HMS Banka
HMS Banka was a British minesweeper which was sunk on officially on 9 December 1941 (but reality probably the night of the 7 Dec 1941) by a mine off the coast of Malaysia. Its crew of four British officers and 40 Malays all died with the exception of six Malay crew.
It had been deployed to assist the British, Australian and Indian land forces in stopping the Japanese invasion of Malaya.
HMS BANKA... ‘Sunk by mine or A/C, E. Coast of Malaya (Source: NMM: Admiralty: Ships of the Royal Navy - Statement of Losses during the Second World War)
Officers on the HMS Banka at the time of her sinking were;
Temp. Lieut. RNR A.E. Stephenson (Captain)
Temp. Lieut. (E) RNR J.R. Smith (Engineer)
S/Lieut. SS RNVR R.E. Scales (New Zealand miner based in Malaysia)
T S/Lieut. RNR R.W. Emerson
Source: [1]
“Overdue from patrol since Dec. 9 1941 (Adm.) Was on E. coast of Malaya and was recalled on Dec. 6. Last heard operating W/T on Dec. 7. (Adm.)”§
“Lost (Announced by C. in C. Far Eastern Fleet). (L.L. 22/12/41)”
The latter report relating to the Banka’s loss was as follows:-
“SMALL CONVERTED MERCHANT SHIP LOST"
A Singapore communique issued last night states:-
The Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet, regrets to announce the loss of H.M.S. Banka, a small converted merchant ship. Six of her crew have been found, but it is regretted that four European officers and 10 Malay ratings remain unaccounted for. The next of kin have been informed.
The HMS Banka was a vessel of 623 tons gross and was built at Dordrecht in 1914 by NV Schpw. She was registered in Singapore under the British flag. She was originally named 'Singkara' formerly owned by the Soon Bee S.S. Co. (Singapore) Ltd. (The Heap Eng Moh S.S. Co. Ltd., managers), Singapore.”
She was of 623 tons gross, 319 tons net and her dimensions were: 185.6 feet in length, 31.1 feet in breadth and 10.9 feet in depth.≈
Source: [2]
HMS Banka's final resting position is at 57m, 12nm NE of Tioman Is. near the two sunken Dutch submarines (O 16 and K XVII) on the same mine line laid by Japanese ship TATSUMIYA MARU. On the 6th Dec 1941 IJN Minelayer 'TATSUMIYA MARU' laid a line of 456 mines from North of Tioman to the Anambas Islands.
She most likely struck the mine on the night of the 7th, just one day after the field was laid. As she was recalled (from East Malay coast) on the 6th Dec and was due in Singapore on the 9th dec, according to the survivor accounts it was dark at the time of the explosion.
References
External links
(http://www.dutchsubmarines.com) http://www.combinedfleet.com/Tatsumiya_t.htm