Royal Netherlands Navy warship Hr Ms De Ruyter

Datec 1911

Object number00029982

NameGlass plate negative

MediumGlass plate negative

DimensionsOverall: 80 x 107 mm

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from John Affleck

Terms

HistoryHr Ms DE RUYTER was part of a Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN) squadron -including Hr Ms KONINGIN REGENTES and Hr Ms HERTOG HENDRIK- that visited a number of Australian ports during 1910. The squadron was under command of Commodore Wm. van Voss who flew his ensign from DE RUYTER, commanded by Kapitein Van der Driesen. Each of the three vessels comprising the visiting squadron was equipped with a 'Telefunken' wireless set; a novelty at the time. Their route from Java was via Torres Strait and along the 'inner route' which they traversed during daylight hours only, as none of the vessels had taken a pilot on board. The first port of call was Moreton Bay (Brisbane) where they arrived on 9th September 1910. The squadron subsequently visited Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Fremantle, returning to Surabaya in early November. The "pantserschip” ("armoured ship") “De Ruyter” served in the RNN from 1902 to 1919. The ship's keel was laid on 12 May 1900 and launched on 28 September 1901. It was equipped with a 50 mm thick armoured (steel) deck and armour plating that reached a depth of 1.30 m below the waterline. The armament included 2 rapid-firing 240 mm caliber guns, set into armour-plated turrets, on the fore deck and aft deck respectively. Four more fast firing 150 mm caliber guns and 10 rapid-firing 75 mm guns were also included at various stations around the gun deck; as well as four 37 mm cannons . The ship also carried six torpedoes that could be fired from any of three launching tubes. Fitted with two triple expansion steam engines, the vessel's maximum speed was 16 knots. With electric lighting and forced cooling through two special ventilators the ship was well-equipped for service in tropical waters. She was offically commissioned on 29 October 1902 under command of Kapitein (KtZ) A.C. van der Sande Lacoste. She saw service in the West Indies as well as the East Indies; in 1905 she participated in the relief of Boni and in 1906 was used to support the suppression of a revolt by Balinese insurgents. She was decommissioned in 1919 and was sold several years later in Den Helder. Since then, several RNN warships have been named for the legendary 17th Century naval hero Michiel Adriaanszoon de Ruyter.