The story of a Dutch freighter during the Second World War
Pictures last voyage
Abbekerk carried 5 to 8 Stanier 8F locomtives for de ' Persian Corridor' railroad to Russia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_8F)
Abbekerk in convoy WS.12Z from England to Durban. Drawing from Lt Geofrey North, 35th LAA Regiment, Gunner aboard Abbekerk.
Abbekerk in convoy DM.01 from Durban to Singapore. Drawing from Lt Geofrey North, 35th LAA Regiment, Gunner aboard Abbekerk.
Walter leaning against Abbekerk's 4" gun. This picture - taken while in the Indian Ocean - survived because it was send home as postcard in april 1942
Censored backside of picture of Walter leaning against Abbekerk's 4" gun.
Abbekerk in Fremantle in March 1942. After het lucky escape from Tjilatjap Abbekerk safely reached Fremantle on march 4 with over 1500 soldiers and evacuees on board. On this picture you can see the anti submarine gun on the aft-deck but also the makeshift latrines on her sides. I have no pictures of Abbekerk after this point. (Thanks to: Picture Australia )
part of a drawing from Piet Saman, engineer on SS Maaskerk
HMS Wallflower K44. The corvette that spotted and rescues the survivors of Abbekerks sinking after three days in 2 lifeboats. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
HMS Wallflower spots the two lifeboats of Abbekerk in the far distance. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
HMS Wallflower closes in on the two dots that are the lifeboats of Abbekerk. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
The two lifeboats with the 62 survivors of Abbekerk, seen from HMS Wallflower, sailing for Ireland 600 miles away. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
The two lifeboats of Abbekerk lowering sail and preparing to board HMS Wallflower. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
One lifeboat of Abbekerk now alongside the still moving HMS Wallflower. After the survivors were safe on board HMS Wallflower destroyed the lifeboats to prevent new rescues and identification of Abbekerk by Uboats. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
Survivors, almost certainly from Abbekerk, on board HMS Wallflower. The man in a white overall reading a newspaper could very wel be engineer Adriaan Kik (Thanks to Roy Terry)
Amazing painting and picture of the corvette HMS Wallflower finding the lifeboats of Abbekerk after she has been torpedoed 3 days earlier. (Thanks to Shirley Fielden and crewmember Tom Shuttleworth)
Compass from one of the lifeboats of Abbekerk. Taken from the lifeboat - just before they were destroyed - by Lt Tuckett, Asdic operator on HMS Wallflower (Thanks to Aidan Tuckett)
Compass from one of the lifeboats of Abbekerk. Taken from the lifeboat - just before they were destroyed - by Lt Tuckett, Asdic operator on HMS Wallflower (Thanks to Aidan Tuckett)
Adriaan W Kik, who's memoirs are the inspiration and base of this website
Lest we forget
The Netherlands started the war with 640 seagoing ships. From these 351 ships were lost during the war. Of the 12000 Dutch and 6500 other nationalities that manned those ships, 3600 were killed.
Killed while serving on Abbekerk:
Herbertus Boender, ass. engineer, March 10, 1940 (accident in London)
Geert Frederik van der Laan, 1st Mate, August 24, 1942 (when Abbekerk sunk).
Still under repair …
The site is still not fully repaired after a hack attempt. Some parts, including few of the Dutch translations and menu’s,still do not work yet. This will be fixt later this year.
Apologies for the inconvenience, Peter.
Abbekerk carried 5 to 8 Stanier 8F locomtives for de ' Persian Corridor' railroad to Russia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Stanier_Class_8F)
Abbekerk in convoy WS.12Z from England to Durban. Drawing from Lt Geofrey North, 35th LAA Regiment, Gunner aboard Abbekerk.
Abbekerk in convoy DM.01 from Durban to Singapore. Drawing from Lt Geofrey North, 35th LAA Regiment, Gunner aboard Abbekerk.
Walter leaning against Abbekerk's 4" gun. This picture - taken while in the Indian Ocean - survived because it was send home as postcard in april 1942
Censored backside of picture of Walter leaning against Abbekerk's 4" gun.
Abbekerk in Fremantle in March 1942. After het lucky escape from Tjilatjap Abbekerk safely reached Fremantle on march 4 with over 1500 soldiers and evacuees on board. On this picture you can see the anti submarine gun on the aft-deck but also the makeshift latrines on her sides. I have no pictures of Abbekerk after this point. (Thanks to: Picture Australia )
part of a drawing from Piet Saman, engineer on SS Maaskerk
HMS Wallflower K44. The corvette that spotted and rescues the survivors of Abbekerks sinking after three days in 2 lifeboats. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
HMS Wallflower spots the two lifeboats of Abbekerk in the far distance. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
HMS Wallflower closes in on the two dots that are the lifeboats of Abbekerk. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
The two lifeboats with the 62 survivors of Abbekerk, seen from HMS Wallflower, sailing for Ireland 600 miles away. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
The two lifeboats of Abbekerk lowering sail and preparing to board HMS Wallflower. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
One lifeboat of Abbekerk now alongside the still moving HMS Wallflower. After the survivors were safe on board HMS Wallflower destroyed the lifeboats to prevent new rescues and identification of Abbekerk by Uboats. (Thanks to Roy Terry)
Survivors, almost certainly from Abbekerk, on board HMS Wallflower. The man in a white overall reading a newspaper could very wel be engineer Adriaan Kik (Thanks to Roy Terry)
Amazing painting and picture of the corvette HMS Wallflower finding the lifeboats of Abbekerk after she has been torpedoed 3 days earlier. (Thanks to Shirley Fielden and crewmember Tom Shuttleworth)
Compass from one of the lifeboats of Abbekerk. Taken from the lifeboat - just before they were destroyed - by Lt Tuckett, Asdic operator on HMS Wallflower (Thanks to Aidan Tuckett)
Compass from one of the lifeboats of Abbekerk. Taken from the lifeboat - just before they were destroyed - by Lt Tuckett, Asdic operator on HMS Wallflower (Thanks to Aidan Tuckett)
Peter
