View source for HNLMS De Ruyter (1935)

{{Short description|Dutch light cruiser (1935–1942)}}{{good article}}
{{other ships|HNLMS De Ruyter}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = File:Hr.Ms. De Ruyter (1936-1942) (2158 007556).jpg
| Ship caption = HNLMS ''De Ruyter''
| image alt = A black-and-white photograph of the cruiser in a calm sea, seen from the bow. Her entire profile is visible, which includes a tall, dominant tower, a large turret on the deck, a smaller turret superimposed near the bridge, and a funnel releasing smoke. 
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = 
| Builders = [[Wilton-Fijenoord]]
| Operators = 
| Class before = {{sclass|Java|cruiser|4}}
| Class after = {{sclass|De Zeven Provinciën|cruiser|4}}
| Total ships planned = 1
| Total ships completed = 1
| Total ships lost = 1
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Hide header = 
| Ship country = Netherlands
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|Netherlands}}
| Ship name = ''De Ruyter''
| Ship namesake = [[Michiel de Ruyter]]
| Ship ordered = 1 August 1932
| Ship builder = 
| Ship laid down = 16 September 1933
| Ship launched = 11 May 1936
| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 3 October 1936
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 
| Ship struck = 
| Ship honors = 
| Ship fate = Torpedoed, [[Battle of Java Sea]]
| Ship motto = 
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship captured = 
| Ship notes = 
| Ship badge = 
| Ship completed = 3 October 1936
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Light cruiser]]
| Class after = 
| Ship displacement = 
 {{convert|7,822|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}
| Ship length = {{Convert|170.8|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{Convert|15.6|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{Convert|4.9|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship power = *{{convert|68,000|shp|lk=on|abbr=off}} normal
*{{convert|77,000|shp|lk=on|abbr=off}} overload
| Ship propulsion = * 6 × boilers
*3 × [[steam turbine]]s
* 2 × shafts
| Ship speed = *{{convert|32-33|kn|km/h mph|lk=in|abbr=on}} normal load in deep ocean
*{{convert|33.5|kn|km/h mph|lk=in|abbr=on}} maximum under normal load in deep ocean
| Ship range = {{convert|6800|nmi|km mi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on}}<ref name=":8" />
| Ship capacity = 
| Ship complement = 435<ref name=":8" />
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship armament = 
*7 × {{convert|150|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} guns
* 10 × [[Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60|{{convert|40|mm|in|2|abbr=on}} Bofors]] [[Anti-aircraft warfare|anti-aircraft guns]]
* 8 × {{convert|12.7|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} [[machine gun]]s<ref name=":8" />
| Ship armor = *[[Belt armour|Belt]]: 30–50&nbsp;mm (1–2&nbsp;in)
*[[Gun turret|Turrets]]: 30–50 mm (1–2 in)
*[[Deck (ship)|Deck]]: 33&nbsp;mm (1&nbsp;in)
*[[Conning tower]]: 30&nbsp;mm (1&nbsp;in)
| Ship aircraft = 2 × [[Fokker C-11|Fokker C-11W]] [[floatplane]]s
| Ship aircraft facilities = 1 × [[Aircraft catapult|catapult]]
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

'''HNLMS'' De Ruyter''''' was a unique [[light cruiser]] of the [[Royal Netherlands Navy]]. Intended to reinforce the older [[Java-class cruiser|''Java''-class cruisers]] in the [[Dutch East Indies]], her design and construction were limited by the [[Great Depression]]. Laid down in 1933 and commissioned in 1936, she spent the first part of her career patrolling nearby waters prior to the Dutch declaration of war on Japan. During the [[Dutch East Indies campaign]], she became the flagship of the [[American-British-Dutch-Australian Command]] Combined Strike Fleet. For the first several months of war, she led Allied warships in unsuccessful attempts to intercept Japanese invasions and withstood multiple air attacks. During the [[Battle of the Java Sea]], the cruiser was ambushed by a night-time torpedo attack by [[Japanese cruiser Haguro|''Haguro'']] and sunk with most of her crew. Her wreck was later illegally salvaged for metal in the 2010s, which destroyed most of the ship.

