Battle off Endau
Encyclopedia
The Battle off Endau was a Second World War naval battle
. It took place off Endau
on 27 January 1942. Part of the Battle of Malaya
, it was the first major naval engagement since the sinking
of the battleship
and the battlecruiser
, and the last effort by the Royal Navy
to intercept Japanese convoy shipping around the Malay Peninsula
.
Two destroyers, HMS Thanet
and HMAS Vampire
were dispatched from Singapore Naval Base
to break up Japanese landings at Endau. Sailing under the cover of darkness, they were able to locate the convoy anchored there without being detected by land-based bombers. Despite inflicting damage, they were repulsed by the convoy's naval escorts, and HMS Thanet was sunk.
The Royal Air Force
also failed to inflict significant damage, losing half of their total strength attacking the beachhead
on 26 January, while the Japanese lost only 9 aircraft.
left the task of intercepting Japanese convoys to only five submarines of the Royal Netherlands Navy
. Royal Navy
ships were absent as most were being withdrawn or were escorting convoys to and from Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies
. The Dutch recorded their first success when the troopship Awajisan Maru was sunk off Kota Bahru on 12 December 1941, probably by the HNLMS K-XII. On 24 December 1941, the HNLMS KXVI sank the destroyer Sagiri
off the coast of Kuching
, Borneo
, the first Japanese warship to be sunk by torpedo
. Several other vessels were also damaged or sunk during the early weeks, but the cost was high for the Dutch submarines and it had little success.
One American submarine, USS Seadragon
, also intercepted Japanese convoys near Cam Ranh Bay
, Indochina
, but failed to sink any ships. It was not until the Japanese landed troops on Endau that the Royal Navy was ordered to commit their vessels into action, albeit only two of them. By this time, the remaining Dutch submarines had been recalled for the Dutch East Indies campaign
.
. The two transports, Kansai Maru and Kanbera Maru, were carrying troops of the 18th Division
. Personnel from the 96th Airfield Battalion were also onboard, assigned with bringing the airfields of Kahang
and Kluang
into operation. They were escorted by the Japanese cruiser Sendai
and six destroyers, Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki, Asagiri, Amagiri
, Yugiri and five minesweepers.
An invasion of Mersing
by beach landings was originally planned by the Japanese, but believing that the allied defences there were formidable, they decided to land troops on Endau instead. Although ground forces captured Endau on 21 January, their strength was insufficient to break through the allied Sungei-Mersing defence. The allied force defending the east coast of Johore was codenamed Eastforce, commanded by Brigadier
Harold Taylor.
was aware that the Japanese force would soon be reinforced by naval convoy, a suspicion confirmed on 26 January when two Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) Lockheed Hudson
aircraft sighted them 20 miles north of Endau. Although they spotted the Japanese convoy at 0745, their radio transmissions were jammed, and news did not reach higher command until they landed in Singapore
at 0920. The RAF decided to attack the convoy with all available aircraft. Launching of any attack was delayed, however, as the Vickers Vildebeest
and Fairey Albacore
torpedo bombers of 36 Squadron
and 100 Squadron RAF
had been carrying out raids against targets on land, meaning that an attack could not be launched until that afternoon. However, their decision to use the elderly Vildebeest biplane
s against the ships in daylight came as a shock to the pilots, who had been restricted to the relative safety of night sorties following the first day of the invasion.
The first air attack was carried out by the Vildebeests of 36 and 100 Squadrons and the Hudsons of 1 Squadron
and 8 Squadron RAAF
. Twelve Vildebeests (three from 36 Squadron), together with nine Lockheed Hudson bombers took off from Singapore in the early afternoon of January 26, with a fighter escort composed of twelve Brewster F2A Buffalos and nine Hawker Hurricane
s. Japanese landings on Endau had been in progress for over four hours by the time the planes arrived at 1500. The Japanese naval force had air cover consisting of 19 Nakajima Ki-27
s fighters and a single Nakajima Ki-44
. Despite heavy opposition, the two transports were bombed, and men and equipment on the beach were strafed. Five Vildebeests were lost in the attack, including the commanding officer of 100 Squadron, while one Ki 27 was shot down.
