33:
377:, and was uninhabited. Even worse, there was almost no fresh water. Despite British search efforts, the stranded refugees remained on the island for two months before disease and starvation forced the survivors to surrender to the Japanese. By that time, both Spooner and Pulford had died of exhaustion and malaria.
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The evacuations were a dismal affair due to circumstances beyond
Spooner's control. The situation had become so dire that anything more than rudimentary coordination was impossible. Furthermore, Japanese naval and air forces operating in the seas around Malaya destroyed many of the ships that left
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on 12 February, but
Spooner and a few others remained behind to assist in organizing the evacuation of civilians from the island, which was now just days away from surrender. Spooner's wife was one of those who was evacuated.
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By the end of
January, the Royal Navy had almost no real fighting strength left in Malaya, and the decision was taken to abandon Singapore in favour of Java. Most naval personnel were evacuated aboard the merchantman
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to take up the post of Rear
Admiral, Malaya in 1941. When the Japanese launched their invasion of Malaya on 8 December 1941, Spooner initially had two immediate superiors: Admiral
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on 10 December by
Japanese bombers. Then on 5 January 1942, Vice-Admiral Layton, who had replaced Phillips, moved his headquarters to the island of
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Spooner died of exhaustion and malaria after his evacuation vessel was attacked by
Japanese aircraft and ran aground on an uninhabited island.
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and some 40 others. The vessel was attacked by
Japanese aircraft and its passengers became stranded on a small island called Chibia (Tjibia,
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Singapore in the final days before the surrender on 15 February. One of the vessels caught up in the attempted escapes was the
423:'This Inglorious Business' from 'Singapore: The Pregnable Fortress' by Peter Elphick, Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1995.
311:
466:. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 2 – Navy. Vol. 1. Canberra: Australian War Memorial. p. 568.
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501:"King's Collections : Archive Catalogues : SPOONER, Megan (1898-1987)"
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37:
Ernest
Spooner with his wife Megan at the Admiralty House in Singapore, 1941
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and Malaya. This left
Spooner as the senior naval officer in Singapore.
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Ernest John
Spooner: Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
262:. He became Deputy Director at the Operations Division of the
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435:"Megan Spooner: Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives"
326:). However, Admiral Philips was killed when his flagship
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in 1938. He was appointed as flag officer commanding the
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to streamline the organization of supply convoys to the
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in 1932, commanding officer of the Navigation School at
212:(22 August 1887 – 15 April 1942) was one of the senior
373:). Chibia was part of the Juju group located north of
280:in 1937 before becoming commanding officer of the
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538:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
563:Royal Navy personnel killed in World War II
479:"The Japanese Invasion of Sumatra Island"
543:Military of Singapore under British rule
365:transporting Spooner, Air Vice Marshal
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270:in 1934 and commanding officer of the
483:The Netherlands East Indies 1941–1942
548:People educated at West Downs School
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427:
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553:Royal Navy admirals of World War II
16:Royal Navy Vice-Admiral (1887-1942)
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573:Military personnel from Winchester
558:Royal Navy officers of World War I
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385:In 1926 Spooner married the noted
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294:from July 1940 to September 1940.
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578:British people in British Malaya
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463:Royal Australian Navy 1939–1942
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568:Burials at Kranji War Cemetery
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195:Distinguished Service Order
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460:Gill, G. Hermon (1957).
503:. King's College London
322:(Senior Naval Officer,
302:Spooner served in the
314:(Commander-in-Chief,
113:Years of service
333:was sunk along with
489:on 3 December 2012.
318:) and Vice-Admiral
306:and was ordered to
231:and the subsequent
206:Ernest John Spooner
85:Kranji War Cemetery
25:Ernest John Spooner
258:and served in the
346:Dutch East Indies
254:, Spooner joined
248:West Downs School
233:fall of Singapore
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74:Dutch East Indies
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485:. Archived from
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437:. Archived from
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312:Sir Tom Phillips
304:Second World War
185:Second World War
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441:on 1 March 2006
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330:Prince of Wales
320:Geoffrey Layton
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298:Malaya Campaign
292:Northern Patrol
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53:22 August 1887
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505:. Retrieved
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443:. Retrieved
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246:Educated at
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242:Early career
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227:invasion of
222:World War II
216:officers at
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203:Vice Admiral
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177:Battles/wars
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125:Vice Admiral
68:(1942-04-15)
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533:1942 deaths
528:1887 births
477:Klemen, L.
354:Empire Star
220:during the
87:, Singapore
522:Categories
393:References
277:Vindictive
268:Portsmouth
256:Royal Navy
252:Winchester
214:Royal Navy
153:Vindictive
107:Royal Navy
93:Allegiance
56:Winchester
49:1887-08-22
507:1 January
308:Singapore
264:Admiralty
218:Singapore
172:(1930–32)
167:HMS
164:(1936–37)
161:Frobisher
159:HMS
156:(1937–38)
151:HMS
148:(1938–40)
143:HMS
140:(1940–41)
137:Fortitude
135:HMS
116:1903–1942
58:, England
445:10 April
225:Japanese
131:Commands
101:Service/
72:Chibia,
387:soprano
337:Repulse
287:Repulse
272:cruiser
145:Repulse
381:Family
371:Tjebia
363:ML 310
324:Malaya
229:Malaya
191:Awards
169:Dragon
103:branch
80:Buried
509:2023
447:2005
342:Java
335:HMS
328:HMS
285:HMS
275:HMS
121:Rank
63:Died
43:Born
250:in
210:DSO
524::
481:.
400:^
235:.
208:,
511:.
449:.
51:)
47:(
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