== Development ==
During the [[Interwar period]], the [[Royal Netherlands Navy|Dutch Navy]] was split between defending the [[Netherlands]] and the [[Dutch East Indies]], particularly the island of [[Java]]. While the European fleet focused around [[Minelayer|minelaying]], the flotilla in Asia relied on a combination of [[aircraft]], [[destroyer]]s, and [[submarine]]s to identify and destroy an invading force near the coastline. [[Cruiser]]s were vital in this doctrine, as they had the capability to sail out to sea and attack enemy convoys outside the [[Indonesian archipelago]] and serve as powerful [[Escort ship|escorts]] for Allied vessels.<ref name=":52">{{Cite book |last=van Oosten |first=F. C. |title=Warship Profile 40: Her Netherlands Majesty's Ship De Ruyter |date=1 January 1974 |publisher=Profile Publications |isbn=9780853830627 }}</ref>{{Rp|pages=73–74}}

By 1927, the [[Great Depression in the Netherlands|Great Depression]] had sapped the budget and strength of the [[Dutch military]]. Recognizing the need for post-depression rebuilding, the Navy proposed the ''Vlootplan Deckers'' ([[Laurent Deckers|Deckers]] Fleet Plan) in 1930 to expand the East Indies fleet to a satisfactory size. The plan called for a force of three cruisers. While two [[Java-class cruiser|''Java''-class cruisers]] were already in service, regular maintenance meant both could not always be available for combat. To ensure two cruisers could be operational simultaneously, the plan called for the construction of a new cruiser to join the ''Java'' class in the East Indies.<ref name=":52"/>{{Rp|pages=73–74}}<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Noppen |first=Ryan K. |title=The Royal Netherlands Navy of World War II |date=2020 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing Plc |others=Paul Wright |isbn=978-1-4728-4191-9 |edition=1st |series=New Vanguard Series |location=London}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=16–17|page=14}} Three ''Java'' cruisers were initially planned, however the third, ''Celebes''{{En dash}}intended as the flagship for the East Indies Fleet{{En dash}}was cancelled in 1919, which required a replacement.<ref name=":8" />{{Rp|page=190,192}}

=== Budgetary constraints ===
The [[Economy of the Netherlands|Dutch economy]] was recovering when design work on the new cruiser began, which limited how much the ''[[House of Representatives (Netherlands)|Tweede Kamer]]'' was willing to budget. The ship's design was based on the earlier ''Java'' class and replicated many of its features, including similar [[Belt armor|armor protection]], range, and the caliber of the main guns. However, budgetary constraints required a lighter hull than the ''Javas'', restricting the main battery to just three twin {{Convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} turrets. This reduction in firepower drew considerable criticism. Some advocated for a fourth turret, the addition of [[torpedo tube]]s, or argued the funds would be better spent on aircraft or [[submarine]]s.<ref name=":52"/>{{Rp|pages=75}}<ref name=":02"/>{{Rp|pages=|page=10, 20}}

Further objections emerged through a Navy-sponsored essay contest, in which several winning entries proposed building a [[treaty cruiser]] armed with {{cvt|8|in|cm|order=flip}} guns and displacing {{convert|8,500|LT|t|0|abbr=on}}. However, the proposal was rejected in 1930, as it would have nearly doubled the projected cost. Some of the criticisms were addressed through political maneuvering; by classifying the ship as a ''flottieljeleider'' ([[flotilla leader]]), the Navy justified a modest increase in [[Displacement (ship)|displacement]], which allowed for the addition of a single 15&nbsp;cm gun mounted forward of the bridge.<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|pages=75}}<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|pages=|page=20}}

