After an extensive survey by members of a project team called Java Sea Revisited – The HMS Exeter Expedition, the group has “confirmed” the discovery of the wrecks of HMS Exeter and her escort, HMS Encounter.
HMS Exeter was a York class heavy cruiser that was laid down on 1st August 1928, and was involved in the Battle of the River Plate that led to the scuttling of the Graf Spee. HMS Encounter was an E Class destroyer that was launched in 1934. Together they were sunk on 1st March 1942 north-west of Bawean Island heading for the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. They were engaged by 4 Japanese heavy cruisers and a number of destroyers. Exeter was hit in the boiler room and lost power. The crew may have been attempting to scuttle her before the Japanese destroyer Inazumi launched a final torpedo attack. Encounter was hit by 8 inch shell fire shortly afterwards. A second escort, USS Pope, initially escaped, but was later sunk by aircraft from the carrier Ryujo. The survivors were picked up and imprisoned.
The wrecks were apparently first located in February 2007 by a team onboard the MV Empress, owned and skippered by Vidar Skoglie. The others involved included Vidar’s wife, Alice, as well as retired US Navy captain Phil Yuetter and photo-journalist Kevin Denlay. You can read Kevin Denlay’s description of the discoveries of the Dutch cruisers Java and De Ruyter here. These cruisers were sunk in the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 Feb 1942, in which Encounter and Exeter were also involved. It was in this battle that Exeter was damaged and limped to Surubaya just prior to her sinking.
Exeter is lying on its starboard side in 60 metres, and is around 30 miles from the position the Admiralty estimated it as being sunk. HMS Encounter is reported as being a few miles away. The diving team are intending to publish a full report shortly.
I had the good fortune to spend 2 weeks diving from the Empress several years ago and had some excellent dives between Bali and West Timor.
