from the carrier "Ryujo", which was covering the Western Invasion Force; she was dive-bombed and sunk around 1250.

There were just over 800 survivors altogether; these were picked up and imprisoned by the Japanese.

In the aftermath of the battle, the surviving Allied ships had dispersed to find safe haven, but as Java had been invaded by the Japanese, it became necessary to retire further.

References

*Stephen Roskill: The War at Sea 1939-1945 Vol II (1956 ) ISBN (none)

*Samuel Eliot Morison : History of United States Naval operations in World War II : Vol III The Rising Sun in the Pacific (1948 ) ISBN (none)

*Eric Groves : Sea Battles in Close-Up WWII Vol 2 (1993) ISBN 07110 2118 X

*Donald MacIntyre : The Battle for the Pacific (1966 ) ISBN (none)