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Convoy William Sail 12X |
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Convoy DM1 (Durban Malaya 1) |
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Mount Vernon and Emerald proceeded at 18 knots until their rendezvous at 1010 on 30 December with Convoy DMI consisting of merchant vessels Aurangi, Narkunda, Sussex (British) and Abbekirk (Dutch). Sussex was carrying 51 Tighter planes (dismantled). At 1000 on 4 January, Mount Vernon and Convoy DMI anchored at Addu Atool in the Maldive Islands. Fresh water was taken aboard and mail sent ashore. The ships maintained sea watches and the engine room was on two hours notice. The following morning at 0900, the vessels hove in their anchors and set a course for Sundra Straits. The convoy was now being escorted by HMS Emerald, Exeter and Jumna. HMS Durban and the Dutch battlecruiser DeRyter joined the growing convoy on 9 January as the group neared the precarious shoal waters of Sundra Straits. The next day at 0938 Captain Beary ordered paravanes (mine sweeping devices) prepared as numerous changes of course and speed were required to reach the Java Sea. At 1156 the formation was in deep water and was joined by HMS Jupiter, Encounter, Australian destroyer Vampire and HMS ships H-10, G-85 and 1-68. Convoy DM1 was beefed up on 11 January with the addition of HNMS Van Tramp and three more unnamed Dutch destroyers. Various changes in course were required again in order to negotiate the Kirimata Straits as the convoy passed into the South China Sea. On the 12th, Emerald was designated SOPA with that vessel's CO also designated "Officer in Tactical Command". (All defending forces were now under joint ABDA command while in the Dutch East Indies area under General Wavell). At 0404, the convoy was ordered into single column formation and full air defense was set at 0630. Japanese combat aircraft were reported flying at will over Singapore. At 0907, Emerald received information from the Island that a group of approximately 95 dive bombers and Fighters were seen headed seaward. At about 1000 a huge tropical squall enveloped the entire convoy and at 1015 topside sailors could hear the drone of aircraft engines. Emerald reported the Japanese formation was clear of the convoy at 1043. On Tuesday, 13 January, at 0030 the convoy slowed to 9 knots in order to stream paravanes. Three Dutch mine sweeps were at work ahead of the column and at approximately 0900 a mine was seen floating down the side of Mount Vernon. The weapon missed the ship by some 10 feet. Ships astern were warned and a destroyer was assigned to detonate this potentially dangerous device. At 0920, paravanes were rigged in and pilots boarded all ships and preparation for docking were made. Mount Vernon moored at 1315 at the Navy Yard, Singapore, Malaya. Cargo holds were opened and at 1400 the deck force commenced discharging equipment and supplies. The deck force was augmented by working parties from divisions throughout the ship. The 53rd was rushed ashore since Japanese forces had continued their advance on Fortress Singapore and General Percival was advised by General Wavell to retreat to the Johore line. Orginally, when Percival heard that the 18th division was on its way, he had planned on keeping them in the rear as reserves. Now the General ordered the 53rd to prepare to go to the front and sent them into combat three days later. Very few of them had been aboard before and almost none had been in the tropics. Absolutely none had been trained in jungle fighting. They had arrived without their transport or guns which were on the vessels in Bombay! There were a variety of specialty regiments among them and a small detachment of engineers but at this time all were issued rifles and artillery groups were formed to try and stem the tide. Air raid sirens wailed ashore intermittently as deck crews manned guns and worked the holds. Unloading had to be discontined at sunset since the entire island was darkened. Battle stations was sounded at about 1130 on the 14th when a large formation of high flying bombers was reported headed for the area. Within minutes a large bomb hit on the dock within 15' of the starboard quarter of Mount Vernon as this vessel prepared to get under way. At 1240, a leading seaman, formerly of the Prince of Wales was found as a stowaway. He was turned over to a Master at Arms from HMS Sultan. Pilot W Hopper reported aboard Mount Vernon at 1446. The ship was clear of the dock and fair in the channel by 1500 and commenced a high speed run for Sundra Straits with HMS Jumna and Jupiter escorting. Before reaching the Straits, the ship had to slow twice to stream paravanes since mine laying Japanese submarines were reported. Mount Vernon was in the Indian Ocean at 0800 on 17th January 1942. |
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