== Design ==
[[File:De Ruyter 40mm twin mounts NH80901.jpg|thumb|''De Ruyter''{{'}}s antiaircraft platform consisted of five twin Bofors L/60 guns and the guns' fire control computer.]]
Her final design displaced {{convert|7,822|LT|t|0|abbr=on}} and measured {{Convert|170.8|m|ft|abbr=on}} in length, with a beam of {{Convert|15.6|m|ft|abbr=on}} and a draft of {{Convert|4.9|m|ft|abbr=on}}. Her main armament consisted of three {{Convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} [[Wilton-Fijenoord]] Mk 9 twin turrets – two mounted [[aft]] and one [[Bow (watercraft)|forward]] - along with the aforementioned single 15&nbsp;cm Mk 10 turret. For [[Anti-aircraft warfare|antiaircraft defense]], she was equipped with five twin {{Convert|40|mm|in|abbr=on}} [[Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun|Bofors L/60 guns]] mounted on a platform at the [[stern]]. She was the first vessel to be outfitted with the popular L/60, and combined with her advanced antiaircraft [[fire control]], she was a capable warship for air defense. The platform was separated from the [[Funnel (ship)|funnel]] by the Navy's first [[Aircraft catapult|catapult]] and an aircraft stowage area, which supported two [[Fokker C.XI-W]] [[floatplane]]s used for [[reconnaissance]] and [[Artillery observer|artillery spotting]]. Powered by six [[boiler]]s and three [[Steam turbine|geared turbines]], the cruiser produced {{convert|68,000|shp|MW|lk=on|order=flip}}, which drove two propellers and reached a top speed of {{convert|33.5|kn|lk=in}}, though she would normally steam at a maximum of {{convert|33|kn|lk=in}}. Her armor was light, consisting of an [[Belt armor|armored belt]] and turret protection between {{convert|30|and|50|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} thick along with {{convert|30|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} around the [[conning tower]] and a {{convert|33|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} thick [[Deck (ship)|deck]].<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|pages=18–19|page=}}

Her designer was [[NV Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw|N.V. Ingenieurskantoor voor Scheepsbouw]] (IsV), a clandestine front for several German naval companies used for [[German rearmament|Nazi rearmament]] and illegal submarine development. As a result, the ship reflected a strong German influence, seen in features such as the tall, bulky [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]] tower, a single large funnel, and a straight bow shared with Germany's [[Deutschland-class cruiser|''Deutschland''-class cruisers]] and other characteristics paralleled those of the [[Königsberg-class cruiser (1927)|''Königsberg''-class light cruisers]]. The reliance on German experience constrained the design, as the German warships were limited by the [[Treaty of Versailles]], thereby indirectly applying the treaty's limitations to the Dutch ship.<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|pages=20–21|page=12, 18}}

Due to this German influence and tight fiscal limitations, the cruiser has drawn criticism from both contemporary and modern analysts. Compared to other light cruisers built during the same decade, she lacked in armament, armor, and torpedo tubes.<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|pages=18–19|page=}} Her antiaircraft weapons, while formidable, were grouped together on the aft platform, which prevented them from firing forward and provided an opportunity for one hit to destroy them all. In addition, she was designed to serve as a [[flagship]], yet lacked a flagship bridge. Her use of two propellers, instead of four, which was the norm, meant she had no [[Redundancy (engineering)|redundancies]] in case the [[rudder]] or propeller were damaged; if this did occur, she would have been left uncontrollable.<ref name=":7">{{Cite book |last=Cox |first=Jeffrey |title=Rising Sun, Falling Skies: The Disastrous Java Sea Campaign of World War II |date=2014 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing Plc |isbn=978-1-4728-1060-1 |series=General Military |location=London}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=|page=181}} The design flaws were addressed in the ''Eendracht''-class cruisers laid down starting in 1939, which were intended to replace the ''Java'' class. With the new cruiser as a basis for the new design, the ''Eendracht'' class had a full battery of 10 {{Convert|15|cm|in|abbr=on}} guns. Due to the German Invasion and consequent [[Liberation of the Netherlands|recapture of the Netherlands]], the class entered service as the [[De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser|''De Zeven Provinciën'' class]].<ref name=":8" />{{Rp|page=197}}

== History ==
[[File:HNLMS_De_Ruyter_in_1935.jpg|thumb|The nearly completed ''De Ruyter'' in 1935.|alt=The unpainted cruiser in a shipyard, adjacent to the water and on a slipway. The entire ship is out of the water. While the ship's shape is present, she lacks all guns, sensors, funnel, and parts of the aft superstructure.]]

