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Semarang come under attack in August 1946 the Navy had to lend support to the
Army. First this was given by Hr. Ms. Abraham Crijnssen which was patrolling
along the north coast of Java. But it was not suited for this task since it only
had a single 7,5cm gun. Colonel D. R. A. van Langen the commander of the Tijger
Brigade ask the Navy for more help. After the Tijger Brigade had made an attack
in south eastern direction on the 7th August 1946 meting a strong
enemy. To answer this call the Hr.Ms. van Kinsbergen which was in Soerabaja was
ordered to sail for Semarang where it arrived in the morning of the 8th
August 1946 to give fire support. The ships commander Kapitein-Luitenant ter Zee
(KLTZ) Nuboer, his artillery- and communication officer went to shore to arrange
the details with the Luitenant ter Zee 1ste klasse J. B. J. M. Maas
(Navy Officer in Command Semarang) and Colonel D. R. A. van Langen. On this
meeting they agreed that the Hr. Ms. Van kinsbergen would put a fire direction
officer onshore to observe the targets and direct the fire. And the Army was to
supply a jeep for him together with a signal team for communication.
During
the day Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen gave fire support three times against enemy troop
concentrations. Once a request come to shoot at a kampong 21 kilometers within
country. To bring it under fire KLTAZ Nuboer had Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen moved to
another anchorage to bring as much fire on target as possible but still the
grenades fall 600 meters too short. But the army was still happy since the
grenades had hit a headquarter and an enemy battery which unknowingly was in
that area.
On
10th August 1946 the Hr. Ms. Banckert arrived to relieve Hr. Ms. van
Kinsbergen on station since Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen had to return to Soerabaja
for maintenance. Because intelligence informed about the risk of another attack
during the night. Colonel D. R. A. van Langen asked Rear Admiral A. S. Pinke for
support from one more vessel. Therefore Rear Admiral Pinke ordered Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen
to stay on station until Hr. Ms. Kortenaer arrived.
It
was agreed open that Hr. Ms. Branckert should support the eastern side of
Semarang. While Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen should support the western part of
Semarang. The army wanted to lay fire on Goenoeng Kebo a hill from where
Indonesian artillery fired on the Dutch positions. Plus on three kampongs south
east of Semarang in which there was a huge enemy concentration.
At
17.14 the fire was opened up on Goenoeng Kebo. Since the weather was good it was
easy to see the target. And after nine salvo’s the enemy here was silenced.
Then the artillery observer moved the fire to the kampong behind Goenoeng Kebo
and after ten salvo’s the kampong started to burn and the enemy fled. Between
17.55 and 18.30 the army asked for fire missions on two kampongs one laying
thirteen kilometres in country. During the day 152 12cm grenades where fired and
in the night there was no enemy attacks on Semarang.
On
11th August 1946 Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen again come in action early in
the morning. At 6.45 fire was opened on an enemy artillery position. And after
ten salvo’s the target was destroyed. At 8.45 a new fire mission came up.
There had been shot with a machinegun from a kampong house. But after eight
shots the observer stopped the firing. At 9.15 Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen was asked
to fire on an enemy artillery battery sixteen kilometres away. Which it did
after seven salvo’s. Shortly after this Hr. Ms. Kortenaer arrived on station
and took over from Hr. Ms. Van Kinsbergen which sailed for Soerabaja.
Between
11th and 18th August 1946 Hr. Ms. Banckert used 400
grenades on seven fire missions shooting on enemy concentrations. While Hr. Ms.
Kortenaer used 110 grenades on two fire missions.
It took a heavy tool on the Navy that two artillery ships always needed to be on station at Semarang. Anyway Rear Admiral A. S. Pinke ordered Hr. Ms. Piet Hein and Hr.Ms. van Galen to Semarang to relieve the destroyers already on station there. Lucky enough tensions become minor after 18th August 1946 meaning only one destroyer was needed on station. And that mostly to bust the moral of the garrison. But still the army needed a rest after two weeks of fighting. The Navy used the opportunity to make exercises with a full division of four destroyers on 18th and 19th August 1946. An opportunity which only happened very rarely. Therefore they sailed along the coast of Java giving the enemy a show of force. After this exercise Hr. Ms. Piet Hein stayed on station while the rest of the destroyers returned to patrolling around the archipelago. At the end of August the Tijger Brigade again had the situation under its control.
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