HNLMS Java (1921): Difference between revisions

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[[File:NH 111605 Japanese heavy cruiser, HIJMS NACHI (cropped).jpg|thumb|Japanese heavy cruiser ''Nachi'' (pictured) torpedoed ''Java'' with devastating effect.]]During the night of the 26th, the cruisers were temporarily followed by Japanese [[Floatplane|floatplanes]], which gave the enemy an understanding of the fleet's route. Unaware, the Allied cruisers passed near the invasion force but were ambushed by the Japanese [[Heavy cruiser|heavy cruisers]] ''[[Japanese cruiser Haguro|Haguro]]'' and ''[[Japanese cruiser Nachi|Nachi]]''. Under cover of darkness, the Japanese closed to {{Convert|9,000|yd|m}} undetected and fired a spread of torpedoes followed by a renewed gun duel. ''Java''<nowiki/>'s crew, exhausted and low on ammunition, did not shoot back at such a long range.<ref name=":74" />{{Rp|page=314-316|pages=}}

When the torpedoes were detected, the fleet took evasive action. ''Java'', at the end of the battle line, did not turn in time and was struck by a torpedo from ''Nachi'' near her magazine at 11:36 PM. The older ship, which lacked modern protections, was obliterated in the following explosion. The rear-most gun and {{Convert|100|ft|m}} of her stern was blown off in an explosion so large it was felt onboard other ships in formation. [[Damage control (maritime)|Damage control]] was hopeless and the [[engine room]] began to flood. The order to abandon ship was given by [[captain]] {{Interlanguage link|Philippus Bernardus Maria van Straelen|lt=Philippus van Straelen|nl}}. Crews were initially calm, but they struggled to access the ship's [[Personal flotation device|life vests]]. The vests were kept locked in a compartment with one hatch, and a mob formed when sailors struggled to pass each other to reach the compartment. The ship sank in 15 minutes, which left little time to deploy [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboats]]. Crew members jumped ship and clung onto anything thrown overboard.<ref name=":74" />{{Rp|page=316-317|pages=}} There waswere only 19 survivors from her complement of 525 sailors.<ref name=":8" />{{Rp|page=190}}<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Noppen |first=Ryan K. |title=The Royal Netherlands Navy of World War II |date=2020 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing Plc |others=Paul Wright |isbn=978-1-4728-4191-9 |edition=1st |series=New Vanguard Series |___location=London}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=|page=44}}

==Wreck==