HMS Exeter
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HMS
Exeter was a York class heavy cruiser laid down by
Devonport Dockyard in August 1928. She was launched in
July 1929, and was commissioned in 1931. She was assigned
and transferred to several station around the globe in the
1930s, and at the outbreak of world war two she was part
of the South American division. 13.December 1939 she
engaged the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Von Spee in the battle
of River Plate. She was heavily damaged in the battle and
had to break contact and return to base. Her repairs
finished in March 1941, and she did a few patrols in
northern waters and exercises before she was sent to the
Far East Fleet. After the Japanese undeclared war in
December 1941, she took part in both battles of Java in
February 1942. Under the second battle she came under
attack from four Japanese cruisers and four destroyers
29.February. She was hit in the boiler room and her power
went out. Unable to steer the ship or operate the guns,
orders to abandon ship and scuttle her was given. While
she was sinking, the Japanese destroyers closed in and
torpedoed her. 652 men from Exter was picked up by the
Japanese ships and became prisoners of war. The wreck was
found in 20007, and rest today on a depth of 60 meter
northwest of Baewan Island. Illegal salvaging has been
done on the wreck, which is now totally destroyed.
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 Picture: HMS Exeter in 1934 Courtesy of US Navy, picture NH60812, Public domain Last updated: January 2021 |
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