On 4th March 1942, 280 miles south of Java. At sunrise, 3 Japanese heavy cruisers ATAGO, TAKAO and MAYA and destroyers ARASHI and NOWAKI attack an allied convoy, consisting of transport ANKING, tanker FRANCOL and minesweeper MMS-51, escorted by Australian sloop HMAS YARRA. HMAS YARRA (Capt. Rankin) ordered her convoy to scatter, she setup a smokescreen and then, in an unbelievable brave act of heroism, headed to fight the enemy cruisers and destroyers in order to try to save the other ships. For more than 90 minutes, YARRA fights against an overwhelming enemy until she was silenced, becoming a blazing wreck and sinking beneath the waves. Despite YARRA's sacrifice, the Japanese sank all three ships in the convoy. The Japanese force picked up one boatload of survivors from FRANCOL, but a large boatload of survivors were never seen again. Passing Dutch vessel TAWALI, rescued 57 officers and men from ANKING . MMS-51 with 14 in two Carley floats were picked up by the Dutch steamer Tjimanoek, 7th March. YARRA's 34 survivors (from 151) were not so lucky, their two rafts drifting at the mercy of the ocean, wounds, exposure and thirst taking their toll. By the 9th of March, when the Dutch Submarine K-11 found them, only 13 of the 34 were still alive.