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You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire – Malayan Night Action

HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire – Malayan Night Action

Francis, Richard · Mar 9, 2002 · Print This Page

Author
Francis, Richard
Subjects
Ship histories and stories, WWII operations
Tags
Endau, HMS Thanet, IJN Asagiri, IJN Fubuki, IJN Shirayuki, IJN WI, IJN Yuguri, Japanese operations, Ship sinking, Singapore, rescue
RAN Ships
HMAS Vampire I
Publication
March 2002 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

Overall there were more than 50 survivors landed at Singapore on 29 January 1942. The next day Thanet’s survivors were dispersed to other ships, including her sister ships, Stronghold and Sultan. Others were evacuated by troopship to safety at Colombo. Together with survivors from the Prince of Wales, some of Thanet’s men were sent to man the liner Empress of Scotland (formerly Empress of Japan) to replace the Chinese crew who were objecting to sailing to the European war zone! The ship eventually sailed with over 4000 women and children evacuees onboard.

HMAS Vampire had sailed south to Sunda Strait on the 28th. In company with HMAS Yarra she escorted a convoy to the Sunda Strait under heavy air attack. On being relieved by HMIS Sutlej (sloop) Vampire proceeded independently to Batavia, joining HM Ships Exeter and Jupiter to escort two US transports, again through the Sunda Strait.

The Endau action by Vampire and Thanet was probably the last aggressive naval operation undertaken by Allied warships before the evacuation and surrender of Singapore on 15 February 1942.

(Ed, I believe HMS THANET and her companions deserve a worthy record of their achievements in that otherwise disastrous campaign. John Winton’s “The Forgotten Fleet” (BPF) mentions the re-occupation of the Naval Base in 1945 in some detail.)

Pages: Page 1 Page 2

Naval Historical Review, Ship histories and stories, WWII operations HMS Thanet, Ship sinking, Japanese operations, Singapore, rescue, Endau, IJN Shirayuki, IJN WI, IJN Fubuki, IJN Asagiri, IJN Yuguri

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Naval Historical Review: June 2007
June 2007 Front Page
June 2007 Front Page
2007 Inside Front Cover
2007 Inside Front Cover
2007 Inside Rear Cover
2007 Inside Rear Cover
June 2007 Rear Cover
June 2007 Rear Cover

The painting of HMAS Warramunga reflects a major article in this edition which provides a potted history of the RAN in the Korean War. The images  of HMAS Adelaide reference the article about Adelaide’s Boarding party. It was only resourceful action by the ship’s helicopter, directed by the Flight Commander, that enabled the Boarding Party to be safely recovered, thereby averting an international incident.

Articles from this Edition

  • Book Review: The Royal Australian Navy – a History
  • Further Reflections on the Sydney/Kormoran Battle, 1941
  • Gascoyne to the Rescue On Christmas Day 1944
  • HMAS Adelaide – Boarding Party, Persian Gulf 2004
  • HMAS Quickmatch – Medical Rescue – 1944
  • Korean Waters – Tribal Class Destroyers
  • Leadership: Admiral of the Fleet Isoroku Yamamoto
  • Letters: Followup on Singapore Naval Base