History of the cruiser Tromp

Hr. Ms. Tromp was a Tromp-class cruiser

January 17 1936 Hr. Ms. Tromp is laid down at the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij in Amsterdam
May 24 1937 Tromp is launched
August 18 1938 Tromp was commissioned by Captain L.A.C.M. Doorman. The first months after her commissioning were spent in the homewaters, excercising and becoming familiar with this new class.
January 9 1939 The Tromp starts her first cruise from Rotterdam, and the destination was the Mediterranean.
January 13 1939 Arrival in Lisbon, Portugal
January 15 1939 While at anchor in Lisbon, Portugal, she was rammed by the German passengership Orinoco (9660 tons, built 1928) of the Hapag. Fortunately, she was only lightly damaged.
April, 1939 Fleet review at Scheveningen, the Netherlands.
May/June 1939 Cruise to Oslo, Norway
July 3 1939 Commander J. W. Termijtelen relieves Captain Doorman as C.O. of the Tromp.
August 19 1939 On this saturday, Tromp starts her long voyage to the Netherlands East Indies. Via the Mediterranean and Suez, she arrives in Sabang on the 10th of September.
September 10 1939 Tromp departs for Java after refueling
September 12 1939 The cruiser has a rendez-vous with the British heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall of Padang, Sumatra. There are several large German merchants moored in Padang, and according to the British, the steamer Franken was well-armed with guns (this was not true). She inquired what the Dutch government was planning to do about this. The government in the NEI replied that they would uphold the proclamation of neutrality. Nevertheless, the Tromp then receives the order to search the German ships in Padang for anything suspicious. A boarding party conducted the search, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
September 1939 After her duties off Padang, she arrived in Tandjong Priok in late September, and carried out some patrols south of Java afterwards. She then went to Soerabaja for an overhaul.
October 23 1939 The cruiser officially becomes part of the NEI Squadron
March 8, 1940 Tromp is assigned to escort the Gouvernements Marine vessel Wega with the Governor-General on board, which will make a trip along Sumatra's western coast.
August 1940 Tromp escorts the Dutch merchant Melchior Treub from Makassar to Soerabaja. She also escorts the KPM-steamer Plancius from Tandjong Priok to Belawan later that month.
December 18 1940 Tromp has a rendez-vous with the Dutch freighter Madoera which she escorted into the Pacific Ocean. There she made contact with the steamer Melampus on the 24th, which she escorted back to the Netherlands East Indies until the 1st of January 1941
January 6 1941 The cruiser protects a convoy sailing in the Java-New York Line. It consists of the passengerships Marnix van St. Aldegonde, Bloemfontein and Zaandam and the freighters Mapia and Polyphemus. The ships are escorted from Api Island to a point beyond the Gilbert Islands. The convoy was disbanded on the 14th.
Mid January 1941 The ship goes into overhaul in Soerabaja
July 19 1941 Captain Termijtelen was relieved by commander J.B. de Meester as captain of the cruiser on this date.
November 8 1941 Tromp is rerouted to Sunda Strait by the naval staff in response to a measure of the French. Dutch naval forces had brought several French merchants ito port for a contraband-inspection. The French reacted by starting to escort the convoys. Nevertheless, the naval staff decided the inspections had to continue, despite of the French escort. Luckily, it never came to a confrontation between the French and Dutch warships. The French, with their recent war experience would probably have had little trouble finishing off the Dutch.
November 25 1941 Tromp is recalled to Tandjong Priok early this morning for emergency refueling in Tandjong Priok. This was a response to the disappearance of the Australian light cruiser HMAS Sydney, which had, unknown to the Allied, fought a battle with the German raider Kormoran on November 19th. Kormoran would eventually sink by her own mines and by gunfire of the Sydney, but she manages to do quite some damage to the cruiser. The last thing the Germans see is a fire burning beyond the horizon. After that, the Sydney disappeared without a trace. Tromp leaves the same day to take part in the search.
December 1 1941 The Tromp arrives in Soerabaja after her patrol in the Indian Ocean. Despite an intensive searchoperation, the only thing found belonging to the Sydney was a Carley-raft. The fate of HMAS Sydney remains a mystery up to this day.
December 2 1941 Tromp and the submarines K 9, K 11, K 12 and K 13 were rerouted to Karimata Strait from Soerabaja on this date
December 6 1941 The cruiser receives the tragic order to find the victims an Dutch flying boat (a Catalina, the Y-44), which crashed in Karimata Strait off Billiton the same day.
