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| Koninklijke Marine Royal Netherlands Navy Java-class light cruiser 8,078 Tons 155.30m / 16m / 6.22m 10 x Bofors 15cm/5.9" guns 8 x Bofors 40mm AA 8 x .50 cal AA 1 x catapult 2 x Fokker floatplanes  RAN February 15, 1942   Kevin Denlay 2002 |
Ship History Designed in 1913 by Germaniawerft, Kiel. Laid down May 31, 1916 as a Java-class light cruiser at Koninklijke Mij De Schelde (Vlissingen). Launched August 6, 1921 as Hr. Ms. Java. Also known as HNMS Java or HNLMS Java. Commissioned May 1, 1925 in the Koninklijke Marine (Royal Netherlands Navy). On December 4, 1928 participates in a fleet review at Yokohama. On May 20, 1937 participates in fleet review at Spithead. Afterwards, modernized at Naval Dockyard in Den Helder, Holland. The modifications include adding an AA-battery of 4 double Bofors 40 mm-guns, replacing the fire control system with a new Hazemeyer set and shortening the masts. On January 3, 1938 recommissioned and deployed to Gibraltar Strait to escort Dutch ships. On May 4, 1938 departs via the Suez Canal for the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia). During April 1940, Java and De Ruyter, the supply ship Zuiderkruis and two divisions of submarines are on stand-by in the Java sea after rumors about a Japanese fleet concentration near Formosa, that proves to be untrue. On April 27, 1940 Captain Ph.B.M. Van Straelen RNN takes command. Wartime History On May 10, 1940 when Germany and Netherlands were at a state of war, Java is instructed to capture German freighters at Padang. A raiding party boards and captures: Bitterfeld (7659 gt), Wuppertal (6737 gt) and Rheinland (6622 gt). Next on January 18, 1941 Java makes here first convoy trip from the Ajoe archipelago with the Brastagi (9247 tons), Kota Nopan (7332 gross tons), Kota Baroe (7281 gt) and Kota Tjandi (7295 gt), but the convoy was dissolved on January 23 at 03.00 S, 161.25 E. During March 1941, while Java is being refit, participates in a search for the Admiral Scheer rumored to be operating in the Indian Ocean but finds. On April 23, 1941 Java leaves Suva with two merchants, bound for Brisbane. In July 1941, in the Torres Strait rendezvous with passenger ship Jagersfontein (10083 gt) with a contingent of American aviators bound for China to serve in the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers" and escorts the vessel to Java. During November 1941, performs escort duty between Suva and Soerabaja. On December 8, 1941 at the start of the Pacific War, the Netherlands declares war on Japan while Java is enroute to Singapore where she was to operate under command of the Royal Navy under Admiral Layton. During December 1941 until early February 1942, Java is part of most convoys bound for Singapore and makes a trip to Cocos Island. On December 12, 1941 Java departs Singapore and the next day rendezvous with convoy SM-1 comprised of three British, one Greek and two American ships with escorts Evertsen, Australian armed merchant cruiser Kanimbla, HMS Encounter, HMS Stronghold and HMS Tenedos. Java escorts for three days until December 15, 1941. Next, on December 31, 1941 Java is part of the escort for convoy BM-9B but aborts due to propeller damage. On January 18, 1942 Java with destroyers Evertsen and Van Nes as escorts rendezvous with convoy MS-2 including HMS Aquitania and HMAS Canberra bound for Singapore. The convoy arrives in Ratai Bay on Sumatra where the troops transfer to six smaller Dutch KPM-steamers and one small British ship. This convoy now designated MS-2A departs for Singapore arriving January 24, 1942. On January 26, 1942 a report about a Japanese concentration of ships off western Borneo near Api Passage. Admiral Helfrich orders cruisers Java and Tromp plus destroyers Banckert and Piet Hein to intercept and destroy the enemy force. Later reports show the convoy is only a freighter and numerous very small vessels and the Allied force withdraws. On January 31, 1942 Java escorts convoy DM-2 bound for Singapore with Java detaching four days later due to fuel shortage. On February 13, 1942 in the afternoon, Java joins the Eastern Striking Force with De Ruyter and Tromp under Rear-Admiral Doorman while it transits the Sunda Strait. This force is enroute to intercept a Japanese convoy bound for Palembang. Doorman decides to wait for destroyers to assist him and plots a course for Oosthaven on Sumatra. On arrival, heavy cruiser HMS Exeter and the light cruiser HMAS Hobart join while the destroyers arrive the next day. On February 14, 1942 in the afternoon the force departs Oosthaven bound for for Gaspar Straits including Java, De Ruyter, Tromp, HMS Exeter and HMAS Hobart along with the Dutch destroyers Van Ghent, Kortenaer, Piet Hein and Banckert and U.S. Navy (USN) destroyers including USS Barker (DD-213), USS Stewart (DD-224), USS Bulmer (DD-222, USS John D. Edwards (DD-216), USS Pillsbury (DD-227) and USS Parrott (DD-218). The warships are headed for an area notorious for navigational hazards. On February 15, 1942 at 4:30am destroyer