Re: The bombing of Striking Force off Kangean on 4 February 1942

Hmm, the photo looks suspiciously like others from the 14th but I dont think I have seen the ones from 4th that Don refers to, or if so I can't recall, so I can’t say for sure.

But is that really Exeter? Looks a bit 'heavy' to me, and whats that 'black blob' right atop the foremast and where is the big mainmast? (Hiddden in smoke?) Also stern looks lower than foredeck. (Or is that just an abberation in / angle of the image as it were?)

But if not Exeter then whom could it be if not CA30 either? Other ship certainly is, or appears to be, DR.

Great 'action' photo though, whomever, wherever and whenever it may be!

As for books on or related to Java Sea campaign Jeff, to save you some digging below are some more, although some are very hard to come by (and some as Don says may have misidentified photos and some with erroneous info to boot).

Kevin

The Battle of the Java Sea – Van Oosten (General overview)
Battle of the Java Sea – Thomas (General overview)
The Lonely Ships – Hoyt (General overview)
The Fleet the Gods Forgot – Winslow (General Overview / Houston survivor)
Playing For Time – Alford (General Overview / Stewart perspective)
The Dutch NAF Against Japan – Womak (Air war, general overview)
The Ghost That Died At Sunda Strait – Winslow (Houston survivor perspective)
The Last Battle Station – Schultz (Houston survivor perspective)
Kitoski Bakaro – Weissinger (Houston survivor perspective)
Ship of Ghosts - Hornfischer (Houston perspective – published 2006)
The Dutch Navy at War – Kroese (Kortenaer survivor)
HMS Electra – Cain / Sellwood (Electra survivor)
Fight It Out – Gordon (Exeter Captain/survivor)
No Surrender – Johns / Kelly (Exeter survivor)
My Lucky Life – Falle (Encounter survivor)
Mr Michel’s War – Michel (Pope survivor)
*Proud Echo – McKie (Perth perspective)
*The Survivors – McKie (Perth perspective)
Age Shall Not Weary Them – Roberts (Perth / pre Java Sea ship ‘history’)
Bells of Sunda Strait – Burchell (Perth wreck site discovery/first dives)
Hr Ms Kruisers Java & Sumatra - J Anten (In Dutch but with MANY pictures)
Hr Ms Kruiser De Ruyter - H Legemaate, et al (In Dutch but with MANY pictures)