December 7 1941 Tromp receives the order to make a patrol sweep between the Natoena- and Ananambas islands off the West-Borneo coast. This order was cancelled shortly after.
December 8 1941 Japan attacks Pearl Harbor on this day (December 7 in Pearl Harbor). The war so many had feared, started. The Tromp is recalled to Soerabaja to refuel.
December 10 1941 Tromp leaves Soerabaja with the destroyers Banckert and Piet Hein to guard Sape Strait, between Soembawa and Flores.
December 11 1941 Tromp and the destroyers were rerouted to a point between Makassar Strait and the Kangean Islands after a report from the submarine O-19 about the presence of a Japanese carrier in the Javasea. Turns out the sub had mistaken the American freighter Lilly Luckenbach and two tugboats for a carrier and two destroyers. The order was cancelled shortly after.
December 15 1941 Tromp with Banckert and Piet Hein have a rendez-vous with the cruiser De Ruyter in the Javasea. The plan is to engage several small convoys sighted in the South Chinese Sea on the 13th, apparently heading for Java. After several other reports indicate the most likely target is British Borneo, the surface ships break off and retreat.
December 17 1941 The squadron breaks formation and Tromp with destoyers Banckert and Piet Hein head for Sampit Bay (South-Borneo) to refuel.
December 24 1941 The ships enter Soerabaja
December 26 1941 Tromp goes to sea with cruiser De Ruyter and destroyers Banckert and Piet Hein.
January 1 1942 Rendez-vous with Singapore-convoy BM-9A under command of the captain of HMAS Hobart. The ships are escorted from Soenda Strait to the northern entrance of Bangka Strait.
January 4 1942 Rendez-vous with Singapore-convoy BM-9B north of Soenda Strait which is escorted to the northern entrance of Bangka Strait.
January 10 1942 Rendez-vous with Singapore-convoy DM-1 in Soenda Strait, which is escorted to Singapore. It consists of five large freighters (Mount Vernon, Aorangi, Narkunda, Sussex and the Dutch Abbekerk) and is protected by the cruisers HMS Emerald (F), Exeter and Durban, the destroyers Vampire, Jupiter, Encounter and the Indian sloop Jumna. The Dutch units escorts this convoy the whole trip to Singapore.
January 26 1942 A report came in about a Japanese concentration of ships off western Borneo, near the Api passage. Admiral Helfrich orders the cruisers Java and Tromp with destroyers Banckert and Piet Hein to intercept and destroy this convoy. Later reports show the "convoy" consists of one freighter and numerous very small vessels, after which the Dutch ships retreat
February 3 1942 Tromp arrives in the Gili-archipelago where the flagship De Ruyter is waiting. The Eastern Striking Force, meant to attack Japanese convoys wherever possible is formed under command of Rear-Admiral Doorman
February 4 1942 A striking force consisting of the Dutch cruisers De Ruyter and Tromp, the American Houston and Marblehead and 7 destroyers (US Stewart, Edwards, Barker, Bulmer, Dutch Banckert, Piet Hein and Van Ghent) leave the Gili's to intercept a convoy heading for Makassar.
The Striking Force spots Japanese aircraft from the east at about 5500 feet. The ships are about 20 miles south of Sapandjang, the most eastern island of the Kangean Islands when about 27 Betty bombers of the Kanoya Group, 11th naval airfleet attack from a high altitude. The aircraft were on their way from Kendari airfield on Celebes to Soerabaja for an air attack, when they spotted the fleet below. As the bombers attacked, reinforcements in the form of 9 somewhat older "Nell" bombers from the Takao group, 11th naval airfleet arrived, also on their way for an air attack on Soerabaja. Doorman aboard De Ruyter ordered all ships to disperse, which was a succesful approach in the first few waves. The Japanese broke off their first attacks, losing one plane hit by a 5 inch shell, but later, the Marblehead was hit by two bombs, while several near-misses smashed a large hole in her foreship. Besides that, here rudder was damaged and she was ablaze on several places. Tromp tried to get alongside but was waved off by the Americans. The number of victims was under the circumstances remarkably low: "only" 15 men killed and 34 wounded. De Ruyter hit one bombers with her Bofors 40 mm'ers, and as the plane hurled down towards the sea, it made a "1944-style" kamikaze-attack on Marblehead. Fortunately, Marblehead's gunners were paying attention and shot down the doomed aircraft. Meanwhile, a third group of bombers had left Kendari for a bombing mission on Soerabaja and also came across the Striking Force, which was still restoring formation. De Ruyter sustained only minor damage, but the Houston was hit by a bomb, knocking out her rear 8-inch turret and killing 48 men while, 20 others were wounded. Under the circumstances, Doorman decided to give up the sortie for Makassar, as no friendly fighters had shown up and more attacks could be expected. The Tromp receives the order in the afternoon to assist the cruiser USS Houston which was on her way to the Indian Ocean. She catches up with her south of Alas Strait and escorts her to Tjilatjap.
