HNLMS Van Galen (1928)

HNLMS Van Galen (Hr.Ms. Van Galen) was a of the Royal Netherlands Navy. She served during World War II.

Service history
The ship was laid down on 28 May 1927 at the shipyard Fijenoord in Rotterdam and launched on 28 June 1928. The ship was commissioned on 22 October 1929.

On 22 February 1932 Van Galen left Surabaya for a trip to Shanghai to look after Dutch interest in the region. She returned in April that year to Surabaya.

16 November 1935 Van Galen her sister HNLMS Witte de With (1928) and the cruiser HNLMS Sumatra (1920) made a visit to Saigon.

On 23 August 1936 Sumatra, her sister HNLMS Java (1921) and the destroyers Van Galen, Witte de With and HNLMS Piet Hein (1927) where present at the fleet days held at Surabaya.

16 August 1937 the ship was again send to Shanghai because of risen political tension in China. With the ship 150 marines where send to protect European citizens and interests.

On 8 May 1940 she returned to the Netherlands. Two days later on 10 May war with Germany broke out. The Germans had captured the airfield Waalhaven in Rotterdam and Van Galen was ordered to bombard the airfield. A German aircraft attacked her while underway and she sank near the Merwehaven. The Germans decided to raise the ship on 23 October 1941. The wreck was scrapped in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht.