In this the third article in this short series we look at the British and Australian ships involved in the Battle of the Java Sea and the models to represent them. As a reminder I am building these fleets up using 1/3000th scale models from the extensive Navwar range. If you are interested in the previous articles in this series the Japanese vessels can be found here, while the Dutch can be found here.
Before looking at the individual ships it is perhaps worthwhile to provide some background. With the deteriorating situation in the Far East Britain, who was by 1941 already stretched thin, faced further challenges. Supply lines had for some time been in need of protection but the growing concerns about Japan resulted in a further build up of units in and around Singapore. Of course the most notable event at this time was the dispatch, and subsequent loss, of the battleships of Force Z in December 1941. A short summary of my own Force Z in miniature can be found here. Yet, other vessels were alrrady on station, while others were hastily sent. However, our focus is not on all these ships, but rather the small subset of those committed to the Battle of the Java Sea.
HMS Exeter would be one of these ships dispatched and engaged. As a brief reminder HMS Exeter was a York class heavy cruiser with just six 8" guns mounted in three twin turrets. Her armament and displacement being considerably lighter than the Japanese heavy cruisers. Further, it will be recalled that Exeter was badly damaged at the Battle of the River Plate and after lengthy repairs, which lasted over a year, she only returned to service in March 1941.
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| HMS Exeter in 1941, a useful profile highlighting her main gun layout |
She was soon escorting convoys including in the Indian Ocean. When war against the Japanese broke out HMS Exeter was dispatched to Singapore arriving on the 10th December and therefore after the loss of HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse.
Her first notable action in this campaign came on the 15th of February 1942. She, along with the other vessels which included Dutch, Australian and American vessels, were subjected to attack by Japanese aircraft. While relatively ineffectual, the Japanese attack resulted in Rear-Admiral Doorman's own attack against the Japanese invasion convoys being called off.
Above and below, HMS Exeter under air attack on the 15th of February 1942. The splash markers in the photo below are homemade and despite being very simple to make are visually effective I feel.
Exeter, next sortied on the 25th of February as part of another sortie which would eventually result in the Battle of Java Sea. During the battle Exeter would suffer extensive damage to her boilers. First however she was a hit from a torpedo that failed to detonate. Soon after she was by 8" shells from the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro. Falling out of line and losing speed, she was forced to retire. Eventually arriving at a nearby port temporary repairs were made. At this point she was escorted by two destroyers HMS Encounter and USS Pope. Now ordered to fall back to Ceylon she was overwhelmed by four Japanese cruisers and four destroyers on the 1st March in what was known as the Second Battle of the Java Sea.
The second cruiser involved was HMAS Perth who was a modified Leander class destroyer with a significant involvement in the Mediterranean theatre, including the Battle of Cape Matapan. She arrived back in Australian waters in August 1941 for repairs and modifications before taking taking up various convoy duties. During these repairs it was likely she received four 20-millimetre Oerlikon AA guns in single mounts installed on the forward superfiring turret roof.
Above, a view of HMAS Perth in February 1942. Just discernible are the 20mm guns on her superfiring forward turret. My model has been completed in an early war grey, so lacks this distinctive camouflage pattern.
In early 1942 she was transferred to ABDA task force where she would be involved in the Battle of the Java Sea. When Exeter was hit, and fell fell out of formation, the following cruisers assumed that this turn was deliberate and Perth followed Exeter. HMAS Perth now to circled Exeter laying a smokescreen to conceal her. Below, my models of HMAS Perth astern of HMS Exeter who is under heavy fire.
After the battle Perth retired undamaged. However, HMAS Perth accompanied by USS Houston, and the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Evertsen, were overwhelmed in the Battle of Sunda Strait in the evening of the 28th February to 1st March. Perth being lost in the early morning of the 1st March after being hit by two torpedoes.
The British destroyers involved in the Battle of Java Sea were HMS Encounter, HMS Electra and HMS Jupiter. Encounter and Electra were of course E class destroyers while Jupiter was a J class destroyer. As something of a reminder the E class carried carried four 4.7" guns in single mounts and two quadruple 21" torpedo mounts. The J class had three twin 4.7" turrets and two 21" torpedo mounts each with five torpedoes.
HMS Electra was involved in the battles in Norway, including supporting HMS Warspite when she sortied into Ofotfjord towards Narvik. In December 1941 Electra and Encounter were attached to Force Z and sortied with the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse. Jupiter, while at Singapore when Force Z sortied, was under repair and stayed at Singapore.
Above, the three destroyers showing the different profiles between the classes. Remember, these are 1/3000th scale so HMS Jupiter is around 35mm in length and Encounter 31mm. Despite their diminutive size there is a reasonable amount of detail on these models.
At the Battle of the Java Sea and after Exeter was damaged, the destroyers Electra, Encounter and Jupiter, engaged the Japanese to cover Exeter's escape. HMS Electra put up a courageous fight but was overwhelmed. Jupiter covered Exeter's retreat but soon after struck a mine and sunk. Finally, HMS Encounter escaped the Battle of Java Sea but was lost with HMS Exeter in the Second Battle of the Java Sea.
Below, all the British and Australian ships, this time engaged in a game.
That completes the short potted history of the British and Australian component of the Allied forces at the Battle of Java Sea, and of course my models that represent the ships. I do hope it has been of some interest. There will now be a short break before for the final article in this series - due to me foolishly ordering the incorrect models for the US destroyers.
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