=== Construction ===
The cruiser was ordered on 1 August 1932, and her [[Keel laying|keel was laid]] on 16 September 1933 at the [[Wilton-Fijenoord]] shipyard. Despite continued financial issues, she was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 11 May 1936. On 3 October, she was completed and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] as ''De Ruyter'', named after 17th-century admiral [[Michiel de Ruyter]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Whitley |first=M. J. (Michael J. ) |author-link=Michael J. Whitley|url=https://archive.org/details/cruisers-of-wwii-enciclopedia-images/page/192/mode/2up?q=%22De+Ruyter%22+ |title=Cruisers of World War Two : an international encyclopedia |date=1995 |publication-place=London |publisher=Arms and Armour Press |isbn=978-1-85409-225-0}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=|page=192}}<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|pages=|page=77, 86}}

=== Peace time ===
For her first several months in service, ''De Ruyter'' [[Sea trial|trialed]] off the Netherlands before she sailed for the East Indies in January 1937.<ref name=":8" />{{Rp|pages=|page=192}} In October, she became the flagship of the Dutch East Indies squadron under the command of Admiral [[Karel Doorman]].<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|pages=|page=87}} Over the next several years, she trained with other ships in the squadron and prepared defenses throughout the colony. Her work in Asia was uninterrupted by the invasion and [[German invasion of the Netherlands|capitulation of the Netherlands]] in 1940.<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|pages=|page=86–87}}

=== Dutch East Indies Campaign ===
{{Main|Dutch East Indies campaign}}
[[File:Japanese Attacks Along the Malay Barrier.jpg|thumb|226x226px|Japanese offensives throughout the East Indies: ''De Ruyter'' attempted to prevent landings in the Java Sea between Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Celebes.]]

Following the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|bombing of Pearl Harbor]] and [[Bombing of Singapore (1941)|Japanese attacks on British Malaya]], the [[Dutch government-in-exile]] declared war on Japan on 8 December 1941.<ref name=":02"/>{{Rp|page=37}} Now in a war zone, ''De Ruyter'' patrolled nearby waters to intercept enemy [[Merchant ship|merchants]], contain Japanese cruisers, and escort British reinforcements to [[Singapore]].<ref name=":8" />{{Rp|pages=|page=192}} Over the next two months, Japan's rapid advances across Southeast Asia overwhelmed the region's [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] naval forces. In an effort to coordinate resistance, elements of the [[Royal Australian Navy|Australian]], [[Royal Navy|British]], Dutch, and [[United States Navy|American]] navies formed [[American-British-Dutch-Australian Command]] (ABDACOM): an ''[[ad hoc]]'' command that brought together each nation's available ships under a (nominally) unified structure. One of ABDACOM's first steps was the formation of an offensive fleet – the Combined Striking Force – that composed of a mix of American and Dutch cruisers and destroyers. After some debate, command of the fleet was given to Doorman, due to Dutch jurisdiction over the region, his leadership of the Dutch squadron, and his reputation as an uncontroversial figure.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=176–178}}

==== Battle of Makassar Strait ====
{{Main|Battle of Makassar Strait}}

The force's first offensive action was on 4 February 1942. Doorman aimed to intercept&nbsp;the invasion of [[Makassar|Makassar City]] and deny the Japanese control of the [[Makassar Strait]]. Without [[air cover]], the fleet was detected by Japanese reconnaissance aircraft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1942: February 4: Battle of Makassar Strait |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/explore/photography/wwii/wwii-pacific/us-entry-into-wwii-japanese-offensive/1942-January-15-abda-japanese-octopus/1942-february-4-battle-makassar-strait.html |access-date=2025-04-10 |website=National Museum of the U.S. Navy |language=}}</ref><ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=182–183}} While off the [[Kangean Islands]], more than 50 [[Mitsubishi G3M|Nells]] and [[Mitsubishi G4M|Betty]] bombers attacked the fleet. ''De Ruyter'' was unscathed, although the American cruiser ''[[USS Marblehead (CL-12)|Marblehead]]'' was crippled and another cruiser, ''[[USS Houston (CA-30)|Houston]]'', lost a turret. The air attack forced Doorman to call off the mission.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=183–184, 188–189}}

Several days later, the fleet attempted to intercept the invasion of [[Sumatra]].<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=|pages=206–207&nbsp;}} A floatplane from ''De Ruyter'' found the Japanese invasion fleet, and the Allies were likewise detected. Without air support, the fleet was molested by Japanese bombers throughout [[Valentine's Day]]; in one instance, a wave of [[torpedo bomber]]s attacked ''De Ruyter'', mistaking her for a battleship.&nbsp;No ships in the fleet were hit, but Doorman again ordered a retreat.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=|pages=209–211}}[[File:Hr.Ms. De Ruyter in de strijd in de Javazee ter verdediging van Java (2158 050997).jpg|thumb|''De Ruyter'' in 1942 as flagship of the ABDA Combined Striking Force.]]

