View source for HMS Electra (H27)

{{short description|Destroyer of the Royal Navy}}
{{other ships|HMS Electra}}

{{More footnotes needed|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= [[File:HMS Electra.jpg|300px|HMS Electra]]
|Ship caption=HMS ''Electra'' before the war wearing the single white stripe of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country= United Kingdom
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship name= HMS ''Electra''
|Ship ordered=1 November 1932
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=[[Hawthorn Leslie and Company]], [[Hebburn]]
|Ship original cost=£253,350
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down= 15 March 1933
|Ship launched= 15 February 1934
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed= 
|Ship commissioned= 13 September 1934
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned= 
|Ship in service=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=1 January 1946
|Ship identification=[[Pennant number]]: H27
|Ship motto=*''Fulgens ab undis''
*("Shining from the waves")
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours= Atlantic 1939–40; Norway 1940; BISMARCK Action 1941; Arctic 1941; Java Sea 1942
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate= Sunk, [[Battle of the Java Sea]], 27 February 1942
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class= [[E and F-class destroyer|E-class destroyer]]
|Ship displacement=*{{convert|1405|LT|t}} ([[Standard displacement|standard]])
*{{convert|1940|LT|t}} ([[deep load]])
|Ship length={{convert|329|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} [[Length overall|o/a]]
|Ship beam={{convert|33|ft|3|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} (deep)
|Ship power=*{{convert|36000|shp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on|-2}}
*3 × [[Admiralty 3-drum boiler]]s
|Ship propulsion=2 × shafts; 2 × [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s
|Ship speed={{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|6350|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship complement=145
|Ship sensors=[[Sonar#History|ASDIC]]
|Ship armament=*4 × single [[4.7 inch QF Mark IX|QF 4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mk IX guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[Vickers .50 machine gun|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|adj=on|1}} machine guns]]
*2 × quadruple [[British 21-inch torpedo|21-inch (533&nbsp;mm)]] [[torpedo tubes]]
*20 × [[depth charge]]s, 1 rack and 2 throwers
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label= 
|partof=*[[5th Destroyer Flotilla]], [[Home Fleet]] (1934–1935)
*[[5th Destroyer Flotilla]], [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]] (1935–1936)
*[[12th Destroyer Flotilla]] (1939–1940)
*[[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]], [[Home Fleet]] (1940–1941)
*[[Force Z]] (1941–1942) China Force ABDA Area (1942)
|codes=
|commanders=*[[Stuart Austen "Sammy" Buss]],
*[[Cecil Wakeford May]]
|operations=*[[Battles of Narvik]] (1940)
*[[Battle of the Denmark Strait]] (1941)
*[[Dervish Convoy|Operation Dervish]] (1941)
*[[Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse|Battle of Kuantan]] (1941)
*[[Battle of the Java Sea]] (1942)
|victories=
|awards=
}}
|}
'''HMS ''Electra''''' was a one of nine [[E and F-class destroyer|E-class destroyers]] built for the [[Royal Navy]] during the 1930s. Sunk in the [[Battle of the Java Sea]], ''Electra'' was a witness to many naval battles, including the [[Battle of the Denmark Strait]] and [[Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse|the sinking of ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'']]. The ship's wreck was discovered in 2003 and had been badly damaged by illegal [[Marine salvage|salvagers]] by 2016.

==Description==
The E-class ships were slightly improved versions of the preceding [[C and D-class destroyer|D class]]. They displaced {{convert|1405|LT|t}} at [[Displacement (ship)|standard]] load and {{convert|1940|LT|t}} at [[deep load]]. The ships had an [[length overall|overall length]] of {{convert|329|ft|m|1}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|33|ft|3|in|m|1}} and a [[draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|12|ft|6|in|m|1}}. They were powered by two [[Parsons Marine Steam Turbine Company|Parsons]] geared [[steam turbine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]], using steam provided by three [[Admiralty three-drum boiler]]s. The turbines developed a total of {{convert|36000|shp|lk=in}} and gave a maximum speed of {{convert|35.5|kn|lk=in}}. ''Electra'' carried a maximum of {{convert|470|LT|t}} of [[fuel oil]] that gave her a range of {{convert|6350|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|15|kn}}. The ships' complement was 145 officers and [[Naval rating|ratings]].<ref name=l6>Lenton, p. 156</ref>