A second wave set off from Singapore at 1615, consisting of seven Vildebeests and three Albacores of 36 Squadron and two Vildebeests of 100 Squadron. They arrived at Endau at 1730, but their escort of seven Hurricanes and four Buffalos were late and the British biplanes were set upon by the Japanese fighters before their escorts could reach them. Five Vildebeests, two Albacores and one Hurricane were lost from this wave. Of the 72 aircrew from 36 and 100 Squadrons who participated in both raids, 27 were killed, seven were wounded and two were captured. The returning pilots were congratulated by Air Vice-Marshal
Paul Maltby
, who promised them that further daylight attacks were unnecessary.
A third raid, consisting of six unescorted Hudsons of 62 Squadron RAF
, flying from Palembang
, Sumatra
, attacked shortly afterwards, losing two of their number to Japanese fighters. A fourth raid, five Bristol Blenheim
s of 27 Squadron RAF
set off from Palembang later in the day, but had only got as far as Singapore by sunset, so aborted the mission.
and HMS Thanet
were tasked with intercepting the convoy and breaking up the landings. Thanet was under the command of Lt Cdr
Bernard Davies, while Vampire was under Lt Cdr William Moran. The destroyers departed Singapore Naval Base at 1630 and headed north for Seribuat Archipelago
where there had been reports of another anchored Japanese convoy. Arriving at Seribuat at 0200 the next morning but encountering no Japanese vessels there, the destroyers headed for Endau.
Japanese naval intelligence, however, incorrectly reported them as two cruiser
s, further exaggerating that there were British submarines in the area. Therefore, the convoy's naval escort of one light cruiser and six destroyers were recalled to intercept the 'cruisers'; their original task was to escort convoys to Borneo
, and were not covering the landings on Endau.
At 0318, Thanet and Vampire engaged the convoy's naval escorts of one light cruiser and six destroyers. Vampire launched its remaining torpedo at Shirayuki but missed, while Thanet launched all four of her torpedoes which also missed. Both destroyers then opened fire with their 4-inch naval guns, while Sendai and Shirayuki returned fire. The allied destroyers retired southeast at maximum speed.
Thanet was hit in the engine and boiler rooms at 0400. Her speed was greatly reduced and an explosion wrecked the destroyer. Dead in the water, Thanet listed heavily to starboard and began to sink. The Vampire laid a smokescreen in an effort to shield the sinking ship, but was illuminated by searchlight
s from Shirayuki and continuously attacked by Amagiri and Hatsuyuki. HMS Thanet sank at 0415. The Vampire, still under attack and unable to pick up survivors, narrowly escaped undamaged and without casualties.
Despite Japanese troops being reinforced by the convoy, Brigadier Taylor had been given orders from Lt Gen
Lewis Heath
to withdraw Eastforce from Mersing on 25 January.
Naval warfare
Naval warfare is combat in and on seas, oceans, or any other major bodies of water such as large lakes and wide rivers.-History:Mankind has fought battles on the sea for more than 3,000 years. Land warfare would seem, initially, to be irrelevant and entirely removed from warfare on the open ocean,...
. It took place off Endau
Endau
Endau is a small town in Malaysia. It lies on the northern tip of east Johor and the southern tip of Pahang. It is famous as one of the largest fishing ports on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.Located north of Mersing...
on 27 January 1942. Part of the Battle of Malaya
Battle of Malaya
The Malayan Campaign was a campaign fought by Allied and Japanese forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 31 January 1942 during the Second World War. The campaign was dominated by land battles between British Commonwealth army units, and the Imperial Japanese Army...
, it was the first major naval engagement since the sinking
Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse
The sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a Second World War naval engagement that took place north of Singapore, off the east coast of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang where the British Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by land-based bombers and...
of the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
and the battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
, and the last effort by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
to intercept Japanese convoy shipping around the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
.
Two destroyers, HMS Thanet
HMS Thanet (H29)
HMS Thanet was an S-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Built during, and commissioned shortly after the First World War, she went on to see service in the Second World War, being sunk early in 1942....
and HMAS Vampire
HMAS Vampire (D68)
HMAS Vampire was a V class destroyer of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Launched in 1917 as HMS Wallace, the ship was renamed and commissioned into the RN later that year. Vampire was loaned to the RAN in 1933, and operated as a depot tender until just before World War II...
were dispatched from Singapore Naval Base
Singapore Naval Base
The Singapore Naval Base , situated in Sembawang at the northern tip of Singapore, was a Royal Navy Shore establishment as well as being a cornerstone of British Defence policy in the Far East between the World Wars.-History:After the Great War, the British government devoted...
to break up Japanese landings at Endau. Sailing under the cover of darkness, they were able to locate the convoy anchored there without being detected by land-based bombers. Despite inflicting damage, they were repulsed by the convoy's naval escorts, and HMS Thanet was sunk.
The Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
also failed to inflict significant damage, losing half of their total strength attacking the beachhead
Beachhead
Beachhead is a military term used to describe the line created when a unit reaches a beach, and begins to defend that area of beach, while other reinforcements help out, until a unit large enough to begin advancing has arrived. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Bridgehead and Lodgement...
on 26 January, while the Japanese lost only 9 aircraft.
Background
The sinking of Prince of Wales and RepulseSinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse
The sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse was a Second World War naval engagement that took place north of Singapore, off the east coast of Malaya, near Kuantan, Pahang where the British Royal Navy battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by land-based bombers and...
left the task of intercepting Japanese convoys to only five submarines of the Royal Netherlands Navy
Royal Netherlands Navy
The Koninklijke Marine is the navy of the Netherlands. In the mid-17th century the Dutch Navy was the most powerful navy in the world and it played an active role in the wars of the Dutch Republic and later those of the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ships were absent as most were being withdrawn or were escorting convoys to and from Ceylon and the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. The Dutch recorded their first success when the troopship Awajisan Maru was sunk off Kota Bahru on 12 December 1941, probably by the HNLMS K-XII. On 24 December 1941, the HNLMS KXVI sank the destroyer Sagiri
Japanese destroyer Sagiri
was the sixteenth of twenty-four destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world...
off the coast of Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, the first Japanese warship to be sunk by torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
. Several other vessels were also damaged or sunk during the early weeks, but the cost was high for the Dutch submarines and it had little success.
One American submarine, USS Seadragon
USS Seadragon (SS-194)
USS Seadragon , a Sargo-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the seadragon.Her keel was laid on 18 April 1938 by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut. She was christened and launched on 21 April 1939, sponsored by Mrs. J.O...
, also intercepted Japanese convoys near Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
, Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
, but failed to sink any ships. It was not until the Japanese landed troops on Endau that the Royal Navy was ordered to commit their vessels into action, albeit only two of them. By this time, the remaining Dutch submarines had been recalled for the Dutch East Indies campaign
Dutch East Indies campaign
The Dutch East Indies campaign of 1941–1942 was the conquest of the Dutch East Indies by forces from the Empire of Japan in the early days of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Forces from the Allies attempted unsuccessfully to defend the islands. Indonesia was targeted by the Japanese for its...
.
Endau
On 20 January 1942, a Japanese convoy of 11 troopships departed Cam Ranh Bay, Indochina, to unload ground forces at Singora, of which two would proceed to EndauEndau
Endau is a small town in Malaysia. It lies on the northern tip of east Johor and the southern tip of Pahang. It is famous as one of the largest fishing ports on the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.Located north of Mersing...
. The two transports, Kansai Maru and Kanbera Maru, were carrying troops of the 18th Division
18th Division (Imperial Japanese Army)
was an infantry division in the Imperial Japanese Army. Its call sign was the .-History:The 18th Division was formed in Kurume, Kyūshū on 13 November 1907, together with the 17th Division, as part of the post Russo-Japanese War expansion of the standing Japanese military...
. Personnel from the 96th Airfield Battalion were also onboard, assigned with bringing the airfields of Kahang
Kahang
Kahang is a town about 36KM from the Kluang district of Johor, Malaysia. It is particularly known as the final stop before heading to the Endau Rompin National Park. The park itself is located roughly two hours away from the town, connected by a long stretch of dirt road. Kahang have a organic...
and Kluang
Kluang
Kluang is a town and district located roughly in the middle of the state of Johor in Malaysia. Kluang lies about 110 km north of Johor Bahru, east-southeast of Batu Pahat, west of Mersing and south of Segamat...
into operation. They were escorted by the Japanese cruiser Sendai
Japanese cruiser Sendai
was a Sendai-class light cruiser in the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was named after the Sendai River in southern Kyūshū.-Background:Sendai was the lead ship of the three vessels completed in her class of light cruisers, and like other vessels of her class, she was intended for use as the flagship...
and six destroyers, Fubuki, Hatsuyuki, Shirayuki, Asagiri, Amagiri
Japanese destroyer Amagiri
was the 15th of 24 s, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I. When introduced into service, these ships were the most powerful destroyers in the world. They served as first-line destroyers through the 1930s, and remained formidable weapons systems well into the Pacific War. She...
