Stevenson, Duncan Love (Leading Stoker, b.1921 - d.?)

Collection relating to the Second World War service of 23369 Leading Stoker Duncan Love Stevenson, HMAS Yarra (II). Collection consists of a 12 page original handwritten letter describing the sinking of HMAS Yarra (II), written by Duncan Stevenson to his friend George Vooles, a telegraphist serving at HMAS Maitland.

After previous service in the Mediterranean, HMAS Yarra was sent to Batavia to perform escort duties between Sunda Strait and Singapore. After the Battle of the Java Sea in February 1942, HMAS Yarra was ordered to leave Batavia and head for Fremantle. On 4 March the HMAS Yarra sighted Japanese heavy cruisers and destroyers, laid a smoke screen in an attempt to allow the other ships in the convey to scatter, then engaged the enemy ships. Subjected to superior fire power, all four ships in the convoy were sunk. Survivors of HMAS Yarra clung to carley floats for several days, many dying during that period. They were picked up on 9 March by the Dutch submarine K11. Only 13 men from a compliment of 151 survived, Duncan Stevenson being one of them.

See also an article in Vol 36 No 2 (June 2015) of Naval Historical Review held in the Memorial's collection at C 359.00994 N318r.