K XVII and the Japanese "Pearl Harbor Fleet"

[Bram]

Hello Everybody,


This posting is about the alleged sinking of a Dutch submarine by Cristopher Creighton as is described in the books "Paladin" and "Op JB".


- - - - The Books - - - -

- "Paladin": By Brian Garfield, published by Simon & Schuster, 1980

- "Op JB": By Cristopher Creighton, published by Simon & Schuster, 1995

In the books the 'Paladin' and 'OP JB' Cristopher Creighton sinks a Dutch submarine. According to C.G. this Dutch sub had sighted the Japanese "Pearl Harbor invasion fleet". Because the U.K. and its Allies wanted to get the U.S.A. involved in the war (an additional Ally is always handy) they did not warn the U.S.A. To keep this a secret they had to get rid of the crew of the Dutch submarine.

There are several facts which could make one wonder if the story is really true.


- - - - First Rumours - - - -

The first rumours about this story come from two publications of J. Rohwer:

"Wubte Roosevelt davon ? Zur vorgeschichte des Japanischen Angriffs auf Pearl Harbor", Wehr Wissenschaftliche Rundschau 4 (1954) 459-475."

and

"Der Kriegs begin im Pazifik 1941, Das Funkbild als Grundlage der Amerikanischen Lagebeurteiligung, Marine Rundschau 53 (1956) 6, 194-208."

If anyone can tell me what is in these publications regarding the Dutch sub story, please contact me.


- - - - Differences Between The Books - - - -

Some differences between the Dutch sub story as written in the 'Paladin' and 'OP JB':

- In the "Paladin" the Dutch sub has NO name, according to "Op JB" it is the K XVII.

- In the "Paladin" the ship logs state the Japanese fleet is first contacted on the 2nd of December and had a general course of 135', according to "Op JB" the first contact was on the 28th of November and she had a general course of 88'.

- In the "Paladin" the Dutch sub is sunk near Suva, according to "Op JB" the Japanese fleet was contacted at 43"30'-155"20'. This is a difference of a few thousand miles. The sub could never have traveled this distance between the sighting of the Japanese fleet and her destruction.

- In the "Paladin" Creighton boards the Dutch sub on the 7th of December, according to "Op JB" he boards the Dutch sub on the 6th of December (but maybe he used a diffent time zone in this book).

- In the "Paladin" the Dutch sub is sunk on the 8th of December, according to 'OP JB' she is sunk on the 7th of December (but maybe he used a diffent time zone in this book).

- In the "Paladin" only explosives (tweaked torpedoes) are used to sink the boat and kill the crew, according to "Op JB" besides the poison cyanide is also used besides the tweaked torpedoes.

- In the "Paladin" the equipment to prepare the torpedoes is taken aboard "normally", according to "Op JB" this equipment and the poison is smuggled aboard as x-mas presents.

- In the "Paladin" Creighton leaves the sub and watches the explosions from a rubber rowing boat, after going ashore he boards a Liberator airplane. According to "OP Jb" he watches the explosions from a Berwick flying boat.

As you can see there are some very important difference between the two books


- - - - 1981: "The Paladin" is published in the Netherlands - - - -

The first fresh rumours about the Dutch submarine appeared in 1980, in this year the book "The Paladin" was written by Brian Garfield. It also contained the Dutch sub story. After a lot of criticism in the U.S.A. the book was presented in the Netherlands as a NOVELL based on the ADVENTURES of Christopher Creighton. The U.S.A. sub title was "A novel based on FACTS"


- - - - 1982: Start of the search for K XVII - - - -

Because of the first rumours the K XVII commanders son (Besancon) started a search for the K XVII. (check out the specials section at http://www.dutchsubmarines.com for more info). On 26th of April 1982 he left for the South China Sea and on May 2nd the team of the Hatcher diving company dived several km off the island of Tioman, Hatcher had discovered the submarine 4 years earlier. Because the submarine had sunk deep into the mud it was impossible to read the boats name. But a number was found on the bronze steeringweel, with this number the historical section of the Royal Netherlands Navy could identify the sub as the K XVII. Some Dutch words and equipment was also found on the wreck. Unfortunately the diving team could not find out why the submarine had sunk.

The real location was several thousands of miles away from the position from were the Dutch sub allegedly (according to "Op JB") spotted the Japanese fleet and also thousands of miles away from the area were Creighton allegedly sunk the Dutch submarine.


