| Navy | The Royal Dutch Navy |
| Type | Submarine Depot Ship |
| Class | [No specific class] |
| Pennant | |
| Built by | P. Smit (Rotterdam, Holland) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 1929 |
| Launched | 1930 |
| Commissioned | 18 Aug 1941 |
| Lost | 27 Feb 1943 |
| Loss position | 33° 36'S, 27° 29'E |
|
| |
| History | Former passenger ship of the KNSM. HrMs Colombia (Kapitein Luitenant John Louis Karel Hoeke) was en route to Simonstown to dock, escorted by the British corvette HMS Genista and several RAF aircraft. At 1141 hours on 27 February 1943 the German submarine U-516 fired a spread of three torpedoes from a distance of 1500 metres on a ship near Simonstown, which was identified as a passenger-cargo ship of the Blue Star Line of 10.000 tons. Four minutes later, one torpedo struck the Colombia at #2 hold, just before the bridge and a large column of water arose beside the ship, while the deckplanks were thrown in all directions. All hands immediately abandoned ship, apparently without any casualties and the ship sank after ten minutes in position 33º36'S, 27º29'E. A headcount showed that eight men were missing. Almost 60 survivors in one whaleboat were picked up by a RAF air-sea-rescue launch. The corvette initially launched a counter-attack, but she returned soon and picked up the remaining survivors. For more information on this ship see this website (offsite link). Hit by U-boat |
| U-boat Attack | See our U-boat attack entry for the HNMS Colombia |
The Dutch submarine depot ship HNMS Colombia lost on 27 Feb 1943 in position 33° 36'S, 27° 29'E.Commands listed for HNMS Colombia
Please note that we're still working on this section.
| Commander | From | To | |
| 1 | kapitein-luitenant ter zee (Cdr.) Cornelis Hellingman, DSO, RNN | 1 May 1941 | 18 Aug 1941 |
| 2 | kapitein-luitenant ter zee (Cdr.) John Louis Karel Hoeke, RNN | 18 Aug 1941 | 27 Feb 1943 |
You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.
Notable events involving Colombia include:
13 May 1942
HrMs O 19 (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Bach Kolling, RNN(R)) departed Colombo for Bombay together with the Dutch submarine tender HrMs Colombia (Capt. J.L.K. Hoeke, RNN) and the Dutch submarine HrMs O 23 (Lt.Cdr. A.M. Valkenburg, RNN). They were escorted by the British destroyer HMS Scout (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) H. Lambton, RN). (1)
20 Jul 1942
HrMs O 19 (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Bach Kolling, RNN(R)) departed Bombay for Colombo. She made the passage together with HrMs K XV (Lt.Cdr. Baron C.W.T. van Boetzelaer, RNN) and HrMs Colombia (Capt. J.L.K. Hoeke, RNN). (1)
31 Jul 1942
HrMs O 19 (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Bach Kolling, RNN(R)) departed Colombo for Kilindini. She made the passage together with the Dutch submarine tender HrMs Colombia (Capt. J.L.K. Hoeke, RNN). (1)
Sources
- File 2.12.27.139 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)