The HNLMS K XI

The HNLMS KXI

Discovered in a joint operation between Maritime Discovery Group, Diving Western Australia’s Shipwrecks, WA Museum and WreckSploration on 1/1/2025. The wreck lies in 38m of water off the south west of Rottnest Island.

The location of the Dutch submarine HNLMS K XI had been a mystery for decades. Like many scuttled wrecks off the Perth coast, the locations were either incorrectly recorded or never documented. Thanks to a WreckSploration-led team of divers, the location of the HNLMS K XI is no longer a mystery.

Built by the Fijenoord shipyard in Rotterdam for the Royal Netherlands Navy the HNLMS K XI was launched on 24 April 1924 and commissioned 24th March 1925. The K XI departed for the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) via the Suez Canal on the 15th of October 1925, finally arriving in Sebang on the 28th of December 1925.

During World War 2 HNLMS K XI was based out of Surabaya, patroling the Dutch East Indies and into the Gulf of Siam (modern-day Thailand). On the 8th of December 1941 following the attack on Pearl Harbour and the start of the War in the Pacific, command of the KXI was handed over to the British. For the remainder of the war, the HNLMS K XI patrolled the Dutch East Indies and the northern Indian Ocean as far as Bombay, India (modern-day Mumbai).

Although the HNLMS K XI ‘s service in WW2 was relatively quiet, seeing very little direct combat, she played an important role in Australia’s WW2 efforts.

The Sinking of HMAS Yarra

On 3 March, HMAS Yarra was escorting a small convoy through the Sunda Strait in Indonesia, in an attempt to evade the Japanese and reach Fremantle.

Around sunrise on 4 March 1942, Yarra first sighted an approaching and powerful Japanese naval force. After making an enemy report, Yarra’s Commanding Officer (Lieutenant Commander Robert Rankin RAN) ordered his convoy to scatter. He turned towards the enemy ships, laying a smoke screen and preparing his much smaller 4-inch guns for action against what was an overwhelming enemy force.

After an action lasting only a few hours, Yarra and all the convoy had been sunk. The total number of servicemen lost from all ships is unknown. After some five days adrift in the Indian Ocean, the 13 survivors from HMAS Yarras crew of 151 were rescued by the Dutch Submarine HNLMS K XI.

Final Days

On the 20th of February 1945, the HNLMS K XI departed Columbo, Sri Lanka on what would be her last voyage. Arriving in Fremantle on the 22nd of March 1945, the HNLMS K XI was decommissioned the following month. Partially stripped, the KXI was handed over to the Australian Disposal Committee and towed to North Quay. While at North Quay a valve was left open causing her to sink; the HNLMS K XI was salvaged 6 weeks later.

In September 1946 the HNLMS K XI was towed out of Fremantle to be scuttled in the Rottnest Ships Graveyard at a depth of approximately 80m.

Discovery

In January 2025, a WreckSploration led team of divers (Andrew Oakley, David Jackson, Patrick Morrison) investigating possible wreck locations using Magnetic Survey data provided by Maritime Discovery Group; were lucky enough to come across the wreck of the HNLMS K XI . Unmistakably a submarine, the WreckSploration team set out to survey the site and capture over 6000 images to produce a spectacular 3D model.

The mystery behind the location of the HNLMS K XI very quickly became apparent as she was not located in the Rottnest Ships Graveyard but approximately 15km to the southeast in only 40m of water.

You can read more about the HNLMS K XI on the WA Museum website HERE

Dived and modelled 11/01/2025

3D Model

Animation

Static Images

Historical images

Top left – HNLMS KXI in an unknown location
Top Centre – HNLMS KXI in dry dock, Fremantle Harbour
Top Right – HNLMS KXIII (KXI sister submarine) docked in an unknown location
Bottom – HNLMS K XI docked in Makassar, former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia)

Schematic:

Location of the KXI

-32°. 150390, 115°. 499470

Access the details from Wrecksite.eu Here