© 2007-2010 Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall
Revision 5
5 January 1928:
A ship building contract is signed between the Mij Fijenoord shipyard of Schiedam (near Rotterdam) and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). The new ship's main assignment will be to serve as an anti-smuggling “opium-jager” (opium interdiction) vessel in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI).
5 July 1928:
The keel is laid down.
21 May 1929:
Launched.
18 November 1929:
The ship is commissioned in the RNN and named AREND (Eagle). At first, the ship is laid up for about two months.
16 January 1930:
Completed at the renamed Wilton-Fijenoord shipyard.
16 January 1930:
AREND sets sail at Nieuwediep for the Dutch West Indies. Her first CO is LtCdr Willem van den Donker.
22 January 1930:
Arrives at La Luz, Las Palmas.
27 January 1930:
Departs La Luz.
6 February 1930:
Arrives at Port of Spain,Trinidad.
10 February 1930:
Departs Port of Spain.
12 February 1930:
Arrives at Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles.
7 September 1930:
Santo Domingo is struck by a hurricane. AREND leaves Curaçao to render assistance.
9 September 1930:
Arrives at Santo Domingo.
18 September 1930:
Departs Santo Domingo.
19 September 1930:
Arrives at Curaçao.
9 July 1931:
Departs Curaçao.
12 July 1931:
Arrives at San Juan, Puerto Rico.
14 July 1931:
Departs San Juan.
25 July 1931:
Arrives at Ponta Delgada.
28 July 1931:
Departs Ponta Delgada.
4 August:
Arrives at Hoek van Holland. Later in August, she moves to Nieuwediep.
1931:
At an unknown date, Captain van den Donker is succeeded by an unknown CO.
1 April 1935:
J. H. Solkesz assumes command.[1]
10 April 1935:
Departs Nieuwediep for the NEI.
18 April 1935:
Arrives at Algiers, French Algeria.
23 April 1935:
Departs Algiers.
29 April 1935:
Arrives at Port Said, Egypt.
30 April 1935:
Departs Port Said.
30 April 1935:
Arrives at Suez.
2 May 1935:
Departs Suez.
8 May 1935:
Arrives at Aden, Yemen.
9 May 1935:
Departs Aden.
22 May 1935:
Arrives at Sabang, Sumatra and a few days later at Batavia (now Jakarta).
13 June 1935:
AREND is transferred to the Goevernementsmarine (GM). Captain J. H. Solkesz is succeeded by an unknown CO.
February 1937:
AREND is placed at the disposal of the RNN.
17 March 1937:
AREND and Hr.Ms. SOEMBA are assigned as guard vessels in the eastern part of the Archipelago. AREND carries a ‘scouting detachment’ led by KLTZ J. C. A. Scholte and consisting of two wireless operators, a scribe and a medic. For this operation she also carries a floatplane, flown by Off. Vl. 2 F. J. Wissel. During one of the scouting flights over the central mountains of Western New Guinea, Wissel discovers three formerly unknown lakes Paniai, Tage and Tigi, now known as the “Wisselmeren” (Wissel lakes).
24 August 1939:
Following the ever-rising tension in Europe, the Dutch Army in the Netherlands starts its pre-mobilization. In the NEI there is no mobilization, but surveillance is tightened.
1 September 1939: World War II Begins:
AREND is ready for trials, during which she makes 18 knots. Following the mobilization in the Netherlands, Governor-General Alidius W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer decides to militarize some ships of the Gouvernementsmarine and they become part of the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN). The patrol boats are put under the RNN's East Indies Squadron. [2]
8 September 1939:
Patrol boat AREND is converted and assigned to the MLD as a seaplane tender. She is also equipped with a utility Fokker floatplane. [3]
25 September 1939:
The CO GM is notified that AREND, FAZANT, MEREL, BELLATRIX, VALK, GEMMA, CASTOR, SIRIUS, REIGER, ZUIDERKRUIS, RIGEL and TYDEMAN are the only GM ships to receive orders from military authorities. AREND becomes Hr.Ms. AREND.
October 1939:
AREND and five other converted seaplane tender are stationed at Ambon, Moluccas.
