ABOUT 60 years ago, a Japanese cruiser Haguro sank in the Straits of Malacca off Penang following a sea battle between five British destroyers and two Japanese naval vessels.

More than 900 seamen pe-rished in the battle dubbed as the last naval surface engagement of World War Two on the night of May 16, 1945.

The wrecked Haguro currently sits upright, covered in trawler nets with her hull buried in silt up to about her original waterline.

It was only discovered on May 4, 2003, by a group of divers, including Australian diver cum photojournalist Kevin Denlay.

Recently, in memory of all who took part in the battle and to honour those who perished, 23 British and six Japanese vete-rans, together with 60 others who were either relatives of those who participated or perished in the battle, visited the wreck site of Haguro.

The veterans were from the 26th Destroyer Flotilla, which was involved in that battle, comprising HMS Saumarez, Verulam, Venus, Virago and Vigilant while the Japanese were from the Japanese heavy cruiser HIJMS Haguro and Destroyer Kamikaze.

Many came dressed up for the occasion, before embarking on a chartered boat at Swe-ttenham Pier with flowers and wreaths in their hands.

A Japanese veteran reciting prayers during the commemoration ceremony.

Also present was Japanese Consul-General Takahito Na-rumiya.

They were heading towards the wreck site of the battle, about 45 nautical miles South west of Penang.

During the journey, the Ja-panese representatives were seen hanging the flag of the Land of The Rising Sun, with prayer paraphernalia and flo-wers placed on the makeshift altar on the boat.

When the commemoration ceremony started, some could not hold back their tears during the one-minute si-lence observed in memory of the victims.

Event coordinator, Lt-Com-mander Chris James said a group of British veterans had visited Penang last October.

"Through the British High Commission in Kuala Lum-pur, we managed to establish contact with Japanese veteran Morio Iwashita, who or- ganises Japanese veteran events," he said, adding that an invitation was then issued to the Japanese.

British veteran Len Dabin, a crewmember of HMS Vigilant, said time was a good healer as ‘the past remained the past.'

"Instead of being hurt by the bitterness of the past, we should look forward to a better life," he said.

The 80-year-old added that he could still remember the in-cident vividly.

"It was very dark at that night. The 26th Destroyer Flo-tilla, commanded by Captain Manley Power, was able to cordon around the Japanese ships whilst still remained undetected.

"And by the time the Japa-nese ships spotted us, it was too late as the two Japanese ships were already surrounded by the five British destroyers," he added.

Dabin added that the five destroyers immediately launc-hed a torpedo attack on the Haguro from all sides.

"About an hour later, she was finally sunk by two torpedoes from HMS Venus but the Kamikaze was able to escape," he said.

Japanese veteran Morio Iwashita, 81, said he was staying afloat on a flotsam before being rescued by the second Japanese destroyer Kamikaze 18 hours later.

"About 30 of us relied on the driftwood after HIJMS Haguro cruiser was sunk in the encounter," he said.

He added that Haguro, which was heading towards Andaman in India, had been evading the British destroyers for several days.

"But still, we were spotted. By the time we realised their presence, it was already too late," said Iwashita.

British veteran Ken Jor-dan, 82, said he felt guilty for not saving the Japanese after sinking their cruiser on that night.

"Although it had been 60 years, I feel remorseful each time I think of the battle.

"We were left with not much choice but to retreat at that time as the Japanese fighting jets were already coming," he said.

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