, Yugiri and five minesweepers.
An invasion of Mersing
Mersing
Mersing is a town in Mersing District in the northeast corner of the state of Johor, Malaysia.Mersing town is a lively tourist town visited by Malaysians and foreign tourists....
by beach landings was originally planned by the Japanese, but believing that the allied defences there were formidable, they decided to land troops on Endau instead. Although ground forces captured Endau on 21 January, their strength was insufficient to break through the allied Sungei-Mersing defence. The allied force defending the east coast of Johore was codenamed Eastforce, commanded by Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Harold Taylor.
Air attacks
Malaya CommandMalaya Command
The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore.-History:...
was aware that the Japanese force would soon be reinforced by naval convoy, a suspicion confirmed on 26 January when two Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
aircraft sighted them 20 miles north of Endau. Although they spotted the Japanese convoy at 0745, their radio transmissions were jammed, and news did not reach higher command until they landed in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
at 0920. The RAF decided to attack the convoy with all available aircraft. Launching of any attack was delayed, however, as the Vickers Vildebeest
Vickers Vildebeest
The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...
and Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
torpedo bombers of 36 Squadron
No. 36 Squadron RAF
No. 36 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Cramlington on February 1, 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1975.-First World War:No...
and 100 Squadron RAF
No. 100 Squadron RAF
No. 100 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is based at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, UK, and operates the Hawker-Siddeley Hawk.-World War I:No. 100 was established on 23 February 1917 at Hingham in Norfolk as the Royal Flying Corps' first squadron formed specifically as a night bombing unit and...
had been carrying out raids against targets on land, meaning that an attack could not be launched until that afternoon. However, their decision to use the elderly Vildebeest biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
s against the ships in daylight came as a shock to the pilots, who had been restricted to the relative safety of night sorties following the first day of the invasion.
The first air attack was carried out by the Vildebeests of 36 and 100 Squadrons and the Hudsons of 1 Squadron
No. 1 Squadron RAAF
No. 1 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force squadron based at RAAF Amberley. The squadron is currently being re-equipped with F/A-18F Super Hornet multi-role fighters.-World War I:...
and 8 Squadron RAAF
No. 8 Squadron RAAF
No. 8 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force flying training squadron of World War I and medium bomber squadron of World War II. The Squadron was first formed in October 1917 and was disbanded in January 1946 after seeing action during the Pacific War....
. Twelve Vildebeests (three from 36 Squadron), together with nine Lockheed Hudson bombers took off from Singapore in the early afternoon of January 26, with a fighter escort composed of twelve Brewster F2A Buffalos and nine Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s. Japanese landings on Endau had been in progress for over four hours by the time the planes arrived at 1500. The Japanese naval force had air cover consisting of 19 Nakajima Ki-27
Nakajima Ki-27
The was the main fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force up until 1940. Its Allied nickname was "Nate", although it was called "Abdul" in the "China Burma India" theater by many post war sources; Allied Intelligence had reserved that name for the nonexistent Mitsubishi Navy...
s fighters and a single Nakajima Ki-44
Nakajima Ki-44
The Nakajima Ki-44 Shōki was a single-engine fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The type first flew in August 1940 and entered service in 1942...
. Despite heavy opposition, the two transports were bombed, and men and equipment on the beach were strafed. Five Vildebeests were lost in the attack, including the commanding officer of 100 Squadron, while one Ki 27 was shot down.
A second wave set off from Singapore at 1615, consisting of seven Vildebeests and three Albacores of 36 Squadron and two Vildebeests of 100 Squadron. They arrived at Endau at 1730, but their escort of seven Hurricanes and four Buffalos were late and the British biplanes were set upon by the Japanese fighters before their escorts could reach them. Five Vildebeests, two Albacores and one Hurricane were lost from this wave. Of the 72 aircrew from 36 and 100 Squadrons who participated in both raids, 27 were killed, seven were wounded and two were captured. The returning pilots were congratulated by Air Vice-Marshal
Air Vice-Marshal
Air vice-marshal is a two-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force. The rank is also used by the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence and it is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in...
Paul Maltby
Paul Maltby
-References:*...
, who promised them that further daylight attacks were unnecessary.
