Rigel was built in the Netherlands at the Nederlandsche Dok Maatschappij.[6] The ship's construction began on 3 March 1930, it was launched on 7 March 1931 and commissioned into the Government Navy on 6 November 1931.[1] The costs of building the ship was estimated to be 1.080.000 Dutch guilders, which was considered to be quite low for this type of ship.[7][8]
The ship was equipped with a double set of rails on her deck that could carry a total of 150 mines.[3][9] After being militarized in 1939 Rigel also got equipped with a ASDIC installation between 1940 and 1941.[10]
Service history
In April 1938 Rigel towed the hydrographic survey vessel Hydrograaf to Soerabaja after it had lost a propeller.[11][12]
Second World War
Between 1939 and 1942 Rigel laid down mines in the waters of the Dutch East Indies.[4] Starting in August 1939 the ship was made ready to mine the Westervaarwater near Soerabaja.[13] In December 1941 it mined the access waters to Tandjong Priok.[14] A few months later, in February 1942, Rigel laid down mines together with the HNLMS Krakatau at the coast of Madoera.[15]
On 2 March 1942 Rigel was scuttled by its crew and used as blockship at the northern port entrance of Tandjong Priok.[1][16]
In March 1944 the ship was lifted and partly restored by the Japanese.[4] After Japan surrendered in 1945 the ship was found and handed over to the Dienst van Scheepsvaart (DvS).[1][17]
Mark, Chris (1997). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II (in Dutch). Alkmaar: De Alk. ISBN90-6013-522-9.
von Münching, L.L. (1978). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Alkmaar: Alk. ISBN90-6013-903-8.
Bosscher, Ph.M. (1986). De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog (in Dutch). Vol. 2: Indië tot en met 8 maart 1942. Franeker: Wever. ISBN90-6135-372-6.
Raven, G.J.A., ed. (1988). De kroon op het anker: 175 jaar Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). Amsterdam: De Bataafsche Leeuw. ISBN90-6707-200-1.
Roetering, B., ed. (1997). Mijnendienst 1907-1997 90 jaar: feiten, verhalen en anekdotes uit het negentigjarig bestaan van de Mijnendienst van de Koninklijke Marine (in Dutch). ISBN90-90-10528-X.