Sumatra history
Hr. Ms. Sumatra was a Java-class cruiser
| June 15 1916 | Sumatra was laid down at the Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Mij in Amsterdam on this date |
| December 19 1921 | Sumatra was launched |
| May 26 1926 | Sumatra was commissioned |
| 1934 | Modernization at the naval dockyard in Soerabaja |
| June 8, 1938 | Departs Netherlands East Indies for the Netherlands. |
| July 22, 1938 | Arrival in the Netherlands. |
| September 3 1939 | War between Germany and the allies. During neutrality, Sumatra performed various duties which included escorting merchants of Dutch and German origin through the Dutch territorial waters. Sumatra is under command of Captain C.H. Brouwer. |
| March 6 1940 | While the Sumatra lies at anchor in Den Helder, the submarine O-11 is rammed by the tug Amsterdam with the loss of three crewmembers. The Sumatra assisted the salvagecrew with her searchlights during the night. |
| March 17 1940 | Sumatra is at anchor off Callantsoog when suddenly the anchorline breaks and Sumatra started drifting towards a minefield. Fortunately, the engineroom managed to power up the engines and she could safely sail away from the dangerzone. |
| May 10 1940 | War with Germany. The Sumatra was stationed in Vlissingen on the Westerschelde for inspection of merchants. German aircraft lay mines near the entrance of the harbor, and are fired upon by the ships in the harbor. The ship is under command of captain C.H. Brouwer. |
| May 11 1940 | Sumatra leaves Vlissingen in the early morning for Yarmouth, England. |
| May 12 1940 | Arrival in Immingham |
| May 20 1940 | The Sumatra receives a degaussing cable for protection against magnetic mines. |
| May 28 1940 | Departure from Immingham to Milford Haven in the bay of Bristol. Since the evacuation of Dunkirk is in progress in the channel, the cruiser sails around Scotland to her destination. |
| June 2 1940 | Sumatra arrives in the morning, but departs Milford haven later that day with princess Juliana and her daughters on board. The uncompleted Jacob van Heemskerck is acting as escort. |
| June 6 1940 | The Sumatra sights flares over the horizon and breaks away to investigate. The contact proves to be false, as it is a British squadron conducting excercises. |
| June 11 1940 | Arrival in Halifax. |
| June 13 1940 | Departure from Halifax for Bermuda escorting the British trooptransport Lady Drake. |
| June 16 1940 | Sumatra anchors in the Bermudas, but continues the voyage with the Lady Drake later that day. |
| June 20 1940 | Arrival in Kingston, Jamaica |
| June 21 1940 | Sumatra and Lady Drake ( with soldiers of the "Shropshire Infantry" on board ) depart Kingston for Curaçao. |
| June 23 1940 | Arrival in Curaçao |
| July 10 1940 | The cruiser departs Curaçao to conduct a patrol sweep off the Colombian and Venezuelan mainland, where some German merchants were at anchor. |
| July 15 1940 | Arrival in Kingston, Jamaica |
| July 18 1940 | Sumatra leaves Jamaica for shooting practice. |
| July 19 1940 | The Sumatra takes part in the search for the German raider Widder which had disguised herself as the Swedish freighter Narvik. |
| July 24 1940 | The Sumatra anchors in the Bermudas. |
| July 26 1940 | Departure from the Bermudas |
| July 29 1940 | Arrival in Kingston |
| August 1 1940 | Arrival in Curaçao |
| August 7 1940 | Departure for the Netherlands East Indies |
| August 9 1940 | Arrival in Port of Spain, Trinidad . The Sumatra and Van Kinsbergen practice their shooting in the following night. |
| August 20 1940 | Arrival in Freetown. |
| August 21 1940 | Sumatra departs Freetown with the British trooptransport Orion. |
| August 25 1940 | Rendez-vous with the British heavy cruiser Dorsetshire. She takes over protection of the Orion. |
| August 28 1940 | Arrival in the neutral Portugese harbour of Lobito, Portugese Africa. She departs the same day. |
| September 2 1940 | Arrival in Capetown, South Africa. |
| September 16 1940 | Departure for Port Louis, Mauritius. |
| September 25 1940 | Arrival in Port Louis |
| October 9 1940 | Arrival in Tandjong Priok, Batavia |
| October 16 1940 | The ship is decommissioned in Soerabaja. She was in need of an extensive overhaul, although it is unsure when she will be ready for service again. |
| January 27 1942 | The ship is recommissioned in Soerabaja under Commander J.J.L. Willinge. Although not ready for battle and mainly manned with midshipsmen, she can do 15 knots and is soon after ordered to depart for Colombo. |
| February 15 1942 | Arrival in Trincomalee. Assigned to the 5th cruiser squadron |
| April 16 1942 | Departure for Portsmouth via Bombay. |
| October 31 1942 | Arrival in Portsmouth |
| November 6 1942 | Laid up. |
| February 17 1943 | Commander I.W. Reijnierse takes over command from Commander J.J.L. Willinge |
| March 10 1944 | Commander H. Witte takes over command from commander I.W. Reijnierse |
| April 29 1944 | Transferred to the Royal Navy |
| April 30 1944 | Captain G.H. Sutcliff, RN, takes over command from commander H. Witte |
| June 9 1944 | Expended as blockship for Gooseberry 5 in position 147 degrees of the Quistreham lightship, distance 4500 meters and sunk in 7,5 meters water. |
| February 14 1951 | Sold at auction for scrapping together with some other wrecks. |
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