- - - - 1991 - Besancon meets Japanese Naval Officer N. Kitazawa - - - -

This officer told Besancon about the book "The Day Imperial General Headquarters trembled for fear" (1968). In this book is written that the Japanese laid a line of mines less than a kilometer east of K XVIIs wreck. Originally the line off mines was planned 30 kilometers up North but the Japanese minelayer changed his plans because she was disturbed by a DUTCH flying boat.


- - - - 1995: The book "Operation JB" is published - - - -

In Creighton's new book called "Operation JB" the Dutch sub has a name, K XVII. Some problems arise when checking the facts of this story:

The time (28-Nov) and location (43'30' 155'20') and course (88') of the observed Japanese forces have changed considerably in comparison to the first book.


- - - - Comment of the Dutch IMH (Institute for Naval History) - - - -

As is written in the appendix of "Op JB" (Dutch version).

This institute states:
- On the 28th of November the K XVII was in Soerabaja.
- There has been radio contact with the K XVII until 21st of December.
- K XVII also encountered the Dutch sub K XII on the 14th of December, long after the alleged sinking by Creighton.


- - - - 1996: In fax of Creighton - - - -

As is written in the appendix of "Op JB" (Dutch version).

- During the fall of Singapore lots of documents were lost, those saved were transported to the U.K.
- All remaining documents regarding the K XVII were secretly transported to the house (in Reading) of the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina.
- Under supervision of the Chief of Staff of the Dutch Navy and the the British secret service (represented by Ian Fleming) these documents were rewritten.
- The radio messages received by the Dutch were fake, this was done to conceal the correct date when K XVII was lost.


- - - - 1996: Interview in Dutch newspaper - - - -

Creighton says that the Dutch submarine found near Tioman is a fake. He says that a sistership (nominated for brake up) was dressed up like the K XVII, they even altered the number on the steeringwheel (number was used to identify the wreck)! And the boat was maneuvered to the minefield near Tioman.

This means the secret service must have known the location (that was changed at the last moment because the Jap. minelayer was disturbed by a Dutch plane) of the Japanese minefield without informing the navy ! Mines had to be moved or dismantled. Once in the minefield the boat was scuttled, using explosives in such a way that it would appear she was struck by a mine.




After all this info maybe you can come to a conclusion ?



Please post your comments !




Bram

More information on these books is located at:
http://www.dutchsubmarines.com/books/books_videos.htm

[Hunter]

Mission "JB" is a fake.

In 1996 the bones of M. Bormann were identify as M. Bormann by DNA Special analysis.

Why?

I was one Member of the criminal investigation team, ordered to Berlin by LKA NRW, which identify this bones.

Sleep well,

it's only a "story"

Hunter

[Mark Hone]

The books 'The Paladin' and 'Operation JB' have now been pretty conclusively exposed as fantasies. See 'Counterfeit Spies' by Nigel West, which discusses the 'Dutch Submarine' incident in some detail.

[Bram]

The books 'The Paladin' and 'Operation JB' have now been pretty conclusively exposed as fantasies. See 'Counterfeit Spies' by Nigel West, which discusses the 'Dutch Submarine' incident in some detail.

Thanks for the booktip. How many pages are dedicated to the Dutch sub story ?

[Mark Hone]

The supposed submarine sinking is covered on page 150-154 of the book in the chapter exposing 'Creighton' as a phony.

[george H]

This story takes the cake, if you remember the route that Nagumo took to Pearl, compare with the dutch sub patrol zones and bases, the question then is, what was she doing there? All the PH conspiracy theories are bogus, because noone could have known Hitler would declare war after PH. Imagine he doesn't; roosevelt & churchill are stuck with a war in the pacific and America can't help Europe! Which was the more likely outcome- noone knows why Hitler declared war on USA, it was not in his interests!
But people will insist on believing the strangest things. HMAS Sydney was sunk by the german merchant raider Kormoran of W Australia in Nov 41; there are still people who insist HMAS Sydney was sunk by a Jap sub to cover up - what? The evidence is tenous at best, paranoid at worst. And then there is the Bermuda triangle, the "Philadelphia experiment". All tosh, a spectacular devotion to ignorance; as if the truth isn't strange and interesting enough. Well. it is, it really is.

[longshanks]

Hi Bram
Did you ever find out what was in the two German publications regarding the dutch submarine following the Japenese fleet?

Regards,

Peter