Since the "MS Abbekerk" is a bit in the news at this forum at the moment it probably worth mentioning that since a week the website translation is finished!
The website http://abbekerk.wordpress.com is build around my father's memoires about his time on the Dutch freighter MS Abbekerk. Since I got much response from the US and Australia I decided to make the website in English. It took some time and effort but now the story including the - for this forum relevant - chapters about Singapore, Oosthaven and Tjilatjap are translated from Dutch in English.
- When did Abbekerk leave Singapore?
- Did she sail directly from Singapore to Oosthaven and when did she arrive at Oosthaven
- Any pictures from Durban, Singapore, Oosthaven or Tjilatjap where Abbekerk (may be) visible on
- Any Pictures taken aboard Abbekerk
- Any Pictures from the DM.01 convoy
I have glanced at the ABBEKERK website in English. There is one error in the “Singapore, January 1942” section: the aircraft being unloaded are specified as Spitfires. Of course that cannot be so: there were no Spitfires at Singapore prior to the British surrender, but there were 51 or so crated Hawker Hurricanes shipped there on Convoy DM1.
As to the timing, we can play around with several dates. Convoy DM1 arrived Singapore specifically on 13 Jan 42. Your father estimated ABBEKERK was there for four weeks, but again, that is an approximate span of time. From 13 Jan 42, it is precisely four weeks to 10 Feb 42; with three days sailing from Singapore to Oosthaven, that would make it 13 Feb 42 for the arrival at Oosthaven. Too late, IF more than a week was spent, as he said, at that Sumatra port.
So let’s start at the other end: if we assume the minimum time exceeding one week before departure on 17 Feb 1942 was eight days, that would mean an arrival at Oosthaven on 9 Feb 1942, and thus departure from Singapore on 6 Feb 1942. But that would make it only 3 1/2 weeks duration at Singapore, not four weeks.
Finally, let’s minimize ABBEKERK’s stay at Oosthaven to just one week, this then is what we would have:
Arrival Singapore 13 Jan 1942 (confirmed date of arrival for Convoy DM1).
Departure Singapore 7 Feb 1942 (a duration at Singapore of three weeks and four days, close enough perhaps to four weeks).
Arrival Oosthaven 10 Feb 1942 (three days for this leg)
Departure Oosthaven 17 Feb 1942 (one week’s duration at this port)
The Japanese paratroopers landed near Palembang on 14 Feb 1942, with advance infantry elements coming ashore late on the 15th, and the major assault by waterborne forces on 16 Feb 1942. If the British gunners left ABBEKERK on the 15th or 16th as a response to the Japanese landings, and she departed the port on the 17th, that fits pretty well. I think you may reasonably safely place her departure from Singapore between 7 and 10 February 1942, and perhaps closer to the 8th or 9th. None of these dates allows both a full four weeks at Singapore AND more than a week at Oosthaven, but even our fathers’ memories were not absolutely precise and reliable.
May I get somehow a copy of the photo of ABBEKERK’s fantail with the 4-inch deck gun? I have looked at your photo of the entire length of the ship—by then painted warship grey—and can see no additional guns aboard. Machine guns, however, might be difficult to spot. Let me know about the fantail photo and we can exchange email addresses.
There were indeed no Spitires on DM.01, but Hurricanes. The translation of my dad's memoires is quite literal so I didn't change that. But I will add a comment there.
Sometimes your looking for answers for years and sometimes things come together in a day. I just got a mail from Convoyweb.org. They do have some information about independent sailing ships as well and could solve the big Singapore Oosthaven question: She sailed on Januari 30 and arrived at Oosthaven at Februari 1. So this fits most of your analyses as well. It leaves Abbekerk in Singapore not even three weeks, but I guess even that is a very long wait on a ammunition ship waiting to be unloaded while Singapore was being bombed almost daily.
That picture was taken when Abbekerk was in Fremantle, probably just hours or days after she arrived from Tjilatjap. I think you can even see the makeshift latrines and rafts. But at that time she was armed only with the 4" gun although I think I see something that could be aa gun platforms of some sort. And if the picture was taken a month later (which i doubt) she was back in Fremantle and was fitted with Oerlikons.
