| Navy | The Royal Dutch Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | K XIV |
| Pennant | |
| Built by | Feijenoord (Schiedam , Holland) |
| Ordered | 25 Jun 1930 |
| Laid down | 1 Jun 1931 |
| Launched | 26 Jul 1932 |
| Commissioned | 19 Dec 1933 |
| Lost | 21 Dec 1941 |
| Loss position | 3° 10'N, 104° 12'E |
| History | HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. Henri Charles Besançon, RNN) was mined and sunk off the Island of Tioman in position 03º10'N, 104º12'E on or around 21 December 1941. All 36 crewmembers went down with the ship. The wreck is found in 1978, it sits upright on the bottom at a depth of about 55 metres. It apparently struck a mine whilst travelling on the surface and sank with all hands. There is a big hole in the stern but otherwise the wreck is intact. |
Commands listed for HNMS K XVII
Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.
| Commander | From | To | ||
| 1 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Pieter Andréa Mulock van der Vlies Bik, RNN | 2 Jan 1940 | 1 Mar 1940 | |
| 2 | luitenant ter zee 2e klasse (Lt.) Adolf Hendrik Deketh, RNN | 1 Mar 1940 | 14 Feb 1941 | |
| 3 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Antonie Jacobus Bussemaker, RNN | 3 Apr 1941 | 20 Sep 1941 | |
| 4 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Henri Charles Besançon, RNN | 20 Sep 1941 | 21 Dec 1941 (+) (1) | |
You can help improve our commands section
Click here to Submit events/comments/updates for this vessel.
Please use this if you spot mistakes or want to improve this ships page.
Notable events involving K XVII include:
The page for this submarine was last updated in December 2013.
28 Nov 1941
HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) departed Surabaya together with HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN) (this is the 1st Dutch submarine division) with the orders to proceed to North-West Borneo.
1 Dec 1941
The Dutch 1st submarine division (made up of HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN) and HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN)) is put under the operation command of the British Commander-in-Chief China Station. The division is ordered to proceed to Singapore.
6 Dec 1941
The Dutch 1st submarine division (made up of HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN) and HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN)) departed Singapore to patrol off the Gulf of Siam near position 07.30N, 103.00E.
9 Dec 1941
All five Dutch submarines that are now operating under British control (1st submarine division; HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN)
and HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) and the 2nd submarine division; HrMs K XIII (Lt.Cdr. M.A.J. Derksema, RNN), HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) and HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) are ordered to form a patrol line 180° from the South point of French Indo-China.
10 Dec 1941
While still en-route to their patrol area HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN), HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN), HrMs K XIII (Lt.Cdr. M.A.J. Derksema, RNN), HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) and HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) are ordered to proceed towards the East coast of Malaya after they had reached their patrol position.
As K XVII did not return from patrol it is not known when she reached her patrol position.
13 Dec 1941
HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN), HrMs K XIII (Lt.Cdr. M.A.J. Derksema, RNN), HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) and HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) are ordered to form a patrol line to the North-West of Mankai Island (Anambas Islands).
K XVII was ordered to take up a patrol position 310°, Mankai Island light, 80 nautical miles.
14 Dec 1941
HrMs K XII (Lt.Cdr. H.C.J. Coumou, RNN(R)) that is en-route to Singapore (Having missed a signal to form the patrol line to the North-East of Mankai Island), meets HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) shortly after noon. K XVII informed them about a signal K XII had missed and that she had to take up a patrol position 310°, Pulau Mankai, 20 nautical miles. The position of the encounter was near to the position K XVII had to take up in the patrol line.
The crew of K XII were the last to see K XVII as she failed to arrive at Singapore on 21 December.
15 Dec 1941
The patrol line was ordered to proceed towards the coast of Malaya on a course of 270 degrees.
16 Dec 1941
HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) and HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) are ordered to patrol off the mouth of the Pahang river.
17 Dec 1941
HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) and HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) are ordered to patrol off the mouth of the Endau river.
19 Dec 1941
HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, RNN) and HrMs K XI (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Deketh, RNN) are ordered to return to Singapore.