Sunday, 1 March

BATTLE OF THE SUNDA STRAIT

American heavy cruiser HOUSTON and Australian light cruiser PERTH departed Batavia to pass through the Sunda Strait into the Indian Ocean. Dutch destroyer EVERTSEN departed later with the intention of joining them at sea.

HOUSTON (Captain A H Rooks) was sunk in Sunda Strait by Japanese heavy cruisers MOGAMI, MIKUMA and destroyers.

ENS F J Bourgeois, LCDR J K Chisholm, ENS J R Darter, LCDR R H Gingras, LT E D Hodge, CDR J A Hollowell Jr, LCDR F Keith, LT H G Kirkpatrick, LT D Knoll, LT (jg) K L Kollmyer, Acting Pay Clerk J A Lafferty, ENS H A Levitt,ENS L H Mainey Jr, ENS F F Mallory, ENS C A Mayo III, ENS A F Nethken, LT J C Patty Jr, Captain F M Ramsey USMC, CDR G S Rentz, CDR D Roberts, Captain A H Rooks, ENS C Sellers III, LT B D Skidmore, LCDR S L Smith, ENS G S Stewart, Acting Pay Clerk R B Thompson, LT (jg) J F Woodruff and six hundred and twenty nine enlisted men were missing.

Colonel A Back USMC, 2nd LT E M Barrett USMC, LT C D Burroughs USMC, ENS P R Clark, LT J F Dalton, CDR A Epstein, LT R B Fulton II, LCDR J Galbraith, 2nd LT F E Gallagher Jr USMC,ENS J M Hamill, LT (jg) H S Hamlin Jr, CDR A L Maher, ENS J B Nelson, LT T B Payne, LT L Rogers, LT R R Ross, ENS C D Smith II, ENS J B Stivers, LT (jg) F B Weiler, LT (jg) G. Winslow and three hundred and thirty six enlisted men were rescued and made prisoners of war.LT Ross died as a prisoner of war on 5 May at Batavia, LT Weilner on 26 March at Pendeglagang, Java and seventy four enlisted men during captivity.

PERTH (Captain H M L Waller DSO) was sunk in the Sunda Straits by MOGAMI, MIKUMA and destroyers.

Cdr (E) R Gray, Commissioned Shipwright H T Haylock, Acting Warrant Mechanician H S Hill DSC, Lt N D McWilliam RANR and thirty three ratings were killed, and nineteen officers and 291 ratings missing. The missing Australian officers were S/Lt A L Ball RANR, Chaplain the Reverend R S Bevington, Temporary Engineering Lt H Gidney RANR (S), Lt P S F Hancox,S/Lt J S Lester, Cdr H Martin, Lt (E) A H J Mears, Lt D J Sutton, Paymaster Midshipman F M Tranby-White, Surgeon Lt Cdr (D) A S Tregar, LDS, BDSC, Surgeon Lt Cdr E M Tymms DSC, MD, BS RANR, Captain H M L Waller DSO, Lt Cdr L L Watkins, and Acting S/Lt T B Wolley RANR. Missing British officers were Lt Cdr G D Clarke, Lt Cdr J K Johnson, Lt M H Highton, Lt C H Palairet, Warrant Engineer J E H Tuersley. Two British ratings, three RAAF airmen and three canteen staff were also among those missing.

Probationary Paymaster S/Lt R M Barker RANR, Paymaster S/Lt G D M Black RANR, Probationary Lt L T Burgess RANR, Paymaster Midshipman G R Campbell, S/Lt L Gay, Probationary Electrician Lt F D Gillan RANR, Lt J A Harper, Gunner F E Hawkins, Paymaster Lt Cdr R F M Lowe, Schoolmaster N E Lyons, S/Lt J B Martin RANR, Chaplain J K Mathieson, Paymaster Lt Cdr P O L Owen, Probationary Engineering S/Lt T F Robbins RANVR, Probationary Engineering S/Lt H Roberts RANVR, Commissioned Gunner G L Ross, Temporary Gunner L C Smith, Surgeon Lt S E L Stening RANR, Lt J A Thode RANR, Warrant Electrician C V Vowles, Acting S/Lt N H S White, Temporary Warrant Supply Officer C J Woodley and three hundred and one ratings were rescued and made prisoners of war. Flying Officer A V McDonough RAAF and two ratings were also captured. Of those captured, one hundred and four ratings Australian, one British and one RAAF rating died as prisoners of war.Two hundred and twenty nine crewmen, including all the officers and the RAAF Flying Officer survived to return to Australia at war's end.

EVERTSEN (Lt Cdr M De Vries RNN) running behind the cruisers was attacked by Japanese destroyers SKIRAKUMO and MURAKUMO,badly damaged and run aground in Sunda Strait to prevent her sinking.

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Heavy cruiser EXETER (Captain O L Gordon MVO) was sunk by Japanese heavy cruisers NACHI, HAGURO and destroyer INAZUMA off Bawean Island in the Java Sea in 5-00S, 111-00E.

Temporary Lt C G Bird RNVR, eleven ratings, and one Marine were killed and Temporary S/Lt D B Jewell RNVR, thirty four ratings and four Marines were missing.