The ships mounted four 45-[[caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[4.7 inch QF Mark XII|4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) Mark IX guns]] in single mounts. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft]] (AA) defence, they had two quadruple Mark I mounts for the [[Vickers .50 machine gun|0.5&nbsp;inch Vickers Mark III]] [[machine gun]]. The E class was fitted with two above-water quadruple torpedo tube mounts for [[British 21 inch torpedo|{{convert|21|in|adj=on|0}}]] torpedoes.<ref>Whitley, p. 103</ref> One [[depth charge]] rack and two throwers were fitted; 20 depth charges were originally carried, but this increased to 35 shortly after the war began.<ref>English, p. 141</ref>

==Construction and career==
She was ordered on 1 November 1932 as part of the 1931 Naval Programme; launched on 15 February 1934 at the [[Hawthorn Leslie Shipyard]] at [[Hebburn]], [[Tyneside]]. The costs to build the ship have been given as approximately £300,000 (Janes), £247,000,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://navalhistory.flixco.info/G/69835x53053/281303/a0.htm|title= Technical Details of HMS Electra |publisher= navalhistory.flixco.info|access-date=26 March 2011}}</ref> or £253,350 (excluding the items supplied by the Admiralty such as guns and communications equipment).<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-21E-Electra.htm | title=HMS Electra, destroyer }}</ref>

Upon commissioning in 1934, she was attached to the [[5th Destroyer Flotilla]], [[Home Fleet]], along with the rest of her [[sister ship]]s. In September 1935, the 5th Flotilla was transferred to the [[Mediterranean Fleet (United Kingdom)|Mediterranean Fleet]] for the duration of the [[Second Italo-Abyssinian War|Abyssinian crisis]] before returning to the [[Home Fleet]] the following March. In 1936, ''Electra'' was assigned to Non-Intervention Patrols in Spanish waters during the [[Spanish Civil War]].  In 1938, she underwent a refit at [[Sheerness]], and then was placed 'in reserve'. On 2 August 1939, she was 'Brought forward' (taken out of reserve) with Reservist ship's company, and on 26 August 1939, she attended a review by King [[George VI]].

=== Early Second World War service ===
At the beginning of [[World War II]], ''Electra'' was attached to the [[12th Destroyer Flotilla]].  On 3 September 1939, ''Electra'' took part in the rescue of survivors of the liner {{SS|Athenia|1922|2}}, which was torpedoed by the German submarine {{GS|U-30|1936|2}}.  The captain of ''Electra'', Lieutenant-Commander [[Stuart Austen Buss|Stuart Austen "Sammy" Buss]], was the Senior Officer present at the scene so he took charge.  He sent the destroyer {{HMS|Fame|H78|2}} on an [[anti-submarine]] sweep of the area, while ''Electra'', her [[sister ship]] {{HMS|Escort|H66|2}}, the Swedish [[yacht]] ''Southern Cross'', the Norwegian cargo ship ''Knut Nelson'', and the American [[Tanker (ship)|tanker]] {{SS|City of Flint|1919|2}} rescued the survivors.  Part of the rescue effort included sending a [[whaler]] to rescue a woman still in a bunk in the sickbay of ''Athenia''.  Between the ships, about 980 passengers and crew were rescued; only 112 people were lost, and ''Athenia'' sank the next morning.

Her next assignment was to escort a [[convoy]] out of [[Pentland Firth]], along with {{HMS|Exmouth|H02|6}} and {{HMS|Inglefield|D02|2}}. During a violent storm which lasted over two days, an [[ammunition]] locker on the [[forecastle]] broke loose, and was sliding around the deck. The locker was full of shells and needed to be secured.  After a short time, several volunteers managed to corral the loose object. After a boiler cleaning at [[Rosyth]] in December 1939, ''Electra'' continued escorting convoys and hunting [[U-boat]]s in the [[Western Approaches]] area until April 1940.  Some of the convoys she is known to have escorted include ON 14, HN 14, ON 16, HN 16, ON 18, HN 18, ON 20, and HN 20.

=== Norway ===
In early April 1940, ''Electra'' escorted two convoys to Norway and back.  The first trip, which also included {{HMS|Escapade|H17|6}} and the cruiser {{HMS|Southampton|C83|6}}, was uneventful.  On the second trip, the convoy was attacked by German [[bomber]]s.  An ex-Polish liner serving as a [[Troopship|transport]] was sunk, but the rest of the convoy arrived safely.  After the convoy was delivered, ''Electra'' was tasked to drop off two Army officers at a desolate location.  During this time, ''Electra'' shot down a German bomber with her 4.7-inch (120&nbsp;mm) guns.

A few days later, ''Electra'', being equipped with Two-Speed Destroyer Sweep (TSDS) [[minesweeper (ship)|minesweeping]] gear, was directed to lead the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Warspite|03|6}} into [[Ofotfjord]] towards [[Narvik]], clearing a path through the [[naval mine|minefields]] for her.  However, [[William Jock Whitworth|Admiral Sir William Whitworth]] decided to risk the mines, and left ''Electra'' outside, guarding the entrance to the fjord. on 24 April, ''Electra'' escorted {{HMS|Vindictive}} from Bogen to Narvik to land the [[Irish Guards]]. (''See [[Battles of Narvik]]''). On 8 May, ''Electra'' returned to [[Scapa Flow]] for replenishment.

On 13 June 1940, she escorted the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}} when she launched an air attack on [[Trondheim]], Norway.  In heavy fog, the admiral ordered the formation to turn into the wind so ''Ark Royal'' could launch aircraft. The destroyer screen was in arrowhead formation ahead of the capital ships; ''Electra'' in the port wing, {{HMS|Antelope|H36|6}} in the starboard wing.  The message "Blue nine repeat Blue nine – Executive signal." to turn was given on a low-power short-range radio.  Apparently, the telegraphist of ''Antelope'' missed the signal; as a result, ''Antelope'' continued on course while ''Electra'' executed the turn.  Suddenly, ''Antelope'' appeared, cutting across the bows of ''Electra''.  With no time to stop, ''Electra'' hit ''Antelope'' aft, in the [[wardroom]] pantry, just aft of the engine room.  One man from ''Antelope'' climbed up ''Electra''{{'}}s [[anchor]] chain to get away from the damaged area.  Her [[Bow (ship)|bow]] was severely damaged, and it took ''Electra'' and ''Antelope'' four days to get back to [[Scotland]] at slow speed.  She was repaired and refitted at the [[Ailsa Shipbuilding Company]] yard at [[Troon]], [[South Ayrshire]], Scotland through the end of August. Ailsa was noted primarily for the yachts it has built, and ''Electra'' was the largest repair job it had handled to date. Here she had her bow repaired, as well as having her after bank of [[torpedo tube]]s replaced by a 3-inch [[anti-aircraft]] (AA) gun, and one [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon|20 mm Oerlikon]] fitted centrally on the light AA platform. Also, during the refit and repair time, the wardroom was painted in the team colours of the [[Rangers F.C.|Glasgow Rangers]] football (soccer) team, which was the favourite team of the yard manager heading up the repair work. After conducting post-refit trials on 31 August, she joined the [[3rd Destroyer Flotilla]], [[Home Fleet]], based at Scapa Flow.

Her first assignment after her repair work was completed was to escort the ships of the 1st Minelaying Squadron, along with the destroyers {{HMS|Jackal|F22|6}}, {{HMS|Versatile|D32|2}}, and {{HMS|Vimy|D33|2}}, during the laying of a deep minefield in NW approaches to Irish Sea (Operation SN41).  After this, she was part of the escort of the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Repulse|1916|2}} in a hunt for a German surface raider that had attacked [[Convoy HX 84]] sinking the [[armed merchant cruiser]] {{HMS|Jervis Bay|F40|2}} and five ships from the convoy. ''Electra'' later joined the search for survivors from the convoy.

In December, she was again on patrol seeking a German surface raider that had been reported as breaking out into the [[North Atlantic]].  The force consisted of the battlecruiser {{HMS|Hood|51|2}}, the [[light cruiser]] {{HMS|Edinburgh|C16|2}}, and the destroyers ''Electra'', {{HMS|Escapade|H17|2}}, {{HMS|Echo|H23|2}}, and {{HMS|Cossack|F03|2}}. After spending a week at sea, including [[Christmas Day]], after the report turned out to be false, she returned to port on [[New Year's Eve]]. It was here that they got word that the ship's current Captain, Lieutenant-Commander Buss, was promoted to Commander and would transfer to the destroyer {{HMS|Punjabi|F21|2}}, and the ship received a new Captain, Lieutenant-Commander [[Cecil Wakeford May]], who would be her captain until she was sunk. (Commander Buss was later killed in action, in HMS ''Dulverton'' on 13 November 1943.)  A few days after this, ''Electra'' was sent into the [[Arctic]] for a mission to find surface raiders, returning through the [[Denmark Strait]] and refuelling from a cruiser in heavy seas on the way.

The first four months of 1941 saw ''Electra'' performing mostly convoy work around the [[British Isles]] and [[Bristol Channel]], mostly in cold weather and heavy seas.  in January, she escorted the battlecruiser ''Hood'' during Operations SN6 and SN65, providing cover for minelaying in the Northern Barrage by ships of the 1st Minelaying Squadron. Starting on 23 January, ''Electra'' participated in [[Operation Rubble]], the escape of several Norwegian merchant ships from [[Gothenburg]], Sweden. In February, she escorted Convoy WS6A during passage from the Clyde for two days; then in late February, she escorted the battleship {{HMS|Prince of Wales|53|2}} during contractor's trials.  One of the trips was as escort to convoy HX 122, which left Halifax on 20 April and arrived in [[Liverpool]] on 8 May. On one of the trips, she rescued the crew of a [[Coastal Command]] [[Avro Anson]] patrol aircraft that had crashed into the ocean. In March, ''Electra'' and ''Inglefield'' escorted the battleship {{HMS|Queen Elizabeth|1913|6}} in a search for the German battlecruisers {{ship|German battleship|Scharnhorst||2}} and {{ship|German battleship|Gneisenau||2}}. In mid-May, ''Electra'' took part in Operation SN9B, escorting ships of 1st Minelaying Squadron during the laying of mines in the Northern Barrage.

=== Hunt for ''Bismarck'' ===
In early May, the [[British Admiralty]] was on the alert that {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}} might attempt to break out into the [[North Atlantic]]. As a consequence, ''Electra'' was ordered to Scapa Flow for possible deployment against the Germans. Just after midnight of 21/22 May 1941, ''Electra'' sailed along with the destroyers {{HMS|Achates|H12|2}}, ''Antelope'', {{HMS|Anthony|H40|2}}, {{HMS|Echo|H23|2}}, and {{HMS|Icarus|D03|2}}, escorting ''Hood'' and ''Prince of Wales'' to cover the northern approaches.  The intention was that the force would refuel in [[Hvalfjord]], [[Iceland]], and then sail again to watch the Denmark Strait.  On the evening of 23 May, the weather deteriorated.  At 2055 hrs., Admiral [[Lancelot Holland]] aboard ''Hood'' signalled the destroyers "If you are unable to maintain this speed I will have to go on without you.  You should follow at your best speed."  At 0215 on the morning of 24 May, the destroyers were ordered to spread out at {{convert|15|nmi|km|0|adj=on}} intervals to search to the north.

At about 0535, the German forces were sighted by ''Hood'' and, shortly after, the Germans sighted the British ships. Firing commenced at 0552.  At 0601, ''Hood'' took a 38&nbsp;cm (15-inch) shell from ''Bismarck'' in the after magazine, which caused a massive explosion, sinking the ship within two minutes. ''Electra'' and other destroyers were about {{convert|60|nmi|km|0}} away at the time.  Upon hearing that ''Hood'' had sunk, ''Electra'' raced to the area, arriving about two hours after ''Hood'' went down.  They were expecting to find many survivors, prepared hot coffee and rum, set up the medical facilities for the casualties, rigged scrambling nets and heaving lines, and placed life belts on the deck where they could be quickly thrown in.  From the 94 officers and 1,321 enlisted men who were aboard ''Hood'', only 3 survivors were found.  ''Electra'' rescued these three and continued searching.  Shortly thereafter, ''Icarus'' and ''Anthony'' joined in the search and the three ships searched the area for more survivors.  No more survivors were found, only driftwood, debris, clothing, personal effects, broken rafts and a desk drawer filled with documents.  After several hours of searching, they left the area.  With the sea as cold as it was, survival in the water was measured in minutes. There was little probability that anyone was left alive in the water. (''See [[Battle of the Denmark Strait]]'').

After dropping off the survivors in Iceland, she <!-- please retain British English here--> refuelled and then sailed immediately to escort the damaged ''Prince of Wales'' to Rosyth.  After arriving, the men went on a quick shore leave, their first in many months.  Then in a period of two weeks, she went to Scapa Flow, then made a run down the West Coast of England, then to [[Ireland]], then <!-- please retain British English here-->refuelled at [[Derry]] and then escorted a troop convoy into the Atlantic.

After this, she went into refit at [[Green & Silley Weir]] in the Royal Docks at [[London]] for six weeks, escorting a convoy to Sheerness on the way.  When she came out of the yard, she sported a new disruptive [[camouflage]] paint scheme of blues, greens, and greys. Just two days out of the yard, she was on convoy duty again, escorting a convoy through what was called "Bomb Alley".  The convoy came under heavy attack by German aircraft but suffered no losses.  She then went on to Scapa Flow for assignment.

