Monday,2 March

S/Lt (A) J A K Watson RNVR and S/Lt (A) T H Greet RNVR, in a Swordfish of 821 Squadron were lost when their plane went missing off Malta.

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Acting S/Lt (A) S Chapman RNVR and Acting S/Lt (A) P F C Brown RNVR, both of 815 Squadron, were killed when their Swordfish of 830 Squadron went missing off Malta during a ferrying mission from El Adem to Hal Far.

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Destroyer STRONGHOLD (Lt Cdr G R Pretor-Pinney) was sunk by Japanese heavy cruiser MAYA and destroyers ARASHI and NOWAKE. Cdr Pretor-Pinney,Temporary S/Lt (E) SJMCornwell RNVR,Temporary Acting Warrant Engineer AGDunn, Lt HJEason SSRNVR, Temporary Lt RVGunn RNZNVR, Commander JSHoffman (retired) formerly of gunboat GRASSHOPPER, Temporary Lt WSMcFarlane RNR, Acting Cdr EKHSt Aubyn DSC formerly of SULTAN, Temporary Acting Gunner (T) RFSteed and sixty one ratings were missing. Lt IDSForbes and some fifty rating survivors were picked up by captured Dutch steamer DUYMAER VAN TWIST and transferred to MAYA. Five ratings died while prisoners of war.

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Dutch destroyer WITTE DE WITH was sunk in drydock at Surabaya by Japanese bombing.

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American destroyer PILLSBURY (LCDR HCPound) was sunk by Japanese heavy cruisers ATAGO and TAKAO south of the Java coast.LT ACBookout, LT (jg) GLFisher, LT (jg) EGandia, LT RWGermany Jr , ENS WHHarris, LT TAHilger, LCDR HCPound, ENS JJRiley, ENS LSSulkis, LT AHVorpahl and one hundred and seventy enlisted men were lost. ENS Harris and twenty eight enlisted men were from destroyer STEWART. There were no survivors.

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Patrol vessel KEDAH, with ABDA COM HQ on board, reported her machinery had broken down in 2-10S, 90-44S. Australian light cruisers HOBART and the British DRAGON were ordered to assist. DRAGON took her in tow and arrived at Colombo on the 6th.

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American light cruiser MARBLEHEAD departed Trincomalee for Simonstown for repairs.

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Convoy SU.3 departed Colombo with troopships STRATHALLAN, DURBAN CASTLE, ANDES and ORCADES, escorted by light cruiser GLASGOW. The convoy dispersed in 4-20N, 82-38E. Destination and routing were changed en route and instead of proceeding to Fremantle, arrived at Adelaide.