Netherlands Cruiser HNLMS Java

HMNLS Java was a cruiser of the Royal Netherlands Navy that served during the interwar period and World War II. She was named after the Indonesian island of Java and was built at the Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde shipyard in Flushing, the Netherlands. Java was launched on August 6, 1921, and commissioned on May 1, 1925, after fitting out.

Her first mission was to sail to her intended station in the Dutch East Indies, where she arrived in Tanjung Priok on December 7, 1925. During her early career, she escorted various Dutch and foreign dignitaries and conducted exercises and visits to ports around the region. Java’s most notable moment during this period was participating in a fleet review in honor of Dutch Queen Wilhelmina in Tanjung Priok on August 31, 1929, together with the destroyers De Ruyter and Evertsen.

During the Spanish Civil War Java protected a convoys from the Netherlands during April-May 1937. After a seven-month refit in the Netherlands, she returned to the East Indies. Unfortunately, in October of that year, she collided with the destroyer Piet Hein in the Sunda Strait and required repairs.

When World War II broke out, Java guarded the East Indies and performed convoy duties with the British Navy. On February 15, 1942, she was attacked by Japanese Navy B5N “Kate” bombers from IJN Ryūjō but was not damaged. Java was present at the Battle of the Java Sea on February 27, 1942. During the battle, she was hit by a Japanese Long Lance torpedo fired from IJN Nachi, which exploded inside the aft magazine, ripping off the stern off the ship. Massive flooding started in the aft engine room while the anti-aircraft deck was engulfed by flames. Java took a heavy list to port, and the electrical equipment shut down. Deprived of any means to save her, the captain ordered to abandon ship.