Dutch Submarines at the start of the Pacific Campaign - 'Ship a day' Helfrich leads the charge!

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  • Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
  • Today we look at the opening months of the submarine campaign in the Pacific to see what the Dutch were getting up to whilst everyone else was absent or wishing for working torpedoes...
    Sources:
    www.history.na...
    www.dutchsubmar...
    The Great Circle - Vol. 43, No. 2, Special Issue: Submarines (2021), pp. 62-74
    ahoy.tk-jk.net/...
    www.amazon.co....
    www.amazon.co....
    archive.navals...
    www.rnsubmusfr...
    warfare.gq/dutc...
    Naval History books, use code 'DRACH' for 25% off - www.usni.org/p...
    Free naval photos and channel posters - www.drachinifel.co.uk
    Want to support the channel? - / drachinifel
    Want to talk about ships? / discord

КОМЕНТАРІ • 652

  • @Drachinifel
    @Drachinifel  Рік тому +57

    Pinned post for Q&A :)

    • @prussianhill
      @prussianhill Рік тому +7

      I was surprised to learn today that the IJN Ibuki class carrier-conversions were a thing, with the design having originated as a heavy cruiser followup to the Mogami class. I'm curious as to your opinion on these conversions. How would the Ibukis compare to foreign conversions? Do you think the conversion was worth pursuing? How well do you think the Ibukis could have faired in operations (assuming of course that the Ibukis could actually find aircraft and trained aircrews?)

    • @masterskrain2630
      @masterskrain2630 Рік тому +12

      The new Music works!! Like it!! 😀

    • @masterskrain2630
      @masterskrain2630 Рік тому +4

      Question: How many ships with the same name were lost during WW1 or WW2?
      I know of one example...There were two Destroyers named U.S.S. Meredith lost during World War 2. D.D. 434, and D.D. 726.

    • @backinblack03
      @backinblack03 Рік тому +5

      How about a special about Greek subs during WWII?

    • @lenx5953
      @lenx5953 Рік тому +2

      Which ships would you give the Elbonian navy?

  • @PSPaaskynen
    @PSPaaskynen Рік тому +460

    Drach is making an understatement when he reports that the bosun of the O16 "swam to a nearby island". In fact, there were were six survivors of the sinking, who had all been on the bridge at the moment the sub hit the mine. None had a lifesaver. Over the next day, all drowned one by one until only quartermaster Cor de Wolf remained. After swimming for 34 hours he reached an island 80 kilometres from the spot where the sub sank. He was rescued by locals and delivered after a trip by sailing boat and through the jungle to Australian troops on Malaya and from there to Singapore. Amazingly, within days of his return to Java he was back in the submarine service, survived the war and retired in 1962 as a skipper.

    • @AudieHolland
      @AudieHolland Рік тому +35

      I read Cor de Wolf's story in one of K. Norel books in Dutch highschool.
      The other initial survivors in his group drowned because they became exhausted while De Wolf kept swimming for such an incredible long time.

    • @karuskaltugov1992
      @karuskaltugov1992 Рік тому +6

      ​@@AudieHollandI would like to read more about this

    • @dirkhartman9572
      @dirkhartman9572 Рік тому

      ​@@karuskaltugov1992you can buy the book secondhand

    • @prjw73
      @prjw73 Рік тому +22

      @@karuskaltugov1992 The book is called "Varen en Vechten" , a trilogy about the Dutch merchant fleet and Naval forces during World War II. Clearly the audience was teenager boys but the historical accuracy will be appreciated by adults. Norel was a journalist who researched his topics well. I read some of his books and to date I wonder why they were never made into film.

    • @karuskaltugov1992
      @karuskaltugov1992 Рік тому +6

      @@prjw73 much appreciated

  • @bificommander7472
    @bificommander7472 Рік тому +586

    Nice to have a story about Dutch WW2 vessels that doesn't conclude with "and then the whole class was sunk".

    • @Melrieoi
      @Melrieoi Рік тому +11

      ​@@WiegrafFollesOn what?

    • @edwardbridgen4789
      @edwardbridgen4789 Рік тому +17

      ​@@MelrieoiBased as in agreeing.

    • @KixSlim
      @KixSlim Рік тому +25

      Gen Z slang. Move along

  • @joostprins3381
    @joostprins3381 Рік тому +356

    At the end of the Pacific war my father was interned in a camp close to harbor (he was 10). In that harbor a few K boats were in dock to recover and get repairs. One day the Red Cross took the kids from the camp to those subs, my father was welcomed by the K XIV. He was a very skinny small kid and “adopted” by the crew, at the end of the day they went back to the camp. My father who wanted to see more escaped (the camp was still guarded by Japanese, now for protection against the Indonesians) the camp and hitched quit a few times to the K XIV, he was regarded as one of the crew, and was spoiled by them, he took a lot of food back to the camp which he gave to the other people. He even was taken on a small test ride.
    Till this day he remembers the kindness of the crew, perhaps they saw in him the son they had at home, we never know.

  • @VersusARCH
    @VersusARCH Рік тому +506

    Helfrich predicted the Japanese would start the war by attacking Pearl Harbor. He probably deduced it from the the fact that the Japanese began the Russo-Japanese War with a surprise attack on Port Arthur.

    • @gokbay3057
      @gokbay3057 Рік тому +58

      IIRC they started their involvement in WW1 with a surprise air attack on Tsingtau as well.

    • @calvingreene90
      @calvingreene90 Рік тому +43

      That and the U.S. Pacific Fleet was the biggest danger to the Japanese Navy.

    • @gotanon9659
      @gotanon9659 Рік тому +57

      So did the Americans with the greatest irony being that they simulated an attack on pearl using their own aircraft carriers years before it happened

    • @calvingreene90
      @calvingreene90 Рік тому +45

      @@gotanon9659
      And then the judges disallowed it because they separated the aircraft carriers from the rest of the battle fleet.

