Epilogue

This story has become much more than I ever intended to write. I must admit that writing on a computer – after a slow and difficult start – turned out not to be such a problem. I think I proved how far one can get with use of only two fingers.
As far as Abbekerk, almost all date’s, time’s and ‘inside information I got from books about the merchant navy in wartime. Also the World Atlas proved invaluable.

The Netherlands started the war with 640 seagoing ships and some 200 coastal ships. From these ships 351 seagoing and 36 coastal ships were lost during the war. The crews consisted of some 12000 Dutch and 6500 other nationalities. Of those 2100 dutch and 1500 other nationalities were killed. Death most times was miserable one. Especially for men working on petrol tankers, ammunition ships and crew from the engineroom. It was a death that could come to you every minute of the day or night as long as you were at sea. There were almost no wounded.
Less than 3 percent of the merchant navy personel tried – for what ever reason – to run a way for duty. Few succeeded. In my humble opinion this is a very low percentage considering the fact we entered this war totally unprepared and untrained and came to work in one of the more extreme warzone’s. How can you blame one, especially in the first years of the war, when losses were disastrous, not able to psychological cope with the situation.
This must have been one of the reasons why the Dutch Governement in London decided to enlist all who served on Dutch merchant ships. It must have been that period when a – still unknown – sailor wrote down the feelings of all in a poem:
(freely translated from Dutch:)

Few sailors have a reputation
Some even got a decoration
Now does that enrich your life
I’d rather have a baby and a wife

On the other hand, this poem probably was made when the first decoration was rewarded.

All who served the merchant navy during the second world war got the ‘oologsherinneringkruis’ – the warmemorial cross – only a soon as 1955 and send by mail. With very badly attached ribbons for every theatre you served.
Who wanted to be remembered to that rotten war! I forgot about the cross for years until – half a year ago – I opened again that envelope from 1955. I had just gotten a computer from my son Peter.
So even in the end: memories!

Adriaan Willem Kik

Kruiningen , June 2000