Memorial Royal Dutch Navy

"Koninklijke Marine
To commemorate the close ties forged between the people
of Western Australia and the Officers and Men of the
Royal Netherlands Navy during World War II"

"Lest We Forget
1940-1945
In memory of those
who made the supreme
sacrifice so that we
might live"

At the outbreak of WWII the Royal Netherlands Navy had about 25 submarines, of which 15 were deployed in the Netherlands East Indies. After the Japanese occupation of the Dutch Territory the surviving seven submarines (K-VIII, K-IX, K-XI, K-XII, K-XIV, K-XV O-19) escaped to either Australia or Ceylon. After a reorganisation it was decided all seven boats would operate in the South West Pacific. In 1944 they were reinforced by two newer submarines, Tijgerhaai and Zwaardvisch which had been bought form the British. They were supported by the Submarine Depot ships Plancius, Odina and Columbia.

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Source

• Text: Sharky Ward
• Photos: Anthony (Sharky) Ward (1, 2, 3), Anthony (Sharky) Ward (4), Centrum voor Audiovisuele Dienstverlening Koninklijke Marine (CAVDKM), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (5)
• https://dutchaustralianculturalcentre.com.au/uncategorized/dutch-submarines-operating-from-australia-during-wwii/