    • @pattonfordo
      @pattonfordo Рік тому +51

      And not to mention, they did it on a Sunday and disallowed it because "Who would attack on a Sunday?"

  • @morlock2086
    @morlock2086 Рік тому +266

    Sorry to hear you lost the rights to your old intro music. Great video - as always. I especially like your description of the correct procedures to get the Mk XIV torpedo to properly engage the enemy.

    • @prussianhill
      @prussianhill Рік тому +63

      I haven't touched trademarks and copyrights since law school. But there are days that I feel tempted to get back into it, doing defense work, just to give a bloody nose to these drm companies that love to violate fair use.

    • @nvelsen1975
      @nvelsen1975 Рік тому

      @@prussianhill
      They're all located in lawless shitholes. India, Philipines, Russia, etc. UA-cam has to use 'guilty until proven innocent' to avoid being taken down by the US copyright mafia, and those companies not having assets in any place where you could take them to court over fraudulent copyright claims does the rest.

    • @morlock2086
      @morlock2086 Рік тому +1

      A fine sentiment. These drm hunters are scum who contribute nothing to the betterment of society.@@prussianhill

    • @1982nsu
      @1982nsu Рік тому +5

      😧😲

    • @mastathrash5609
      @mastathrash5609 Рік тому +23

      Seriously his intro music is an institution! It's how I know if drac comes on in my autoplay and it always makes me happy. .. you mean to tell me some greedy goon claimed it after all these years?!

  • @therealuncleowen2588
    @therealuncleowen2588 Рік тому +105

    Three cheers for the Royal Dutch Submarines! All these efforts from a fleet whose home nation was, at the time. under German occupation. One can only imagine how that fact would weigh in the minds of their crews. It is difficult enough to fight in a war when one's family is home safe, but how much more difficult when ones family is not safe.
    As an American, I'm grateful for the Dutch efforts. Naturally I never learned about this effort before today.
    This also makes me feel even more satisfied to know that the British and Americans did try to liberate the Netherlands in the autumn of 1944, at the earliest opportunity. Though Market Garden failed it did cement long term feelings of friendship between all three nations that will, God willing, persist as long as our nations last, a very long time indeed.

    • @jackwalters5506
      @jackwalters5506 Рік тому +3

      If I'm not mistaken, most of the sailors on the Dutch boats in the pacific were colonists who lived in the East Indies

    • @pepsiblik874
      @pepsiblik874 Рік тому +11

      @@jackwalters5506 Yes, but only there direct families (wife, children) would be in Indonesia. Their extended families (fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, etc) would be in the Netherlands. Also, by mid-march the Dutch East-indies were occupied so these sailors heard nothing from their interned families anymore.

    • @marcusfranconium3392
      @marcusfranconium3392 Рік тому +2

      @@jackwalters5506 They O boats of the o16, O19 , O21 classes and several newer K klasses all had dutch crews from the netherlands .

    • @marcusfranconium3392
      @marcusfranconium3392 Рік тому +6

      Imagine beeing on the O19 where the crew left in 1939 to the far east and had to abandoned and scutled their submarine after striking a reef in juli 1945 . most not even beeing home for over 5 years . Beeing rescued by USS Cod. where the crew said it was the most miserable thing you ever saw , a crew that havent been home in 5 years living on this submarine for almost 6 years and having to leave the submarine they called home .

    • @AudieHolland
      @AudieHolland Рік тому +5

      I'd like to buy you a beer!
      Since that's impossible, look up this video: *USS COD gato class destroys dutch submarine*
      Don't worry, the Dutch O-19 had run aground on a reef and the USS Cod was dispatched to assist.
      When they couldn't dislodge the Dutch sub after several attempts, the Dutch crew was taken onboard and their stranded boat was scuttled by the American mariners.

  • @CanuckWolfman
    @CanuckWolfman Рік тому +174

    Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that a boat named HMS Truant wasn't present for the first days of the Pacific campaign?

    • @johngregory4801
      @johngregory4801 Рік тому +23

      So you're saying it was tardy to the party.

    • @paullough4946
      @paullough4946 Рік тому +16

      And the officers onboard were called....Truant Officers?

    • @adamcarriere4465
      @adamcarriere4465 Рік тому +7

      @@paullough4946 by ancient Royal Navy tradition the crew would be called Truants.

  • @sa25-svredemption98
    @sa25-svredemption98 Рік тому +128

    The Australian submarine fleet of WWII was almost entirely Dutch, with a few British and American subs thrown in for good measure. After the loss of the Dutch East Indies, along with many coastal warships, aircraft and soldiers, many Dutch submarines made it to Australia to continue the war. Fremantle, WA, was host to a large flotilla of submarines, but none were actually Australian (the last Australian submarines had been decommissioned in the 1930s due to the Depression, and the next round of Australian subs were nearly 20 years away). Like so many forces in the South Pacific and Eastern Indian Ocean, it was truly a united Allied force, not just forces from one nation or another. And the Dutch were a massive part of that alliance.

    • @juliandean5525
      @juliandean5525 Рік тому +13

      The US provided more than a 'few' subs during the war. Freemantle (and Exmouth for a while) was the largest combined ABD base in 42 and was highly successful in attacking the Japanese because of their unique location close to the Java oil fields. However, from 43 onwards the largest and most active US base (some RN subs as well) was In Brisbane on the east coast. Supporting the Guadalcanal campaign initially, many famous boats including USS Sturgeon, Seawolf, Gato, Nautilus, Albacore, Wahoo, Stingray (as well as many others) were based there.

    • @sa25-svredemption98
      @sa25-svredemption98 Рік тому +19

      @@juliandean5525 in submarine terms, the Dutch was almost the largest single presence in Australia. Not just on Royal Dutch Navy subs, but also RN Walman subs, Walfreighter subs, X and XE Craft, and in the special forces operating out of Australia (such as the famous Z and M Forces and the Coastwatchers, all of which used various submarines and submersibles). Yes, the USA provided an invaluable defence to the Realm, but it was hardly alone in that, and unlike the Yanks, the Dutch contribution is almost completely overlooked, sadly.

    • @Subpac_ww2
      @Subpac_ww2 Рік тому +1

      Ummmm...at one point there were nearly 100 US submarines based out of AU. More than anyone else. Added for good measure? Pfftt...by the time the Brits came back to the theater there wasn't anything left for them to sink over 500 tons. The Ameircan subs did the heavy lifting, followed second by the Dutch. The British boats didn't start to sortie to SW Pacific waters until April 1944. I fail to see where the American subs were "good measure." They were the entire backbone of Allied subs in the Pacific. Start to finish.

    • @Subpac_ww2
      @Subpac_ww2 Рік тому +3

      ​@@juliandean5525Our beloved Cod was in Fremantle 😊

    • @fredjansen2659
      @fredjansen2659 Рік тому +2

      @@Subpac_ww2 not from the start due to the abysmal performance of their torpedo's

  • @lindabrashear57
    @lindabrashear57 Рік тому +62

    As a Clevelander whose hometown museum ship is the USS Cod, the Dutch sub O-19 has a special place in my heart.

    • @Subpac_ww2
      @Subpac_ww2 Рік тому +2

      We love the O-19 at the boat.

    • @AudieHolland
      @AudieHolland Рік тому +13

      Some additional info for those who don't know the story.
      The Dutch O-19 had run aground on a reef north of Borneo (corrected).
      The USS Cod assisted but despite several attempts, they couldn't dislodge the Dutch submarine.
      So the only thing left was to take the Dutch crew onboard and scuttle the O-19.
      On the USS Cod's conning tower, next to rows of sunk Japanese ships, a cocktail glass was painted marked 'O-19'
      to symbolize both the fortunes of war and the brotherhood between the Dutch and American sailors.
      You will find the video by searching for:
      *USS COD gato class destroys dutch submarine*

    • @joineralbert2493
      @joineralbert2493 11 місяців тому

      ​@@AudieHolland👍

  • @nationeer
    @nationeer Рік тому +32

    My great grandfather is the Sergeant Telegrafist of the K XVI (K-16), he died with others defending his homeland, still under the sea. This has been one of the more detailed K-16 story I've had. Thank you for making this video, it's detailed and gave me more understanding of the overall situation at the time and the timeline of all the submarines, which is something I've always wanted.

    • @mdiksie8947
      @mdiksie8947 Рік тому

      Abdul Madjid R.?

    • @marcusfranconium3392
      @marcusfranconium3392 10 місяців тому

      There are a few books you might want to look at . Ik nader ongezien ( crew and battle records history of the submarines in question ) 40 jaar nederlandse onderzee dienst . ( a complete background on all submarines between 1906 and 1946 . )

    • @basilpunton5702
      @basilpunton5702 2 місяці тому

      ​@@marcusfranconium3392I remember reading a book about K IX in Australian service, and what went wrong. Not a happy story about a worn out vessel. I can not remember the title of the book.

  • @michielvanasten3021
    @michielvanasten3021 Рік тому +102

    My Dutch grandad fought in ww2 in the exiled Royal Dutch Navy in England and after problems over a girl with an officer he went to the Royal Navy. Because of his knowledge of german He manned the anti submarine sensors on destroyers HMS Eskimo, HMS Whitshed and others. He saw Murmansk, d-day, the bombing of Pantellaria and many other places. Channel dash on the Whitshed. He was always a great example of service to me.

  • @deaks25
    @deaks25 Рік тому +43

    For a naval force far from home, adjusting to the fact said home had been conquered and were now fighting a totally different enemy, the Dutch subs put in a heroic shift. And given how Japan was always struggling for enough transports, a force that they likely considered (not entirely unreasonably I think) defeated taking a not insignificant toll is damn impressive. I know Dutch sub technology was world-leading but still, any force that can recover from that kind of shock and still perform is to be celebrated (And the free-French and Polish forces often do get a lot of deserved praise for that reason)

    • @vonshroom2068
      @vonshroom2068 Рік тому +5

      Its called spite. If all is damned to hell, all you have left is spite for those that represent it.
      Thankfully the Australian's were capable of refuling that spite throughout the war as its a poor fuel that burns quite quickly ;)

  • @old_guard2431
    @old_guard2431 Рік тому +69

    The Dutch O-Boats be righteously kicking some Japanese backside.
    In the early-war context of almost uniform naval disaster for the Allied side it is strange that the Dutch submarine successes are rarely mentioned. Well done!

    • @sarpyasar5893
      @sarpyasar5893 Рік тому +1

      Maybe becuase the dutch admiralty treated the surfece fleet like they were canon fodder and denied them of supplies that and a lot of people thought japanese were racialy inferior so attacking them with just light cruisers sounded like a good idea

    • @grahamstrouse1165
      @grahamstrouse1165 Рік тому +12

      @@sarpyasar5893The Dutch didn’t have anything heavier than cruisers.

    • @sarpyasar5893
      @sarpyasar5893 Рік тому

      @@grahamstrouse1165 problem was japanese had and dutch still thought attacking them was a good plan

    • @mrfun177
      @mrfun177 Рік тому +7

      @@sarpyasar5893 The Dutch surface ships did the best they could against more modern Japanese surface ships who outranged them so they would have to get in close but those Japanese ships were also faster so by the point the Dutch surface ships could engage there was also no running away anymore.

    • @bwarre2884
      @bwarre2884 Рік тому +3

      ​@@sarpyasar5893The Dutch navy had the mission to defend the Dutch East Indies. And so they tried. And they didn't have heavier ships than light cruisers. That's why they relied more on the submarines. With effect, as Drach shows.

  • @silverhost9782
    @silverhost9782 Рік тому +177

    Great topic to cover. The level of knowledge about the contributions of everyone outside of the Americans in the Pacific is alarmingly low from my experience. These videos at least do something to spread the information around

    • @michaelimbesi2314
      @michaelimbesi2314 Рік тому +18

      Absolutely. While the US was certainly the largest actor during most of the classic War in the Pacific, other countries made very important contributions and played significant roles. Not only the Dutch, but also the British, the Australians, the Philippines, and a wide variety of peoples in the territories occupied by Japan all played important and often underreported roles, and it’s nice to see some of those starting to get talked about more.

    • @oscarsusan3834
      @oscarsusan3834 Рік тому +7

      Didn’t you know that the Americans won the war all by themselves?

    • @Leon-bc8hm
      @Leon-bc8hm Рік тому +3

      @@michaelimbesi2314 Soviets destroying the Japanese Kwantung Army. Operation August Storm.

    • @myparceltape1169
      @myparceltape1169 Рік тому +1

      ​@@oscarsusan3834What a cruelly heavy burden they were made to carry.
      Seriously, I think they felt it.

    • @robertpatrick3350
      @robertpatrick3350 Рік тому +2

      @@Leon-bc8hmthe largest defeat inflicted upon the Japanese Imperial Army was inflicted by the Indian and British forces.

  • @ramal5708
    @ramal5708 Рік тому +50

    The only submarine to submarine rescue operation in history involved an aground Dutch submarine O-19 where here crews were rescued by US Submarine USS Cod, USS Cod marked this event with a Martini marking/decal on the sub to commemorate the night after the rescue where both crews of each submarines partied and a special thanks to the Americans for saving the Dutch crews.

    • @timschoenberger242
      @timschoenberger242 Рік тому +3

      Don't forget Darter and Dace at Leyte Gulf!

    • @paulfarace9595
      @paulfarace9595 Рік тому +2

      Cod's rescue of the crew of O19 was the only international submarine to submarine rescue in history.

    • @jeebusk
      @jeebusk 2 місяці тому

      how did they do that...
      in a recent video about the sub in turkey I was thinking they should have been able to raise it with an anchor chain or something.

  • @HankMegens
    @HankMegens Рік тому +42

    O24 was commanded by Piet de jong from from 25.10.1944 to 08.04.1946. He later became minister of defence (27 june 1959 - 24 july 1963) and even prime minister of the Netherlands (5 april 1967 until 6 juli 1971) After O21 (ten kills) the O24 (7 kills one of them being the Chosa Maru) ,was the most succesfull Dutch submarine in WWII

    • @GiesbertNijhuis
      @GiesbertNijhuis Рік тому +2

      Mijn opa Jan Johannes Thomas (Luitenant ter zee der 1e klasse KMR) zat op de O24. Een wonder dat hij & de O24 de oorlog overleeft heeft. Hij is 92 geworden.

  • @michaelklein3148
    @michaelklein3148 Рік тому +61

    The Dutch submarine industry is featured in the 1943 British film The Silver Fleet starring Sir Ralph Richardson.

  • @Owktree
    @Owktree Рік тому +19

    A solitaire board game on the USN Pacific submarine campaign I've played called "Silent War" includes an option to include the Dutch submarines. For their limited numbers and capabilities they do their part. And it's also nice in the early campaign to have some submarines that are not stuck with the effects of the Mark 14 torpedo.

  • @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad
    @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad Рік тому +138

    Imagine you're assigned to HMS Truant and you report for duty late

    • @nmccw3245
      @nmccw3245 Рік тому +10

      an overdose of Irony?

    • @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad
      @myopiniongoodyouropinionbad Рік тому +22

      @@nmccw3245 That joke must have been made numerous times aboard that ship XD

    • @nmccw3245
      @nmccw3245 Рік тому +9

      @@myopiniongoodyouropinionbad - indubitably

    • @TomFynn
      @TomFynn Рік тому +25

      You get reassigned to HMS Spanker.

    • @khaelamensha3624
      @khaelamensha3624 Рік тому +4

      ​@@TomFynn😂

  • @vojtechslezak4553
    @vojtechslezak4553 Рік тому +22

    New intro music? Noice!

    • @treyhelms5282
      @treyhelms5282 Рік тому +2

      This new music is great. So is the old music.

  • @admiralrover74
    @admiralrover74 Рік тому +101

    This is very interesting, Dutch Submarines finally having their Recognition, Hoping British Royal Navy Submarines of WW2 will get uncovered as well...

    • @stevewhite3424
      @stevewhite3424 Рік тому +3

      There are literally dozens of books covering these subjects.

    • @obelic71
      @obelic71 Рік тому +3

      Sofar i know the Royal Navy scored the first submarine to submarine (both submerged) kill in history

    • @athrowaway3487
      @athrowaway3487 Рік тому +2

      ​@@obelic71yes, forgot the boats but they did

    • @admiralrover74
      @admiralrover74 Рік тому +2

      @@obelic71 you are probably reffering HMS Venturer commanded by Lt. Jimmy Launders that sunk U-864 at the Norwegian Coast

    • @obelic71
      @obelic71 Рік тому +1

      @@admiralrover74Small boat, even smaller target, and that al in the Atlantic Ocean. what an achievement!

  • @PeterNebelung
    @PeterNebelung Рік тому +36

    As ususal, Drach, you come up with something new. I'd never heard of Dutch submarines in all my reading about the Dutch East Indies or home waters in WWII.

    • @khaelamensha3624
      @khaelamensha3624 Рік тому +1

      Same despite a few pounds of documents of the period read... 🤔

    • @hawkeye5955
      @hawkeye5955 Рік тому +2

      ​@@khaelamensha3624: Even with the abundance of documents as you say, the Pacific war is largely remembered by people as a conflict between the US and Japan, overshadowing the contributions of other allied nations. So it's really not unusual for such historical references to be discussed less often as the more popular ones.

    • @whtalt92
      @whtalt92 Рік тому +3

      @@hawkeye5955 There were some shenanigans played.
      Even before the war ended, the Dutch were.... 'discouraged' from returning to their former colonial territories.

  • @DutchDaveModels
    @DutchDaveModels Рік тому +48

    The Dutch Navy really made an effective effort with their submarine fleet ✨👍✨

    • @MonkeyJedi99
      @MonkeyJedi99 Рік тому

      Poor K X, cursed with engines built by Murphy Corporation.

  • @garywheeley5108
    @garywheeley5108 Рік тому +18

    I wonder how much shipping got away because of us torpedo problems....Dutch punching well above their weight 👏👏👏

    • @marcusfranconium3392
      @marcusfranconium3392 Рік тому +7

      Dutch submarine doctrine was well thought out , with wolfpack systems beeing developed in the early 30s demanding purpose build submarines , Including snorkels advanced hydraulics and other advanced equipment . One document even speaking of having a 74 large subamarine fleet in the far east .

    • @basilpunton5702
      @basilpunton5702 2 місяці тому +1

      Well the US failed in the early war to punch it's weight. The best comment about the bad torpedoes is the submarine service memorial in Honolulu.

  • @bierkraftwerk
    @bierkraftwerk Рік тому +10

    "... the O boats using English numerals, whilst the K boats used Roman numerals." (01:16) - it's not "English numerals", but "Arabic numerals" in fact. Anyway: very interesting video. Thanks Drach!

  • @georgehillyer7959
    @georgehillyer7959 Рік тому +18

    I appreciate the topic and how well and condice you addressed it. However, your description of the Mark 14 torpedo at 7:25 made smile uncontrollably.

  • @AudieHolland
    @AudieHolland Рік тому +5

    *Dutch Submarines facts:*
    - first working submarine was demonstrated by Dutch inventor Cornelis Drebbel circa 1620-1624 to King James I;
    - the O-19 and O-20 were the first ever submarines using practicable snorkels;
    - unfortunately the later built O-25 and O-26, equipped with snorkels, both fell into German hands after the invasion of The Netherlands in 1940;
    - Dutch submarine HNLMS Walrus, in a joint training exercise in 1999, 'sank' the USS Theodore Roosevelt plus several other ships escorting the carrier.

    • @marcusfranconium3392
      @marcusfranconium3392 10 місяців тому +2

      the dutch where years ahead in submarine design even the after the 021 class was layed down they had Submarine design 1939 97% complete before the invasion . and in 1942 a design of a 3 cilinder submarine for the british to relief malta . this turned in to the Dolfijn class. after the war and money was available.

  • @nathanlentner3129
    @nathanlentner3129 Рік тому +6

    It’s not that I thought the Netherlands never had subs but this is the first time I’ve ever seen the word ‘Dutch’ and ‘submarines’ in the same sentence. Thanks, Drach.

    • @KixSlim
      @KixSlim Рік тому

      Wargaming is licking their chops planning the like of subs for WOWS lol

    • @AudieHolland
      @AudieHolland Рік тому +3

      First ever working submarine built and demonstrated by Dutch inventor Cornelis Drebbel in the 1620s.

  • @alanrogers7090
    @alanrogers7090 Рік тому +12

    Cool subject. Most people interested in WWII don't think about the Dutch Submarine fleet during the war. Thanks, Drach.

  • @MrMan-zx6wm
    @MrMan-zx6wm Рік тому +33

    I’m so happy you decided to cover this topic!
    Thank you Drach 🙏🏻

  • @john_in_phoenix
    @john_in_phoenix Рік тому +44

    Shows what US subs could have done early in the war if they had working torpedoes.

  • @marknelson8724
    @marknelson8724 Рік тому +31

    This is the first time I have heard anything about Dutch submarines in the Pacific. I knew they had ships and that things had not gone very well for their surface ships although this may be a mistaken impression on my part.

    • @roykliffen9674
      @roykliffen9674 Рік тому +9

      The Dutch surface ships did about as well as the allies at the start of the pacific war ....... terrible, mostly due to the deployment of bombers and torpedo planes by the Japanese against which little defense was to be had as such was not fully incorporated in the Dutch Royal Navy. The ships themselves had been largely configurated for colonial patrol and policing duties, not all out naval engagements.

    • @khaelamensha3624
      @khaelamensha3624 Рік тому +2

      A very right impression I am afraid...

    • @Panzerless_SG
      @Panzerless_SG Рік тому +8

      ​@@roykliffen9674 Yes indeed, most of our ships were designed for naval patrol duty in our colonies. Besides that the ships we actually did produce to try fight of the Japanese were stripped to their bare minimum due to our Government Cutting the budget over and over and over again. It left our navy in a sorry state wich is a shame cause if this hadn't happend the Netherlands could have Owned one of the strongest colonial navies at the start of the war with Japan.
      RIP to Hr. Ms. Celebes and all other good designs that were scrapped/ left uncompleted in the Netherlands after Germany overran us

    • @Dave_Sisson
      @Dave_Sisson Рік тому

      Well the Dutch submarines were mostly in the Indian Ocean based out of Ceylon and Western Australia and very few American boats or ships went into the Indian Ocean, it was mainly a British (and allies) naval theater.

  • @joebombero1
    @joebombero1 Рік тому +11

    Shout out to the USS Grampus, Captained by my mother's cousin, the rockstar of her family in the 1930s, Robert Pollock Guiler. I heard a lot of cool stories about him. The sub was lost during the war and not yet discovered- on Eternal Patrol.

  • @lafeelabriel
    @lafeelabriel Рік тому +3

    Got to say that is a very impressive score all things considered. These subs did their navy proud for sure.

  • @RobinTheBot
    @RobinTheBot Рік тому +7

    New music really shocked me. The sky turned purple today.

    • @prussianhill
      @prussianhill Рік тому +1

      Same. Groggy me thought I at first had accidentally clicked on some random video that wasn't Drach.

  • @davidstange4174
    @davidstange4174 Рік тому +17

    It seems to me if the allied sub attacks were more coordinated the may have done more damage than the surface fleet. The Dutch sub fleet were very effective to their size.

  • @jb76489
    @jb76489 Рік тому +28

    I can’t help hearing how the Dutch apparently uses oboes as warships

    • @Snaakie83
      @Snaakie83 Рік тому

      Onderzeeboot (under-sea-boat) was the name given to the first subs...
      O-boat was an easy abbreviation I guess 😅

  • @Mtlmshr
    @Mtlmshr Рік тому +4

    I had no idea that the Dutch fought in the Pacific War at all? and this is why I watch your channel (and tell my friends) so I can expand my knowledge base!

  • @davidlewis9068
    @davidlewis9068 Рік тому +3

    New Rum Ration music very nice. Very nice episode on the submarines too.

  • @lezardvaleth2304
    @lezardvaleth2304 Рік тому +4

    The old intro was iconic, but this new one is kind of a banger.

    • @KixSlim
      @KixSlim Рік тому

      I’m going to miss the bum bum bum of the old intro :(

  • @Yvolve
    @Yvolve Рік тому +8

    00:45 The designation O stands for Onderzeeboot. Unterseeboot is German, although very similar. As you mentioned, both literally translate to Underseaboat (Germanic languages use compound words a lot).
    The spelling of the Dutch version of Colonial is Koloniaal, in case anyone wants to read up on it.

  • @ryanrhude3256
    @ryanrhude3256 Рік тому +4

    Thank you for covering this! I’ve heard the Dutch submarines were critical early in the war but never heard their exploits.

  • @elonwhatever
    @elonwhatever Рік тому +6

    I'll never tire of hearing Drach attempt Dutch :).
    You give it a bloody good effort, you're still sounding more German than Dutch, but it's entertaining all the same

    • @theothertonydutch
      @theothertonydutch Рік тому

      To be fair, while very similar to English and German, Dutch is full of weird inconsistencies and from my learned opinion as a dutch person has large parts which are sort of anecdotal and incomprehensible unless you sort of have field experience with it.

    • @elonwhatever
      @elonwhatever Рік тому +1

      @@theothertonydutch Dutch is a bit inconsistent where it concerns pronunciation, but nowhere near as horrendous as English :p

  • @wazza33racer
    @wazza33racer Рік тому +5

    RIP old intro sound track /sniffle.

  • @janboen3630
    @janboen3630 Рік тому +4

    Never knew of this Dutch submarine warfare. Great video. Thanks!

  • @photovincent
    @photovincent Рік тому +3

    When I was a kid in then late ‘70s, early 80’s I read a series of Young Adult books from the library about the Dutch armed forces in WWII. More novels than factual descriptions, they did combine many true events into the lives of a small number of fictional characters. One book focused on the Dutch navy in the east, with a large part dedicated to the submarine fleet. It even included the story of the sole survivor of the mined and broken in two submarine swimming to shore. I can’t remember the name of the series, and doubt such old books would still be available, but I thoroughly enjoyed them at the time. But if this rings any bell to any Dutch, I’d love to hear more

    • @martijnb5887
      @martijnb5887 Рік тому +4

      "Varen en Vechten" by K. Norel? I read that book probably 5 times.

    • @patvanderreest7416
      @patvanderreest7416 Рік тому +1

      @@martijnb5887 For our English-speaking friends, the title translates to "To Sail and Fight".

    • @photovincent
      @photovincent Рік тому

      @@martijnb5887 He, dank! De titel kan ik me niet herinneren maar K Norel does ring a bell!

    • @joineralbert2493
      @joineralbert2493 11 місяців тому

      ​@@photovincentavailable as e book , search "varen en vechten mobi ".. also vliegers in het vuur . Ik weet de naam van het boek over de landmacht niet meer..

  • @Aelxi
    @Aelxi Рік тому +10

    I've heard the new intro song from the game World Warship Combat when I was a kid. It still slaps.

    • @nmccw3245
      @nmccw3245 Рік тому +1

      Good catch! 👍🏻

  • @rijkemans5114
    @rijkemans5114 Рік тому +9

    And here we are now in 2023. The Dutch submarine industry destroyed by politicians, and the submarine service soon to be as well, with the few boats left in need of replacement but without a decision having been made yet, and the oldest said to be retired before a replacement is in service.
    Thanks for the vid. I think most Dutch people not that much into history don't know about the Dutch in the Pacific war, even less so the submarine service.

    • @zephyros256
      @zephyros256 Рік тому

      Naval, Saab-Damen and ThyssenKrupp submitted their designs a bit over 2 weeks ago. So, fingers crossed, a decision is made and sealed somewhere in the middle of next year, albeit still way later than ideal.

    • @oddballsok
      @oddballsok Рік тому

      you realise that Rutte has to donate more things to Zelinski than just 'our' tanks (rebought again) and expensive F16s ...we STILL have some subs to GIVE AWAY FOR FREEEEE to goddamn Zelinski to attack russians ANYWHERE in the world... @@zephyros256

  • @GARDENER42
    @GARDENER42 Рік тому +2

    A fascinating look at a little recorded campaign by Dutch forces.
    Ta much.

  • @m.wright5526
    @m.wright5526 Рік тому +2

    Excellent, another great video, carry on with your unique delivery style.

  • @crapphone7744
    @crapphone7744 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for chroniclng these little known heroes.

  • @Nexusgamer8472
    @Nexusgamer8472 Рік тому +4

    i love how the new music makes the video sound more dramatic

  • @ramseybarber8312
    @ramseybarber8312 Рік тому +3

    Hi I didn't realise the Dutch were so active in the Pacific with submarines and made a good account of themselves.

    • @protectorh9167
      @protectorh9167 8 місяців тому

      The Dutch were very active do not forget all the mechanische ships, UK, Moermansk, a huge contribution especially for a small country.

  • @Macquarrie1999
    @Macquarrie1999 Рік тому +3

    Loved the video. I always like the minor allied navies being covered. They have some great stories.

  • @danhaas9730
    @danhaas9730 Рік тому +1

    Just gotta say how much I love that new intro music.
    It's excellent.

  • @kommandantgalileo
    @kommandantgalileo Рік тому +2

    Small but fierce, that's the best way we can describe the dutch submarine fleet.

  • @Ralph-yn3gr
    @Ralph-yn3gr Рік тому +5

    I hope you do more videos on the Java Sea campaign and the Dutch East Indies. I think it's a really interesting topic that isn't talked about very much.

  • @The_Modeling_Underdog
    @The_Modeling_Underdog Рік тому +1

    Thanks for touching on one of my favourites topics of the early war in the Pacific, Drach. Much appreciated.

  • @Lintary
    @Lintary Рік тому +38

    Arguably one of the best naval commanders of the war, sadly considered to wise and above all to aggressive.

    • @johncitizen306
      @johncitizen306 Рік тому +2

      *too
      Why are people barely literate these days?

    • @cameronnewton7053
      @cameronnewton7053 Рік тому +8

      ​@@johncitizen306Why are people so quick to judge these days?

    • @johncitizen306
      @johncitizen306 Рік тому +3

      @@cameronnewton7053 they aren't, that's the biggest problem at the moment. The pursuit of tolerance has emboldened sloth, degeneracy, and various other vices that are detrimental to both individuals and society as a whole!

    • @mrid5850
      @mrid5850 Рік тому +6

      @@johncitizen306 Or English isn't their first language. Either way, good luck on your voyage of changing the world! The youtube comment section is surely the best place to start such an endeavour. Really very productive of you, great to see you leading by example!

    • @varminthevermin8371
      @varminthevermin8371 Рік тому

      ​@@johncitizen306and you're spending your free time bitching about grammar on the internet instead of I don't fucking know, any thing else productive

  • @Maedhros0Bajar
    @Maedhros0Bajar Рік тому +22

    ... or else the more modern subs who're using the soon to be infamous Mark 14 torpedo which had a long list of issues, as I've tabulated elsewhere. But which essentially could be described as: capable of hitting its target and exploding at the right moment, during the opening months of the war. Only if the correct rituals had appeased the Machine Spirit, the moon was in the right phase, the planets were in the right alignment and the Japanese captain who was in charge of the target vessel had significantly angered merciful Poseidon recently.😆😆😆

    • @kemarisite
      @kemarisite Рік тому +2

      But exactly which items in the checklist had been missed when a sub had fired all but one of its complement and failed to get any detonations are the first one crippled the target?

    • @user-dg9pu4pe9d
      @user-dg9pu4pe9d Рік тому +1

      Good thing Odysseus did not have have mark 14s. Posiedon was quite cross with him.

  • @gerhardris
    @gerhardris Рік тому +2

    Great video! Thanks. As a side note the Dutch had benefitted after WW1 receiving German U boat technology prohibeted by the Versailles treaty.
    Also planes via Fokker. Guns technology the Germans sent to Switserland and Sweden.
    A German pocketbook from before the war recognized the johrney of one of the later K boats sailing nigh around the world also conducting megnetic reasearch as remarkable. Of course the operating range.
    The most modern 019 and O20 where minelaying boats of a type which the Poles also bought two. Wilk and Orzel.These were all welded.
    And the schorkel was a Dutch invention but not like the Germans lateron wasn't for tactical use but as a way to keep the crew cool. No airco. Hence the tents on the deck.
    This was the equator.
    The 40mm short Bofors gun in watertight compartments.
    Another I guess novelty of the O19 and subsequent towards O27 types was the fact of having two sideways traineble deck torpedo tubes.
    Catching a German U boat in the Med. The type was also put into survice. 33:51

  • @WillMasters
    @WillMasters Рік тому +2

    Good video Drach! It is important to chronicle the lesser-known aspects of both naval warfare and WWII naval events.

  • @jamesbeeching6138
    @jamesbeeching6138 Рік тому +1

    Really interesting video Drach! Thank you...A bit of positivity when everything was collapsing around the Allies in 41/42!

  • @gregsiska8599
    @gregsiska8599 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for posting Drach. I've wanted to hear this story for a while.

  • @agesflow6815
    @agesflow6815 Рік тому +1

    Thank you, Drachinifel.

  • @JohnSmith-se9yl
    @JohnSmith-se9yl Рік тому +2

    Excellent report as always. I'm always amazed at the footage/photos your team finds! Keep up the great work. Thanks again for an informative 30+ minutes...

  • @ottomeineke9230
    @ottomeineke9230 Рік тому +2

    Thank you Drach, great Weds video.

  • @bholdr----0
    @bholdr----0 Рік тому +2

    These were some sleek looking boats. I can't recall another ww2-era sub with lines that are as sharp and fast-looking.
    The arched, blade-like bow, with the angle at the very front, the dip behind the bow, and even the superstructure look fast and even threatening. (Imo, anyway!)

  • @jannarkiewicz633
    @jannarkiewicz633 Рік тому

    I listened to this exercising in a pool in Manila. I brought my Pacific theater/water game to the episode. Great content as always.

  • @MatthewDieber
    @MatthewDieber Рік тому +1

    Badass new opening. I know it isn't the classic and the reason you are losing the classic is stupid, but I sure appreciate this new one!

  • @GerbenPolder456
    @GerbenPolder456 6 місяців тому

    I have only found your channel about 2 month ago, and have been going through your immense collection of video’s since then. I really like your style, and mostly your, sometimes, sarcasm about something being detrimental to the crews heals (or similar). Though I do fully understand that it is human lives we are talking about. But sometimes humor is all that allows us to remain sane.
    As for this particular post, being Dutch, I truly appreciated it. Biased as it maybe. A lot of people tend to focus on how fast the Dutch capitulated in the second WW, but few realize that Germany had counted on just going through them, only to find fierce resistance. As a result, they bombed Rotterdam. One of our major cities, and threatened to bomb more if we did not capitulate. Seeing we had no real bomb shelters, and the shear number of people killed already, we did. There is, as is so clear in your video’s, always more to a story than seems to get remembered. So if only for that, I want to thank you.

  • @peterbrezniak7224
    @peterbrezniak7224 Рік тому +1

    New intro theme vs original ... music has been a major part of my life for over 45 years, and my first thoughts are that the original has a solid martial feel with an overlay of gravitas, sense of majesty, relentless purpose but ultimately seems to acknowledge the loss of pre-eminence of the big gun, big ship but not without (literally) a final parting shot...more to come as I get more used to the new one as always Best wishes to you and yours.

  • @camrsr5463
    @camrsr5463 Рік тому +3

    that was informative.
    Sorry you lost the main title music.

  • @zacharyzier314
    @zacharyzier314 Рік тому +1

    I do like the new music, gives a sense of majesty to the subject befitting navies

  • @markhendriks6445
    @markhendriks6445 Рік тому +3

    I received geography classes from his sister in secondary education and did not know this until a class mate told me her maiden name was Helfrich and younger sister of the famous and much decorated "ship a day" admiral.
    She was famous in her own right for traversing as the only white woman accompanied only by local bearers and guides through Borneo from south to north
    through headhunter lands (!) while just out of university..So still in her mid twenties.
    She engaged with the locals and was granted free passage and passed on to the other even hostile tribes.
    She was the " Ïtchy Boots" of het time ..(see @itchy boots)

    • @roelkomduur8073
      @roelkomduur8073 Рік тому

      Those were the days.. Great story. Things that people of that generation did,makes me humble and sad . These days people don't even know how to use a paper map, that generation made maps!

  • @dutchrobb
    @dutchrobb Рік тому +1

    Love learning some sub-aspect of history which most people don't even care about. Especially when it's about my own country. :)
    Thank you for providing this interesting information and imagery.

  • @Da__goat
    @Da__goat Рік тому

    Oh dude the music for the intro was heavenly with the guns

  • @frankgulla2335
    @frankgulla2335 Рік тому

    A great summary with wonderful pictures and images.

  • @Doc_Tar
    @Doc_Tar Рік тому +4

    Given the challenges of the homeland overrun and the sudden onslaught of the Japanese Navy against the Dutch East Indies and the Dutch submarine force acquitted itself quite well.

  • @b.elzebub9252
    @b.elzebub9252 Рік тому +7

    Eh.. I wasn't aware the English invented modern western numerals? I think you mean 'Arab numerals' instead of 'English numerals'? (As opposed to the Roman numerals) ;)

  • @kentbarnes1955
    @kentbarnes1955 Рік тому

    As a huge fan of The Destroyer Men series...I alway enjoy hearing stories about the happenings in the Dutch East Indies.

  • @galbert117
    @galbert117 Рік тому +1

    Miss the old intro music... but this new one does have something to it!

  • @Moredread25
    @Moredread25 Рік тому

    This is something that I did not previous think would be interesting, but it actually is.

  • @plasmaburndeath
    @plasmaburndeath Рік тому +3

    At first I thought I launched [Airships: Conquer the Skies] (PC Game) at same time with the new music intro. Very nice.

    • @nmccw3245
      @nmccw3245 Рік тому

      World Warship Combat - Title Theme.
      ua-cam.com/video/9VAoMKi_OdQ/v-deo.html

  • @LWGanucheau
    @LWGanucheau Рік тому +1

    The new Rum Ration music is pretty dang sweet. 👍

  • @ThrowawayModeller
    @ThrowawayModeller Рік тому +4

    Just a slight correction of the K-16 attack on Sagiri - The other destroyer should be Murakumo and not Marakumo

  • @akd8525
    @akd8525 Рік тому +10

    “English numerals”? Come now Drach…

    • @comentedonakeyboard
      @comentedonakeyboard Рік тому +1

      You can only fully apreciate numerals in the klingon original.

  • @jasonbrannock1698
    @jasonbrannock1698 Рік тому +2

    Love the intro and content. I'm part Dutch. Keep it up ❤❤❤🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺

  • @antoniopinto1579
    @antoniopinto1579 Рік тому +5

    Proud of you. Because we Dutch are told very little about this part of our history at school.
    I hope that you will make a sequel to the war actions of the Dutch navy in the Pacific war theater.

  •  Рік тому +1

    Very intersting stuff. Apparently I need to learn more about dutch military history

  • @mikhailiagacesa3406
    @mikhailiagacesa3406 Рік тому +2

    It's the Dutch(and specifically this campaign) that sold me on subs(I'm a military land-lubber; Infantry). Operationally, bang-for-buck, subs are ideal.

  • @guaposneeze
    @guaposneeze Рік тому +2

    I think the Dutch would be surprised to hear those called "English Numerals" on the O-Boats.

  • @adrianjorgensen3750
    @adrianjorgensen3750 Рік тому +11

    Did K-9 respond “affirmative” to its doctor?
    lol

    • @firstcynic92
      @firstcynic92 Рік тому +2

      Maybe K-7's hull was retained to be turned into a space station?

  • @johndriscoll3933
    @johndriscoll3933 Рік тому +1

    I like the new intro theme.

  • @misterbacon4933
    @misterbacon4933 Рік тому

    Good you put the Dutch efforts on stage. It's mostly forgotten..

  • @kop-uv2dx
    @kop-uv2dx Рік тому +2

    and to imagine that, to this day, the Dutch submarines still perform at incredibly high levels, completing some of the most dangerous missions around the world since the Dutch submarines are incredibly well-suited to sneaking around in shallow waters... officially you don't know what they're doing, but occasionally some things are reported when certain feats are unclassified...

  • @chrisfrench682
    @chrisfrench682 Рік тому

    I read your post about having to change the intro music but that still threw me right off. Had to double check it was the right video

  • @stevemccoy554
    @stevemccoy554 Рік тому

    Good one Drach!

  • @UNREAL30
    @UNREAL30 Рік тому

    New opening?! Intense. I like it.