February 5 1942 The Tromp catches up with the rest of the battered Striking Force in the Indian Ocean. During the rest of the day and night, the cruisers Tromp and De Ruyter steam further into the Indian Ocean to meet tankers for refueling.
February 7 1942 The Striking Force returns to Tjilatjap for a meeting between Admiral Hart and Doorman.
February 8 1942 The cruisers Tromp and De Ruyter with three Dutch and seven American destroyers set sail again the evening. There had been a sighting of a Japanese convoy steaming on a western course south of Celebes, and the plan was to intercept and destroy it.
February 11 1942 The action is, like many others, cancelled, as the enemy convoy disappeared and couldn't be found by Allied patrolaircraft. The ships steam to the Parigi Bay on South Java to refuel from the Dutch tanker TAN 8.
February 12 1942 The Striking Force receives order to steam west where eventually another action was planned.
February 13 1942 The cruisers steam through Sunda Strait to engage an enemy convoy heading for Palembang. Doorman doesn't have any destroyers left, as they were all refueling in Batavia. He steams north towards Banka Strait but turns back as the destroyers don't show.
February 14 1942 Tromp and De Ruyter enter Oosthaven where Doorman receives a welcome addition to his force: the British heavy cruiser HMS Exeter and the Australian light cruiser HMAS Hobart were attached to the Striking Force. After refueling and assembling the whole Striking Force, Doorman steams north to an area notorious area. The Banka and Gaspar Straits have a bad reputation when it comes to navigation, as there are many reefs hidden beneath the surface.
February 15 1942 At about 0430 hours in the morning, the destroyer Van Ghent hits the Bamidjo reef in Stolze Strait. Doorman had ordered a relatively dangerous formation with the four Dutch destroyers steaming alongside eachother. Banckert and the American destroyers barely missed the reef. After leaving Stolze Strait at about 0800 hours, the fleet sets a western course about 45 minutes later. Unfortunately, they are spotted by a Japanese plane at 0920 hours (a catapultplane from the Japanese heavy cruiser Chokai) and a few hours later, the first aircraft attack. It were seven "Kate"-torpedobombers from the carrier Ryujo, this time not armed with torpedoes but with bombs. None of the ships was hit. They were later reinforced by numerous other aircraft, but no ships sustain "real" damage, although the Barker and Bulmer were pretty beaten up.
February 16 1942 The Striking force enters Tandjong Priok (Batavia) at 0830 except for the Java and destroyers. The ships of the Striking Force were divided over Soerabaja and Tjiltjap in the next few days. Tromp receives order to steam to Soerabaja at full speed.
February 18 1942 Arrival in Soerabaja. This ship sortied with the American 58th destroyer division (USS Stewart, Parrot, John D. Edwards and Pillsbury) under Commander Talbot after reports had come in about a Japanese landing force in Badung Strait, near Bali.
February 20 1942 Tromp with her companions make contact with the Japanese early in the morning, and in the following battle, Tromp received no less than 11 hits from Japanese destroyers, whereas she could only place on hit on the destroyer Oshio. More about the Battle of Badung Strait here. She managed to sail clear of the Japanese and headed for Soerabaja with the American destroyers. An airattack by the Japanese later that day didn't cause any damage and she entered Soerabaja in the evening. This battle cost the lives of two officers and eight ratings, with another 30 wounded.
February 23 1942 The Tromp is by this time patched up to leave for Australia. The damage sustained in Badung Strait was so extensive, that the best thing to do was to send her away to safety. She leaves Soerabaja and reaches the Indian Ocean via Madoera Strait and Bali Strait.
February 27 1942 Arrival in Fremantle, on the westcoast of Australia.
March 4 1942 Arrival in Port Jackson, the harbor of Sydney. The ammunition for the guns and torpedoes are taken off board and she is taken in drydock two days later at the Cockattoo Docks. She was extensively modified in the long overhaul following. She received 2 x 75 mm guns and 6 new 20 mm Oerlikons, a Radar and Asdic. The 40 mm AA guns are repositioned on the centerline and the after depthcharge thrower is deleted.
