HMS ''Banka''
HMS Banka was a British minesweeper which was officially sunk on 9 December 1941 (but in reality probably the night of the 7 December 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's final resting position is at 57m, 12 nm 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 6 December 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 7 December, just one day after the field was laid. As she was recalled (from East Malay coast) on 6 December and was overdue in Singapore on 9 December. According to the survivor accounts it was dark at the time of the explosion.
Crew
| Name | Position | Age | Official Date of Death | cross reference multiple sources | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur Earnest Stephenson | Temp. Lieut. RNR (Captain) | 40 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 2 | J.R. Smith | Temp. Lieut. RNR (Engineer) | 10 December 1941 | Y | |
| 3 | R.E. Scales | S/Lieut. SS RNVR (explosives — New Zealand miner based in Malaysia) | 10 December 1941 | Y | |
| 4 | R.W. Emerson | T S/Lieut. RNR | 10 December 1941 | Y | |
| 5 | Arshad Bin Arabi | Quartermaster | 36 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 6 | Awang Bin Kassim | First Engineman | 40 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 7 | Dawi Bin Sayid | Seaman | 40 | 10 December 1941 | y |
| 8 | Din Bin Ali | Fireman | 38 | 10 December 1941 | y |
| 9 | Hamid Bin Sa’ad | Seaman | 26 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 10 | Jantan Bin Repin | Deck Cook’s Mate | 61 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 11 | Junid Bin Asa | Deck Cook’s Mate | 20 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 12 | Kaseh Bin Hassan | Deck Cook | 24 | 10 December 1941 | |
| 13 | M. Nasu B.H Yusuf | Gunner | 37 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 14 | Madar Bin Bakong | Fireman | 10 December 1941 | Y | |
| 15 | Manaf Bin Yatim | Deck Cook’s Mate | 10 December 1941 | ||
| 16 | Minsuri Bin Malik | Seaman | 27 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 17 | Rawi Bin Biju | Fireman’s Serang | 44 | 10 December 1941 | Y |
| 18 | Saleh Bin Taib | Fireman | 34 | 10 December 1941 | |
| 19 | Sawal Bin Sandang | Engine Driver | 10 December 1941 | ||
| 20 | Shamsi Bin Saleh | Seaman | 33 | 10 December 1941 | |
| 21 | Adnan Bin Hahran | Seaman | 19 | 10 December 1941 | y |
| 22 | Abdullah Bin Badrom | Possible survivor | |||
| 23 | Ahmad Bin Nawi | Possible survivor | |||
| 24 | Foo See Chow | Possible survivor | |||
| 25 | Mak Kwang | Possible survivor |
§[1]
Gallery
Memorial for Malay crew
HMS Banka when she was a day cruiser called Singkara
AE Stephenson
day cruise ticket
References
- ↑ Liverpool naval records and Malaysian Memorial
