Eight Wolf/Fret-class destroyers, built to a modified British design, formed the entire Dutch destroyer force. At roughly 510 tons, they used mixed coal-and-oil machinery and had a range of just under 2,400 nautical miles at eight knots. Their armament comprised four 75 mm guns, four 7.92 mm machine guns, and two 18-inch torpedo tubes. This made them heavily armed torpedo boats with inadequate capability even by First World War destroyer standards. They were still less suited to the postwar fleet's needs. Retirements between 1922 and 1934 removed hulls only about 12 to 21 years old. Despite their limitations, retaining these relatively young ships could have preserved some useful capacity.
Notable Point · 3:17-5:39
Wolf/Fret-class ships as the weak starting point
The Dutch fleet began with eight inadequate prewar destroyers, then retired relatively young hulls that still offered some useful capacity.