| Navy | The Royal Dutch Navy |
| Type | Submarine |
| Class | O 16 |
| Pennant | |
| Built by | Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde (Vlissingen (Flushing), The Netherlands) |
| Ordered | |
| Laid down | 28 Dec 1933 |
| Launched | 27 Jan 1936 |
| Commissioned | 26 Oct 1936 |
| Lost | 15 Dec 1941 |
| Loss position | 3° 10'N, 104° 19'E |
| History | Around 0330 hrs (timezone -7.5) on 15 December 1941 HrMs O 16 (Lt. 1e Klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Antoine Jacobus Bussemaker, RNN) hit a mine off Tioman island in postion 03º10'N, 104º19'E. 41 men were lost which includes the Commanding officer. There was only one survivor who reached and Island after being in the water for about 35 hours. |
Commands listed for HNMS O 16
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 2e klasse (Lt.) Louis Jan Jarman, RNN | 29 Jul 1939 | 9 Nov 1940 | |
| 2 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Antonie Jacobus Bussemaker, RNN | 9 Nov 1940 | 3 Apr 41 ? | |
| 3 | luitenant ter zee 1e klasse (Lt.Cdr.) Antonie Jacobus Bussemaker, RNN | 20 Sep 1941 | 15 Dec 1941 (+) | |
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Notable events involving O 16 include:
28 Nov 1941
HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN) departed Surabaya together with HrMs K XVII (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Besançon, 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 O 16 did not return from patrol and there is no official patrol report it is not known when she reached her patrol position.
According to the sole survivor of O 16 she attacked a Japanese transport ship with three torpedoes (maybe in more than one attack) during the night of 10 / 11 December 1941.
12 Dec 1941
In the evening of 12 December 1941, now off Patani, Siam, HrMs O 16 (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Bussemaker, RNN) torpedoed and sank three Japanese transport ships, Tosan Maru (8666 GRT, built 1938), Kinka Maru (9305 GRT, built 1938) and Asosan Maru (8812 GRT, built 1934). These ships were sunk in shallow water and were later raised and repaired. After these attacks O 16 set course towards Singapore.
(It is possible a 4th ship was either sunk or damaged).