Battle of Java Sea

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War catches up with Abbekerk

15 February 1942. Singapore has fallen. This news is met with perplexity. Followed by information of Airborne troops landing at the refineries of Palembang not even 300 km north Oosthaven on Sumatra. Dark smoke emerges from behind the mountains as the...

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Tjilitjap, Java’s last port

After arriving at Tjilatjap we found the harbour brimful of ships. Large freighters, a couple of small passenger ships and a number of Navy vessels of differing nationalities. This time no anchorage a long way from the action but right...

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The Tjilatjap Exodus: evacuation ship

25 February 1942. The following week Abbekerk and her crew find themselves in the middle of what later will be known as the ‘Dunkirk of the Dutch East Indies’ and the ‘Tjilatjap Exodus’. In these desperate and chaotic days thousands...

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Tjilitjap evacuation: “We were human cargo”

26 February 1942. More and more troops from all over the island arrive at Tjilatjap, uncertain of what is to come and anxious to leave the island. They are not impressed with the ship that will be taking them. When...

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300 miles south of Java: Abbekerk under attack!

28 February 1942. With over 1700 people on board Abbekerk sails due south, alone on an empty sea. With calm weather and not even half loaded her two large diesel engines power her to a speed of over 19 knots. She...

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800 miles south of Java: You can run but you can’t hide!

Men still speak of the miserable, sick fear that assailed them on that moonlight night. A blind hysteria pursued the ship. There was a feeling of utter disorganisation. Two men tried to kill themselves. To add to their troubles, the...

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1200 mile south of Java: Beggars can’t be choosers.

More than ever I realized that working in the engine room during wartime one never got used to the fact that you could hear or see nothing of what was happening outside. Particularly if you were aware that not too...

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Safe at Fremantle: “We thank you God!”

Just before dawn on March 4, as I sat up on that cold, windswept deck, I sighted a flickering light.  It was the beacon outside Fremantle Harbor!  And what a sight it was! The pilot boarded our ship a few...