HNLMS Van Bochove

Van Bochove
History
Netherlands
Name	Van Bochove
Namesake	P.D. van Bochove
Operator	Royal Netherlands Navy
Builder	N.V. Zaanlandse Scheepsbouwmaatschappij, Zaandam
Laid down	9 April 1962
Launched	20 July 1962
Commissioned	3 August 1962
Decommissioned	12 February 1987
Identification	A 923
General characteristics [1]
Type	Auxiliary ship
Displacement	137.5 t (135.3 long tons)
Length	29.79 m (97 ft 9 in)
Beam	5.53 m (18 ft 2 in)
Draught	1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Propulsion	1 propeller 140 hp (100 kW) 1 x Kromhout diesel engine
Speed	8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)[2]
Crew	8
Armament	2 x Torpedo tubes

HNLMS Van Bochove (A923) was a ship[a] of the Royal Netherlands Navy that was used to test torpedoes.[2] After the removal of its torpedo tubes the ship served for a while as a communication ship.[1]

Design and construction

Van Bochove was built at the shipyard of N.V. Zaanlandse Scheepsbouwmaatschappij in Zaandam.[3] The ship was laid down on 9 April 1962, launched on 20 July 1962 and commissioned into the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) on 3 August 1962.[1] It was named after Lieutenant ter zee der 1ste klasse P.D. van Bochove, who died in an accident in 1959 during a torpedo test exercise.[4][5]

The ship was specially designed to test torpedoes and was for this purpose equipped with two torpedo tubes.[3][6] Previously, the RNN used older submarines to test torpedoes, but since the RNN lacked at the time enough submarines it was decided to build a special ship for this purpose.[6]

Service history

Van Bochove was taken out of service on 18 December 1986 and decommissioned on 12 February 1987.[1]

Notes

1. In Dutch the ship was classified as Torpedoinschietvaartuig.[1]

Citations

1. van Amstel (1991), p. 115.
2. Woudstra (1982), p. 197.
3. "Aanwinst voor Kon. Marine". Algemeen Dagblad (in Dutch). 21 July 1962.
4. "Drie doden: helikopter valt in de zee". Het Parool (in Dutch). 8 July 1959.
5. "Na ongeluk met helikopter: Koninklijke vlucht per Sikorsky afgelast". Nieuwsblad van het Noorden (in Dutch). 8 July 1959.
6. "Nieuw inschietschip voor Kon. Marine". De Telegraaf (in Dutch). 17 July 1962.

References

• van Amstel, W.H.E. (1991). De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine vanaf 1945 (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-997-6.
• Woudstra, F.G.A. (1982). Onze Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-915-1.