| Navy | The Royal Dutch Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | O 12 |
| Pennant | N 13 |
| Built by | Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde (Vlissingen (Flushing), The Netherlands) |
| Ordered | 14 May 1928 |
| Laid down | 1 Dec 1928 |
| Launched | 18 Apr 1931 |
| Commissioned | 1 Oct 1931 |
| Lost | 25 Jun 1940 |
| History | HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. Eduard Herbert Vorster, RNN) left Dundee to patrol near the entrance of the Skagerrak on 12 June 1940. She failed to return to Dundee on 21 June 1940 and was declared overdue on the 24th. So far the wreck has not been located. A search was sheduled to take place in October 2012 but had to be cancelled due to bad weather in the search area. |
Commands listed for HNMS O 13 (N 13)
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Johannes Frans van Dulm, RNN | 1938 | 6 Oct 1939 |
| 2 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Eduard Herbert Vorster, RNN | 6 Oct 1939 | 25 Jun 1940 |
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Notable events involving O 13 include:
The history of HrMs O 13 as compiled on this page is extracted from the patrol reports of this submarine. Also information was extracted from the British Admiral Submarines war diary.
This page was last updated in January 2013.
9 May 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) is ordered to leave base (Den Helder) and take up a patrol position of the Dutch coast. (1)
10 May 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) is ordered to proceed to the U.K. (1)
11 May 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) arrived at the Downs escorted by minesweeper HrMs Jan van Gelder (Lt. P.L.M. van Geen, RNN). (1)
12 May 1940
Several Dutch ships that escaped from the Netherlands to the Downs proceed to Portsmouth. The ships involved are;
Unfinished light cruiser HrMs Jacob van Heemskerck (Lt.Cdr. A. van Foreest, RNN),
Minesweeper HrMs Jan van Gelder (Lt. P.L.M. van Geen, RNN),
Submarine HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN)
unfinished submarines HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN).
All ships arrived safely in Portsmouth later the same day. (1)
29 May 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) departed Portsmouth for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to pstrol in the English Channel. (2)
1 Jun 1940
At 0100 hours HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) sighted 'what was thought to be' an enemy submarine in position 49°54'N, 00°46'W. This submarine was seen to fire two White Very lights. O 13 dived but did not attack. [No German submarine was operating in this area, if it was a submarine it was more likely an Allied one as several were operating in the English Channel, so far we have been unable to match one.]
Later the same day HrMs O 13 ended her 1st war patrol at Portsmouth. (2)
3 Jun 1940
The Dutch submarine HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) departed Portsmouth for Dundee. She was escorted by the British armed yacht HMS White Bear (Capt. R. Gill, RD, RNR). The British submarines HMS H 28 (Lt. E.A Woodward, RN) and HMS H 31 (Lt. R.J. Hemingway, RN) were also in company until Blyth. (3)
6 Jun 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) arrived at Dundee. (4)
11 Jun 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) conducted wireless trials off Dundee. (4)
12 Jun 1940
HrMs O 13 (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Vorster, RNN) departed Dundee for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea near position 57°00'N, 05°50'E.
She was ordered to return to Dundee on 19 June 1940 where she was to arrive on 21 June. She failed to return to base.
Sources
- File 2.12.27.215 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
- ADM 199/1856
- ADM 199/373
- ADM 199/400
ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.