As the Japanese advanced into Asia, an alliance between the Americans, Dutch, British and Australians were formed. This was known as the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDACOM) on 7 December 1941. Singapore was the headquarters for the ABDACOM.
With the fall of Singapore in February 1942, the only major joint Allied force in Southeast Asia was the Eastern Strike Force. This force was led by Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. It consisted of a patchwork of the Allied ships, including the survivors of the aerial attack of the HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse. The flagship of this force was the HNLMS (Her Dutch Majesty's Ship) De Ruyter, a light cruiser.
With the loss of the Indonesian islands Sumatra (Northwest of Java) and Bali (east of Java), the Eastern Strike Force was tasked with delaying the Japanese landings on Java. This shocked Allied forces -- this meant that the Japanese had split their invasion forces into two.
This presented the ABDACOM with an opportunity. If the Japanese forces were divided, this meant their attention was also divided.
The Allies had to prevent the Japanese landing on Java.
Allied aircraft spotted the Japanese Eastern Invasion Fleet on 25th February near the Philippines, and Doorman led his team to sweep the North of Java. He did not encounter any enemy vessel, so he returned to his base in Surabaya. As they were about the dock on 27 February, a Dutch aircraft spotted the Japanese 80 km north of Surabya at 1357.
With a fleet of 2 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers and 9 destroyers, Doorman led his force to engage the the Japanese task force of 2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 14 destroyers. The Japanese commander was Rear Admiral Takeo Takagi.
27 February 1600: so it begins
Doorman formed his ships into three columns, with his destroyers flanking his cruisers. Although the Allied crew was exhausted, they had two advantages: (A) they had air superiority during the daytime as the Japanese aircraft could not cover their fleet (due to bad weather conditions), and (B) the Japanese fleet was concerned with also protecting their own troop transports. In addition, the British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter had modern radar.
At 1600, IJN Jintsu (the Japanese light cruiser) spotted the Allied ships. Both sides closed in to engage at 1616 but no significant damage occured during the opening salvos.
1700: HMS Exeter disabled and HNLMS Kortenaer sunk
Fearing that the battle was closing in on the transports, Takagi ordered his ships to close in on the Allied fleet. The heavy cruiser IJN Nachi hit HMS Exeter, disabling its boiler rooms. With loss of power, HMS Exeter retreated (accompaied by destroyer HNLMS Witte de With) on Doorman's orders.
The Japanese launched 92 torpedoes in two salvos and 1 struck the destroyer HNLMS Kortenaer. The destroyer broke into two as it sank.
1745: Pressing the advantage
Takagi turned his attention to the naval port of Surabaya. Doorman ordered his ships to close in. In an attempt to cover the retreat of HMS Exeter, destroyer HMS Electra engaged light cruiser IJN Jintsu and destroyer IJN Asagumo. After catching fire and running our of ammunition, HMS Electra was abandoned. The engines of IJN Asagumo were disabled causing that ship to no longer play a part in the battle.
At 1750, Doorman ordered his four American destroyers (USS Alden, USS John D. Edwards, USS John D. Ford, and USS Paul Jones) to cover the Allied fleet maneuvers with a smokescreen. The navies briefly stopped engaging. Takagi halted his advance on Surabya as he feared the naval mines surrounding the harbour.
1920: Re-engagement
Doorman's plan was now to engage the Japanese transports instead of Takagi's fleet. However, Takagi anticipated this and moved his fleet to protect the transports. At 1920, the two navies engaged again. The encounter was brief, as Doorman disengaged his fleet in attempt to seek the Japanese transport vessels instead.
2100: The fleet is diminished
Running low on fuel and ammunition at around 2100 the four American destroyers withdrew to Surabaya. The remaining ships moved on follow the coastline of Java.
At 2125, destroyer HMS Jupiter hit a Dutch naval mine and sank.
At 2145, destroyer HMS Encounter was dispatched to picked up survivors from HNLMS Kortenaer.
2302: Final defeat
At 2302, Doorman's fleet (of 1 heavy and 3 light cruisers) was once again spotted by IJN Nachi. As the two fleets engaged again, heavy cruisers IJN Nachi and IJN Haguro fired a spread of torpedos.
At 2332, the light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter was struck by a torpedo from IJN Haguro and the magazine compartment exploded. According to witnesses, Doorman chose to go down with his ship.
At 2334, the light cruiser HNLMS Java was struck by a torpedo from IJN Nachi and sank.
Following Doorman's final orders, heavy cruiser USS Houston and light cruiser HMAS Perth withdrew from the battle.
Effects
With the loss of 2 light cruisers, 3 destroyers and 2,300 sailors, ABDACOM as a viable entity was annihilated. Java would be invaded on 28 February and the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) was lost. Any hope of regaining Singapore quickly under Allied hands was effectively gone.
