Allied Warships

HNMS K IX (N 39)

Submarine of the K VIII class

NavyThe Royal Dutch Navy
TypeSubmarine
ClassK VIII 
PennantN 39 
Built byKoninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde (Vlissingen (Flushing), The Netherlands) 
Ordered27 Jun 1917 
Laid down1 Mar 1919 
Launched23 Dec 1922 
Commissioned21 Jun 1923 
End service15 Jul 1942 
History

Decommissioned by the Dutch Navy on 23 August 1942.

Commissioned into the Royal Australian Navy on 22 June 1943 as HMAS K 9.
On 31 March 1944 she was decommissioned by the Royal Australian Navy and returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy that converted the ship into an oil hulk.
On 9 June 1945 K IX was wrecked on Fiona Beach, Seal Rocks, on the central coast of New South Wales. 

Commands listed for HNMS K IX (N 39)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Adolf Hendrik Deketh, RNN21 Aug 193914 Feb 1940

2luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Pieter Gerardus Johan Snippe, RNN25 Jan 19411 May 1941
3luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Paulus Gijsbertus de Back, RNN1 May 19418 Dec 1941
4luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Jacobus Wilhelmus Caspers, RNN6 Jan 19421 Mar 1942
5luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Theodoor Brunsting, RNN1 Mar 194215 Jul 1942
6luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Henry Christophe John Coumou, DSC, RNN(R)15 Jul 194223 Aug 1942

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Notable events involving K IX include:


24 Nov 1941
HrMs K IX (Lt.Cdr. P.G. de Back, RNN) is docked at Surabaya.

30 Nov 1941
HrMs K IX (Lt.Cdr. P.G. de Back, RNN) is undocked.

2 Dec 1941
HrMs K IX (Lt.Cdr. P.G. de Back, RNN) departed Surabaya together with HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN), HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) and HrMs K XIII (Lt.Cdr. M.A.J. Derksema, RNN) (this is the 2nd Dutch submarine division) with the orders to patrol in Strait Karimata and Strait Gaspar.

7 Dec 1941
Before the war with Japan started the submarines of the 2nd submarine division, HrMs K XIII (Lt.Cdr. M.A.J. Derksema, RNN), HrMs K IX (Lt.Cdr. P.G. de Back, RNN), HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) and HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) were ordered to proceed Northwards. K XI was ordered to patrol off the Natuna Islands. The other three submarines were ordered to patrol off the Badas Islands.

K IX however developed engine problems and was forced to return to Surabaya for repairs.

8 Dec 1941
HrMs K IX (Lt.Cdr. P.G. de Back, RNN) arrived at Surabaya for extensive repairs. Her crew left to commission HrMs K X.

4 Jan 1942
HrMs K IX is docked at Surabaya.

24 Jan 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. J.W. Caspers, RNN) is undocked.

26 Jan 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. J.W. Caspers, RNN) is docked again at Surabaya.

27 Jan 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. J.W. Caspers, RNN) is undocked.

1 Mar 1942
With her repairs completed HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) left Surabaya. She was ordered to stay outside the harbour and to be ready to evacuate members of the naval staff to Colombo. (1)

2 Mar 1942
In the early evening HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) departed Surabaya with seven officers that were to be evacuated. (1)

4 Mar 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) passed Strait Atlas Southbound. (1)

5 Mar 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) set course towards Australia. There is not enough fuel on board to make Colombo. (1)

13 Mar 1942
Around noon HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) arrived at Fremantle, Australia. (1)

1 Apr 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Fremantle. (2)

2 Apr 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Fremantle. (2)

20 Apr 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) and HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) departed Fremantle for Sydney. They were escorted by HrMs Abraham Crijnssen (Lt. A. van Miert, RNN). (2)

12 May 1942
HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) arrived at Sydney after stopovers at Adelaide and Melbourne. At Sydney she is to participate in A/S exercises. She is also docked for repairs and maintenance. (2)

1 Jun 1942
At 0030 hours HrMs K IX (Lt. T. Brunsting, RNN) is damaged when a torpedo hit the quay abreast the Australian depotship HMAS Kuttabul. K IX was moored alongside the Kuttabul and the torpedo had passed under both ships before it hit the quay. Both ships were lifted out of the water and Kuttabul then hit the starboardside of K IX causing some damage. One of the crew of K IX was injured. HMAS Kuttabul sank as a result of the damage inflicted by the torpedo. (2)

Sources

  1. File 2.12.27.127 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  2. File 2.12.03.6049 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)

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