The Iran-Iraq war: the Dutch contribution to ensuring the security of maritime traffic

The Belgian naval captain G. Busard was appointed as commander of the ships in the mission area, while the Dutch Commander in Chief of the Royal NL Navy, Vice Admiral J.D.W. van Renesse, held the command over the operation as a whole, which was codenamed Octopus. The ships arrived in the area of operations on 1 November.

Role of Great Britain

Great Britain would provide air cover and logistical support. The Belgian-Dutch Task Group therefore used the same port facilities as the British ships. However, the British assigned a lower priority than expected to providing air cover for the Belgian and Dutch ships. Priority was given to British warships and cargo vessels.

Dutch Stinger teams

The Dutch government therefore decided to place 3-man Stinger teams of the Netherlands Marine Corps on the Dutch and Belgian ships. In addition, each Dutch ship was equipped with 2 guns: .50 machine guns.

Limited threat from the air

The area of operations of the Western European Union (WEU) ships was the Gulf of Oman and the southern part of the Persian Gulf. The threat from the air in this area was limited. Only in the Strait of Hormuz were the ships at risk of being the targets of Iranian Exocet missiles. The Dutch ships remained in the Gulf for over 6 months. Their crews were rotated during this period.

Task Force

Following a tour of 2 3-month periods in the Gulf, the minesweeper HNLMS Urk took over the tasks of the 2 minehunters on 11 May 1988. After the Belgian government withdrew the supply ship and one minesweeper, a British/Belgian/Dutch Task Force was formed under British command on 1 June. This Task Force consisted of a British flagship, a supply ship and 5 minesweepers or minehunters (including the Urk). Operation Octopus became Operation Calendar II. The crew of the Urk was relieved twice. The ship commenced its homeward journey on 2 January 1989.