Smeroe-class auxiliary minesweepers

Built as small ships to transport people and small amounts of cargo for the government, were built with the idea to convert them back to merchantile service during peacetime. Two escaped to Australia in March 1942 and one was completed as anti-submarinevessel for the Japanese navy.

Smeroe

Construction details
Name Dockyard Completed Pennant
Rindjani Soerabaja Drydock Co. 1941 HMV 11
Merbaboe Soerabaja Drydock Co 1941 HMV 10
Smeroe Soerabaja Drydock Co 1941 HMV 12
Merapi Verenigde Prauwenveren, Batavia 1942  
Slamat Verenigde Prauwenveren, Batavia 1942  
Tjerimai Verenigde Prauwenveren, Batavia 1942  

Specifications
Dutch Navy Cha 101 (ex-Tjerimai)
Displacement 60 tons / 80 tons
Crew 14 15
Dimensions 22,7 x 4,35 x 1,52 m
Armament 2 x .30 Lewis MG* 2 x 13 mm MG
* Some sources also mention an extra .50 MG

Propulsion details
Boilers -
Machinery 1 Caterpillar diesel
Shafts 1
Bunkerage  
Performance 135 hp
Max Speed 10 knots

Histories
Rindjani Escaped to Australia March 3 to 10 1942 to Broom. Made anti-mine patrols from Fremantle and returned to the NEI postwar as a tugboat.
Merbaboe Escaped to Australia March 3 to 10 1942 to Broome. Operated from Fremantle and returned to the NEI postwar.
Smeroe Escaped to Australia March 3 to 10 1942 to Broome. Operated from Fremantle and returned to the NEI postwar.
Merapi Destroyed at dockyard, March 1942
Slamat Destroyed at dockyard, March 1942
Tjerimai Completed on August 4 1942 as Japanese vessel Cha 101. Sunk April 8 1945 SE of Celebes ( Sulawesi ) by American aircraft. Other sources say she was commissioned as Cha 118 ( launched and completed on November 15 1943 and June 15 1944 respectively ) and heavily damaged on November 6 1944 by an air attack of 18 squadron RAAF in Waingapoe. Found in 1945 and used as a floating pier in Tandjong Priok.

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