Sirius-class patrol ship
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (May 2025) |
 HNLMS Sirius before militarization
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sirius class |
| Builders | IJselwerf, Gorinchem |
| Operators |  Royal Netherlands Navy |
| Preceded by | Fomalhaut |
| Succeeded by | Merel |
| In service | 1923-1942 |
| Planned | 2 |
| Completed | 2 |
| Lost | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Patrol ship, Seaplane tender |
| Displacement | 1018 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 |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Complement | 54 |
| Armament |
|
The Sirius class was a class of two Patrol boats built by the Ijselwerf in Gorinchem for service with the Gouvernements Marine. The class consisted of the HNLMS Sirius (1923) and the HNLMS Wega (1923).[1][2]
Construction
[edit]| 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 |
Service history
[edit]The Sirius class were originally constructed as patrol ships for the Gouvernements Marine in the Dutch East Indies. Upon the outbreak of the second World War, these ships were militarized and commissioned into the Royal 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]
HNLMS Sirius would patrol around West-Java together with the HNLMS Reiger until they were attacked on 28 February 1942 by Japanese bombers. A near-miss damaged the Sirius's hull and forced her to retreat to Tandjong Priok harbor. Upon her retreat she would be spotted and get under fire again causing her captain to decide to ground his vessel on a nearby beach. The crew was able to escape the sinking vessel because of this.
HNLMS Wega would be stationed as patrol ship near Singapore and North-Sumatra. Here she would become the target of Japanese bombers on 26 January 1942. While attempting to evade, the Wega would receive three direct hits causing her captain to decide to beach the vessel. Before reaching the beach, the order was given to abandon ship, causing the crew to safely reach shore even though the Wega sunk.
Citations
[edit]- ^ Mark, Chris (1997). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II. Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 978-90-6013-522-8.
- ^ Helfrich, Conrad Emile Lambert (1950). Memoires van Admiraal Helfrich Amsterdam: Elsevier.
- ^ von Münching, L.L. (1978). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN 90-6013-903-8.
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