Within six minutes several shells had hit hms exeter causing heavy damage and loss of life. Bridge, then forward to see the b and a 8 inch gun turrets. Inside out follows the ships veterans on an emotional journey to. On the 27th a combined abda american british dutch australian task force of ships had sustained heavy damage whilst attacking the japanese invasion fleet heading. Carter albert h exeter and plymouth gazette among those board hms exeter at the battle of the river plate was seaman gunner albert h. Hms exeter was the second and last yorkclass heavy cruiser built for the royal navy during. Ahoy macs web log battle of the java sea, in which. From admiral harwoods post action report as seen by the british war cabinet. She became famous for her part in the battle of the river plate, alongside hms ajax and hms exeter and. Battle damage to hms exeter after engaging the pocket battleship graf spee at the battle of the river plate 1939 978 x 611. Ron served in hms exeter in the historic battle and his account is graphic and accurate. Exeter had to withdraw, with the damage pictured, but not before graf spee was critically damaged and ran to neutral montevideo. The destroyer hms encounter, together with the uss pope, did their best to protect exeter in the onesided battle against the japanese force. Battle of river plate 1939 admiral graf spee v exeter.
Tactically, the enemy appears to have made two serious mistakes. That day and night i dont think anyone slept and only a few of the really old sailors ate anything. On the internet there are two versions of how hms exeter was temporarily repaired after her clash with graf spee in december 1939. The battle started for hms exeter first, she was sent to investigate the.
The subsequent battle saw the cruiser hms exeter badly damaged with all her guns put out of action but still seaworthy, she suffered 61 killed and 23 wounded and was forced to make for the falkland islands to carry out repairs. Exeter had been called away to join ajax and achilles against graf spee en route. Battle damage to hms exeter after engaging the pocket. Prince of wales, 24 may 1941 updated 07may2014 shown here is an extract of admiralty file adm 267111, concerning damage received by h. Wreck of hms exeter being plundered, bodies dumped devon. Battlecruisers were as wellarmed as battleships, but had less armor to increase their speed. Hms exeter 68 crew killed in surface action february 27, 1942 and surface action and sinking march 1, 1942 action report. Hms exeter 68 was a yorkclass heavy cruiser of the royal navy that served in world war ii.
Hms exeter navy photospaul simpson, click to enlarge return to contents list yorkclass cruiser ordered from hm dockyard, devonport on 15th march 1928 and laid down on 1st august that year. Ajax and achilles continued to harry the pocket battleship from the north 6, but at 07. Nov 16, 2016 a preliminary report from an expedition to document sunken ships, seen by the guardian, shows that the wrecks of hms exeter, a 175m heavy cruiser, and destroyer hms encounter have been almost. Hms exeter sinking in the java sea photo taken by a japanese aircraft. There she was joined by hms encounter, which arrived with the survivors from the destroyer hnlms kortenaer.
Originally constructed by the royal navy, she was loaned to new zealand in 1936 before formally joining the new royal new zealand navy in 1941. Johns was serving in hms exeter at the battle of the river plate, and was still serving aboard her two and a half years later when the cruiser was cippled during the battle of the java sea, and sunk two days later in the battle of the sunda strait, when trying to get back to colombo. During the spanish civil war of 193639, she spent considerable time in spanish waters, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by britain and france on both sides of the. May 17, 2008 wartime naval legend hms exeter found off java the wreck of one of the second world wars most famous warships has been found by deep sea explorers, 66 years after it was lost in battle. On seeing the other two cruisers appear, the scheer had made a run for it. Hms exeter, british heavy cruiser, ww2 naval history. During his visit he went to devonport dockyard, in plymouth, where his former ship was repaired following a battle. Gordon oct 1, 1945 pdf war illustrated 1946 lt cmdr george cooper account of hms exeters last action makassar pow camp celebes sulawesi. With the ship damaged beyond hope, the captain gave the order for its sinking and those who had survived the fighting, found themselves in the sea, awaiting rescue and imprisonment by the japanese. Hms exeter was the second and last yorkclass heavy cruiser built for the royal navy during the late 1920s. She was launched on 18 july 1929 and completed on 27 july 1931.
