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 HNLMSSirius before militarization | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sirius class |
| Builders | IJselwerf,Gorinchem |
| Operators |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Preceded by | HNLMS Fomalhaut |
| Succeeded by | Merel class |
| In service | 1923–1942 |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Lost | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol ship,seaplane tender |
| Displacement | 1,018 tons |
| Length | 56.64 m (185 ft 10 in) |
| Beam | 9.54 m (31 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion | 1 × 916 ihp (683 kW)triple expansion engine |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement | 54 |
| Armament |
|
TheSirius class was a class of twopatrol boats built by the Ijselwerf atGorinchem for service with theGovernment Navy. The class consisted of HNLMSSirius and HNLMSWega.[1][2]
| Name | Laid Down | Commissioned | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sirius | 1922 | 1923 | Scuttled by own crew 28 February 1942 after being damaged by Japanese aircraft |
| Wega | 1922 | 1923 | Sunk on 26 January 1942 after receiving three bomb hits from Japanese bombers |
TheSirius class were originally constructed as patrol ships for theGovernment Navy for service in theDutch East Indies. 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 cm (3.0 in) cannon, they received a 7.7 mm (0.30 in) machine gun as air defense weapon upon their militarization.[3]
HNLMSSirius' patrolled around westernJava together with HNLMSReiger until they were attacked on 28 February 1942 by Japanesebomber aircraft. A near-miss damagedSirius' hull and forced her to retreat toTandjong Priok harbor. Upon her retreat she was spotted and come under fire again causing her captain to decide to ground the vessel on a nearby beach. The crew was able to escape the sinking vessel. HNLMSWega was stationed as a patrol ship near Singapore and northernSumatra. There, she became the target of Japanese bombers on 26 January 1942. While attempting to evade, Wega received three direct hits causing her captain to decide to beach the ship. Before reaching the beach, the order was given to abandon ship, allowing the crew to safely reach shore even thoughWega sank.
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