A third raid, consisting of six unescorted Hudsons of 62 Squadron RAF
No. 62 Squadron RAF
-World War I:No. 62 Squadron RAF was formed on 8 August 1916, at Filton from No. 7 Training Squadron. In May 1917 it equipped with the Bristol F2B, before being posted to France in January 1918. The squadron operated as fighter-reconnaissance unit until disbanding on 31 July 1919. Its wartime...
, flying from Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, attacked shortly afterwards, losing two of their number to Japanese fighters. A fourth raid, five Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
s of 27 Squadron RAF
No. 27 Squadron RAF
No. 27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC2 from RAF Odiham.-The Great War:27 Squadron formed at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 5 November 1915, soon being equipped with Martinsyde Elephant fighter aircraft, hence the use of an elephant for the squadron badge...
set off from Palembang later in the day, but had only got as far as Singapore by sunset, so aborted the mission.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy received reports that an unescorted convoy was anchored at Endau. HMAS VampireHMAS Vampire (D68)
HMAS Vampire was a V class destroyer of the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy . Launched in 1917 as HMS Wallace, the ship was renamed and commissioned into the RN later that year. Vampire was loaned to the RAN in 1933, and operated as a depot tender until just before World War II...
and HMS Thanet
HMS Thanet (H29)
HMS Thanet was an S-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. Built during, and commissioned shortly after the First World War, she went on to see service in the Second World War, being sunk early in 1942....
were tasked with intercepting the convoy and breaking up the landings. Thanet was under the command of Lt Cdr
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Bernard Davies, while Vampire was under Lt Cdr William Moran. The destroyers departed Singapore Naval Base at 1630 and headed north for Seribuat Archipelago
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
where there had been reports of another anchored Japanese convoy. Arriving at Seribuat at 0200 the next morning but encountering no Japanese vessels there, the destroyers headed for Endau.
Japanese naval intelligence, however, incorrectly reported them as two cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s, further exaggerating that there were British submarines in the area. Therefore, the convoy's naval escort of one light cruiser and six destroyers were recalled to intercept the 'cruisers'; their original task was to escort convoys to Borneo
Battle of Borneo (1941–42)
For campaigns on eastern Borneo, see Battle of Tarakan and Battle of Balikpapan .The Battle of Borneo was a successful campaign by Japanese Imperial forces for control of Borneo island and concentrated mainly on the subjugation of the Kingdom of Sarawak, North Borneo, and the western part of...
, and were not covering the landings on Endau.
Battle
While approaching Endau, they engaged what they believe was a destroyer at 0237, which was actually the Japanese minesweeper W-4. Vampire launched two torpedoes at the minesweeper but missed. The allied destroyers continued sailing towards Endau, while the Japanese minesweeper alerted the convoy.At 0318, Thanet and Vampire engaged the convoy's naval escorts of one light cruiser and six destroyers. Vampire launched its remaining torpedo at Shirayuki but missed, while Thanet launched all four of her torpedoes which also missed. Both destroyers then opened fire with their 4-inch naval guns, while Sendai and Shirayuki returned fire. The allied destroyers retired southeast at maximum speed.
Thanet was hit in the engine and boiler rooms at 0400. Her speed was greatly reduced and an explosion wrecked the destroyer. Dead in the water, Thanet listed heavily to starboard and began to sink. The Vampire laid a smokescreen in an effort to shield the sinking ship, but was illuminated by searchlight
Searchlight
A searchlight is an apparatus that combines a bright light source with some form of curved reflector or other optics to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction, usually constructed so that it can be swiveled about.-Military use:The Royal Navy used...
s from Shirayuki and continuously attacked by Amagiri and Hatsuyuki. HMS Thanet sank at 0415. The Vampire, still under attack and unable to pick up survivors, narrowly escaped undamaged and without casualties.
Aftermath
Both troop transports, the Kansai Maru and Kanbera Maru were heavily damaged in the engagement, while one destroyer was reported beached. Although 31 survivors from HMS Thanet were picked up by the destroyer Shirayuki, they were never seen again. About 40-60 of the crew of 116 managed to reach shore. Joined by downed RAF pilots, they made their way to Singapore.Despite Japanese troops being reinforced by the convoy, Brigadier Taylor had been given orders from Lt Gen
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Lewis Heath
Lewis Heath
Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC was an officer in the British Army and the Indian Army during the pre-World War I years, World War I, the interwar years, and World War II...
to withdraw Eastforce from Mersing on 25 January.