Evening star., 1942-03-14

u. S. Cruiser, Destroyer Sunk
With 10 Other Allied Ships
Continued From First Page

One of the enemys heavy 8nch gun cruisers had been
hit and was burning flercey.
The joint communque continued the description
of the action follows:
Admiral DeOorman led his force about and chased
the enemy to northeastward but he failed to regain
touch with the enemy in the fading light After night
fall the Allied cruisers sighted four enemy ships to
westward and engaged them but without definite
knowledge of the results
Admiral Deoorman attempted to work around
these enemy ships in order to locate the convoy which
expected to the northward This was found to
be impossible owing to the high speed of the enemy
and Admiral Deoorman then turned his force to
southwark to approach the coast of Java intending
- sweep to westward along the coast in attempt to
intercept the Japanese invasion conveys.
Jupiter Is Sunk Some of Crew Surviving.
Half hour after this Allied force had turned
to westward along the Java coast H. M S. Jupiter was
disabled by underwater explosion. She sank four
hours later H. M s. Jupiter not far from the
mainland of Java and number of survivors have
already reached Australia A United States sub
marine assisted in the rescue of So survivors,
1l:3O pm when the remaining Allied cruisers were
about u miles north of Rembang two cruisers
sighted between ships and the coast Our ships
engaged and number hits secured enemy.
The she'll Afterward the De Ruyter
made large change of presumably in order to avoid
tOrpedoe fired by the enemy The other Allied cruisers
following the Ruter when explosions
simultaneously in the cruisers De Ruyter and Java Both
these Dutch cruisers blew up and sank at once.
1T is impossible to estimate with the damage
inflicted the during these actions of February 81
Observers in the Perth consider that japanese 8inch
sunk second 8-inch cruiser damaged
destroyer sunk 1t has also been reported that
of the Mogam class set fire and three de-
stroyers seriously damaged sinking.
H. M. A. S. Perth and U. S. s. Houston, which had
damage action Tanjong Prick
o'clock the morning of Saturday February g. Five
United States deSroyerS reached SOurabaya after the action
With the in command OF and air north OF
Java overwhelming the Allied command faced
with the problem of extricatng the remaining Allied ships
a very dangerous situation The Australia
barred by the 600 melong island Of Java with the straits
either end of it under enemy control.
Trying Run Straits, Cruisers Meet Fee.
dark the 2Sth of February H. M "A. s. Perth
left Tanjong Prick with the intention of
passing through Sunda Strait during dark hours During the
night enemy report H. A. S. Perth received
she u Houston had into
contact of Japanese ships of ST. Nicholas Point
IL 30 pm.
Nothing however has been heard from H M A. S. Perth
the u S. Houston since that time The next OF kin OF
Houston being Informed accordingly.
night the Exeter which capable OF only
half speed, left Sourabaya accompanied by H M S. En-
United destroyer Pope On the fore
noon Sunday March the Exeter reported that she
sighted cruisers steering toward her No fur
received from the Exeter Encounter
the u s. kin of the Pope being in
formed accordingly The Dutch destroyer Evertsen encoun
tered japanese cruisers Sunda Strait. She
damaged and was beached.
THE destroyer H. NJ S. Stronghold and SlOop H. M A. S.
also missing and presumably lost
1T possible form any accurate estimate
damage inflicted these ships during these
actions.
There is nothing to report from other areas