=== Russian convoy ===
Shortly after arriving at Scapa Flow, she was detailed to serve as Senior Escort for the first of [[Arctic convoys]] to the [[Soviet Union]], called [[Dervish Convoy|Operation Dervish]], which consisted of six merchantmen, escorted by destroyers ''Electra'', {{HMS|Active|H14|2}} and {{HMS|Impulsive|D11|2}}, three {{sclass|Algerine|minesweeper||ship}}s, and three trawlers.  The convoy kept well to the west of Norway, and made a wide sweep to avoid the German bases in northern Norway, before turning south to [[Archangelsk]].  There were no losses on the trip to Russia, or on the return trip (Russian Convoy QP1) with the destroyer ''Active'', cruisers {{HMS|London|69|6}} and {{HMS|Shropshire|73|6}}, and 11 merchantmen starting on 26 September, and arriving in England on 10 October.  (''See [[Dervish Convoy]]'').

=== To the Far East ===
On Monday, 20 October 1941, the crew of ''Electra'' got word that they, together with {{HMS|Express|H61|2}}, would be escorting HMS ''Prince of Wales'' to the [[Far East]] under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir [[Thomas Phillips (Naval officer)|Tom Phillips]], where the ships would form the nucleus of a new [[Eastern Fleet]] intended to deter Japanese aggression.  Over the next three days, they loaded with supplies and ammunition, and returned the parkas they had obtained for their Russian trip.  On 23 October, they sailed out of Scapa Flow for [[Greenock]], and on 25 October, they sailed for the Far East. This force would be known as Force G until they reached the Far East; then they would be re-designated [[Force Z]].  They were accompanied by {{HMS|Hesperus|H57|6}}, loaned by [[Western Approaches Command]], for the first part of the trip.  The destroyers <!-- please retain British English here-->refuelled from ''Prince of Wales'' south of Ireland.  Two days later, another destroyer, {{HMS|Legion|G74|6}}, was detached from a Gibraltar convoy to cover ''Prince of Wales'' while ''Electra'' and ''Express'' <!-- please retain British English here-->refuelled again from a tanker in [[Ponta del Garda]] in the [[Azores]].  After ''Electra'' and ''Express'' returned the following day, ''Hesperus'' and ''Legion'' departed for Gibraltar.

On 2 November, the three ships put into Freetown.  They had shore leave and left the next day.  They <!-- please retain British English here-->refuelled on the way and arrived at [[Cape Town]] on 16 November, with the destroyers putting into [[Simonstown Naval Base]].  The crew had shore leave again, but several events, including press interviews, were cancelled.  They left Cape Town on 18 November and arrived at [[Colombo]], [[Ceylon]], on 28 November, stopping at [[Mauritius]] and [[Addu Atoll]] to refuel on the way.  While at Addu Atoll, the crew of ''Prince of Wales'' cooked the Addu detachment of [[Royal Marines]] a Christmas dinner and sent ashore fresh fruit, meat, vegetables, beer and Navy rum.

On 29 November, the destroyers {{HMS|Encounter|H10|2}} and {{HMS|Jupiter|F85|2}}, detached from the Mediterranean Fleet, joined at Colombo and the five ships sailed later that day.  The ships were joined at sea by the battlecruiser ''Repulse'' which had sailed from Trincomalee. The force then set course for [[Singapore]], where they arrived on 2 December.  They spent a few days there with shore leave and refit, while awaiting orders.  On 1 December, it was announced that Sir Tom Philips had been promoted to full Admiral and appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Fleet.  A few days later, ''Repulse'' started on a trip to Australia with {{HMAS|Vampire|D68|6}} and {{HMS|Tenedos|H04|6}}, but the force was recalled.

=== Force Z at Singapore ===
Early in the morning of 8 December, Singapore came under attack by Japanese aircraft. ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'' shot back with anti-aircraft fire. No planes were shot down and the ships sustained no damage.  After receiving reports of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] and the invasion of [[Siam]] by the Japanese,  Force Z put to sea at 1730 hrs. on 8 December.  Force Z at this time consisted of ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'', escorted by the destroyers ''Electra'', ''Express'', ''Vampire'', and ''Tenedos''.  At about 1830 on 9 December, ''Tenedos'' was detached to return to Singapore, because of her limited fuel capacity.  That night ''Electra'' sighted and reported a flare to the north.  This caused the British force to turn away to the southeast.  The flare was dropped by a Japanese aircraft over its own ships by mistake, and caused the Japanese force to turn away to the northeast.  At this point, the two forces were only about five miles (8&nbsp;km) apart.

At 2055, Admiral Philips cancelled the operation and ordered the force to return to Singapore.  On the way back, they were spotted and reported by the {{ship|Japanese submarine|I-58|1925|6}}.  The next morning, 10 December, they received a report of Japanese landings at [[Kuantan]] and ''Express'' was sent to investigate the area, finding nothing.  That afternoon, ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'' were sunk off Kuantan by 85 Japanese aircraft from the [[22nd Air Flotilla]] based at [[Saigon]]. (''See [[Sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse|Sinking of ''Prince of Wales'' and ''Repulse'']]''). ''Repulse'' was sunk by five torpedoes in 20 minutes, and ''Electra'' and ''Vampire'' moved in to rescue survivors of ''Repulse'', while ''Express'' rescued survivors of ''Prince of Wales'', which sank slowly following the attacks.

''Electra'' sent out radio messages that ''Repulse'' and ''Prince of Wales'' had sunk and that Admiral Tom Phillips had gone down with them. Even after they were rescued, some survivors of ''Repulse'' manned Action Stations on ''Electra'', to free ''Electra'' sailors to rescue more survivors.  In particular, ''Repulse'' gunners manned the 'X' and 'Y' 4.7-inch mounts and the ship's dentist of ''Repulse'' assisted ''Electra''{{'}}s medical teams with the wounded.  In total, nearly 1,000 survivors of ''Repulse'' were rescued, of which ''Electra'' saved 571, some of whom would later be captured at Malaya and the Dutch East Indies when both were surrendered by the British three months later, and some were lost aboard British ships sunk by the Japanese in the Indian Ocean and at the [[Battle of the Java Sea]]. ''Electra'' and the other destroyers returned to Singapore to drop off the survivors, refuel and replenish their ammunition.

=== Convoy duty ===
The next three weeks or so saw ''Electra'' escorting convoys, and resting in Singapore in between.  She had 'crossed the line' ([[equator]]) so many times that the crew stopped keeping count.  One of her frequent consorts in these escort operations was the light cruiser {{HMAS|Hobart|1939|6}}.  In the last week of January, ''Electra'' was part of the escort for a troop convoy, BM-11, consisting of the American transports {{USS|West Point|AP-23|6}} and {{USS|Wakefield|AP-21|6}} and the British ships ''Duchess Of Bedford'', ''Empress of Japan'', and ''Empire Star'', which was carrying troops from [[Bombay]], [[India]], to Singapore.  This convoy was brought into Singapore on 29 January via [[Berhala Strait]], [[Durian Strait]], and [[Philips Channel]], and then proceeded to [[Keppel Harbor]]. Here, at about 1100 on 31 January, ''Electra'' came alongside ''West Point'' and transferred 20 naval dockyard personnel, 8 women, one [[Free French]] officer, and a [[Royal Air Force]] officer to ''West Point'' for passage to Ceylon. (One of these women gave birth to a baby on board ''West Point'' on 4 February).

Some of the convoys that ''Electra'' was known to have escorted included:
*BM-9B, which left Bombay on 22 December 1941, carrying the vehicles and stores for the 45th Indian Infantry Brigade; ''Electra'' escorted this convoy from 3 January 1942 until its arrival at Singapore on 6 January.
*BM-10, which left Bombay on 8 January 1942, with the 44th Indian Infantry Brigade Group (6000 men), and vehicles and stores for the 18th Division; ''Electra'' was part of the escort between 20 January and 22 January.
*BM-11, (mentioned above) which left Bombay on 19 January 1942, carrying 5 light anti-aircraft batteries, 1 light tank squadron, and the 18th Division (except the 53rd Brigade Group), a total of 17.000 troops; ''Electra'' was part of the escort from 24 January until its arrival at Singapore on 29 January.
*BM-12 Return trip to Bombay; ''Electra'' was part of the escort from 7 February to 9 February while the convoy went through the [[Sunda Strait]].

Starting on 3 February, they also had the task of towing the destroyer {{HMS|Isis|D87|6}} which had been undergoing refit from Singapore to Java. They were attacked by a Japanese high-level bomber on the way, but sustained no damage. (T. J. Cain in his book ''HMS Electra'' states that it was an I-class destroyer, and that ''Electra'' was the tow ship; Steve Gartland in an article in "The Sun" states that the destroyer being towed was {{HMAS|Vendetta|D69|6}}, that the tow ship was a tug named ''Ping Wo'', and that ''Electra'' was an escort out of Tanjung Priok starting on 17 February.)  Just before Singapore fell, ''Electra'' and other destroyers escorted the remaining merchant ships to [[Tanjung Priok]], Java.