10 May 1940: The German invasion of the Netherlands.
Of 19 German merchant ships in the NEI, 18 are captured after a PTT telegraph operator withholds a 9 May coded telegram directed at the ships’ captains; only SS SOPHIE RICKMERS is sunk by her crew.
22 May 1941:
Off Dutch New Guinea. AREND stops and boards Japanese merchant ASAHI MARU, but finds no contraband and releases the ship.
December 1941:
Halong Naval Air Staion, Ambon. AREND is stationed with Dutch Naval Air Group (NAG) GVT-17 comprised of four Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina" flying boats.
8 December 1941:
Sorong, West Dutch New Guinea. Stationed with NAG GVT-2 comprised of three Dornier Do-24K flying boats.
16 December 1941:
AREND arrives with a cargo of gasoline for GVT-2. At about 1030, she is attacked by a Kawanishi H6K5 type 97 "Mavis" flying boat, but it does not score any hits. Two Dorniers X-12 and X-25 take off and try to intercept the faster Mavis, but fail.
17 December 1941:
At 0950, the Kawanishi attacks again. Three bombs explode behind Do-24K flying boat X-11 that is taking off. Dorniers X-12 and X-25, already airborne, try to intercept the Mavis, but fail again.
27 February 1942:
Tandjong Priok (near Batavia), Java. AREND is damaged heavily in an air raid.
1 March 1942:
Tandjong Priok. AREND is scuttled by her crew to prevent her capture and use by the Japanese.
8 March 1942:
Bandung. Governor General Alidius W. L. Tjarda van Starkenborgh-Stachouwer surrenders the Dutch East Indies to the Japanese.
April 1943:
Tanjong Priok. AREND is refloated and towed to Surabaya.
29 January 1944:
Surabaya. Undergoes extensive modifications and repairs by the IJN's No. 102 Repair Station. The original boilers are replaced by two Kampon RO type oil-firing boilers.
29 February 1944:
The ship is launched by the Japanese.
31 July 1944:
Registered in the IJN. Attached to the Maizuru Naval District. Reclassified as a patrol boat and numbered PB-108. Assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet's 22nd Special Base Force at Balikpapan, Borneo.
12 October 1944:
Repairs are completed. Lt Yamada Mitsuru is appointed CO.
Late November to 3 December 1944:
Drydocked at No. 1 Floating Dock in Surabaya.
4 December 1944:
Embarks provisions and ammunition. During subsequent trials, the engineering plant breaks down.
18 December 1944:
At 1200, departs Surabaya with PB-36 escorting KUMAGAWA MARU.
19 December 1944:
Detached from convoy.
20 December 1944:
At 1415, arrives back at Surabaya.
9 January 1945:
Departs Surabaya for three-day engine trials.
14 January 1945:
Departs Surabaya in convoy consisting of DAI, SHOYU, KAKO, ANAN, HOSEI, EBISU, NITTEI MARUs, SANKO MARU No. 11 and likely NANMEI MARU No. 2 (shown as NANMEI MARU) escorted by PB 108, auxiliary minesweeper WA- 103, and auxiliary subchaser CHa-106.
17 January 1945:
At 1350, subchaser CH-56 joins the convoy. At 2300, NITTEI MARU is detached for Bandjermasin.
18 January 1945:
At 1430, arrives at Dato Island. At 2330, PB 36 joins convoy.
19 January 1945:
At 0600, departs Dato Island.
20 January 1945:
At 0800, auxiliary minesweeper WA-3 joins the convoy.
21 January 1945:
At 1740, arrives at Macassar.
22 January 1945:
An order is issued to fit armor plates to PB-108’s bridge and engine room sides. Additional splinter protection is provided by sandbags and hammock "mantlets".
At 2200, ANAN MARU and tanker HOSEI MARU only departs Macassar escorted by PB 36 and PB 108.
23 January 1945:
At 2210 auxiliary minesweeper SHONAN MARU No. 2 joins the convoy.
26 January 1945:
At 0910, arrives at Balikpapan.
28 January 1945:
At 0700, departs Balikpapan.
29 January 1945:
At 2230, arrives at Tarakan.