April 1942 Tromp finally returns to her element in the last days of this month.
May 17 1942 Tromp goes at sea after a distress signal of the Russian steamer Wellen, which was attacked by a Japanese submarine off Newcastle, about 125 kilometres north of Sydney. Despite damage, the Wellen reaches Newcastle safely, but the attack generates a large searchoperation, during which Tromp operates with two destroyers, the Australian HMAS Arunta and American USS Perkins
May 18 1942 Tromp escorts convoy ZK-8 from Sydney to Port Moresby together with HMAS Arunta. The convoy consists of the Dutch steamers Bontekoe, Bantam and Van Heutsz, carrying 4735 men of the 14th Australian Brigade. All ships safely arrived in Port Moresby.
Late May 1942 Tromp takes part in escorting some convoys northward of Sydney (of which ZK-8 has already been mentioned). Most of the ships carried troops and weaponry for ports like Townsville, Cairns and Port Moresby.
June 7 1942 Tromp goes into overhaul again after the high seas had done some damage to the stern. She ready for service again by mid-June.
July 2 1942 The Australian minelayer HMAS Bungaree (3155 tons, built 1937) is escorted to Nouméa (New Caledonia) and back to Sydney. The ships arrive in Sydney on this date.
October 6 1942 Tromp departs Fremantle for Sydney.
October 16 -
November 22 1942
In overhaul at Sydney (type 272 surface warning radar fitted in lieu of the old set). After commissioning, she makes trips to Burnie and Wellington.
December 16 1942 Tromp departs Melbourne for Fremantle, escorting the British liner Nestor (14400 tons) of the Blue Funnel Line. The ships arrive in Fremantle safely, and the Tromp would be based in this port as part ot the US Task Force 71.4 until October 1943.
February 1943 An important convoy, known as operation Pamphlet, is picked up in the Indian Ocean. The convoy consists of the large liners Queen Mary, Aquitania, Isle de France, Nieuw Amsterdam and the armed merchant cruiser HMS Queen of Bermuda, all carrying parts of an Australian infantry division. It was escorted by two British cruisers, Heemskerck, Tromp and the destroyer Van Galen. The Tjerk Hiddes later joined for the last leg of the trip. The whole convoy steamed towards Sydney (except Nieuw Amsterdam, which was routed to Melbourne) where it arrived on the 27th.
August 1943 Tromp escorts an important outbound convoy with the destroyer Van Galen.
October 1943 The ship goes into overhaul, first in Fremantle, then in Melbourne (for most of the month) and finally in Sydney until November 24. She receives two additional 3-inch guns, while several 40 mm guns replaced the ineffective .50 machineguns.
October 8 1943 Commander F. Stam takes over command from Captain de Meester.
December 1943 The news arrives that Tromp and the destroyers Van Galen and Tjerk Hiddes will become part of the British Eastern Fleet, based in Colombo.
January 4 1944 Tromps leaves Fremantle for Colombo, where she arrives on the 13th.
January 17 1944 Tromp departs for Trincomalee in the north, where the main body of the Eastern Fleet is based. She arrives on the 20th.
February 21 1944 After damaging her propellor, the Tromp arrives in Colombo for repairs.
March 11 1944 Tromp arrives in Trincomalee after her repairs. She escorts a convoy shortly after.
April 16 1944 The Eastern Fleet leaves Trincomalee to execute operation "Cockpit": a bombardment on Sabang Island, west of Sumatra. Tromp doesn't come into action, her role was to protect the British fleet carriers (Force 69).
April 19 1944 Airstrike on Sabang by carrier-based aircraft, which was quite successful. Two dozen Japanese aircraft were destroyed, oil tanks were set on fire, and a Japanese merchant ship was sunk in the harbor.
May 6 1944 The fleet goes to sea for another raid in the NEI. This operation, known as "Transom" starts on May 17, when aircraft take off from the carriers and attack targets in and near Soerabaja. Despite the large number of aircraft taking part (85), the damage to ships and installations is only minor. Tromp is assigned to protect the carriers during the operation, and doesn't come into action.
May 27 1944 Arrival in Trincomalee
July 22 1944 The British fleet consisting of the carriers Victorious and Illustrious, and the battleships Renown, Queen Elizabeth and Valiant leaves Trincomalee for yet another raid on Sabang Island, known as Operation "Crimson". This time the Tromp has a more active role: She is ordered to enter Sabang Bay with the British destroyers Quality, Quickmatch and Quilliam (4th destroyer flotilla, Captain R.G. Onslow) and shell shore installations.