=== Battle of the Java Sea and loss ===
On 26 February 1942, ''Electra'' arrived at [[Surabaya]] from Tanjung Priok, along with {{HMS|Exeter|68|6}}, {{HMAS|Perth|D29|6}}, the Dutch light cruiser {{HNLMS|Java|1921|2}}, and the destroyers ''Jupiter'' and ''Encounter''. {{HMS|Dauntless|D45|6}}, {{HMS|Danae|D44|6}}, and HMAS ''Hobart'' remained at Tanjung Priok.  On 27 February, the striking force left Surabaya, the three British destroyers in the lead, with ''Electra'' in the center, ''Jupiter'' to port, and ''Encounter'' to starboard;  followed by the Dutch cruiser {{HNLMS|De Ruyter|1935|2}}, {{HMS|Exeter|68|6}}, {{USS|Houston|CA-30|6}}, HMAS ''Perth'', and  HNLMS ''Java''; followed by two Dutch and four American destroyers.  (''See [[Battle of the Java Sea]]''.)

That afternoon, they made contact with the enemy. ''Electra'' managed to evade the shells and torpedoes in the first round.  At 1715, ''Exeter'' received a hit which destroyed a {{convert|4|in|mm|0|adj=on}} gun mount and then exploded in a boiler room, causing her to lose speed.  At 1725, seeing that ''Exeter'' was in trouble, ''Electra'' headed toward the enemy ships, followed by the other two British destroyers, to cover ''Exeter''{{'}}s escape.  After several near misses from gunfire from the Japanese [[light cruiser]] {{ship|Japanese cruiser|Jintsū||2}}, ''Electra'' fired back, scoring several hits on ''Jintsū'' and the destroyer {{ship|Japanese destroyer|Asagumo|1937|2}} disabling her engines, she also managed to score hits on destroyers ''[[Japanese destroyer Minegumo (1937)|Minegumo]]'' and ''[[Japanese destroyer Tokitsukaze (1939)|Tokitsukaze]]''.  During this slugging match, ''Electra'' sustained several hits, which knocked out A and X gun mounts, wrecked the electrical system forward, cut off all communications, destroyed a searchlight platform, damaged the after boiler room, and ruptured the main steam line.  ''Electra'' came to a stop, fired off her torpedoes, and started to list to port.  After a fire started under 'B' gun mount and 'Y' mount ran out of ammunition, abandon ship was ordered.  One surviving [[whaleboat]] got away after being loaded with wounded, but it was destroyed by a shell shortly after.  She sank shortly afterwards on the afternoon of 27 February 1942, bow first, with the [[White Ensign]] still flying.

=== Survivors ===
That night, about 0235hrs. in the morning of 28 February, 54 survivors of the 173 men on board were picked up by the [[United States]] [[submarine]] {{USS|S-38|SS-143|2}}, and were taken to Surabaya.  When the submarine surfaced in the middle of the survivors, they were not sure if it was friendly or enemy.  One of the survivors recognised the submarine as being friendly because it had an '[[Anchor#Admiralty Anchor|Admiralty]]' type [[anchor]]; and at that time, only [[United States]] submarines still had this type of anchor.  One of the survivors died on the submarine on the way, Leading Seaman Frederick Arthur Castle.  After treatment in a Dutch hospital, 42 survivors were taken to [[Australia]] by the inter-island steamer ''General Verspijck'', manned by the survivors, where they arrived on 10 March. One more survivor died at the hospital in Surabaya, and 10 others in critical condition were left at the hospital becoming Japanese POW's. 3 died in captivity, Stoker Sidney Thomas Eaglestone, Telegraphist Harry Lancelot Friend and Leading Seaman Charles Henry Palmer.

4 days after the sinking a Japanese destroyer picked up another 6 survivors, of an original 19 on, or trying to hang on to another raft. They became POW's, with 4 dying in captivity, Stoker Petty Officer Joseph Edward Davies, Able Seaman Thomas Joseph Hughes, Able Seaman James George Ernest Peacefull and Chief Petty Officer Engine Room Artificer Samuel Robert Roy Wood. Only 2 survived the war, Lieutenant Stewart Alexander Cruden and Able Seaman Everitt Albert "Eddie" Skerritt.

At least 21 survivors were shipped home on the ''SS Ceramic'' from Sydney, New South Wales 25 May 1942 to Norfolk, Virginia (via New Zealand and the Panama Canal), to New York 25 July 1942 and onward to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Liverpool on the 14 Aug 1942.  (The ''Ceramic'' was lost later in the year with only one survivor from 656 onboard.)  Many of the others were loaned to the Royal Australian Navy for up to 2 years.  After spending some time recovering in hospital in Australia, at least one of the survivors, Gunner (Torpedoes) Lieutenant Timothy John Cain was put on the liner ''Nankin'', bound for Ceylon, and ultimately, home to Britain.  On the way, ''Nankin'' was attacked and sunk by the German raider {{ship|German auxiliary cruiser|Thor||2}}.  The survivors, after spending seven weeks on the raider's supply ship ''[[Regensburg]]'', were handed over to the Japanese, where they spent the rest of the war in a Japanese [[internment|prison camp]].

