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

NamePositionAgeOfficial Date of Deathcross reference multiple sources
1Arthur Earnest StephensonTemp. Lieut. RNR (Captain)4010 December 1941Y
2J.R. SmithTemp. Lieut. RNR (Engineer)5310 December 1941Y
3R.E. ScalesS/Lieut. SS RNVR (explosives — New Zealand miner based in Malaysia)10 December 1941Y
4R.W. EmersonT S/Lieut. RNR10 December 1941Y
5Arshad Bin ArabiQuartermaster3610 December 1941Y
6Awang Bin KassimFirst Engineman4010 December 1941Y
7Dawi Bin SayidSeaman4010 December 1941y
8Din Bin AliFireman3810 December 1941y
9Hamid Bin Sa’adSeaman2610 December 1941Y
10Jantan Bin RepinDeck Cook's Mate6110 December 1941Y
11Junid Bin AsaDeck Cook's Mate2010 December 1941Y
12Kaseh Bin HassanDeck Cook2410 December 1941
13M. Nasu B.H YusufGunner3710 December 1941Y
14Madar Bin BakongFireman10 December 1941Y
15Manaf Bin YatimDeck Cook's Mate10 December 1941
16Minsuri Bin MalikSeaman2710 December 1941Y
17Rawi Bin BijuFireman's Serang4410 December 1941Y
18Saleh Bin TaibFireman3410 December 1941
19Sawal Bin SandangEngine Driver10 December 1941
20Shamsi Bin SalehSeaman3310 December 1941
21Adnan Bin HahranSeaman1910 December 1941y
22Abdullah Bin BadromPossible survivor
23Ahmad Bin NawiPossible survivor
24Foo See ChowPossible survivor
25Mak KwangPossible survivor

§[1]

References

  1. ↑ Liverpool naval records and Malaysian Memorial
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