The story of a Dutch freighter during the Second World War
The convoy struggles through bad weather and high seas off the coast of Angola towards the Cape of Good Hope. Life on board is not very comfortable at this point but that is amply compensated by the knowledge that this...
18 December 1941 A large convoy of troopships like WS. 12z is a very large burden on a port. Especially if those troops are granted shore leave for a few days. Therefore in South Africa the ships are divided between...
22 December 1941 Durban is overrun by troops – for many of them their first time abroad- who are having their last few days to relax in a beautiful war free town. For most it will be their last leave...
27 December 1941 Four ships detach from the convoy and increase speed to over 17 knots. The troopships Aorangie and Narkunda and freighters Sussex and Abbekerk now sail unescorted, Northeast bound, away from the African shores, on their way to...
1 January 1942 Leaving from Mombasa, the huge American troopship USS Mount Vernon joins the convoy. Even before the US was at war this ship was ‘on loan’ from the US and sailing in convoy WS.12x with British troops bound...
5 January 1942 The ships anchor briefly in Addu Atoll’s bay, the most Southern island of the Maldives. Since several months the natural, well protected anchorage is being used by the Navy and known as Port T. Strategic of great...
10 January 1942. The 5 merchant ship are now protected by eight more warships: The cruisers Hr.MS De Ruyter (commanded by rear admiral Karel Doorman), Hr.MS Tromp, HMS Durban, the destroyers Hr.Ms Backert, Hr.Ms Piet Hein, HMS Encounter, HMS Jupiter,...
12 January 1942 HMS Emerald is informed that large formations of Japanese bombers are on the way to the convoy. Over time it has become abundantly clear what they are capable off and on board Abbekerk the crew is under...
13 January 1942 During the night speed is reduced to 9 knots because the mines that could have been laid by a Japanese submarine. De warships set out paravanes as protection. Also several Dutch minesweepers are busy clearing the route...
17 January 1942 Abbekerks crew find themselves in a nerve wrecking position. The engine room staff do not follow the normal routine of repairs in the engine room: the engines must be ready at anytime. Assistant engineer Adriaan Kik has...
Adriaan W Kik, who's memoirs are the inspiration and base of this website
Peter
