K II submerging. Date and place unknown. (Photo: © Collection G.D. Horneman).

 

1915

20 Nov 1915: K II is laid down at the Fijenoord shipyard in Rotterdam

1919

27 Feb 1919: K II is launched.

1920

1920: Future K II commander is temporarily stationed in Rotterdam for the trials of the K VI and overseeing the completion/preparation of the K II.

1921

1 June - 11 July 1921: is temporarily stationed in Vlissingen for the trials, and the the following completion, of the K II.

1922

28 Mar 1922: K II is commissioned to the Royal Netherlands Navy.

28 Mar 1922 - ? Jan/Feb 1924: K II is under the command of Ltz. I  .

1923

18 Sep - 24 Dec 1923: K II travels to the to the Netherlands East Indies accompanied by the submarine tender Pelikaan, K VII and K VIII.

Prof. Dr. Ir. F.A. Vening Meinesz is on board the K II until Colombo in order to conduct gravity measurements. For more information about gravity measurements and the Professor's submarine voyages read the book .

The group is under the command of  Kapt.ltz. E. M. Wissmann and prior to departure from Den Helder the group is inspected by Sbn. C. Fock.

Pelikaan, K II and K VII depart from Den Helder (18 Sep, around 11:30 hrs) and they anchor off Den Helder. Check out the 'Official' Crew photos page for a crew photo taken prior to the departure. They continue their voyage around 12:30 hrs and head for Gibraltar. K VIII departs from Rotterdam. Other sources report the K VIII departs from Vlissingen and joins the group on the North Sea  The boats travel via Gibraltar, Tunis, Alexandria, the Suez Canal, Aden, Colombo and Sabang. In the N.E.I. they form the Pelikaan division. 

22 Sep 1923 at +/- 10:00 hrs: While in the Bay of Biscay the group has to make an 2 hr stop to give K VIII time for repairs.

24 Sep 1923: The weather has calmed down and a sloop from the Pelikaan, carrying fresh bread, comes alongside the submarines.

Between 15:30 and 17:00 hrs the K II submerges for exercises with other vessels.

25 Sep 1923: In the deep (100 - 300 meters) waters off Cape Rocca K II (and possibly the other submarines as well) conducts several dive exercises. At the end of the day they set course to Gibraltar.

28 Sep1923 at +/- 01:00 hrs: The group arrives in Gibraltar.

3 Oct - 7 Oct 1923: The group departs from Gibraltar and heads for Tunis.

11 Oct - 18 Oct 1923: The group departs from Tunis and heads for Alexandria. The initial time of departure is 01:00 hrs. But this has to be postponed because the Pelikaan has engine problems. When the Pelikaan is finally ready to set sail her anchor winches fail as well. The other vessels now do leave port but wait for the Pelikaan to join them, which eventually happens around 19:00 hrs.

But half up the channel the helmsman makes a mistake and the Pelikaan runs aground.

12 Oct 1923: K II tries to pull the Pelikaan free. Although the cable is as thick as an upper arm and brand new it still brakes.

12 or 13 Oct 1923: The other vessels of the group take over 80000 tons of fuel from Pelikaan and finally a French tugboat pulls her free.

While transiting to Alexandria the K II submerges a couple of hours each day. K II makes these frequent dives in order to take gravity measurements.

16 Oct 1923 at +/- 16:00 hrs: A sloop from the Pelikaan brings another load of fresh bread.

18 Oct 1923: The group arrives in Alexandria.

25 Oct - 6 Nov 1923: The groups sails from Alexandria to Aden (Yemen).

25 Oct 1923 at +/- 10:00 hrs: The group departs from Alexandria.

26 Oct 1923 at 11:00 hrs: The group arrives in Port Said (Suez Canal).

In the Red Sea the temperature in K II's engine room rises to 100ºF, after submerging the temperature rises to 115-130ºF.

13 Nov - 27 Nov 1923: The groups sails from Aden to Colombo (Ceylon).

During this transit K II submerges about 6 times. While submerged they use the ijsmachine (ice machine) to cool down the air in the boat.

Because the Pelikaan had numerous engine failures the group arrives in Colombo three days late.

Several officers visit the graves of the K IV sailors that were killed in an accident in 1921.

5 Dec - 11 Dec 1923: The group sails from Colombo (Ceylon) to Sabang (Dutch East Indies)

17 Dec- 24 Dec 1923: The ships sail from Sabang to Tandjong Priok (Batavia/Jakarta, Dutch East Indies).

Dec 1923 / Jan 1924 - July 1925

? - ?: K II is under the command of Ltz. II  .

? - ?: K II is under the command of Ltz. I  .

? - ?: K II is under the command of Ltz. II  .

1925

15 July 1925 - ?: K II is under the command of ?

1926

25 Mar 1926: K II, K VII, K VIII and K IX sail together from Tarakan to Manila (Philippines) and back.

K II (front) and K VII in Manila, 1926. More pictures of this series can be seen at the K VII,   K VIII and K IX page. (Photo: © E.G. Tall EM2(SS), collection D.E. Tall ET1(SS))

1927

? - 19 May 1927: K II is under the command of ?

19 May 1927 - 1928: K II is under the command of ?

1929

1 June 1929 - 1 Aug 1930: K II is under the command of Ltz. I  .

1930

According to his files he also commanded the K II, unfortunately the dates of this command are not in his files. But is was probably some time in 1930-31.

1931

1 Feb - 19 Dec 1931: K II is under the command of ?

19 Dec 1931 - 23 Jan 1932: K II is under the command of Ltz. I  .

1932

23 Jan 1932 - 2 Feb 1933: K II is under the command of Ltz. II  .

1933

20 Feb - 22 Mar 1933: K II is under the command of Ltz. II  .

1937

Aug 1937: K II is decommissioned.

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