Carel Adrianus Johannes van Well Groeneveld DSO, RNN
| Born | 12 May 1906 | Meester Cornelis (Batavia, Netherlands East Indies) | |
| Died | 4 Mar 1942 | (35) | Soerabaja (Netherlands East Indies) |
 | Ranks
Decorations
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Warship Commands listed for Carel Adrianus Johannes van Well Groeneveld, RNN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HNMS K XVIII | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) | Submarine | 21 Aug 1939 | 2 Dec 1941 (1) |
| HNMS K XIV (N 22) | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) | Submarine | 15 Dec 1941 | 4 Jan 1942 |
| HNMS K XVIII | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) | Submarine | 4 Jan 1942 | 2 Mar 1942 (1) |
Career information
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Events related to this officer
Submarine HNMS K XIV (N 22)
15 Dec 1941
HrMs K XIV (Lt.Cdr. P.A. Mulock van der Vlies Bik, RNN) ended her 1st war patrol at Surabaya. The Commanding Officer was sick and was replaced by Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN as his own boat was still refitting. Also fuel and provisions were taken on board and small defects were made good.
She departed Surabaya later the same day for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.
23 Dec 1941
In the morning a Dutch scout plane had spotted a Japanese convoy about 150 nautical miles to the North of Kuching, Borneo. HrMs K XIV (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) was then guided to this convoy by the aircraft.
In the evening K XIV attacked the transport ships, that were now at anchor off Kuching, in multiple attacks expending all her torpedoes and torpedo reloads. Four ships were hit Hie Maru (4943 GRT, built 1941, offsite link), Katori Maru (10513 GRT, built 1913), Hokkai Maru (8416 GRT, built 1933), Tonan Maru No.3 (19210 GRT, built 1938). The last ship was damaged. The other three were sunk (although Hokkai Maru was salvaged in September 1942 and repaired). A torpedo had also been fired against a destroyer but this missed its target. During the attack a destroyer dropped two depth charges near to K XIV but she was not damaged.
Out of torpedoes K XIV then set course to return to Surabaya.
27 Dec 1941
HrMs K XIV (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) ended her 2nd war patrol at Surabaya. It seems likely that K XIV was docked at Surabaya for repairs as she had touched ground during the attacks on the Japanese convoy on the 23th.
Submarine HNMS K XVIII ()
4 Jan 1942
HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) ended a refit at Surabaya. She then commenced a period of trials and training.
14 Jan 1942
HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) departed Surabaya for a deep dive test in Madura Strait and full power speed trials.
16 Jan 1942
After succesful trials HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) is ordered to return to Surabaya and then to proceed to Makassar Strait. As K XVIII has departed Surabaya two days before with stores and fuel for 14 days her Commanding Officer decided to proceed to Makassar Stait at once making this her 1st war patrol.
17 Jan 1942
In the afternoon HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) arrived in her patrol area off Balikpapan.
21 Jan 1942
HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) sank the Balikpapan light vessel with gunfire so that it could not act as a beacon to the expected Japanese landing force.
23 Jan 1942 (position -1.20, 117.01)
Late in the evening HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) attacked the Japanese landing force off Balikpapan. In all four torpedoes were fired and the Japanese transport Tsuruga Maru (7289 GRT, built 1916) was sunk during this attack in position 01°20'S, 117°01'E.
The Japanese light cruiser Naka (offsite link) was missed during this attack.
K XVIII then retired from the scene.
24 Jan 1942
In the early moring HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) closed the Japanese landing force again. She fired a torpedo at what was thought to be a cruiser of minelayer but in fact was the Japanese the Japanese submarine chaser Ch-12 (offsite link). The torpedo ran under the submarine chaser that then started a counter attack with depth charges which caused major damage to K XVIII.
K XVIII was bottomed and repairs were carried out. She surfaced during the evening and managed to sneak out of the area and set course to Surabaya. The electric motors were both damaged and could not be used. K XVIII was able to dive but could not be propelled under water.
27 Jan 1942
HrMs K XVIII (Lt.Cdr. C.A.J. van Well Groeneveld, RNN) ended her 1st war patrol at Surabaya. It was estimated that repairs would take about 2 months.
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