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32 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2008
● Air engineers work on HMS Kent’s Lynx under the setting sun and (below)
the ship’s company pay their respects to the men of HMS Exeter
FOR decades, ships of the Royal Navy
For Kent’s CO, the Java Sea ceremony – and
have paid their respects over the last
the deeds of the cruiser – were something “from
resting place of 840 souls lost when
which every man and woman on board can draw
inspiration”.
the Prince of Wales and Repulse went Cdr Simon Hopper continued: “While the
down.
technology the Royal Navy uses now would be
Now they can do the same for the 64 men killed
unrecognisable to a 1942 sailor, the spirit and
when another legendary British warship sank in Far
traditions of the Service we are in remain the same.”
Eastern waters.
Away from solemn acts of remembrance,
Back in July we reported that a team of
Kent has been visiting Singapore, Malaysia
divers had found the wreck of HMS Exeter,
and Indonesia as part of her Far East
a good 60 miles from her estimated position
deployment, working with the region’s navies
when lost in the Java Sea in 1942.
and policing the high seas.
The cruiser’s part in the Battle of the
The fi rst substantial port visit of the
River Plate is well known. Her fate at
deployment was Kuala Lumpur where
the hands of the Japanese less so – and
her sailors shared their knowledge of
it was with that in mind that four of her
boarding operations with the Royal
survivors made the pilgrimage to the Far
Malaysian Navy.
East to join frigate HMS Kent for an
A party from Kent was also dispatched
to a local orphanage to revamp inside and
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emotional service of remembrance.
The small band of veterans joined
out, clearing out a pond, erecting shelves
dignitaries including British Ambassador
and fi xing some electrical hiccups.
to Indonesia, Martin Hatfull, Commodore
Next stop was Singapore and a lengthy
Portsmouth Flotilla, Cdre Andrew Cameron, and
break to allow maintenance work on the ship while
Kent’s ship’s company on the fl ight deck of the Type
her sailors lapped up a night safari (aka visit to a zoo
23 and cast wreaths into the fateful waters after ship’s
in the dark) and downed the odd Singapore Sling.
chaplain Rev David Roissetter had conducted his
Indonesia and the port of Surabaya offered by far
service.
the most colourful welcome of all the nations visited
LET(WE) Ben ‘Dusty’ Miller hosted his 1942
to date: the ship was met by a band and dancers.
counterpart, AB Joe Asher. Mr Asher was serving
The colour didn’t end there, for a group of very
in one of Exeter’s turrets; Ben serves in the frigate’s
brightly attired youngsters, some in white, some in
gunbay at action stations.
luminous green, from local schools toured the frigate,
“It defi nitely gave me a much better perspective of
while the sailors headed to a nearby Islamic school
the sacrifi ces these old boys made for us. It made you
to plant trees, tidy a yard and play sport with the
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think: Could I endure so much? I’d like to think we
children.
Grown-up sport was on offer too, courtesy of the
U.K.
would keep fi ghting on,” said Ben.
Mr Asher shared his wartime experiences with
local university volleyball team who proved to be too
A saving of £3.60 on the cover price
Kent’s junior rates’ mess. “It was the fi rst time I’ve
strong for Kent’s ladies.
ever seen a messdeck so attentive,” said Ben. “Joe got
And then it was time
a lot out of it – he said it was one of the highlights of
to put frivolity and fun
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being aboard.”
aside as the Exeter
Mr Asher and the handful of other veterans who
veterans joined them
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attended the service were presented with a White
for the memorial
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Ensign ‘fl own’ on the cruiser’s wreck by Australian
service.
(please refer to the table opposite for prices)
diver Kevin Denlay, one of the team who discovered
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the sunken leviathan.
Subscriptions,
UK One £18.00 “Being able to hand over the fl ag that fl ew over the
wreck to the veterans and see the emotion and what it
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meant to them was a highlight,” said Mr Denlay.
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“Even though they lost in 1942, the crew put
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up a gallant fi ght and their sacrifi ces should not
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be forgotten. What is good about this discovery is
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that it has ensured lots of youngsters know about
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HMS Exeter.”
The ship’s loss was merely the beginning of
Overseas* Three £66.00 the tragedy for Exeter’s survivors who spent
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the rest of the war as prisoners of the Japanese,
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many at the Macassar camp, including Thomas
Jowett’s father, a pom-pom gunner on Exeter.
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He attended the ceremony on Kent and says
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the location of the cruiser’s wreck has provoked
in £ Sterling made payable to ‘Navy NeNewwss’
worldwide interest in Exeter from her former crew
and their families. Mr Jowett hopes to organise a
I wish to pay by reunion next year as a result; he can be contacted
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on TJ@blackpool.ac.uk.
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● The last salute... HMS Exeter veterans George Gaskell (left), Joe Asher (centre) and Rob Rae (right) lay
a wreath for their fallen shipmates on HMS Exeter Pictures: LA(Phot) Owen King, FRPU East
0032_NN_Sept.indd 132_NN_Sept.indd 1 118/8/08 15:27:448/8/08 15:27:44
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