HNLMS Rigel (1931)

Rigel
History
Netherlands
NameRigel
Operator
BuilderNederlandsche Dok Maatschappij, Amsterdam
Laid down3 March 1930
Launched7 March 1931
Commissioned6 November 1931
FateScuttled on 2 March 1942 as blockship
General characteristics [1]
TypeMulti-purpose steamship
Displacement1,631 t (1,605 long tons)
Length67.50 m (221 ft 5 in)
Beam11.04 m (36 ft 3 in)
Draught3.06 m (10 ft 0 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 propellers
  • 1,450 hp (1,080 kW)
  • 2 x Triple expansion engine
Speed12.5 knots (23.2 km/h; 14.4 mph)
Crew67
Armament

HNLMS Rigel was a multi-purpose steamship of the Government Navy that could also be used as minelayer and as yacht for the Governor-general of the Dutch East Indies.[2][3] The ship was militarized in 1939 and taken into service of the Royal Netherlands Navy, where it served as minelayer between 1939 and 1942.[4][5]

Design and construction

Rigel was built in the Netherlands at the Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij.[6] The ship's construction began on 3 March 1930, it was launched on 7 March 1931 and commissioned into the Government Navy on 6 November 1931.[1] The costs of building the ship was estimated to be 1.080.000 Dutch guilders, which was considered to be quite low for this type of ship.[7][8]

The ship was equipped with a double set of rails on her deck that could carry a total of 150 mines.[3][9] After being militarized in 1939 Rigel also got equipped with a ASDIC installation between 1940 and 1941.[10]

Service history

In April 1938 Rigel towed the hydrographic survey vessel Hydrograaf to Soerabaja after it had lost a propeller.[11][12]

Second World War

Between 1939 and 1942 Rigel laid down mines in the waters of the Dutch East Indies.[4] Starting in August 1939 the ship was made ready to mine the Westervaarwater near Soerabaja.[13] In December 1941 it mined the access waters to Tandjong Priok.[14] A few months later, in February 1942, Rigel laid down mines together with the HNLMS Krakatau at the coast of Madoera.[15]

On 2 March 1942 Rigel was scuttled by its crew and used as blockship at the northern port entrance of Tandjong Priok.[1][16]

In March 1944 the ship was lifted and partly restored by the Japanese.[4] After Japan surrendered in 1945 the ship was found and handed over to the Dienst van Scheepsvaart (DvS).[1][17]

In 1951 the ship was transferred to the Indonesian Navy.[1]

Notes

Citations

  1. ^ a b c d e Mark (1997), p. 105.
  2. ^ "De "Rigel": Ondergaat kostbare verbouwing". Algemeen handelsblad voor Nederlandsch-Indië (in Dutch). 5 June 1934.
  3. ^ a b Bosscher (1986), p. 36.
  4. ^ a b c von Münching (1978), p. 72.
  5. ^ "Nieuw opnamevaartuig Hydrografische Dienst: Zeekaarten moeten doorlopend herzien worden". De Vrije Pers (in Dutch). 29 June 1953.
  6. ^ "Gouvernementsstoomschip "Rigel": Proeftochten". Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). 5 September 1931.
  7. ^ "Gouvernements scheepsbouw in Holland". Soerabaijasch handelsblad (in Dutch). 21 February 1931.
  8. ^ "De "Rigel"". Soerabaijasch handelsblad (in Dutch). 18 February 1931.
  9. ^ "Van mijnenlegger tot gouvernementsvaartuig: De "Rigel" naar Indië vertrokken". De Locomotief (in Dutch). 4 January 1932.
  10. ^ Bosscher (1986), p. 149.
  11. ^ "Hydrograaf heeft averij: Schroef verloren". De Avondpost (in Dutch). 13 April 1938.
  12. ^ "Opleidingsvaartuig verloor een schroef". Nieuwe Haarlemsche Courant (in Dutch). 14 April 1938.
  13. ^ Roetering (1997), p. 34.
  14. ^ "Oude mijnenlegger voor hydrografische dienst". Het nieuwsblad voor Sumatra (in Dutch). 1 July 1953.
  15. ^ Roetering (1997), p. 35.
  16. ^ Bosscher (1986), p. 327.
  17. ^ Raven (1988), p. 181.

References

  • Mark, Chris (1997). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-522-9.
  • von Münching, L.L. (1978). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Alkmaar: Alk. ISBN 90-6013-903-8.
  • Bosscher, Ph.M. (1986). De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Vol. 2: Indië tot en met 8 maart 1942. Franeker: Wever. ISBN 90-6135-372-6.
  • Raven, G.J.A., ed. (1988). De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN 90-6707-200-1.
  • Roetering, B., ed. (1997). Mijnendienst 1907-1997 90 jaar: feiten, verhalen en anekdotes uit het negentigjarig bestaan van de Mijnendienst van de Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). ISBN 90-90-10528-X.