Ship History
Built by Yarrow & Company at Scotstoun in Glasgow. Laid down September 20, 1937. Launched October 27, 1938. Commissioned June 16, 1939.

Wartime History
During 1940 and 1941 this destroyer participated in missions in the European theater of operations, including:  Minelayer operations of Dutch coast, shelling of Cherbourg, British raid on Genua.

On November 29, 1941, the HMS Jupiter and HMS Encounter, detached from the Mediterranean Fleet, joined up with Force G at Colombo, and the five ships sailed later that day. They rendezvoused with HMS Repulse at sea, and set course for Singapore, arriving on December 2.

Jupiter sank a Japanese I-60 submarine on January 17, 1942.

Sinking History
Participated in the Battle of the Java Sea. HMS Jupiter was sailing near the northern coast of Java in the evening of February 27, 1942, just before the beginning of the final stage of the Battle of the Java Sea.

Struck by a violent explosion, it sank in evening of February 27, 1942 after striking a Dutch minefield during Battle of the Java Sea.

At the time, the explosion was thought to be a Japanese torpedo. But, there where no Japanese forces in striking distance at the time of the explosion.  Later it was found that she had struck a mine in a Dutch minefield, laid earlier that day by Dutch minelayer Gouden Leeuw.

Shipwreck
A known wreck site, listed on Admiralty charts. The shipwreck is very broken up, partly salvaged as it is near to the Java coast.

Kevin Denlay adds:
"Jupiter is the only one of all the Battle of the Java Sea wrecks (2/27/42) that I haven't dived. Skipper has dived her many years ago and reports very very broken up from salvage and extremely poor vis, what we would call 'braille' diving. And its a little out of the way being right down on the coast, so although I would like to dive her just to complete the circle as it were, it's not something I expect to happen any time soon."

References
Thanks to Kevin Denlay for wreckage today information.

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