HNLMS K X

HNLMS K X was one of the three K VIII-class submarines of the Royal Netherlands Navy, built to serve as a patrol vessel in the Dutch colonies.

Ship history
The submarine was ordered from the Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde shipyard at Vlissingen on 27 June 1917, but not laid down until 1 November 1919, and finally launched on 2 May 1923. Commissioned on 24 September 1923, she sailed alone to the Dutch East Indies in late 1924.

World War II
In February and March 1941 K X, HNLMS K VIII and HNLMS K XIX patrolled the Sunda Strait while based at Tanjung Priok, while the GERMAN CRUISER Admiral Scheer was sinking Allied merchant shipping in the Indian Ocean.

After repairs at Surabaya K X returned to service on 8 December 1941 for local defense duties following the start of the war with Japan. On 25 December 1941 K X sailed to the Celebes Sea following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.

On 8 January 1942 K X arrived at Tarakan in Borneo for repairs, just days before the Japanese invasion. K X slipped out of port on 10 January and after dark observed a large fleet of Japanese ships at anchor off the coast. While attempting to position herself for a torpedo attack the submarine was spotted by an enemy destroyer and was forced to submerge. Short on battery power and with faulty steering gear and only one diesel engine operating the submarine returned to Surabaya for repairs.

K X returned to duty on 24 February to patrol off Surabaya. During the Japanese invasion of Java she was damaged by depth charges and forced to return to port. On 2 March 1942 K X was scuttled at Surabaya to avoid being captured by the Japanese. K X was raised by the Japanese during the war and used as a floating oil hulk. Recovered by the Dutch after the war, she was scrapped at Surabaya in 1946.

Crewmen from K X, HNLMS K IX and HNLMS K XII were sent back to England to crew the submarine Haai, then under construction as HMS Varne (P66), but their unescorted passenger ship MV Abosso was sunk by the German U-boat GS U-575 north of the Azores on 29 October 1942, and only four of the 34 Dutch Navy men aboard survived.