K VII survived into the war after her sisters had already left service, only to be bombed in Surabaya while crew were aboard. The next K VIII group was also aging, with K VIII and K X decommissioned in 1942. K IX transferred to the Royal Australian Navy as an anti-submarine training target, but mechanical unreliability sharply limited that role. A hull can remain on the inventory while contributing little dependable operational capacity. This group also introduces the Dutch Roman-numeral convention for boats intended primarily for colonial service.
Notable Point · 1:34:20-1:38:43
Early Dutch K boats: colonial service, obsolescence, and training
The oldest colonial K boats entered World War II with little combat value, and even training use exposed their age and mechanical limits.