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Notable events involving O 22 include:

The history of HrMs O 22 as compiled on this page is extracted from O 22's patrol reports. Corrections and details regarding information from the enemy's side (for instance the composition of convoys attacked) is kindly provided by Mr. Platon Alexiades, a naval researcher from Canada.

This page was created in March 2012.

This page was last updated in March 2025.

7 May 1940
In the afternoon, around 1430 hours, the submarines O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and O 22 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN) which are completing at the Royal Schelde shipyard at Flushing are ordered to be ready to departed in 48 hours due to fear for a German invasion of The Netherlands. (1)

10 May 1940
At 0215 hours O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and O 22 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN) are ordered to make ready to departed immediately.

Both submarines, though not completely finished yet, were placed in commission in the afternoon following which they departed Flushing for the Downs around 2015 hours. The submarines are escorted by auxiliary patrol vessel HrMs BV 37 (former tug Schelde) (Lt. A.J. Meijer, RNN(R)). (2)

11 May 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN), HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN) and their escort HrMs BV 37 (former tug Schelde) (Lt. A.J. Meijer, RNN(R)) arrived in the Downs from Flushing. The submarines then anchored to await further orders. Later that morning the anchored off Ramsgate. HrMs BV 37 returned to Flushing though. (3)

12 May 1940
Around 0800A/12, the 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) and the unfinished submarines HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN) departed the Downs for Portsmouth where they arrived around 2000A/12. (4)

8 Jun 1940
After completing the outfitting of both brand new submarines at the Royal Navy submarine base at Gosport (Portsmouth), HMS Dolpin, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both depart from Portsmouth around 1000A/8 for Portland where they arrived around 1700A/8

At Portland both submarines were to conduct trials and exercises before they would be ready to be deployed operationally. (3)

11 Jun 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted exercises off Portland. (3)

12 Jun 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted exercises off Portland. (3)

13 Jun 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort) was docked at Portland. (4)

15 Jun 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort) was undocked. (4)

17 Jun 1940
Around 1100A/17, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both departed from Portland for Dundee.

They are escorted by Dutch torpedo boat HrMs Z 5 (Lt.Cdr. W. van Lier, RNN).

Around 1115A/18, they arrived at Milford Haven which they departed around 1215A/19 to continue their passage.

Around 1110A/20, they arrived at Belfast which they departed around 1630A/20 to continue their passage.

Around 1315A/21, they arrived at Stornoway which they departed around 2100A/21 to continue their passage. (3)

22 Jun 1940
Around 2100A/22, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) and their escort HrMs Z 5 (Lt.Cdr. W. van Lier, RNN) arrived Dundee from Portland. (3)

28 Jun 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort) conducted exercises off Dundee. (4)

29 Jun 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) proceeded from Dundee to Rosyth. (3)

30 Jun 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted noise trials in the lock to the Rosyth Dockyard.

Results were very satisfactory, both submarines gave more or less the same results and they were quieter then the new British T-class submarines. (2)

1 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) proceeded from Rosyth to Dundee. (3)

2 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted exercises off Dundee with HMS White Bear (Capt. R. Gill, RNR). (2)

3 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted attack exercises off Dundee during which HMS White Bear (Capt. R. Gill, RNR) and HrMs Z 5 (Lt.Cdr. W. van Lier, RNN) acted as targets. (3)

6 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) proceeded from Dundee to Rosyth where they are both docked in No.2 graving dock at the Rosyth Dockyard.

Both were taken in hand for some modifications. (3)

28 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) were both undocked at the Rosyth Dockyard. (5)

29 Jul 1940
HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both conducted exercises off Rosyth.

HrMs Z 8 (Lt.Cdr. P.A. de Boer, RNN) escorted them during their exercises. (3)

30 Jul 1940
Around 1900A/30, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both depart from Rosyth for their 1st war patrols.

Both are to patrol in the central North Sea. For both submarines this was a work-up patrol.

Around 0515A/31, they parted company to proceed to their respective patrol areas.

It is not possible to display a map for HrMs O 22. The patrol report holds no daily positions and the ships log is not available. (6)

1 Aug 1940
At 1800A/1, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) picked up the HE of screws bearing 215°. After a few minutes the conning tower of a submarine came into sight on bearing 231°. This submarine, thought the be a German U-boat passed O 22 at a great distance on the surface. An enemy report was subsequently sent giving the U-boat's position as 56°06'N, 02°26'E, course 340°, speed 12 knots.

This must have been the German submarine U-60 which was passing through this area at the time.

U-60 had already been attacked by HrMs O 21 less then two hours before. This attack was not noticed by the Germans. (7)

2 Aug 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) sighted a southbound enemy submarine passing at a great distance on the surface. It was not possible to attack. This must have been the German U-34 which was passing through this area, homebound, at this time.

Later this day, HrMs O 22, fired two torpedoes at a submarine in the North Sea in position 56°15'N, 02°35'E. The submarine in question was either the German U-37 or U-38 which were both passing through this area around this time. Neither reported being attacked though.

0750A/2, Sighted a U-boat passing at great distance on the surface. The enemy was southbound. Made an enemy report giving the enemy's position as 56°13'N, 02°26'E.

1620A/2 - In position 56°15'N, 02°35'E attacked a German U-boat with two torpedoes. Range was 5000 yards. No explosions were heard but the enemy submarine was seen to alter course to starboard and to increase speed. [Neither of these two U boats reported the encounter though.] (8)

8 Aug 1940
Around 2100A/8, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) left patrol to return to Dundee. (6)

9 Aug 1940
In the afternoon, HrMs O 21 (Lt.Cdr. J.F. van Dulm, RNN) and HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) both ended their 1st war patrols at Dundee. (9)

19 Aug 1940
Around 2030A/19, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) departed from Dundee for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Norwegian Coast near Bergen.

It is not possible to display a map for O 22. The patrol report holds no daily positions and the ships log is not available. (6)

29 Aug 1940
Around 2200A/29, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) left patrol to return to Dundee. (6)

30 Aug 1940
Around 2015A/29, in position 58°06'N, 00°24'E, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) picked up HE of fast screws baring 246°. Nothing could however be seen through the periscope. The noise grew louder and louder and the direction shifted very slowly to the northward. It was now getting dark so still nothing was seen.

By 2140A/29, the direction of the HE was 286°. O 22 surfaced with a dark horizon behind her to try to attack but still nothing was seen and at 2200A/29 O 22 continued her passage to Dundee.

At 2245A/29, a signal was received that two destroyers were searching for 4 men in an open boat in position 58°07'N, 00°05'E. This explains the HE of fast screws that had been picked up.

This were the destroyers HMS Kashmir (Cdr. H.A. King, RN) and HMS Kipling (Cdr. A. St. Clair-Ford, RN). They located the boat and picked up five Norwegians which were trying to escape from Norway to the U.K. (6)

1 Sep 1940
Around 1030A/1, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) ended her 2nd war patrol, which had been uneventful, at Dundee. (6)

8 Sep 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) departed from Dundee for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the North Sea.

It is not possible to display a map for O 22. The patrol report holds no daily positions and the ships log is not available. (6)

21 Sep 1940
Around 2100A/21, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) left patrol to return to Dundee. (6)

22 Sep 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) ended her 3rd war patrol at Dundee. (6)

6 Oct 1940
In the afternoon, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) departed from Dundee for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Norwegian Coast near Bergen.

It is not possible to display a map for O 22. The patrol report holds no daily positions and the ships log is not available. (6)

19 Oct 1940
Around 1800A/19, HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) left patrol to return to Dundee. (6)

21 Oct 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) ended her 4th war patrol at Dundee. (6)

5 Nov 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) departed from Dundee for her 5th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off the Norwegian Coast near Stavanger.

6 Nov 1940
HrMs O 22 (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Ort, RNN) was ordered to take up a patrol position further south, off Lindesnes, 18 nautical miles from the coast. (6)

13 Nov 1940
At 2030B/13, [Berlin time] the German submarine U-28, which was on the return trip to Germany after her last operational war patrol (she was to be used as a training boat after her return), reported a torpedo attack on her in German naval grid AN 3438. [The center of this grid is position 57°57'N, 05°36'E.]

The logbook of U-28 gives the following; ' In a timespan of 30 seconds heard two heavy explosions very near to the boat. Most likely we were attacked by a submarine. The torpedoes must have passed behind the boat and most likely exploded at the end of their run or on hitting the bottom. '

If this was indeed a torpedo attack by a submarine, and given the double explosion this seems very likely to us, the attacker can only have been HrMs O 22. No other Allied submarine was operating in this area. No other Allied submarine failed to return to base around this time and finally no other Allied submarine reported this attack. Also the position where the wreck of HrMs O 22 was found in 1993 is only a few miles from the centre of German naval grid AN 3438 and within the boundaries of this grid.

Given the above we (Mr. Alexiades and uboat.net crew) consider it very likely that HrMs O 22 made this attack and was therefore still operational on the evening of 13 November 1940. It is even possible that something went wrong during this attack and that this resulted in the loss of O 22, although this is just an hypothesis on our part.

We would like to thank Mr. Platon Alexiades for informing us on the entry in the logbook of U-28.
We have informed the Dutch Navy of this find.

13 Aug 1993
The wreck of HrMs O 22 is located in about 180 meters of water by a survey vessel of the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate in position 57°55'N, 05°31'E.

There is no visible damage to the wreck that is upright on the seabed. To this day the exact cause of the loss of O 22 is unknown.

It is intended to re-survey the wreck in the future.