LCDR F. N. Cook, RAN, was Senior Naval Officer at the beach-head during the British Commando and parachute raid on German radio location stations at Bruneval, France. Cook was awarded the DSC for conspicuous gallantry in the operation.
The Battle of the Java Sea – HMAS PERTH, HM Ships EXETER, ELECTRA and JUPITER, USS HOUSTON and the Dutch ships DE RUYTER, JAVA and KORTENAER, engaged a superior Japanese fleet in the Java Sea. All the Allied ships except PERTH and HOUSTON were sunk in this disastrous engagement. CAPT H. M. L. Waller, DSO and Bar, RAN, commanded HMAS PERTH during this battle and made the decision to break off the engagement after the Dutch Admiral was killed when the cruiser DE RUYTER was sunk.
The cruiser HMAS HOBART, (CAPT H. L. Howden, RAN), with HM Ships DRAGON and DANAE, (cruisers), and two destroyers, were ordered by CDRE J. Collins, RAN, to attack an approaching western invading force. HOBART was later attacked by enemy aircraft in Tanjong Priok, and five ratings were wounded. HOBART left Tanjong Priok that night for Padang, Sumatra, to pick up refugees and proceed to Ceylon.