30 January 1945:
At 0030, departs Tarakan. At 1700, arrives at Balikpapan.
3 February 1945:
At 1830 departs Balikpapan with submarine chaser CH 5, patrol boat PB 36.
5 February 1945:
At 0830 minesweeper W-12, joins with the second group (PB-108 and CH-5). At 1804 PB-36 runs aground. At 2255, PB-36 detaches. Continues as the first group with CH-5. At 2340, arrives at Tawi Tawi Island.
6 February 1945:
At 0430, departs Tawi Tawi.
8 February 1945:
At 1000 arrives at Balikpapan.
11 February 1945:
At 1300 departs Balikpapan.
12 February 1945:
At 1840, arrives at Bandjermasin.
14 February 1945:
At 0600, PB-108 departs Bandjermasin, Borneo with minesweeper W-12 escorting convoy BASU-12 consisting of DAI, OTOME, KOMPIRA, HEIYO, NITTEI, TOKUYAMA and NANSHO MARUs and kotsusen (shuttleboat) No's 312, 401, 402, 408 and 409. Soon after departure, kotsusen No. 408 breaks down and is towed back to Bandjermasin by No. 409.
15 February 1945:
At 2020, arrives at the eastern mouth of Surabaya harbor that has been freshly swept of mines and anchors.
16 February 1945:
At 0800, departs and at 1100 arrives back at Surabaya.
23 February 1945:
PB-108 departs Surabaya escorting an unnumbered convoy consisting of HINOKI and TOKUYAMA MARUs and kotsusen No. 5.
26 February 1945:
At 0700, kotsusen No. 5 is detached for Kotabaru, Malaya.
27 February 1945:
At 1600, arrives at Balikpapan.
2 March 1945:
At 1430, departs Balikpapan with PB-2.
3 March 1945:
At 2130, arrives at Tarakan.
4 March 1945:
At 0030, departs Tarakan.
5 March 1945:
At 0800, arrives at Balikpapan.
12 March 1945:
At 1300, departs Balikpapan.
13 March 1945:
At 1830, arrives at Bandjermasin.
14 March 1945:
At 1700, PB-108 departs Bandjermasin escorting the "NANSHIN MARU No. 22" convoy consisting of tankers NANSHIN MARU No. 22 and YAEI MARU No. 2.
17 March 1945:
At 1600, off (unidentified) Cape "Siamo"auxiliary submarine chaser CHa-41 joins convoy.
19 March 1945:
At 2100, arrives at Balikpapan.
22 March, 1945:
At 1000 departs Balikpapan.
23 March 1945:
At 1800, arrives at Bandjermasin.
25 March 1945:
Departs Bandjermasin for Makassar, Celebes (now Sulawesi).
26 March 1945:
Arrives at Makassar.
27 March 1945:
Departs Makassar for Pomala, Celebes to embark personnel and spares of Gohoku (Haobei) NAG for a supply run to Surabaya.
28 March 1945:
At 1630, arrives at Pomala and immediately starts embarking cargo. Departs Pomala at 1730.
Off Maniang Island, Celebes. After 1814, PB-108 is attacked by seven 13th Air Force B-24 “Liberator” heavy bombers and sunk after five hits at 04-14S, 121-28E. 69 sailors are KIA and 9 wounded.
10 May 1945:
Removed from the Navy List.
Authors' Notes:
[1] The ranks of some of AREND's early COs are unknown at this time.
[2] The Dutch civil navy, tasked with transport of government goods, charting sealanes and countering piracy, became a part of the RNN as the GGM (Gemilitairiseerde Gouvernementsmarine - Militarised Government Navy Force).
[3] MLD=Marine Luchtvaart Dienst (Naval Service)
Special thanks go to Mr. Aldert Gritter ("Admiral Gurita") of the Netherlands for his assistance. We are also indebted to Ms. Anita M. C. van Dissel of the Dutch Institute for Military History (Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie) for her assistance.
Photo credit goes to Jan Klootwijk of the Netherlands via Tom Womack's "The Dutch Naval Force Against Japan: The Defense of the Netherlands East Indies, 1941-1942."
-Bob Hackett, Sander Kingsepp and Peter Cundall.
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