Last survivor of a class of three coastal defence ships. In 1904, the ship was the first to be equipped with wireless communication. The ship was laid up for scrapping in early 1940, after having served several weeks in December 1939 as floating battery off Vlieland. At that time, she was known as Batterijschip Vliereede.
Hertog Hendrik after conversion into floating AA-battery
Construction details
Name
Hertog Hendrik
Dockyard
Rijkswerf, Amsterdam
Laid down
October 13, 1900
Launched
June 7, 1902
Commissioned
January 5, 1904
Pennants
HW-4A-888
Status
Captured on May 14 1940 as a floating hulk. Attacked and sunk by RAF aircraft on June 21 and 22 1940. Salved October 1940 and converted between 1941 and 1943 to a floating AA-battery at Antwerpen and renamed Ariadne. Recovered in Wilhelmshafen and returned. Converted to accommodation ship at the Wilton Feijenoord yard in Rotterdam. Recommissioned on October 21 1947 under her old name Hertog Hendrik.Decommissioned September 27 1968.Stricken August 28 1969.
Specifications
As completed*
After conversion for German service
Displacement
4371 tons standard
Crew
437
Dimensions
96,6 x 15,2 x 5,7 m.
Main armament
2 x 240 mm Krupp No.1 (2x1)4 x 150 mm Krupp No.4 (4x1)8 x 75 mm No.3 (8x1)2 x 75 mm A 2 mortars of 75 mm4 x 37 mm (4x1)
8 x 105 mm SK C/324 x 40 mm16 x 20 mm
Torpedo armament
1 stern TT of 45 cm with 2 type XIIa torpedoes2 TT (starboard and port) of 45 cm with four type XIIb torpedoes
-
Fire control
1 Würzberg radar2 optical range finders
* During her career, her armament was modified a few times. One 240 mm gun was removed in 1926, to create space for cadets. Later, six of the 75 mm guns were removed, and two 40 mm guns were added.
Armour details
Belt
100-150 mm
Lower deck
120 mm
Bulkheads
150 mm
Conning tower
250 mm
Main deck
50 mm
Turrets
100 mm
Barbettes
250 mm
Propulsion details
Boilers
6 Yarrow
Machinery
2 vertical triple expansion engines
Performance
6282 ihp on trials
Shafts
2
Bunkerage
830 tons coal
Range
4100 miles @ 9.25 knots
Speed
16 knots
Hertog Hendrik had her engines removed and had to be towed to the locations she was assigned to protect.
Photos
Postcard of Hertog Hendrik visiting Mah�n (Spain) on February 6, 1929 (Collection webmaster)
