Harmsen's staff, salvage, and ship commands

Captain William Harmsen moved between personnel work, shore command, and ships during the war. From the Ministry of Defense he took on staff duties, command of the naval air station at De Mok, and an escape to Britain in a cutter normally used to recover torpedoes. He then helped reorganize Dutch naval personnel in Britain and obtained command of Campbeltown. Atlantic convoy work included sending salvage parties aboard a Norwegian tanker, an operation praised for the captain's and crew's seamanship and determination. His later command of Isaac Sweers included Gurkha's rescue and survival when his own ship was torpedoed. After several months of recovery he commanded the cruiser Jacob van Heemskerck, later serving in the Mediterranean, and retired in April 1946.