HMS Anking: 4 March 1942; sunk by enemy action, attacked by Japanese vessels; en route from Batavia to Australia. Date: 1944 Jan 01 - 1946 Dec 31 Held by: The National Archives, Kew: Former...

HMS Wuchang – Requisitioned by Ministry of War Transport in Shanghai 1940, and moved to Singapore for use by the RAF as a floating munitions depot. On 11 February 1942, and with Japanese forces nearing the harbour, Wuchang raised steam to evacuate her load of munitions and making for the Dutch East Indies capital of Batavia (Jakarta).

Feb 24, 2010 · The HMS Anking a 3,470 Tonne Base and Accommodation or ‘Depot Ship’, was Sunk during a Japanese attack on a Allied Convoy on the 4th March 1942 with the loss of one officer and 25 ratings. On the morning of March 4th between 0640 and 0800 280 miles south, southeast of Tjilatjap, Jawa.

YARRA, and the small convoy she was escorting, was commanded by Lieutenant Commander Robert William Rankin, RAN, and on that fateful day in March 1942 his actions and that of the Ship’s Company of YARRA brought about what is regarded by many as the finest action in Australian Naval history.

The February 1979 edition of the magazine, `Parade’, featured an article `Life and death of the YARRA’ describing the epic wartime service of the sloop, HMAS YARRA, from the time ...

I have a copy of the report of the senior surviving officer HMS Anking rescued by MS Tawali if anyone would be interested in seeing it. It is dated MS Tawali 11 March 1942. No names are mentioned except one in the last paragraph:

Bootle’s War Memorial is situated in Stanley (or King’s) Gardens on Stanley Road, Bootle and lists the names of 447 Service Personel who died in battle during WW2. Some of the men and women have additional information about their lives and where they were born or …

Looted in Bias Bay and passengers held for ransom. 12/1941 requisitioned by Royal Navy at Singapore and commissioned as depot ship HMS ANKING. Based at Malta (retaining owner's crew) 1942 transferred as RN Communications Centre at Tjilatjap, Java.

HMS Anking was the first in the convoy to sink from the shelling (3 Japanese heavy cruisers plus destroyers). He was one of the fortunate few to clear the ship and get to a lifeboat. 56 survivors from the lifeboat were picked up by a Dutch merchant ship later in the day.

Philip Smith was the son of Joseph Wallace and Emily Maud Smith, of Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. Smith was serving as a liaison officer with the Dutch Navy. He was badly wounded in the sinking of HMS Anking and swam away from the life-raft to make room for another man. He was awarded a posthumous mention in despatches for his gallantry.