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Following the Allied Victory at The Battle of Batavia, Japanese Surface forces pulled back from the Java Sea to escape the ferocious Allied cruiser squadrons under Gordon. This left the port of Bendjermasin open on the south Coast of Borneo.almost undefended. With the Moon waning, visability was barely 2000 yards and an Allied task force under U. Van Hoek slipped past the destroyer picket and attacked the Merchant Ships anchored in Bendjermasin until they ran out of ammo.
The raid was a complete succes, leaving dozens of Japanese ships sunk or crippled, trappign the few remaining ships in the harbor and scattering Japanese Merchant ships int he area from their land based aircraft cover. The next day a slightly larger task force under O.L. Gordon returned , destroying the remaining shipping and picking off targets of convience amoung the scattered Japanese Shipping.
Success was only marred by the sinking of the Light Cruiser HMS Caledon by the Destroyer IJN Sazanami while pursing a troop transport.
Aftermath[]
While a complete tactical success, the raid did not manage to delay the invasion of Java. The Japanese Surface fleet turned around Java became deadly for Allied ships. Under cover of carrier based aircraft, he Japanese troop transports which had survived or avoided the Raid began landing troops on February 16, 1942.
Allies[]
The Light Cruisers De Ruyter, Enterprise, Caldeon and the Destroyers Vampire, Evertsen, Piet Hein, Stronghold, Tenedos, and Jupiter.
Japan[]
The Destroyers Murasame, Tachikaze, Sazanami, Asashio, and Nokaze.