Van Ghent hits Bamidjo Reef in Stolze Strait. Rear-Admiral Doorman ordered the four Dutch destroyers steaming alongside each other barely missing the reef. Departing Stolze Strait at about 8:00am, the fleet sets a western course about 45 minutes later. Spotted by a Japanese seaplane from heavy cruiser Chokai at 9:20am. A few hours later, seven B5N Kates from Ryūjō drop bombs, but none score hits. They were later reinforced by numerous other aircraft, but no ships sustain substantial damage. On February 16, 1942 at 8:30am the striking force enters Tandjong Priok (Batavia) except for the Java and the destroyers, which have a smaller oil capacity and are refuel in Ratai Bay on Sumatra from Dutch tanker Tan 1, then depart for Tjilatjap arriving the next day. On February 18, 1942 in the evening departs Tjiltjap as part of a group of American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA) warships for an attack on Japanese forces landing at Bali. The force includes Hr. Ms. De Ruyter and Hr. Ms. Java with destroyers Hr. Ms. Kortenaer, Hr. Ms. Piet Hein, USS John D. Ford (DD-228) and USS Pope (DD-225). On February 19, 1942 at 10:00pm at the start of the Battle of Badung Strait (Bali Sea Battle) part of the first group of Allied warships to engage the Japanese in Badung Strait. At 10:25pm they open fire at but cause no damage and the two Dutch cruisers continued through Badung Strait to the northeast, to allow the destroyers to engage with torpedoes. During the battle, Java was hit by a 12 cm shell, wounded two sailors and causing minor damage. On February 20, 1942 arrives Soerabaja. On February 25, 1942 in the evening part of a striking force of cruisers Java, De Ruyter and USS Houston plus seven destroyers departs in the evening to sweep off the Madoera coast. No ships are sighted, the ships return to Soerabaja the next day. On February 26, 1942 at night the same force participates in a sweep of the Java Sea. On February 27, 1942 at 9:00am the strike force is attacked by Japanese aircraft and Jupiter suffers near miss from a bomb and afterwards returns to Soerabaja. That evening, departs to intercept several convoys heading for Java. The striking force was spotted and engaged by the Japanese covering force, consisting of heavy cruisers Nachi and Haguro plus two light cruisers and 14 destroyers at the start of the Battle of the Java Sea. Sinking History On February 27, 1942 at 9:00am the strike force is attacked by Japanese aircraft and Jupiter suffers near miss from a bomb and afterwards returns to Soerabaja. That evening, departs to intercept several convoys heading for Java. The striking force was spotted and engaged by the Japanese covering force, consisting of heavy cruisers Nachi and Haguro plus two light cruisers and 14 destroyers at the start of the Battle of the Java Sea. Around midnight, Hr Ms De Ruyter and Hr Ms Java were hit minutes apart by Japanese Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes fired by Japanese cruisers Nachi and Haguro. A single torpedo that hit Java impacted the aft ammunition storage and exploded. The anti-aircraft guns caught fire and the ship's stern broke off near the long room, flooding the aft engine room and causing a list to port. All electrical equipment shut down and the only thing the crew could do, was to abandon ship as soon as possible. No boats could be lowered without electricity, so all possible life vests and rafts were thrown overboard. Java sank in about fifteen minutes, taking 512 crew members to the bottom, including Captain Ph.B.M. van Straelen. The wartime sinking location was recorded as roughly Lat 6.00 S, Long 112.05 E. Shipwreck On December 1, 2002 the shipwreck was discovered by MV Empress using side scan sonar then confirmed by SCUBA divers including Kevin Denlay to positively identify vessel. Although the team's principal objective was to locate HMS Exeter, sunk two days later, they were thrilled to find the two Dutch cruisers [De Ruyter and Java] instead. The shipwreck was on her starboard side off Bawean Island in the Java Sea at a depth of 67m / 220'. Sometime between December 2002 to November 2016, the shipwreck was dived by Indonesian salvagers that illegally removed scrap metal. By November 2016 the shipwreck was completely scrapped. During November 2016, the Netherlands Defence Ministry said in a statement: “The wrecks of HNLMS De Ruyter and HNLMS Java have seemingly gone completely missing. A large piece is also missing of HNLMS Kortenaer." References The Guardian "Mystery as wrecks of three Dutch WWII ships vanish from Java seabed" November 16, 2016 "The [Netherlands Defence] ministry said in a statement: “The wrecks of HNLMS De Ruyter and HNLMS Java have seemingly gone completely missing. A large piece is also missing of HNLMS Kortenaer.” History of War: "Java Sea Shipwrecks of World War 2: One of the men who found them reflects on their loss" by James Hoare November 23, 2016 Thanks to Kevin Denlay for additional information and photographs Contribute
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