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The most significant action in which RAN ships participated during the defence of the NEI was known as the Battle of the Java Sea. With the fall of Singapore ABDA command was dissolved and the Dutch took over command control of the region. This occurred on 25 February and on the same day a large convoy of Japanese ships carrying its eastern taskforce was spotted 320kms northeast of Surabaya where Dutch Rear Admiral Karel Doorman was based. All available warships were sent to reinforce Doorman's fleet including HMAS Perth. Doorman's amalgamated fleet or Western Striking Force of Dutch, US, Australian and British ships steamed out to intercept the convoy with orders to destroy it. The battle opened at 4.16pm on 27 February at a long distance fire range of 25 kilometres. Perth entered the fight at 7.33pm. By 11pm two Dutch cruisers and three destroyers had been lost. Doorman had gone down with his flagship De Ruyter. Captain Hector Waller, commander of the Perth, broke off the action and with the USS Houston proceeded west to Tanjong Priok. They reached that place at 1.30pm on 28 February refuelling before sailing at 7pm for Tjilatjap on the southern tip of Java. Unfortunately the escorts of the western invasion force ran across their path. Outnumbered by three cruisers and nine destroyers the two ships had little chance. Four torpedoes sunk the Perth. Waller and 352 of his ship's complement perished. 324 were rescued and imprisoned of whom 106 died in captivity. The Houston was also sunk as were another two British and one US warship trying to make Colombo. Meanwhile HMAS Hobart with two British destroyers searched vainly for the western taskforce. They proceeded to the Sunda Strait picking up refugees in Padang, Sumatra, before continuing safely on to Ceylon. |
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