==== Battle of Badung Strait ====
{{Main|Battle of Badung Strait}}
Japan's next target was [[Bali]]. The Allies knew the fall of Bali would directly threaten ABDACOM's bases on Java, and that an immediate response was needed.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=224|pages=}} A force to counterattack was assembled, but due to time constraints, the Allies were unable to coordinate a unified strike. Instead, the operation was planned in several waves. The first wave was led by ''De Ruyter'', along with ''[[HNLMS Java (1921)|Java]]'' and several destroyers. The plan was for the two cruisers to sail by at night and attack the invasion force's escorts and draw them away. This would leave the transports vulnerable to a follow-up attack by Allied destroyers.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=226|pages=227–229}}

On the night of 19 February, the battle began when ''De Ruyter'' found the destroyers ''[[Japanese destroyer Asashio (1936)|Asashio]]'' and ''[[Japanese destroyer Ōshio|Ōshio]]'' escorting a transport off Bali. After catching the Japanese by surprise, ''De Ruyter'' opened fire. However, limited communication and poor visibility prevented the ships from hitting each other. After 10 minutes, Doorman believed the destroyers were sufficiently damaged and took the cruisers north, and hoped that he was followed.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=|pages=230–232}} The Japanese did not take the bait. Instead, they then engaged the Allied destroyers, routing them and sinking the Dutch destroyer ''[[HNLMS Piet Hein (1927)|Piet Hein]]'' in the process.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=233|pages=}}

==== Battle of the Java Sea ====
{{Main|Battle of the Java Sea}}On the 26th, the Allies learned that the invasion of Java was underway. Doorman intended to use everything at his disposal to repel the assault, and was reinforced by units from the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC – WW2 People's War – Timeline Fact File : Battle of Java Sea |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1122300.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217093430/https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/timeline/factfiles/nonflash/a1122300.shtml |archive-date=17 December 2024 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=BBC Online}}</ref> The enlarged fleet, comprising five cruisers and nine destroyers from four nations, was led by ''De Ruyter'' as it moved to intercept the Japanese forces off Java. Contact was made in the mid-afternoon, and the two fleets engaged at long range. The distance made accurate gunnery difficult: ''De Ruyter''{{'}}s salvos all missed, though she was struck by a [[Dud|dud shell]] that caused negligible damage.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Stille |first=Mark |title=Java Sea 1942: Japan's conquest of the Netherlands East Indies |date=26 November 2019 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=978-1472831613 |edition=Online}}</ref>{{Rp|page=80|pages=83–84}}

About 20 minutes into the battle, the Japanese fleet launched a large salvo of [[Type 93 torpedo]]es and hoped the Allied fleet would not expect such an attack from such an extreme range. The only hit was to the destroyer ''[[HNLMS Kortenaer (1927)|Kortenaer]],'' which promptly sank. The gunnery duel continued: [[HMS Exeter (68)|HMS ''Exeter'']] was struck in her [[Fire room|boiler room]], which cut her speed to {{convert|11|kn|lk=in}}. As ''Exeter'' turned to withdraw and avoid colliding with the ships behind her, the trailing cruisers followed suit, and mistakenly believed an order had been given by ''De Ruyter''. Doorman then desperately had his now-isolated cruiser reform the [[Line of battle|battle line]] and ordered several destroyers to make torpedo attacks as cover.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=84, 86|pages=}}

Once reunited with the other cruisers, he then broke off from the engagement and circled around the Japanese to intercept the transports somewhere north of him.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=89|pages=}} The force was now reduced to the cruisers ''De Ruyter'', ''Java'', ''Houston'', and ''[[HMAS Perth (D29)|Perth]]''. The destroyers had either been sunk, severely damaged, tasked with escorting the crippled ''Exeter'', or forced to break off due to lack of fuel and torpedoes.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=89, 92, 96|pages=}}
[[File:Haguro (1941) (cropped).jpg|thumb|Japanese heavy cruiser ''Haguro'' depicted a year before she torpedoed and sank ''De Ruyter'']]