On 29 March 1947, a [[stained glass]] window at [[St. George's Chapel, Chatham|St. George's Chapel]] at the Royal Naval Barracks, [[Chatham, Kent|Chatham]], was dedicated to the crew of ''Electra''.

==The wreck==
On 19 August 2003, the wreck of ''Electra'' was found. It is lying on its port side in approximately {{convert|160|ft|m}} of water, almost completely covered with [[fishing net]]s. Her wreck had been badly damaged by illegal salvagers when an expedition surveyed the site in 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/16/british-second-world-war-ships-illegal-scavenging-java-sea|title=British Second World War Ships in Java Sea Destroyed by Illegal Scavenging|last1=Holmes|first1=Oliver|date=2016|last2=Harding|first2=Luke|newspaper=The Guardian|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=HMS Electra (H27)|url=http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/hms/electra.html|website=Pacific Wrecks|access-date=15 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.historyanswers.co.uk/history-of-war/java-sea-shipwrecks-of-world-war-2-one-of-the-men-who-found-them-reflects-on-their-loss/ | title=Java Sea Shipwrecks of World War 2: One of the men who found them reflects on their loss &#124; All About History }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last1=Barnett|first1=Correlli|title=Engage the Enemy More Closely: The Royal Navy in the Second World War|date=1991|publisher=Norton|location=New York|isbn=0-393-02918-2|edition=1st American|url=https://archive.org/details/engageenemymorec00barn}}
* Bradford, Ernle ''The Mighty Hood'' (World Publishing Company, Cleveland, 1959)
* {{cite book|last1=Cain|first1=T. J.|last2=Sellwood|first2=A. V.|title=H.M.S. 'Electra'|date=1976|publisher=Futura Publications|location=London|isbn=978-0-86007-330-7}}
* {{cite book|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=English|first=John|title=Amazon to Ivanhoe: British Standard Destroyers of the 1930s|year=1993|publisher=World Ship Society|location=Kendal, England|isbn=0-905617-64-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Friedman|first=Norman|title=British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|date=2006|isbn=1-86176-137-6|author-link=Norman Friedman}}
* {{cite book|last1=Hoyt|first1=Edwin P.|title=The Lonely Ships: The Life and Death of the U.S. Asiatic Fleet|date=1977|publisher=Pinnacle Books|location=Los Angeles|isbn=0-523-40162-0|edition=2nd}}
* {{cite book|last=Lenton|first=H. T.|author-link=Henry Trevor Lenton|title=British & Empire Warships of the Second World War|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=1998|isbn=1-55750-048-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|author-link=Jürgen Rohwer}}
* {{cite book|last=Whitley|first=M. J.|title=Destroyers of World War Two: An International Encyclopedia|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1988|isbn=0-87021-326-1|location=Annapolis, Maryland|author-link=Michael J. Whitley}}
* Middlebrook, Martin and Patrick Mahoney, ''Battleship:  The Sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse'', (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1979)
* Van der Vat, Dan ''The Atlantic Campaign:  World War II's Great Struggle at Sea'' (Harper and Row, New York, 1988) {{ISBN|0-06-015967-7}}
* Winslow, W. G. ''The Ghost that Died at Sunda Strait'', (Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1989), {{ISBN|0-87021-218-4}}
* Cox, Jeffrey R. (2014). ''Rising Sun, Falling Skies''. Oxford, UK: Osprey. {{ISBN|978-1-4728-1060-1}}

==External links==
{{refbegin}}
* [http://www.pacificwrecks.com/ships/hms/electra.html  Contains information on the wreck of ''Electra'', and pictures of the ship]
* [http://navalhistory.flixco.info/G/69835x53053/b281303/n0.htm Navalhistory]
* [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4377.html Uboat.net]
* [http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hx122cruising.html Warsailors]
* [http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hnonescorts.html Warsailors - ON convoys]
* [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/danfs/AP/ap23.html DANFS for ''West Point'']
* [http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Singapore.html  Has a list of Singapore convoys]
* [http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/e+f_class.htm#HMS%20Electra Battleships-cruisers.co.uk]
* [http://ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/AreportaboutHMSElectraand.html Mac's Web Log]
* [http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=77481&start=45 Axishistory]
* [http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-21E-HMS_Electra.htm  Has a more complete list of convoys that Electra escorted, with their dates]
{{refend}}

{{E and F class destroyer}}
{{February 1942 shipwrecks}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Electra (H27)}}
[[Category:E and F-class destroyers of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Tyne]]
[[Category:1934 ships]]
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Java Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1942]]