HMS Encounter (H10)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Encounter.
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Encounter in July 1938
History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Encounter
Ordered: 1 November 1932
Builder: Hawthorn Leslie and Company, Hebburn
Cost: £252,250
Laid down: 15 March 1933
Launched: 29 March 1934
Completed: 2 November 1934
Identification: Pennant number: H10
Motto:
  • Acta non verba
  • ("Deeds not words")
Honours and
awards:
  • Atlantic 1939
  • Norway 1940
  • Spartivento 1940
  • Libya 1941
  • Malta Convoys 1941
  • Mediterranean 1941
Fate: Sunk in the Second Battle of the Java Sea, 1 March 1942
Badge: On a Field Green, two rapiers crossed Silver
General characteristics
Class & type: E-class destroyer
Displacement:
Length: 329 ft (100.3 m) o/a
Beam: 33 ft 3 in (10.13 m)
Draught: 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) (deep)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 × shafts; 2 × Parsons geared steam turbines
Speed: 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph)
Range: 6,350 nmi (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement: 145
Sensors and
processing systems:		 ASDIC
Armament:

HMS Encounter was an E-class destroyer of the Royal Navy before and during World War II, serving in home waters and in the Norwegian Campaign, before joining the Mediterranean Fleet and serving on the Malta Convoys, and then in the Eastern Fleet until sunk by Japanese warships in the Second Battle of the Java Sea on 1 March 1942.[1]

Description

The E-class ships were slightly improved versions of the preceding D class. They displaced 1,405 long tons (1,428 t) at standard load and 1,940 long tons (1,970 t) at deep load. The ships had an overall length of 329 feet (100.3 m), a beam of 33 feet 3 inches (10.1 m) and a draught of 12 feet 6 inches (3.8 m). They were powered by two Parsons geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft, using steam provided by three Admiralty three-drum boilers. The turbines developed a total of 36,000 shaft horsepower (27,000 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 35.5 knots (65.7 km/h; 40.9 mph). Encounter carried a maximum of 470 long tons (480 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 6,350 nautical miles (11,760 km; 7,310 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ships' complement was 145 officers and ratings.[2]

The ships mounted four 45-calibre 4.7-inch (120 mm) Mark IX guns in single mounts. For anti-aircraft (AA) defence, they had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the 0.5 inch Vickers Mark III machine gun. The E class was fitted with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for 21-inch (533 mm) torpedoes.[3] One depth charge rail and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.[4]

Service

On 30 July Encounter joined Force H, sailing on 31 July with six other destroyers as escort to the aircraft carrier Argus in Operation Hurry—the first "Club Run"—to deliver twelve Hurricane fighter aircraft to the besieged island of Malta.[1]

While serving with the Eastern Fleet in 1942, she and the destroyer USS Pope were attacked by four Japanese cruisers and four destroyers in the Second Battle of the Java Sea. Encounter suffered major damage and was scuttled by her crew. Eight of the ship's company were killed and the remaining 149 became prisoners of war, 38 of whom died in captivity.[5] Pope was later attacked and sunk by 12 dive-bombers after sustaining many direct hits.

The following day, the Imperial Japanese Navy destroyer Ikazuchi rescued 442 survivors from Encounter and Pope. The survivors had been adrift for some 20 hours, in rafts and lifejackets or clinging to floats, many coated in oil and unable to see. Among the rescued was Sir Sam Falle, later a British diplomat.[6] This humanitarian decision by Lieutenant Commander Shunsaku Kudō placed Ikazuchi at risk of submarine attack, and interfered with her fighting ability due to the sheer numbers of rescued sailors. The action was later the subject of a book[7][8] and a 2007 TV programme.[9][10][11]

Discovery of wreck

The wrecks of Exeter and Encounter were first located by divers off Java in February 2007, and their identities confirmed at that time.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lenton, p. 156
  3. ↑ Whitley, p. 103
  4. ↑ English, p. 141
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. This forum discussion contains a brief summary of the 2006 Megumi book's account of the HMS Encounter and USS Pope rescues.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. (Japanese)
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. A summary of the 2007 television program.

Bibliography

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