Laid down 28 December 1933 Type Unique Submarine Launched 27 January 1936 Draft 3.97 m | Commissioned 16 October 1936 Construction started 28 December 1933 Length 77 m Builders Scheldt, Flushing | |
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Fate Sunk by mine on 15 December 1941 Status Raised and scrapped in October 2013 Displacement 984 tons surfaced1194 tons submerged | ||
O 16 was a unique submarine of the Royal Netherlands Navy that saw service during World War II. The design came from G. de Rooy and had a diving depth of 80 metres (260 ft). She was the first submarine of the Royal Netherlands Navy manufactured from high quality Steel 52. Also riveting was reduced 49% and replaced by welding when compared to preceding ships.
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Ship history
The submarine was laid down on 28 December 1933 at the Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde, Vlissingen and launched on 27 January 1936. On 16 October 1936 she was commissioned in the Dutch navy.
Before the war she performed convoy duties during the Spanish Civil War. In 1939 O 16 was sent to the Dutch East Indies via the Suez Canal and attached to the submarine division there. During the war she sank three Japanese troopships and damaged two others. On 15 December 1941 during her homebound voyage to Singapore O 16 hit a Japanese mine while leaving the Gulf of Siam. Only one man out of the crew of 42 survived.
In October 2013, a crane vessel was photographed dredging up the wreck for sale as scrap metal.
Summary of raiding history
Ships sunk and damaged by O 16.