===== Sinking =====
The cruisers were temporarily followed by Japanese floatplanes, which gave the Japanese an understanding of his route. Unaware, the Allied cruisers passed near the invasion force, but were ambushed by the Japanese [[heavy cruiser]]s ''[[Japanese cruiser Haguro|Haguro]]'' and ''[[Japanese cruiser Nachi|Nachi]]''. Under cover of darkness, the Japanese closed to {{Convert|9,000|yd|m}} undetected and fired a spread of torpedoes followed by a renewed gun duel. The fleet took evasive action, but one torpedo from ''Nachi'' struck ''Java''{{'}}s [[Magazine (artillery)#Naval magazines|magazine]]. The resulting explosion obliterated the old cruiser.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=314–317|pages=}}

Doorman believed the torpedoes had all passed and resumed course, which placed ''De Ruyter'' directly in the path of another spread, this time from ''Haguro''. A torpedo struck her stern near the [[Gear train|reduction gears]] with devastating effect. Power was lost, [[oil]] spilled from a ruptured tank, and fire engulfed her aft section. As the fire spread to the antiaircraft platform, the 40&nbsp;mm ammunition began to [[Cooking off|cook off]], while damage-control teams struggled to respond. Without electrical power, [[fire hose]]s and [[pump]]s were inoperable, but to fight the fire, the burning [[Dynamo|dynamo generators]] had to be extinguished. One of the last orders from the cruiser was for the remaining two ships to flee.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=318–320|pages=}}

The order to abandon ship was given among more [[Sympathetic detonation|secondary explosions]]. The wounded were prioritized and placed into the only boat that could deploy without electricity. Doorman and ''De Ruyter''{{'}}s captain, [[Eugène Lacomblé]], were determined to [[The captain goes down with the ship|go down with the ship]]. While their exact fate is unclear, one sailor saw the two retreat to a [[Cabin (ship)|cabin]], where they presumably killed themselves.<ref name=":7" />{{Rp|page=323|pages=}} A total of 344 crew members {{En dash}} roughly 80% of the ship's complement {{En dash}} died, many from the anti-air ammunition explosions or the floating oil fires.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|page=96–97|pages=}}<ref name=":52" />{{Rp|page=95|pages=}}

== Wreck ==
[[File:Hr-Ms-De-Ruyter-aft-turret-face-shows-wreck-angle.jpg|thumb|Underwater view showing one of the aft turrets on ''De Ruyter.''|alt=A photo taken underwater with a greenish-blue hue. In the center is a brown, rusty, two-barrel turret pointed towards the viewer at a steep angle. Other details are too dark to notice.]]
The cruiser sank upright in {{Convert|69|m|ft|abbr=on}} of water, and settled on her starboard side.<ref name="cultureelerfgoed">{{Cite web |date=9 February 2017 |title=Verification of the Location and Condition of the Dutch Shipwrecks in the Java Sea |url=https://english.cultureelerfgoed.nl/binaries/cultureelerfgoed-en/documenten/publications/2017/01/01/report-of-the-dutch-shipwrecks-in-the-java-sea/Verification_of_the_location_and+_ondition_of_the_Dutch_Shipwrecks_in_the_Java_Sea.pdf |url-status= |access-date=18 April 2025 |website=[[Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed]] (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands) |page=20}}</ref> Her wreck was discovered by a dive team in 2002, who regularly visited her and found the wrecks of other ships sunk during the last days of ABDACOM. Only during one of these expeditions was it discovered that ''De Ruyter'''s Bofors antiaircraft guns had been modified to include faceshields.<ref name ="cultureelerfgoed"|page=20/><ref name="Denlay">{{cite journal |last1=Denlay |first1=K. |title=Cruisers for Breakfast: the discovery of the Dutch cruisers Java and De Ruyter |journal=Advanced Diver Magazine |date=2004 |issue=16 |pages=26–30}}</ref>

