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 HNLMSDeneb before militarization | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bellatrix class |
| Builders | Rijkswerf, Amsterdam |
| Operators |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Preceded by | HNLMS Aldebaran |
| Succeeded by | HNLMS Gemma |
| In service | 1915–1942 |
| Planned | 3 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Lost | 3 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol ship,seaplane tender |
| Displacement | 820 tons |
| Length | 53.4 m (175 ft 2 in) |
| Beam | 9 m (29 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 3 m (9 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion | 1 × 820 ihp (610 kW)triple expansion engine |
| Speed | 12knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Complement | 45 |
| Armament |
|
TheBellatrix class was a class of threepatrol boats built by the Rijkswerk in Amsterdam for service with theGovernment Navy. The class consisted of HNLMSBellatrix, HNLMSCanopus and HNLMSDeneb.[1]
| Name | Laid Down | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellatrix | 1914 | 18 May 1915 | Scuttled by crew 1 March 1942 |
| Canopus | 1915 | 1 January 1916 | Sunk on 5 March 1942 after being bombed by Japanese aircraft |
| Deneb | 1915 | 10 July 1916 | Sunk 4 February 1942 after ten bomb hits from Japanese bombers |
TheBellatrix class were originally constructed as patrol ships for theGovernment Navy in theDutch East Indies. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, these ships were militarized and commissioned into theRoyal Netherlands Navy. HNLMSBellatrix and HNLMSCanopus had their machine guns replaced by a single 7.5 cm cannon during this militarization.[2]
Bellatrix patrolled aroundJava andBali untilthe fall of Java forced her crew toscuttle her due to being unable to escape.Canopus was stationed as patrol ship in Dutch Timor and took partin in theAllied invasion ofPortuguese Timor together withHNLMSSoerabaya.Canopus transported negotiation officers in an effort to get Portuguese Timor to accept the Allied troops, however, the set time limit passed without answer causingSoerabaya to move in and start debarking troops while threatening to use its 12-inch guns if challenged.Canopus continued to serve as a patrol ship and seaplane tender around the island of Timor until the Japanese landed and its defences became impossible.Canopus then retreated toTjilatjap. On 5 March 1942Canopus was hit by Japanesebomber aircraft and sank. HNLMSDeneb' did not receive a 7.5 cm gun and retained two 3.7 cm machine guns which were unable to provide anti-aircraft fire. This contributed to her demise while patrolling aroundSumatra on 4 February 1942 when she encountered seven Japanese twin-engine bombers. Suffering ten bomb hits, the ship sank with the loss of three lives and twenty heavily wounded crewmembers.