During the naval battle of Balikpapan she made close-quarter torpedo and gun attacks which helped delay Japanese landings at Balikpapan and later in the Battle of Badung Strait she impeded the invasion of the island of Bali. During the Second Battle of the Java Sea, "Pope" and were directed to escort the severely damaged British cruiser away from the action. was unable to recall her crew from shore leave in time to join their retreat to Ceylon. In the evening of 28 February 1942, "Exeter" and the two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. Japanese surface and air forces launched an attack the next morning, midway between the islands of Java and Borneo. As they sought to escape the three Allied ships fought four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers throughout a fierce three-hour action, and they damaged a number of enemy ships. "Pope" fired all of her torpedoes and 140 salvoes of naval gunfire.