ATTEMPT THAT FAILED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 March 1942, Page 3

ATTEMPT THAT FAILED

“Admiral Doorman attempted to work round these enemy ships in order to locate a convoy which was expected to be to the northward. This was found to be impracticable owing to the high speed of the enemy, and Admiral Doorman then turned his force to the southward to close the'coast of Java, intending to sweep to the westward along the coast in an attempt to intercept the Japanese invasion convoys. “Half an hour later the Allied force had turned westward along the Java coast. The destroyer Jupiter was disabled by an under-water explosion, and she sank four hours later. The Jupiter was not far from the mainland of Java, and a number of her survivors have already reached Australia. “At 11.30 p.m., when the Allied cruisers were about 12 miles north of Rembang, two enemy cruisers were sighted between our ships and the coast. They were at once engaged, and a number of hits were secured on the enemy. The De Ruyter was hit by one) shell. Immediately after the De Ruyter made a large alteration in her course, presumably in order to avoid torpedoes fired by the enemy. Other Allied cruisers were conforming when underwater explosions occurred simultaneously in the. De Ruyter and Java, and both of these Dutch cruisers blew up and sank at once.