# New Unpublished Java Sea Battle Pics



## ColesAircraft (Nov 11, 2007)

I actually have had these in an album for some time, and thought they were of the Coral Sea Battle. 

Some pictures are, but I was amazed to discover many Java Sea pictures among them!

I only know of one or two Java Sea Battle pictures out there, as losses were so heavy among Allied personnel (and cameras).

I added several of them online at javaseabattle

- Ron Cole

Photo caption: Here we see HMS Exeter being blasted by IJN Nachi!


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## Wildcat (Nov 11, 2007)

Excellent Ron! Thanks for sharing them.


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## Wayne Little (Nov 11, 2007)

Top stuff Ron thanks.


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## Gnomey (Nov 11, 2007)

Excellent Ron! Thanks for those.


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## Wurger (Nov 11, 2007)

Really nice stuff.THX for sharing.


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## Micdrow (Nov 11, 2007)

Many Thanks Ron!!!!!!


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## ToughOmbre (Nov 11, 2007)

Great  

Many thanks.

TO


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## Marcel (Nov 11, 2007)

Quite some of my countrymen died in that battle 
Thanks for the pics!


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## johnbr (Nov 11, 2007)

Great stuff.


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## ccheese (Nov 11, 2007)

Great pic's, Ron... Thanks for sharing...

Charles


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## Walter Pamuar (Sep 5, 2008)

Hi Ron,

Nice photos you have there but, sadly, and no offense meant from a forum newcomer, but for historically accuracy you should realize that the photos are NOT taken during the Battle of the Java Sea (27th Feb 1942) and that you have them miscaptioned. 

For instance, re the captions;

The photo imbedded in your post is actually Exeter being bombed by Japanese aircraft on the 15th February 1942 during her sortie through the Gasper Strait, not shelled by HIJMS Nachi.

And the photos on the linked web page are as follows.

The photo entitled ‘The end of HNLMS Java’ actually shows bombs from Japanese aircraft falling around Java, on the 15th February 1942, during the so-called ‘Gasper Strait sortie’, not the torp hit that sank her (which happened late at night, i.e. almost midnight on 27th Feb 1942.)

The photo entitled ‘HMS Electra in her death throes’ is actually the Dutch destroyer HNLMS Van Ghent aground in the Gasper Strait (and yes, in her death throes) on 15th February 1942.

The two photos entitled ‘HMS Exeter under fire from the Japanese cruiser Nachi’ are actually Exeter being bombed by Japanese aircraft on the 15th February 1942 during her sortie through the Gasper Strait.

For the record the Allied Fleet did not encounter _any _Japanese ships on this sortie.

The photos of Exeter and Java are believed to have been taken from HMAS Hobart and copies of same are actually available from the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, Australia.

Regards,
Wally P.


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## Wayne Little (Sep 5, 2008)

Interesting stuff! thanks for the info!


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## lesofprimus (Sep 5, 2008)

Sounds like someone just got busted....


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## Matt308 (Sep 5, 2008)

...or schooled. 

Coles can you provide some background of the provenance of your pics?


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## syscom3 (Sep 5, 2008)




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## B-17engineer (Sep 5, 2008)

Busted by the new guy lol


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## Matt308 (Sep 8, 2008)

Don't laugh too hard.

What was the old saying...

"Don't ever laugh when the hearse goes by,
Or else you'll be the next one to die."


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## parsifal (Sep 9, 2008)

Are there any java sea photos from the japanese side. I have never seen any


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## JoeB (Sep 11, 2008)

Picture said to show Haguro just after, perhaps morning after, the battle, with paint peeling from the gun barrels from heat. Haguro was credited with the effective 8" hit on Exeter, lone heavy shell on either side known to have hit and gone off (there some other dud 8" hits by the Japanese); and generally credited with the torpedo which sank DeRuyter in the night phase of the battle, and that which sank DD Kortenaer just after the shell hit on Exeter in the day phase.






The writing on the picture credits it to the book 'Photographic History of All Japanese Warships'

The problem with photo's is often captions...that picture of Exeter chased by bomb splashes, some days before the battle, is often (mis)labelled as showing shell splashes during the battle.

Joe


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## parsifal (Sep 11, 2008)

Thanks Joe


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## Walter Pamuar (Sep 18, 2008)

parsifal said:


> Are there any java sea photos from the japanese side. I have never seen any




First, my previous post was not meant to 'bust' or catch anybody out as it were, but just make a correction and set the historical record straight re the images presented. 

With regards the above ‘question’, the following three images were taken by Japanese pilots, the first of HMS Exeter probably on 14/15th Feb. during the Gasper strait sortie and the second two as Exeter sunk on March 1st 1942.


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## renrich (Sep 18, 2008)

Would those last two photos have been taken by a float plane from a surface ship?


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## Walter Pamuar (Sep 18, 2008)

renrich said:


> Would those last two photos have been taken by a float plane from a surface ship?



Correct, a float plane, most likely a 'Pete', from one of the four IJN heavy cruisers that were shelling Exeter.


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## comiso90 (Sep 18, 2008)

Thanks for the contributions Walter


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## slaterat (Sep 18, 2008)

I have a book entitled "Hell on Earth" about Canadian POW s captured in Hong Kong. In the book the Captain of the Exeter, I can't recall his name, was singled out for regular and very severe beatings from the Japanese captors.

Slaterat


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## renrich (Sep 19, 2008)

Walter, many thanks for your contribution. Those pictures of the Exeter, in combination with the story of that gallant ship and crew, makes my heart break. I wonder how much of crew, when the ship was lost, had been aboard off the Plate.


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