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The Battle of Batavia, also known as, De Slag van Batavia (Dutch) or ジャワ災害 (Japanese), was a series of naval engagements across the north coast of Java from the night of 10 February until the early afternoon of 11 February 1942. Due to seemingly desperate attacks by the allied ships, the Japanese suffered heavy losses despite overwhelming numbers. The mostly British and Dutch ships were able to break through the screening force and sink the battleship Hyuga, and damage the carriers Shokaku and Shoho.
Contact between the fleets in the first action was at less than a thousand yards at night, and as a result of multiple close range shell and torpedo hits Hyuga sank so quickly that she went down with all hands. According to legend each of the cruisers invovled claimed to have hit once with a torpedo, so as not to steal the glory.
Aftermath
The cruiser Oi sank three days later near Temlelan Island after attempting to reach a safe port. HMS Caledon was lost in a port raid a few days later.HMS Glasgow and HMS Emerald were lost to air attacks a week later.
Allies
The heavy cruiser Exeter, the light cruisers, Enterprise, Emerald, Glasgow and Caledon and the destroyers Tjerk Hiddes, Evertsen, Kortenaer, Thracian, Express, Nestor and Nizam.
Japan
The fleet carriers Soryu and Shokaku, the light carriers, Shoho and Zuiho, battleships Haruna and Hyuga, the heavy cruisers Chikuma and Myoko, the light cruisers Tama, Kiso and Oi along with the destroyers, Shiratsuyu, Suzukaze, Hasu, Tsuga, Oyashio, Shigure, Harusame, Dudachi, Samidare and Isonami.