Where do I sign up?
Some 70 years ago this week, a great recruiting poster-worthy image from the port of Oran, French Algeria, showing bluejackets at leisure across from the Dutch cruiser Hr.Ms. De Zeven Provinciën (C 802), while this week’s Warship Wednesday subject, the torpedobootjager Hr.Ms. Evertsen (D 802) takes up the rear, late January 1956, while Dutch Oefensmaldeel (Training Squadron) 5 was on its Med cruise.
Centrum voor Audiovisuele Dienstverlening Koninklijke Marine. NIMH Objectnummer 2009-002-063_003
DZP, a 12,000-ton light cruiser, was laid down before WWII, but, with her construction on hold during German occupation, only commissioned in 1953.
Dutch cruisers HNLMS De Ruyter and HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën, leading a Dutch squadron of frigates and submarines
They were later converted to a CLG equipped with Terrier missiles that replaced her rear 6″/53 Bofors turrets.
Capping 23 years with the Royal Netherlands Navy, she was sold to Peru, where she served as Aguirre until 1999, one of the last large-gunned cruisers in commission.
Her parts were used to keep her only sister, Hr.Ms. De Ruyter (C801)/Almirante Grau in Peruvian service until 2017.
Not a bad run.