Ernest John Spooner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ernest John Spooner
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Ernest Spooner with his wife Megan at the Admiralty House in Singapore, 1941
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| Born | 22 August 1887 Winchester, England |
| Died | 15 April 1942 (aged 54) Chibia, Dutch East Indies |
| Buried |
Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore
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| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1903–1942 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Fortitude (1940–41) HMS Repulse (1938–40) HMS Vindictive (1937–38) HMS Frobisher (1936–37) HMS Dragon (1930–32) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order |
Vice Admiral Ernest John Spooner (born August 22, 1887 – died April 15, 1942) was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He played an important role in Singapore during World War II. This was when Japan invaded British Malaya and later captured Singapore.
Sadly, Vice Admiral Spooner died from being very tired and having malaria. This happened after his escape ship was attacked by Japanese planes. The ship then got stuck on an island where no one lived.
Ernest Spooner went to school at West Downs School in Winchester, England. After finishing school, he joined the Royal Navy in 1903. He served his country during the First World War.
After the war, he continued to rise through the ranks. In 1932, he became a Deputy Director at the British Admiralty, which was like the main office for the Navy. He also commanded important ships:
- In 1937, he was in charge of the cruiser HMS Vindictive.
- In 1938, he became the commanding officer of the powerful battlecruiser HMS Repulse.
From July to September 1940, he led the Northern Patrol, which helped protect the seas.
World War II and Singapore
In 1941, during the Second World War, Spooner was sent to Singapore. His job was to be the Rear Admiral for Malaya. This meant he was a very senior naval officer in the area.
On December 8, 1941, Japan launched its invasion of Malaya. At first, Spooner had two commanders above him:
- Admiral Sir Tom Phillips, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Eastern Fleet.
- Vice-Admiral Geoffrey Layton, the Senior Naval Officer in Malaya.
However, things changed quickly. On December 10, Admiral Phillips was killed when his ship, HMS Prince of Wales, was sunk by Japanese bombers. The HMS Repulse was also sunk that day.
Then, on January 5, 1942, Vice-Admiral Layton moved his main office to Java. He did this to help organize supplies better for the Dutch East Indies and Malaya. This left Ernest Spooner as the most senior naval officer in Singapore.
By the end of January, the Royal Navy had very few fighting ships left in Malaya. The decision was made to leave Singapore and focus on defending Java instead. Most naval staff were evacuated on a ship called Empire Star on February 12. But Spooner and a few others stayed behind. They helped organize the escape of regular people from the island. Singapore was only days away from being captured. Spooner's wife was one of the people who managed to get away safely.
The Final Escape
The evacuations from Singapore were very difficult. Japanese ships and planes were everywhere, making it hard for anyone to leave. Many ships trying to escape were destroyed.
One of the ships caught in this danger was the ML 310. On board were Spooner, Air Vice Marshal Conway Pulford, and about 40 other people. Japanese aircraft attacked their vessel. This left everyone stranded on a small island called Chibia (also known as Tjebia).
Chibia was part of a group of islands north of Bangka Island. It was a deserted island with almost no fresh water. British search teams tried to find the stranded people, but they couldn't. Spooner and the others were stuck on the island for two months. Sadly, many became sick and starved. Eventually, the few survivors had to surrender to the Japanese. By that time, both Vice Admiral Spooner and Air Vice Marshal Pulford had died from being very tired and having malaria.
Family Life
In 1926, Ernest Spooner married Megan Foster. She was a well-known singer, famous for her beautiful voice.