July 25 1944 Tromp and the three destroyers enter Sabang Bay and succesfully fire on shore installations. Tromp achieves one extra success: a small steamer, moored in the harbor, explodes after being hit by a salvo of 5.9 inch shells. Tromp and a destroyer were hit by enemy shorebatteries, but the four shells on Tromp don't cause much damage.
July 27 1944 Arrival in Trincomalee
August 17 1944 Tromp escorts the RFA-oiler Easedale until the 27th, while aircraft launched by the carriers bombard targets on Sumatra.
September 25 1944 Tromp departs Trincomalee for Australia, since after a long series of operations, she is in urgent need of repairs. At this time, her radar suit is probably upgraded, and the bridge modified.
October 5 1944 Arrival in Fremantle
October 8 1944 Departure for Sydney
October 14 1944 Arrival in Sydney, where she goes into overhaul at the Cockatoo Dockyard. They were quite extensive and took several months (among other things, the original torpedo tubes are replaced by British ones, capable of using the standard Mark IX torpedo).
February 21 1945 The repairs and modifications were finally completed on this date.
February 24 1945 Tromp departs Fremantle to rejoin the British Eastern Fleet, since November 1944 reorganized into the Pacific Fleet and East Indies Fleet. The Pacific Fleet soon departs to join the American task forces in the Central Pacific, but the remaining vessels are combined into the East Indies Fleet under Admiral Sir Arthur J. Power. The main purpose of this fleet is to support the advance of the British XIVth army into Burma. Tromp also becomes part of this fleet, and joins the 5th Cruiser Squadron.
March 14 1945 Arrival in Trincomalee. The Tromp probably becomes part of the 5th Cruiser Squadron at this time.
April 1945 The British prepare for an amphibious landing at Rangoon, Burma (Operation "Dracula")
April 27 1945 A strong fleet with among others with two battleships (HMS Queen Elizabeth and the French Richelieu) and two escort carriers (HMS Shah and Empress) departs Trincomalee for the invasion of Rangoon.
April 30 1945 The fleet (Force 63, Commanded by Vice-Admiral H.T.C. Walker, RN) attacks the Nicobar and Andaman Islands to divert attention away from the landings at Rangoon (Operation "Bishop"), and the damage inflicted upon shore installations, airfields and shipping is quite heavy. The Tromp, flagship of a carriergroup (with Shah, Empress and destroyers HMS Tartar and Penn), gets the opportunity to bombard Car Nicobar, the largest of the Nicobar Islands. The carriergroup joins the main body later that day and all steam to Port Blair, which was attacked by guns and aircraft later that day. Unfortunately, while bombarding Ross Island, one of the American-built 5.9-inch shells explodes right after leaving the barrel, killing two crewmen and wounding 12 others. The fleet steams southward for a second attack on Car Nicobar.
May 1 1945 The second attack on Car Nicobar starts on this day, and the fleet soon changes course northward for a second attack on Port Blair.
May 6 1945 The British fleet shells Port Blair again. The Tromp successfully bombards two enemy batteries on Ross Island.
May 9 1945 The fleet (Force 61) arrives in Trincomalee, but goes to sea on the 11th (Operation "Dukedom") after a report by a British submarine reporting the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro. She and the destroyer Kamikaze were underway with supplies to the Andamans, where they were to embark troops for the voyage back to Singapore.
May 14, 1945 Tromp is detached to refuel from Easedale. When new information is received in the early hours of the 15th, she is badly out of position. The main force needs time to reform and refuel.
May 15 1945 The carriers launch an unsuccessful strike at the Haguro. The British 26th Destroyer flotilla (HMS Saumarez (F), Venus, Verulam and Vigilant under Captain M.L. Power, RN) advances ahead of the main force and intercepts the Japanese ships during the evening. A successful attack by torpedo on the Haguro yields a number of hits, causing enough damage for the cruiser to sink in the early hours of the 16th. Her consort Kamikaze however survives. Tromp takes no part in the action, she was part of Group I of Force 61 (Vice-Admiral H.T.C. Walker), escorting the battleship HMS Queen Elizabeth, cruiser Nigeria and destroyers Tartar and Eskimo during this period. Although this fleet makes every effort to join the destroyers during their engagement, the battle is over before they arrive on the scene. Later on the 16th, Japanese aircraft attack, damaging the destroyer Virago.
May 17, 1945 Admiral Walker splits his force, sending Tromp together with battleship Richelieu, cruisers Nigeria and Royalist, carriers Shah and Khedive back to Trincomalee. The remainder of the force continues to cruise west of Sumatra in anticipation of further transport movements by the Japanese fleet.
May 18 1945 Arrival in Trincomalee. Before she arrives here, it had already been decided to allocate her to the US 7th fleet. This fleet was about to progress into Netherlands East Indies territorial waters with the invasion of Tarakan and Balikpapan (Operation "Oboe")
May 23 1945 Tromp leaves Trincomalee for Australia.
June 1 1945 Arrival in Port Darwin, which she soon departs for Makassar Strait. She arrives in Morotai via Port Moresby and Manus.
June 14 1945 Arrival in Morotai. She would take part in Operation "Oboe II" as part of Task Force 74.2 under Rear-Admiral R.S. Riggs, USN. The Task Force would ultimately consist of 8 cruisers, 9 destroyers and 2 frigates, plus numerous minesweepers and auxiliaries.
June 17 1945 Departure from Morotai
June 19 1945 Tromp joins the Allied Task Force steaming towards Balikpapan. This fleet had already begun to clear the Balikpapan approaches of mines on the 15th and the Tromp soon takes part in the pre-invasion bombardments.
July 1 1945 two Australian brigades of the 7th division land near Balikpapan, followed by a third on the 2nd. There is also a small detachment of Dutch KNIL-troops present. Tromp bombards two AA-batteries with success
July 6 1945 The cruiser bombards two positions, reported gunsites and troopconcentrations, with the help of a floatplane from the cruiser USS Nashville. After a successful period, Tromp leaves the waters of Balikpapan for Australia. She was in urgent need of supplies, especially ammo.
July 20 1945 Tromp arrives in Morotai, where she remains until August 14. She receives news of the Japanese surrender on the 16th, and returns to Australia shortly after.
August 16, 1945 Attached to the British East Indies Fleet.
October 21, 1945 Present at the capitulation ceremony at Billiton, Netherlands East Indies.
August 23 1945 Tromp arrives in Sydney via Morotai and Manus
September 16 1945 The Tromp arrives in Batavia. She remains there until January 1946, when she returns to Holland with some 150 liberated prisoners of war on board.
January 20, 1946 Departure from Tandjong Priok, Java.
May 1, 1946 Commander F. Stam is promoted to Captain.
May 3, 1946 Arrival in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A large overhaul follows.
March 17, 1947 Captain F. Stam (#1788) is relieved by ???
July 1, 1948 Ready for service after overhaul
November 1, 1948 -
February, 1949
In service as accommodation ship for the crew of the carrier Karel Doorman (II).
January 8 1949 Tromp receives, as recognition for her wartime-service, the "Koninklijke Vermelding bij Dagorder".
June, 1949 Fleet excercises in the Channel and the Bay of Biscay.
April 16, 1951 Flagship of squadron 5 (reserve fleet)
April 13-29, 1953 Cruise from Rotterdam to Lisbon (Portugal), El Ferrol (Spain) back to Den Helder with midshipmen on board
April 1, 1955 Classified as immobile. At the disposal of the commanding officer, Den Helder naval base. The ship later moves to Rotterdam to serve as accommodation ship for the crew of the light cruiser Zeven Provinciën, when the latter was being modernized.
May, 1953 Cruise with midshipmen from Rotterdam to Dublin and back.
June 10-16, 1953 Cruise to Spithead to attend the fleet review there.
July 3-31, 1953 Cruise from Den Helder to Norway (Bergen, Stavanger) and Denmark (Kopenhagen).
December 1 1955 The ship is decommissioned as cruiser.
December, 1968 Stricken on December 1, 10 or 20 (conflicting sources)
May 13 1969 Sold for scrap to Simons Handels Mij, Rotterdam, scrapped in Spain.

Sources
L.L. von Münching "De Nederlandse koopvaardijvloot in de Tweede Wereldoorlog"
K.W.L. Bezemer "Zij vochten op de zeven zeeën"
K.W.L. Bezemer "Verdreven doch niet verslagen"
Ph.M. Bosscher "De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog, Vols 2 and 3"
W.H.E. van Amstel "De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945"
A.J. Vermeulen "De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962"
"The Forgotten Fleets: the British Pacific and East Indies Fleets"

Back Home