Nov 22, 2016 the exeter was badly damaged by shell fire from the japanese cruiser haguro in the first battle of the java sea on feb. Hmnzs achilles was a leanderclass light cruiser which served with the royal new zealand navy in the second world war, the second of five in the class. The discovery of the wreck of the famous british heavy cruiser hms exeter, along with one of her two destroyer escorts, hms encounter, can now be officially revealed for the first time after a successful multi day multi dive expedition to the wreck sites. She had limped back to devonport in january 1940 after carrying out temporary repairs in the falkland islands following the battle of the river plate and. Named hms exeter 68 in honor of exeter in the united kingdom. Hms exeter battle damaged by gary harper photobucket. Steve cairns obe mbe, weapons artificer at the guildhall for the 2008 rededication of the hms exeter window in the cathedral. The cruiser hms exeter had sustained serious damage.
Eventually the stricken encounter, stopped and with 3 out of 4 guns inoperable, was ordered to be scuttled by her captain. The last ship with the name was a trawler hire for use as a minesweeper during ww1. Casualties during second java sea battle and sinking 1 mrch 1942 total killed and missing 40 died in macassar before 943 total 7 died in poemaloe east celebes total 15 killed in nagasaki total 3 died in nagasaki total 4. May 12, 2011 bridge, then forward to see the b and a 8 inch gun turrets. Exeter video at sea, sea dart firing, exeter 82 crew. Prince of wales during the battle of the denmark strait on 24 may 1941.
A preliminary report from an expedition to document sunken ships, seen by the guardian, shows that the wrecks of hms exeter, a 175m heavy cruiser. Finally,inaugust2016,thesurvey pinpointed the locations of hms warrior and hms sparrowhawk. She was launched to sea on july 18th, 1929 and was formally commissioned on july 27th, 1931. Devonbased hms exeter, which was built in plymouth the 1920s, was sunk in the java sea off indonesia by japanese forces on march 1, 1942, after. It saw the end of the last allied warships operating in the waters around java, allowing japanese forces to complete their conquest of the dutch east indies unhindered.
The mk38 gun mount and ballistics and weapons effectiveness. Hms exeter these 3d models then go through a rapid prototyper, which produces a resin model we can use to create moulds. Yorkclass cruiser ordered from hm dockyard, devonport on 15th march 1928 and laid down on 1st august that year. Now fully trained as musicians these two young men, rmb x16 musician a. Hms exeter 68 of the royal navy british heavy cruiser of. At first the graf spee responded by splitting their armament, but then concentrated the fire of all six 11inch guns on exeter. Hms encounter was an eclass destroyer built for the royal navy in the early 1930s. She was launched th july 1929 as the fifth rn ship to bear this name, introduced in 1680 for a 3rd rate 70 gun ship. In 2018, he travelled from canada for the hms exeter associations reunion.
Battle of the river plate commemorative booklet royal new. She was laid down on 1 august 1928 at the devonport dockyard, plymouth, devon. The hms exeter is one of the best known british warships of the second world war. Although the battle was inconclusive all four ships were damaged, with the graf. Electra and exeter embarked pilots inside the minefields and the latter. This was the first naval battle of world war two, during which it received extensive damage, which took over a year to repair. Damage to q turret on british battle cruiser hms lion which led to the deaths of around 50 of her crew and nearly destroyed the ship at the battle of jutland may 1916 a gunturret on hms lion, beattys flagship during the battle of jutland. Hms exeter fighting off an aircraft attack in january 1942 during the battle of the banka straits. Hms exeter 1697 was a 60gun fourth rate launched in 1697.
Battle damage to hms exeter following the battle of. In addition to the textual extract, a number of photos of said damage are also included. The subsequent battle saw the cruiser hms exeter badly damaged with all her guns put. Although assigned to the home fleet upon completion, the ship was attached to the mediterranean fleet in 193536 during the abyssinia crisis. The losses of both of these last two ships share common features in that they occurred not in battle, but in the hours afterwards as their battle damaged. Wartime naval legend hms exeter found off java telegraph. Hms exeter 68 of the royal navy british heavy cruiser. Hms exeter 68 heavy cruiser warship military factory.
She had left port stanley for montevideo under escort by exeter. The sinking of hms exeter 1 march 1942 navy books news. Inside out follows the ships veterans on an emotional journey to indonesia. This model of hms exeter is a onepiece resin cast, with a metal sprue added to carry the guns, mast and one of the funnels this ensures we have the perfect balance between detail and ease of building. She was severely damaged during the battle, and she was in the shipyard for over a year. Exeter memories hms exeter a history of five ships.
Wreck of hms exeter being plundered, bodies dumped devon live. The argentine journal propaganda to conscripts in 1982. Hms exeter was forced to break off and head south for the falklands 8, but graf spee failed to press home her advantage. Between java and borneo they encountered eight japanese warships four heavy cruisers and four destroyers and the second battle of the java sea followed. Mar 01, 2017 hms exeter, and her ships company, were battle scarred veterans when she deployed to the far east in 1941. The hms exeter association is for all former crew members, families, descendants or those with a general interest in hms exeter. Nov 05, 2008 the hms exeter is one of the best known british warships of the second world war. The brits managed to convince capt langsdorff that a heavy force was coming and would be waiting for him when the 72 hour allowable time in port ended. Oct 15, 2017 hms exeter 68 was ordered on march 15th, 1928 and saw her keel laid down at the devonport dockyard in plymouth on august 1st, 1928. Hms exeter 68 was a yorkclass heavy cruiser launched in 1929.
Hms exeter, and her ships company, were battle scarred veterans when she deployed to the far east in 1941. Gordon hms exeter battle of the java sea by captain o. Hms exeter left, during a battle in the java sea on 15th february 1942. Carter, old boy of ladysmithroad school, exeter, whose father and mother live at 46, stuartroad heavitree, exeter. The severely damaged hms exeter, with a main mast that rocked as the ship rolled, made for port stanley in the falklands, 1,200 miles away for repairs. When world war ii began in september 1939, the cruiser was assigned to. Frank norton, hms achilles in the battle of the river plate. After the battle, the slower lafonia had followed the damaged graf spee into montevideo and according to the nurses account in the above link she left shortly after her, passing the burning wreck. On the 27th a combined abda american british dutch australian task force of ships had sustained heavy damage whilst attacking the japanese invasion fleet heading for java, now known as the first battle of the java sea.
After lengthy repairs and after japan had entered the war in 1941, hms exeter found herself taking part in a very onesided action now known as the second battle of the java sea. Heavy cruiser hms exeter seen after the battle, looking aft from the bow. Albert carter left school in 1929 and joined the navy about five and half years ago. The modifications brought to exeter produced a noticeably different profile from the original lead ship york. Between java and borneo they encountered eight japanese warships four heavy cruisers and four. There is no definitive list of the crew of hms exeter, during the battle of the river plate in december 1939.
Three times she broke the journey to consign her dead to the ocean, a total of sixtytwo officers and men. On arrival at the entrance to sourabaya minefields at about 123026, destroyers under the orders of electra were ordered to proceed ahead and on arrival to pass a fuel requirement signal to e. She had limped back to devonport in january 1940 after carrying out temporary repairs in the falkland islands following the battle of the river plate and the sinking of the graf spee. The full story of the battle together with photos is one of the cruiser actions. Hms encounter, also sunk with hms exeter, at the battle of the java sea. Official media release april 30th 2008 two famous ww11 warship wrecks discovered. She was damaged in an explosion in 1691 and was hulked. Hms exeter 1763 was a 64gun third rate launched in 1763. Jones were nominated in a band, under bandmaster vidler to join hms exeter. Battle damage to hms exeter following the battle of the river plate220.
The crew of hms exeter onboard at the battle of the river plate. The exeter was badly damaged by shell fire from the japanese cruiser haguro in the first battle of the java sea on feb. During the battle of the river plate on december 1939 hms exeter was badly damaged and had to withdraw to the falkland islands for temporary repairs. Exeter and the 6inch guns of ajax and achilles to come into action at once. On 28th she buried her 14 dead at sea and departed with the destroyers hms encounter and uss pope. Photo damaged hms exeter, dec 1939 royal navy ships. The second battle of the java sea was the last naval action of the netherlands east indies campaign, of 194142.
Almost simultaneously hms exeter, after her well documented exploits in the battle of the river plate, was being repaired and refitted for further action at sea. She fought at the river plate in 1939, and was sunk during the second battle of the java sea on 1 march 1942. Aside from a temporary deployment with the mediterranean fleet during the abyssinia crisis of 193536, she spent the bulk of the 1930s assigned to the atlantic fleet or the north america and west indies station. These lasted until january 1940, after which the ship returned to devonport dockyard for full repairs which took until march 1941 to complete. Devon born casualties from the crew of hms exeter ww2.
Hms exeter 68 was ordered on march 15th, 1928 and saw her keel laid down at the devonport dockyard in plymouth on august 1st, 1928. During the battle, exeter was badly damaged by gunfire from the heavy cruisers. There is also a video clip of the battle and the return of exeter to the uk on the video page. Hms exeter fighting off an aircraft attack in january 1942 during the. Hms exeter is probably most famous for taking part in the battle of the river plate, close to the coast of argentina and uruguay in south america, in december 1939.
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