HNLMS Orion
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HNLMS Orion was a steamship of the Dienst der bebakening en kustverlichting.[3][4][1] The ship was built in the Dutch East Indies and served as an inspection vessel (Dutch: inspectievaartuig).[5] Later the ship was rebuilt and transferred to the Government Navy, which used it as a hydrographic survey vessel.[6]
- Dienst der bebakening en kustverlichting
- Government Navy
 Orion | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Netherlands | |
| Name | Orion |
| Operator |
|
| Ordered | 1911 |
| Builder | Marine Etablissement te Soerabaja |
| Launched | 9 March 1912 |
| Commissioned | 1 August 1912 |
| Fate | Sunk on 22 January 1942 by HNLMS K XVIII in the Bay of Balikpapan |
| General characteristics [1][2] | |
| Type | Steamship |
| Displacement | 1,062 t (1,045 long tons) |
| Length | 55.92 m (183 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 9.03 m (29 ft 8 in) |
| Draught | 3.76 m (12 ft 4 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Crew | 71 |
Design and construction
Orion was ordered in 1911 at the Marine Etablissement te Soerabaja in the Dutch East Indies.[5] The ship was launched on 9 March 1912 and commissioned into the Dienst der bebakening en kustverlichting on 1 August 1912.[2][7] The Dutch engineer R.G. Leegstra was responsible for the design of Orion.[5][8] The cost of building Orion was estimated at 271.700 Dutch guilders.[2]
Orion was frequently repaired throughout its career because of various defects.[9]
Service history
In 1916 Orion was used to experiment with a different type of coal by testing if it could be used to power steam boilers.[10][11]
Government Navy
On 1 October 1920 Orion was taken out of service of the Dienst der bebakening en kustverlichting and rebuilt at the Marine Etablissement te Soerabaja.[6] After being rebuilt the ship was transferred to the Government Navy and stationed in 1921 at Tandjong Priok.[6]
In 1924 two ship's boats of the Orion collapsed near Koeaia Peudada.[12]
In 1926 Orion was extensively repaired at the Droogdok Maatschappij Tandjong Priok.[9][13]
In December 1929 Orion searched in the Java Sea for a reef that had been spotted a month earlier by a captain of the KPM.[14] During the search the ship was joined by two Dornier Do J Wal flying boats.[15]
In 1934 the commander of the Orion, Ph.A.C.Th. Knijff, was awarded the De Ruyter Medal for his service.[16] Under his command a better waterway had been found near Samarinda and he successfully used a new method to do hydrographic research.[17][18]
Second World War
At the start of the Second World War Orion had already been decommissioned and was used as a light ship at Balikpapan.[19]
On 22 January 1942 Orion was sunk by the Dutch submarine K XVIII in the Bay of Balikpapan to make access to Balikpapan more difficult for the invading Japanese.[1][20]