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 HNLMSReiger | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Merel class |
| Builders | IJselwerf,Gorinchem |
| Operators |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Preceded by | Sirius class |
| Succeeded by | Ambon |
| In service | 1928–1949 |
| Planned | 3 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Lost | 2 |
| Retired | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol ship,seaplane tender |
| Displacement | 600 tons |
| Length | 47.78 m (156 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 8.4 m (27 ft 7 in) |
| Draught | 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion | 1 × 700 ihp (520 kW) Deutz diesel engine |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement | 39 |
| Armament |
|
TheMerel class was a class of threepatrol boats built by the Marine Etablissement inSurabaya for service with theGovernment Navy. The class consisted of HNLMSMerel, HNLMSReiger and HNLMSFazant and would soon after entering service be rebuilt intoseaplane tenders.[1][2]
| Name | Laid Down | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merel | 1928 | 1930 | Scuttled by own crew 28 February 1942 |
| Reiger | 1930 | 1931 | Accidentally beached while in combat with Japanese ships 28 February 1942 |
| Fazant | 1931 | 1932 | Scuttled by own crew 1 March 1942, raised by Japanese forces 31 July 1944 |
TheMerel class was ordered as a replacement for olderGovernment Navy coal-stoked vessels. Originally constructed aspatrol ships, all three ships of the class were converted toseaplane tenders between 1936 and 1938. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, these ships were militarized and commissioned into theRoyal Netherlands Navy. Initially only equipped with a 7.5-centimetre (3.0 in) cannon, they received a 7.7-millimetre (0.30 in) machine gun as air defence weapon upon their militarization.[3] The ships of this class were the last Government Navy patrol ships to be built preceding World War II.
HNLMSMerel was stationed near Singapore upon the outbreak of the Second World War. She was quickly pulled back to serve around westJava. On 28 February 1942 west Java would be closed off by Japanese ships, trappingMerel, forcing her crew toscuttle the ship.
HNLMSReiger was stationed in theMoluccas upon the outbreak of the war. She was pulled back to join her sister shipMerel and theSirius-class patrol ship HNLMSSirius around west Java. On 28 February 1942Reiger andSirius came under attack by Japanesebomber aircraft, damagingSirius. That same night the ships were rediscovered and ended up in a gunfight with Japanese ships. Attempting to find shelter while continuously returning fire,Reiger accidentally got beached on a reef. Her crew abandoned ship and swam ashore where they were later captured by a Japanese patrol.
HNLMSFazant was stationed near the Moluccas at the outbreak of hostilities, serving as patrol vessel and seaplane tender. All her aircraft were lost by the end of 1941 prompting her retreat to west Java. After being surrounded by Japanese ships and unable to escape she was scuttled by her own crew on 1 March 1942. The wreck was raised by Japanese forces on 31 July 1944 and recommissioned intoJapanese service asPatrol boat 109. The vessel was returned after the war, but never repaired and would be transferred to theIndonesian Navy in 1949.
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