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Saturday 10 September 2011

Dutch ironclad Hr.Ms. Marten Harpertsz Tromp 1903-1933

Computer line drawing by Alexander van Maanen, 2010

Text by Ron van Maanen

Often referred to as just Tromp. She was laid down at the navy yard at Amsterdam, Netherlands 2 May 1903, launched 15 June 1904, trial 17 November 1905 and commissioned 5 April 1906.


The two triple expansion engines and boilers were built at the yard Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde at Flushing, Netherlands. They provided 6.405 ihp driving two screws allowing a speed of 16,66 miles. Her crew numbered 345 men. The armament consisted of 2-24cm guns, 4-15cm guns, 8-7.5cm guns, 4-3.7cm guns, one submerged torpedo tube and two submerged torpedo guns. The armour consisted of a 100-150mm belt, 200mm gun turrets, 50mm deck and a 200mm conning tower. Costs for first fitting out for sea duty were ƒ 4.700.000,00. According to the annual budget account for 1910 was she repaired in the period 5 March-17 October and laid up still being in service. Total costs for that year amounted ƒ 365.919,37 for the hull and ƒ 138.773,63½ for (consumption) articles. According to Vermeulen was she decommissioned in the period 5 March-18 October.

She was commissioned 18 October 1910 and departed towards the Dutch East Indies. She departed 4 August 1916 Surabaya towards the Netherlands via Japan, San Francisco and New York. She arrived 2 December at the Nieuwediep (Den Helder). Just after her arrival at the Nieuwediep was she visited by the Dutch queen Wilhelmina. In the Dutch magazine De Prins dated 15 December 1917 page 276 was a photo of this visit published.


After some voyages for instance again towards the Dutch East Indies was she decommissioned 2 May 1927, stricken 1932 and leaving 6 December 1933 Den Helder towards Pernis to be broken up. Part of her armour was used to strengthen in 1933 the fortress Kijk Uit at Den Helder.