From then on, the Allies would not form a joint Pacific command together. The Dutch military was defeated. The British would fight in the Burma (Myanmar) and India. The Americans would continue the fight in the Pacific. The Australians and New Zealanders would be placed under the command of the Americans.
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| HNLMS De Ruyter, a Dutch light cruiser |
With the fall of Singapore in February 1942, the only major joint Allied force in Southeast Asia was the Eastern Strike Force. This force was led by Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. It consisted of a patchwork of the Allied ships, including the survivors of the aerial attack of the HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse. The flagship of this force was the HNLMS (Her Dutch Majesty's Ship) De Ruyter, a light cruiser.
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| The battle took place about 80 km north of Surabaya |
With the loss of the Indonesian islands Sumatra (Northwest of Java) and Bali (east of Java), the Eastern Strike Force was tasked with delaying the Japanese landings on Java. This shocked Allied forces -- this meant that the Japanese had split their invasion forces into two.
This presented the ABDACOM with an opportunity. If the Japanese forces were divided, this meant their attention was also divided.
The Allies had to prevent the Japanese landing on Java.
 |
| The Japanese naval advance from 23 Dec 1941 - 21 Feb 1942 |
With a fleet of 2 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers and 9 destroyers, Doorman led his force to engage the the Japanese task force of 2 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers and 14 destroyers. The Japanese commander was Rear Admiral Takeo Takagi.
27 February 1600: so it begins
Doorman formed his ships into three columns, with his destroyers flanking his cruisers. Although the Allied crew was exhausted, they had two advantages: (A) they had air superiority during the daytime as the Japanese aircraft could not cover their fleet (due to bad weather conditions), and (B) the Japanese fleet was concerned with also protecting their own troop transports. In addition, the British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter had modern radar.
At 1600, IJN Jintsu (the Japanese light cruiser) spotted the Allied ships. Both sides closed in to engage at 1616 but no significant damage occured during the opening salvos.
1700: HMS Exeter disabled and HNLMS Kortenaer sunk
Fearing that the battle was closing in on the transports, Takagi ordered his ships to close in on the Allied fleet. The heavy cruiser IJN Nachi hit HMS Exeter, disabling its boiler rooms. With loss of power, HMS Exeter retreated (accompaied by destroyer HNLMS Witte de With) on Doorman's orders.
The Japanese launched 92 torpedoes in two salvos and 1 struck the destroyer HNLMS Kortenaer. The destroyer broke into two as it sank.
1745: Pressing the advantage
Takagi turned his attention to the naval port of Surabaya. Doorman ordered his ships to close in. In an attempt to cover the retreat of HMS Exeter, destroyer HMS Electra engaged light cruiser IJN Jintsu and destroyer IJN Asagumo. After catching fire and running our of ammunition, HMS Electra was abandoned. The engines of IJN Asagumo were disabled causing that ship to no longer play a part in the battle.
At 1750, Doorman ordered his four American destroyers (USS Alden, USS John D. Edwards, USS John D. Ford, and USS Paul Jones) to cover the Allied fleet maneuvers with a smokescreen. The navies briefly stopped engaging. Takagi halted his advance on Surabya as he feared the naval mines surrounding the harbour.
1920: Re-engagement
Doorman's plan was now to engage the Japanese transports instead of Takagi's fleet. However, Takagi anticipated this and moved his fleet to protect the transports. At 1920, the two navies engaged again. The encounter was brief, as Doorman disengaged his fleet in attempt to seek the Japanese transport vessels instead.
2100: The fleet is diminished
Running low on fuel and ammunition at around 2100 the four American destroyers withdrew to Surabaya. The remaining ships moved on follow the coastline of Java.
At 2125, destroyer HMS Jupiter hit a Dutch naval mine and sank.
At 2145, destroyer HMS Encounter was dispatched to picked up survivors from HNLMS Kortenaer.
2302: Final defeat
At 2302, Doorman's fleet (of 1 heavy and 3 light cruisers) was once again spotted by IJN Nachi. As the two fleets engaged again, heavy cruisers IJN Nachi and IJN Haguro fired a spread of torpedos.
At 2332, the light cruiser HNLMS De Ruyter was struck by a torpedo from IJN Haguro and the magazine compartment exploded. According to witnesses, Doorman chose to go down with his ship.
At 2334, the light cruiser HNLMS Java was struck by a torpedo from IJN Nachi and sank.
Following Doorman's final orders, heavy cruiser USS Houston and light cruiser HMAS Perth withdrew from the battle.
Effects
With the loss of 2 light cruisers, 3 destroyers and 2,300 sailors, ABDACOM as a viable entity was annihilated. Java would be invaded on 28 February and the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) was lost. Any hope of regaining Singapore quickly under Allied hands was effectively gone.
From then on, the Allies would not form a joint Pacific command together. The Dutch military was defeated. The British would fight in the Burma (Myanmar) and India. The Americans would continue the fight in the Pacific. The Australians and New Zealanders would be placed under the command of the Americans.
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