Colombo. Waiting for the Japs to leave

23 april 1942. Colombo.

Colombo is a very crowded harbour in the spring of 1942
(Source: Australian War Memorial)

In the port of Colombo we took in the much needed provisions. The Captain went ashore to visit the agent and Admiralty House to discuss the route to be followed to Abadan. Here he heard much to his consternation that the pilot in the aircraft we had shot at, had been hit in the arm by a bullet. The Captain immediately went to the hospital to visit the victim and shake his healthy hand, to offer his apologies and offer him an authentic bottle of Bols gin. We all hoped that he would have enjoyed his drink in good health.
Assistent engineer Adriaan Kik

Abbekerks stay in Colombo of over a month is slightly mysterious. The only reason for her to stop there was to unload part of the grain because otherwise she would have to much draught  to enter the Abadan port. Non of the crew mentioned a long stay and there are no necessary repairs logged. It seems all the more strange because after the Japanese attacks the port is overflowing with merchant navy ships. Extra pressure is applied to have them leave as soon as possible.

On the 17th April, the Commander in Chief, Ceylon, request that the Commander in Chief East Indies ‘.. officer with suitable experience to visit all merchant ships arriving at Colombo with the object of ascertaining the nature and stowage of cargo carried in order that the turn round of merchant vessels calling at Colombo may be speeded up’.
Admiralty war diaries of world war 2 eastern fleet. April to June 1942.

Page 8 of the official English Movement Card of Abbekerk’s voyages.

From the same Admiralty war diaries can be concluded that because of the Japanese presence in the Bay of Bengal, merchant ships did not sail along the east coast of India. Even though Abbekerk would have to sail along the west coast to the Red sea, it may be deemed too dangerous for one single vessel or possibly the port of Colombo was in such disorder that the unloading of the wheat took a lot of time.

Anyway: Abbekerk stays in Colombo for a month. During that period the Japanese threat lessens a bit as it becomes apparent that the attack fleet has left for Singapore and Japan. Only the submarines and raiders remain to infest the waters.