HNLMS K VIII
{{Short description|Royal Netherlands Navy submarine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Onderzeeboot K X Soerabaja TMnr 10002148.jpg |Ship caption=Sister ship {{HNLMS|K X | 2}} in Surabaya, Dutch East Indies
}} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header= | Ship country=Netherlands | Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|Netherlands|naval}} | Ship name=HNLMS K VIII | Ship ordered=27 June 1917 | Ship awarded= | Ship builder=Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde, Vlissingen | Ship original cost= | Ship yard number=167 | Ship way number= | Ship laid down=31 October 1917 | Ship launched=28 March 1922 | Ship sponsor= | Ship christened= | Ship completed= | Ship acquired= | Ship commissioned=15 September 1922 | Ship decommissioned=18 May 1942 | Ship in service= | Ship out of service= | Ship renamed= | Ship reclassified= | Ship refit= | Ship struck=27 August 1942 | Ship reinstated= | Ship homeport= | Ship identification= | Ship motto= | Ship nickname= | Ship honours= | Ship honors= | Ship captured= | Ship fate=*Stripped and abandoned 1943
| Ship notes= | Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|K VIII|submarine}} |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement=*Surfaced:
|Ship length= {{cvt|64.41|m|ftin}} |Ship beam= {{cvt|5.6|m|ftin}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= {{cvt|3.55|m|ftin}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*2 × {{cvt|900|hp|kW|0|order=flip}} 8-cylinder MAN 2-stroke diesel engines
|Ship speed=*Surfaced:
|Ship range=*Surfaced:
|Ship endurance= |Ship test depth={{cvt|50|m}} |Ship complement=31 |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament=*4 × {{cvt|450|mm|in|1}} torpedo tubes (2 bow, 2 stern)
|Ship armour= |Ship notes= }} |
HNLMS K VIII was one of the three {{sclass|K VIII|submarine}}s of the Royal Netherlands Navy, built to serve as patrol vessel for the Dutch colonies.{{cite web |url= http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/boats/boat_kviii.htm |title=Dutch Submarines: The submarine K VIII |work=dutchsubmarines.com |year=2012 |accessdate=22 June 2012}} Launched in 1922 the boat saw service at the start of World War II, before being decommissioned in 1942.
Ship history
K VIII was ordered by the Dutch Ministry of Colonies from the shipyard Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde at Vlissingen on 27 June 1917, laid down on 31 October 1917, but not launched until 28 March 1922.{{cite web |url=http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/classes/class_kviii.htm |title=Dutch Submarines: The K VIII submarine class |work=dutchsubmarines.com |year=2012 |accessdate=22 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404023159/http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/classes/class_kviii.htm |archivedate=4 April 2012 }}
On 18 September 1922, K VIII began the journey to the Dutch East Indies. During this passage, the ship was accompanied by the submarines {{ship|HNLMS|K II||2}} and {{ship|HNLMS|K VII||2}} and the submarine supply vessel Pelikaan. The convoy sailed from the port of Vlissingen, and called at Tunisia, Gibraltar, Alexandria, Aden, Colombo and Sabang, before arriving at Tanjung Priok on 24 December.
=World War II=
On the outbreak of the war with Japan, K VIII was in Surabaya, held in reserve. In January 1942 K VIII was deployed with the crew from {{ship|HNLMS|K XIII||2}} which had been damaged due to a battery explosion. K VIII patrolled the Java Sea and the Madura Strait, but made no attacks on enemy ships.{{cite magazine |last=Gregory |first= N.J.H.|date=March 1987 |title=Hr.Ms. "K VIII"|url=https://www.klaarvooronderwater.nl/kvo/Kvo-018.pdf|magazine=Klaar Voor Onderwater|location=Den Helder|publisher=Onderzeedienst Reünistenvereniging|issue=18|language=Dutch|pages=8–9}} After the invasion of Java by the Japanese armed forces K VIII fled to Fremantle.
After K VIII arrived in Fremantle, the crew was sent to the United Kingdom to man new submarines. Because of the age and the resulting lack of a crew, it was decided to decommission K VIII on 18 May 1942.
=Fate=
K VIII{{'}}s batteries were salvaged to replace those in {{Ship|HNLMS|K IX||2}}. After further stripping in 1943 the hull was towed south into Cockburn Sound where it was to be beached in Jervoise Bay and broken-up. While under tow, however, the hulk foundered {{convert|100|m}} offshore and was abandoned.{{cite magazine |last= |first= |date=December 1985 |title=De onderzeeboten die bleven.|url=https://www.klaarvooronderwater.nl/kvo/Kvo-013.pdf|magazine=Klaar Voor Onderwater|location=Den Helder|publisher=Onderzeedienst Reünistenvereniging|issue=13|language=Dutch|pages=11–12}} The hulk remained there until 1957 when it was declared a navigational hazard for shipping using the new Kwinana Oil Refinery, and was destroyed with explosives. The brass conning tower was installed on Fremantle Harbour pilot boat Lady Forrest.{{Cite news |last=Jeffery |first=Vic |date=December 1998 |title=The Dutchman who stayed |url=https://aamh.asn.au/uploads/documents/newsletter/Newsletter-73-December-1998.pdf |access-date=21 October 2024 |work=Australian Association of Maritime History, Quarterly Newsletter Issue 73 |pages=13}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{K VIII class submarines}}
{{Coord|32|8|31|S|115|45|32|E|region:AU-WA_type:landmark|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:K VIII}}
Category:Ships built in Vlissingen