Timorous at Koepang
1600 hours. The wind was a Force 2 Easterly at 4 knots. Max visibility was 30,000 yards. Dusk would occur at 1930 hours and visibility to the East would be reduced by 4,000 yards. Sunset would occur at 2000 hours and with-it darkness. There were no squalls, but there was Sea Haze that reduced visibility to the North by 3,000 yards. The Moon state would be Full.
Force X was deployed in its night formation with the Aussie destroyer division in line abreast from Port 3,000 yards ahead of the French cruiser squadron. VAdm Godroy led the cruisers in his flagship Suffren followed by the Duquesnes, the Trouins and Emile Bertin. The French destroyer division with Le Terrible attached brought the rear of the column. Godroy had his FPs aloft to spot as he expected to encounter a Japanese invasion convoy bound for Koepang on Timor. Force X was steaming at 25 knots on a heading of 315 degrees. Right on cue the masthead reported enemy in sight 4 points off the port bow and heading roughly 90 degrees that would cross Force X’s course.
Godroy ordered a 2-point turn to starboard and ordered the Aussies back into line ahead and to take station to his unengaged side at flank speed. Everyone else was ordered to accelerate to 30 knots.
It appeared that there were at least three enemy heavy cruisers ahead accompanied by 8 destroyers in two divisions. The convoy must be somewhere behind the enemy ships. Both side’s heavy cruisers opened fire. The three heavy cruisers on each side firing at their opposite number.
Suffren scored 2 hits on Ashigara and Asigara’s return fire hit Suffren thrice. The Duquesnes missed as seemed their usual habit. The return fire from Nachi hit Duquesne twice and Maya missed.
Suffren suffered a hit to her FP facilities that started a minor fire and 2 hits to her hull that slowed her to 25 knots. Ashigara took a hull hit and a critical hit to her magazine and flooding knocked out her fore turret. Duguesne lost her fore turret and a hit to her hull.
1606 hours. Suffren put her minor fire out but still had an EDR fire. The Japanese cruisers increased speed to 21 knots and both sides fired as before with the range down to 24,000 yards. This time Duquesne hit Nachi once while Suffren and Tourville missed. Nachi hit Duquesne twice while Ashigara and Maya missed. Nachi took a hull hit that vcaused minor damage. Duquesne took damage to a bulkhead and her engineering in response that slowed her to 21 knots.
1612 hours. Duquesne repaired her bulkhead and Godroy withdrew under smoke before he took so much damage that there would be no hope of repairing at Darwin. The EAF invasions all succeeded.
