South West

Back in July 2008, I just started making a documentary about the famous World War Two heavy cruiser - HMS Exeter.

We decided to do this project following the recent discovery of the wreck off the coast of Indonesia.

The Graf Spee sinking.

HMS Exeter is one of the most celebrated British warships of the Second World War.

She played a crucial part in the battle of the River Plate in 1939 where she helped hunt down the pride of the German navy, the Admiral Graf Spee.

On her return to Devonport she and the crew were given a hero's welcome.

Even Churchill came on board to offer congratulations.

But less well-known is her last heroic fight in the Java Sea.

Survivors' stories

At first we intended to tell the story of the battle purely through the eyes of some of the survivors.

Some interviews around the UK and a bit of archive was all that was needed together with rare underwater footage of the recently discovered wreck.

I was happily planning the film when my phone rang.

Turning back time - the Inside Out team.

It was a Lieutenant Commander from the Royal Navy.

They'd heard about our project and explained that one of their ships was going to be in Indonesia in 10 days time.

The Royal Navy decided to organise a commemoration ceremony right above the wreck of the Exeter.

He then casually invited us on board their ship… and proposed we bring a couple of the survivors of the Exeter with us!

This was obviously a fantastic opportunity - the first ceremony ever to be hosted above the site and the honour of bringing some of the men who survived the battle of the Java Sea.

But the logistics were going to be near impossible!

International filming

We had eight days to get all the international filming permissions and find a couple of veterans that would be both physically able and willing to travel so far, at short notice.

Without a journalist visa we would not be able to enter Indonesia, so my first call was to the BBC international travel service.

Terrible moment - HMS Exeter sinking.

There, the very helpful lady tells me that I should be able to get our journalist visa within two months.

If we are lucky, it may take six weeks.

I knew then that this was not going to be easy!

In the following six days the entire production office worked overtime and found one veteran able and willing to travel and another who was also determined to make the trip of a lifetime.

With the help of the Indonesian embassy in London and a push from the British embassy in Jakarta, we somehow got our visa in a record time, just in time for our flights.

Lucky escape

So together, with fellow BBC producer Mick Catmull, I flew with 86-year-old George Gaskell and 82-year-old Joe Asher.

George and Joe were both in the Navy serving on board the Exeter when it sank in 1942.

They spent the next three years in a Japanese POW camp.

Honouring HMS Exeter - Joe and George

George was a stoker on Exeter and had a very lucky escape when, during the first day of the battle of the Java Sea, a Japanese 8 inch shell hit the boiler room next to his, killing all men in it.

Reflecting on those events, George said: "if it would have been two or three yards nearer I would not be here".

During the second battle, the Exeter received a final blow in the form of another 8 inch Japanese shell.

The captain gave the order to abandon ship.

Joe Asher spent 28 hours clinging to wreckage before being rescued by a Japanese ship.

Tough times

Over 500 men survived the sinking and were sent to Japanese prisoner of War camps.

George and Joe do not like to talk about their time in the camp as those were the toughest time of their lives.

In all nearly a third of the survivors, 152, died in the camp.

Neither George nor Joe would describe themselves as heroes… but they are.

After an internal flight we finally arrived in Surabaya where HMS Kent was in harbour waiting for us.

Leaving the port on board a Royal Navy ship was an emotional moment for the veterans.

The last time they left this port it was just hours before they got sank.

Warm welcome

To reach the wreck of the Exeter we had to spend three days out at sea.

Onboard the survivors received a very warm welcome from the crew - who took endless time and trouble to show the veterans the workings of a modern day naval vessel.

George was interested to hear that it took today's crew 40 minutes to reach action stations - in his day it was a mere three minutes.

After 24 hours of sailing we reached the site of the Exeter and a full and ceremony of remembrance was held.

It was a chance for George and Joe to lay a wreath on the waters of the Pacific and perhaps close a chapter in their lives.

It was an emotional and healing journey for the veterans and a tremendous honour for us to be able to follow their journey there.