When a memorial expedition in 2016 was only able to find an imprint left in the seabed, the wreck was believed to have been intentionally dismantled.<ref name="cultureelerfgoed"/><ref name="Guardian2">{{Cite news |last=Holmes |first=Oliver |last2= |first2= |date=2016-11-16 |title=Mystery as wrecks of three Dutch WWII ships vanish from Java seabed |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/16/three-dutch-second-world-war-shipwrecks-vanish-java-sea-indonesia |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The Dutch government investigated, offended at the mass disturbance of [[war grave]]s. An investigation determined the wreck's disappearance was part of a trend where shallow World War II-era shipwrecks were blown apart and salvaged by groups posing as fishermen.<ref name="Guardian2"/> The vessel believed to be responsible, the Chinese [[Dredging|dredger]] ''Chuan Hong 68,'' was detained by Malaysian authorities in 2024 and accused of dismantling the wrecks for either [[low-background steel]] or [[Scrap|scrap metal]]. They alleged the scrapping was done regardless of the wrecks' nationality, with American, Dutch, Japanese, British, and Australian ships affected.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grady |first=John |date=2023-05-25 |title=U.K. Royal Navy 'Distressed and Concerned' by Illegal Chinese Salvage of WWII Wrecks |url=https://news.usni.org/2023/05/25/u-k-royal-navy-distressed-and-concerned-by-illegal-chinese-salvage-of-wwii-wrecks |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=USNI News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grady |first=John |date=2024-07-04 |title=Chinese Ship Suspected of Raiding World War II Wrecks Detained |url=https://news.usni.org/2024/07/04/chinese-ship-suspected-of-raiding-world-war-ii-wrecks-detained |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=USNI News |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2018, ''[[The Guardian]]'' reported the bones from ''De Ruyter'' and other warships were removed from their respective wrecks during scrapping in Indonesia and were dumped in several [[mass grave]]s nearby. The Dutch and Indonesian governments collaborated in the investigation, [[Burial#Exhumation|exhumed]] suspected graves, and laid out plans to prevent further damage to the shipwrecks.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-07-21 |title=Investigation into disappeared WWII wrecks in Asia – Maritime Heritage – Cultural Heritage Agency |url=https://english.cultureelerfgoed.nl/topics/maritime-heritage/international-projects/indonesia/investigation-into-disappeared-wwii-wrecks-in-asia-continues |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240913003542/https://english.cultureelerfgoed.nl/topics/maritime-heritage/international-projects/indonesia/investigation-into-disappeared-wwii-wrecks-in-asia-continues |archive-date=13 September 2024 |access-date=2025-04-13 |website=english.cultureelerfgoed.nl |publisher=[[Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed]] (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands) |language=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Boffey |first=Daniel |date=2018-01-22 |title=Bodies of second world war sailors in Java sea 'dumped in mass grave' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/22/bodies-of-second-world-war-sailors-in-java-sea-dumped-in-mass-grave |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lamb |first=Kate |date=2018-02-28 |title=Lost bones, a mass grave and war wrecks plundered off Indonesia |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/28/bones-mass-grave-british-war-wrecks-java-indonesia |access-date=2025-04-13 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==

* {{Cite book |last=Legemaate |first=H J |title=Hr. Ms. Kruiser 'De Ruyter' 1933-1942 |publisher=Asia Maior |year=1999 |isbn=9789074861151 |language=nl |trans-title=Her Majesty's Cruiser 'De Ruyter' 1933-1942}}
* {{Cite book |last=Brzezinski |first=Slawomir |title=Holenderski lekki krazownik De Ruyter |publisher=Profile Morskie |year=2006 |isbn=838791889X |language=pl, en |trans-title=The Netherlands Light Cruiser De Ruyter (1942)}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Hr.Ms. De Ruyter (ship, 1936)}}
* [https://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Ruyter_his.htm netherlandsnavy.nl] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20241203153824/https://www.netherlandsnavy.nl/Ruyter_his.htm Archived]) - record of movement from her launching to sinking

{{De Ruyter class light cruiser}}
{{Royal Netherlands Navy cruisers}}
{{WWII Dutch ships}}
{{February 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{coord|5|58|55|S|112|3|57|E|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:De Ruyter (1935)}}
[[Category:Cruisers of the Royal Netherlands Navy]]
[[Category:1935 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built by Wilton-Fijenoord]]
[[Category:World War II cruisers of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Java Sea]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in February 1942]]
[[Category:Steam turbine-powered ships]]
[[Category:Vessels designed by IvS]]