Midshipman G P Allen, Midshipman P Anson, Temporary Lt D M Beadle RNVR, Warrant Mechanician G Beckford, Temporary S/Lt (E) N J M Bennett, Temporary S/Lt (E) R G Blain, Lt P Brougham, Lt D E Chubb, Lt Cdr (E) E J Chubb, Acting Lt K H F Clark, Lt Cdr G T Cooper, Acting Paymaster S/Lt P G Cranefield, Cdr (E) A H Drake, Temporary Warrant Engineer C E T Farren, Midshipman F B Faulkner, Probationary Temporary Midshipman T H Finn, Temporary Chaplain G O Fitzgerald RNVR, Captain O L Gordon, Warrant Shipwright E Harding, Acting Paymaster Lt Cdr J P K Harkness, Warrant Ordnance Officer M E Higman, Lt Cdr R K Hudson, Lt H A Hutcheson, Gunner J E John, Temporary Paymaster Lt A Kerr RNVR, Lt M B Kerr, Midshipman R H Leir RCN, Lt Cdr E S Lipscomb, Captain J H McCahon, RM, Instructor Lt J F Potter, Temporary Probationary S/Lt N H Power RNVR, Cdr H P Richardson, Lt D G Roome, Surgeon Lt D N Ryalls, Temporary Acting Gunner (T) G G Shelley, Warrant Electrican M A Smith, Temporary Lt (E) E Southwold, Lt M H Syms, RM, Probationary Temporary Midshipman P Spear RNR, Temporary Lt G H Tidy RCNVR, Midshipman K A Townsend-Green, Lt Cdr F R Twiss, Surgeon Cdr V F Walsh, Gunner J White, Schoolmast R K Wood, Surgeon Lt J C Wyatt, and six hundred and seven ratings were made prisoners of war. Surgeon Lt Cdr D N Ryalls RNVR died as a prisoner of war 24 June 1944 (NAVY LIST, 20 June according to Naval Historical Branch) when the Japanese transport he was in was sunk. Additionaly, one hundred and thirty one ratings and twenty one Marines died in captivity during the war.

Destroyer ENCOUNTER (Lt Cdr E V St J Morgan) was sunk by Japanese heavy cruisers MYOKO and ASHIGARA off Bawean Island in the Java Sea in 5-00S, 111-00E.

Seven ratings were lost. Lt Cdr St J Morgan, Lt J A V Hickley, Lt S Falle, Acting Temporary Lt R J M Conibear RNVR, Lt (E) E Tyrrell, Probationary Surgeon Lt D R Syred, MRCS, LRCP RNVR, S/Lt D C Hazelton RNR, Acting Gunner (T) J V Leiper and one hundred and forty three ratings were made prisoners of war. Thirty seven ratings died in captivity, and S/Lt D. C. Hazelton was lost on 18 September 1944 when the transport he was in was sunk.

American destroyer POPE (LCDR C Blinn), in company with EXETER and ENCOUNTER, was sunk by Japanese bombers from aircraft carrier RYUJO.The entire crew, one hundred and fifty one officers and enlisted men, were picked up and made prisoners of war. Twenty seven enlisted men died in captivity.

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American destroyer EDSALL (LT J J Nix) was sunk by Japanese battleships HIEI and KIRISHIMA near Christmas Island.LT C G Butler, LT (jg) R C Dell, LT J F Fairbanks Jr, LT (jg) M D Gilmore Jr, ENS J Gustin, LT R Meyers, LT J J Nix, LT (jg) R A Snodgrass, LT P G Wild Jr, and one hundred and thirty seven enlisted men were lost. Two of the enlisted men were formerly in destroyer STEWART.Five enlisted men were rescued, but died of wounds while prisoners of war.

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Troop convoy SU.1 (former JS.3) of EASTERN PRINCE (10,926grt/总吨位), CITY OF PARIS (10,02grt/总吨位), CITY OF LONDON (8956grt/总吨位), ESPERANCE BAY (14,204grt/总吨位), KOSCIKSKO (6852grt/总吨位), EGRA (5108grt/总吨位), SALWEEN (7063grt/总吨位), SILVERWILLOW (6373grt/总吨位), PENRITH CASTLE (6369grt/总吨位), MATHURA (8890grt/总吨位), MADRAS CITY (5092grt/总吨位) and EMPIRE GLADE (7006grt/总吨位) departed Colombo at 0130Z/1st, escorts:

departed to join

detached to arrive

28th

battleship Royal Sovereign, destroyers Nizam, Vampire, AMC Manoora departed Trincomalee 28 February to meet and escort JS.3

1st

heavy cruiser Cornwall, destroyer Express, corvette Hollyhock departed Addu on the 1st,to meet and escort SU.1 from the 1st

2nd

Express, Hollyhock arrived Colombo 2nd

3rd

Royal Sovereign, Nizam, Vampire detached 3rd, arrived Trincomalee 7th

14th

Manoora (with Madras City, Silver Willow, Mathura, Empire Glade), detached for Adelaide, arrived 14th

rest of convoy arrived Fremantle 15 March with Cornwall

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Detached from convoy DM.3, battleship RAMILLIES and destroyer NORMAN arrived at Addu to refuel.

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Monitor EREBUS and corvette MARGUERITE departed Addu with an unnumbered convoy of three steamers, two for Trincomalee and one for Calcutta. They arrived at Colombo on the 3rd3 March.

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Indian sloop SUTLEJ departed Addu.

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Destroyers ARROW and HOTSPUR departed Aden for Bombay.

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Minelayer TEVIOTBANK departed Trincomalee for mining operation P.1 in South Preparis Channel, Arakan. She was escorted by corvette ASTER and covered by light cruiser CALEDON.

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Indian minesweeping trawler SOPHIE MARIE (Lt D G C Courtenay RINR) sank on a mine at the south entrance to MacPherson Strait, Nicobars laid by minelayer ABDIEL. Two ratings were killed.

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Submarine UNBEATEN sank French tanker PLM.25 (3415grt/总吨位) off Misurata.