Able Seaman William James Hagans (D/SSX 29020) served in the Royal Navy during World War Two. He was the son of William James Hagans and Alice Jane Hagans of Belfast, Co. Antrim, and the husband of Gladys Hagans of Pernau Street, Belfast, Co. Antrim.
Hagans enlisted in the Royal Navy in March 1939. He died on 27th February 1942 aged 21 years old on board HMS Jupiter. On 17th January 1942, HMS Jupiter sank the Japanese submarine I-90. The ship engaged in the Battle of the Java Sea until its sinking on 27th February 1942. Jupiter struck a mine laid earlier that day by Dutch Minelayer HNLMS Gouden Leeuw.
HMS Jupiter went down at 2116hrs on 27th February 1942, a few miles of the north coast of Java. At first, authorities thought the explosion was due to an attack from a Japanese torpedo. Jupiter took around 4 hours to go down with the loss of 84 crew members. Many reached shore only to become prisoners of war.
William James Hagans has no known grave. His name is on Panel 65, Column 1 of the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon.