View source for HNLMS Sumatra (1920)

{{Short description|Java-class light cruiser}}
{{other ships|HNLMS Sumatra}}
 
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=File:Hr.Ms. kruiser Sumatra (1926-1944) (2158 005544).jpg
|Ship caption=''Sumatra''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=Netherlands
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Netherlands}}
|Ship name=''Sumatra''
|Ship namesake=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=''Nederlandse Scheepsbouw Maatschappij'', Amsterdam
|Ship laid down=15 July 1916
|Ship launched=29 December 1920
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=26 May 1926
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
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|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Scuttled on 9 June 1944
|Ship motto=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type={{sclass|Java|cruiser|2}}
|Ship displacement=*6670&nbsp;tons standard
*8087&nbsp;tons full load
|Ship length= {{convert|155.3|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship beam={{convert|16|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship draught={{convert|6.22|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}} 
|Ship draft=
|Ship propulsion={{convert|82000|shp|abbr=on}}, three shafts
|Ship speed=31&nbsp;knots
|Ship range={{convert|4340|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at 11 or {{convert|12|kn|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=526
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=*10 × [[Bofors]] 150&nbsp;mm guns
*6 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|Bofors 40&nbsp;mm anti-aircraft guns]]
*8 × [[Browning Arms Company|Browning]] .50 [[machine gun]]s
|Ship armour=*{{convert|7.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} belt
*2,5 to {{convert|5|cm|in|abbr=on}} deck
*{{convert|12.5|cm|in|abbr=on}} conning tower
*{{convert|10|cm|in|abbr=on}} shields
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft= 2 [[Fokker C.XI-W]] [[floatplane]]s
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''HNLMS ''Sumatra''''' was a {{sclass|Java|cruiser|2}} of the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]]. She was launched during [[World War I]] and saw action during [[World War II]]. She was [[Scuttling|scuttle]]d off the coast of [[Normandy]] on 9 June 1944 at [[Ouistreham]] as part of a "gooseberry" pier to protect an artificial [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] [[Mulberry Harbour]] built as part of [[Operation Overlord]].

==Construction==
''Sumatra'' was built by the ''[[Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij]]'' in [[Amsterdam]]. She was [[laid down]] on 15 July 1916 and launched on 29 December 1920 by Queen [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands]].<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1920">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1920| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1920|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

The [[turbine]]s intended for the ship were destroyed by fire on 31 May 1922 at ''[[Werkspoor]]'' in Amsterdam.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1922">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1922| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1922|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

==Service history==
[[File:Kruiser Hr.Ms. Sumatra (1926-1942) (2158 011471).jpg|thumb|left|''Sumatra'' in the port of [[Funchal]], date unknown.]]
On 26 May 1926 the ship was [[Ship commissioning|commission]]ed into the Dutch Navy. Later that year, on 21 September, ''Sumatra'' left the Netherlands led by naval captain {{ill|George Lodewijk Schorer|nl}} for the [[Dutch East Indies]], sailing via [[New York City]], the [[Panama Canal]], [[San Francisco]], [[Shanghai]] and [[Nagasaki]].<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1926">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1926| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1926|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

On 19 February 1927, ''Sumatra'' was deployed to Shanghai to protect Dutch citizens and interests because of rising tension between [[Nationalist Chinese|Nationalist]]s and [[Communist Chinese|Communist]]s. On 23 March, ''Sumatra'' and foreign warship prepared for the evacuation of civilians after fighting had broken out between Nationalists and Communists. A landing party of 140 men from the ship took up position in Shanghai's business quarter. Afterwards, ''Sumatra'' returned to [[Surabaya]] in the Dutch East Indies on 12 May 1927.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1927">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1927| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1927|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

[[File:Kruiser Hr.Ms. Sumatra (1926-1942) Oplegperiode tijdens WOII in Portsrmouth, UK. Oefeningen 15 cm- geschut (2158 011547).jpg|thumb|left|Close-up view of the Bofors 15 cm/50 main guns.]]
On 18 June 1930, she was recommissioned after an extensive refit at Surabaya after a turbine was damaged. On 28 July the ship returned to Surabaya for more repairs after a fire in the boiler room during speed trials. ''Sumatra'' was towed to Surabaya by {{HNLMS|Krakatau||2}}.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1930">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1930| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1930|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

While on exercises with the destroyers [[HNLMS Van Ghent (1926)|De Ruyter]] and {{HNLMS|Evertsen|1926|2}} and five submarines ''Sumatra'' was stranded on an uncharted reef near the island of [[Kebatoe]] on 14 May 1931. Three days later, she was pulled lose by {{HNLMS|Soemba|1925|2}} and a tug. Afterwards, she was towed to Surabaya for repair until 21 September.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1931">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1931| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1931|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

From December 1933 until mid-1935, ''Sumatra'' was modernized at Surabaya. Among the improvements was the replacement of the original four 75&nbsp;mm anti-aircraft guns by six 40&nbsp;mm guns.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1933">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1933| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1933|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

On 16 November 1935, ''Sumatra'' and the destroyers {{HNLMS|Van Galen|1928|2}} and {{HNLMS|Witte de With|1928|2}} visited [[Saigon]].<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1935">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1935| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1935|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

On 23 August 1936 ''Sumatra'', her sister ship ''{{HNLMS|Java|1921|2}}'' and the destroyers ''Van Galen'', ''Witte de With'' and {{HNLMS|Piet Hein|1927|2}} were present at the fleet day held at Surabaya. Later that year, on 13 November, she and her sister ship and the destroyers ''Evertsen'', ''Witte de With'' and ''Piet Hein'' visited [[Singapore]]. Before the visit they had exercised in the Chinese Sea.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1936">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1936| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1936|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

On 8 June 1938 the ship sailed from [[Tanjung Priok]] to the Netherlands. From 8 to 17 July she performed convoy duties during the [[Spanish Civil War]] in the [[Strait of Gibraltar]]. Afterwards the ship returned to the Netherlands where she arrived on 22 July 1938 in [[Den Helder]]. Later that year on 3 September she participated in a fleet review off the coast of [[Scheveningen]] held in honor of Queen ''Wilhelmina'' who was than 40 years head of state.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1938">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1938| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1938|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref>

===World War II===
[[File:HMS Durban blockship.jpg|thumb|''Sumatra'' sunk as a blockship, June 9, 1944. [[HMS Durban (D99)|HMS ''Durban'']] is in the background, also sunk.]]
As the Netherlands were overrun by the German Army during May 1940, ''Sumatra'' left the Netherlands for England.  After having a degaussing cable installed to protect her from magnetic mines, she proceeded to Milford Haven.  Princess [[Juliana of the Netherlands]] and her daughters were taken aboard there and transported to [[Halifax, Canada]].  Afterwards she performed convoy escort duties and took part in the search for the [[German auxiliary cruiser Widder|German commerce raider ''Widder'']].

During the fall of 1940, ''Sumatra'' made her way to the Dutch East Indies where she was immediately laid up for an extensive overhaul.  This overhaul was not completed in January 1942 when [[Pacific War|the war with Japan]] began.  ''Sumatra'' was quickly recommissioned and, manned largely by midshipmen and capable of only 15 knots, she made her way to [[Ceylon]].  Later in the year she made her way to Britain where she was laid up at Portsmouth.  Problems with her propulsion made her unfit for frontline duties.<ref name="scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1940">{{cite web |url=http://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/knowledgebase/calendar%7C1940| title=scheepvaartmuseum.nl :: Maritieme kalender 1940|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref><ref name="netherlandsnavy.nl">{{cite web |url=http://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Sumatra_his.htm| title=netherlandsnavy.nl|access-date=2013-08-04}}</ref> Transferred to the Royal Navy 29 April 1944.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/index.html |title=Sumatra history |publisher=netherlandsnavy.nl |access-date=3 July 2020 }}</ref> ''Sumatra'' was scuttled off the coast of [[Normandy]] on 9 June 1944 at [[Ouistreham]], as part of a ''gooseberry'' pier to protect an artificial [[Mulberry Harbour]] built by the Allies as part of [[Operation Overlord]]. ''Sumatra‍'' 's 150&nbsp;mm guns were used to replace the guns of the {{sclass|Flores|gunboat}}s, which were worn out by extensive use.

On 14 February 1951 her wreck was auctioned with other wrecks to be scrapped.<ref name="netherlandsnavy.nl"/>

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* {{cite journal|last1=Caruana|first1=J.|year=1991 |title=Question 14/90|journal=Warship International|volume=XXVIII |issue=3 |pages=299–300 |issn=0043-0374}}

{{Java class light cruiser}}
{{1931 shipwrecks}}
{{June 1944 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sumatra}}
[[Category:Java-class cruisers]]
[[Category:1920 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1931]]
[[Category:Operation Overlord]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in June 1944]]
[[Category:Scuttled vessels]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks of France]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Ships sunk as breakwaters]]