>There were indeed no Spitfires on DM.01, but Hurricanes. The translation of my dad's memoires is quite literal so I didn't change that. But I will add a comment there.<
For whatever it is worth, as a devoted son, you hardly blemish your father’s memory by simply correcting “Spitfires” to “Hurricanes”, rather than something like, “Spitfires [the aircraft were actually Hurricanes]”. That simple revision accomplishes two acceptable ends: (i) It removes any element of confusion or chance of future error by readers. (ii) It removes any error originating from your father and why inflict this easily correctable mistake on his memory and memoires? Given that you’re about to accept someone else’s time interval, correcting the Spitfire error is small beer indeed. Of course, you should provide the usual caveat that his papers were edited by you, including simple corrections of fact, spelling, etc.
>I just got a mail from Convoyweb.org. They do have some information about independent sailing ships as well and could solve the big Singapore�Oosthaven question: She sailed on Januari 30 and arrived at Oosthaven at Februari 1. So this fits most of your analyses as well. It leaves Abbekerk in Singapore not even three weeks, but I guess even that is a very long wait on a ammunition ship waiting to be unloaded while Singapore was being bombed almost daily.<
But your father remembers being in Singapore for FOUR weeks. And you’re reluctant simply to change “Spitfires” to “Hurricanes”! Another problem is that the small convoy, also leaving Singapore on 30 Jan 1942 and carrying 6 Heavy AA Regiment and one reinforced battery of 35 Light AA Regiment to Palembang, took three days. Not only is Palembang a deal closer than Oosthaven to Singapore, but the need to provide AA protection for Airfields P1 and P2 was urgent, so I daresay those ships did NOT drag their heels (steam slowly). It could be that ABBEKERK poured on the fuel to reach Oosthaven, but her reaching there a day sooner than the ships steaming to Palembang certainly requires confirmation, at the very least.
Is it possible that ABBEKERK accompanied that convoy and then separated (perhaps with another ship or two) to proceed to Oosthaven, while the remainder continued to Palembang? As the convoy reached Palembang on 2 Jan 42, I imagine ABBEKERK entered Oosthaven that same date. ALL of those time details should be corroborated, it goes without saying.
There is yet another possibility: My information about the movement of these two British AA outfits to Sumatra comes from Brig. R.J. Lewendon’s “Gunners in Java-1942”. For the full text of his paper, see
“On 30th January 1942 a convoy of small ships left Singapore carrying 6 HAA Regiment (less 3 Battery) and 78 Battery of 35 LAA Regiment RA reinforced by two troops of 89 Battery. They arrived at Palembang in southern Sumatra on 2nd February 1942. The anti-aircraft guns were deployed to the two airfields P1 and P2. P2 was forty miles to the south of Palembang and it was defended by 12 HAA Battery and the LAA guns of 35 LAA Regiment. P1 airfield seven miles north of Palembang was defended by one troop of 15 HAA Battery whilst its other troop was deployed in the large oil refineries just outside Palembang.”
Thus this passage is somewhat ambiguous. Does Lewendon mean the SHIPS reached Palembang on 2 Feb 1942, or the AA UNITS on 2 Feb 1942? It could be that the ships arrived at either Palembang or Oosthaven on 1 Feb 1942, and the men and guns sent by rail or road to the general Palembang area, but actually to P2 and P1. If to Oosthaven, a bit slower than sending the ships right to Palembang. Unless, however, that small convoy went to Oosthaven as a safety precaution, perhaps out of range of Japanese bombers, then we may have a tidy little package here after all. What IF ABBEKERK was with this convoy all the way, Singapore to Oosthaven? Can other readers confirm or deny those time and destination details as I postulate them here?
I shall contact you off-forum about photos of ABBEKERK, full length and a close-up of the fantail and deck gun there. Have no doubt that the mount is a low-angle one, NOT dual-purpose for true antiaircraft fire.
>But your father remembers being in Singapore for FOUR weeks. And you're reluctant simply to change "Spitfires" to " Hurricanes"!<
Can't argue that. You're completely right. I will do so homework on being a more professional researcher
If I want people to help me to get every detail confirmed, the least I can do is not confuse them more then nescesary and not jump to conclusions when I think I have a fact.
But back to your theory:
>Thus this passage is somewhat ambiguous. Does Lewendon mean the SHIPS reached Palembang on 2 Feb 1942, or the AA UNITS on 2 Feb 1942? It could be that the ships arrived at either Palembang or Oosthaven on 1 Feb 1942, and the men and guns sent by rail or road to the general Palembang area, but actually to P2 and P1. If to Oosthaven, a bit slower than sending the ships right to Palembang. Unless, however, that small convoy went to Oosthaven as a safety precaution, perhaps out of range of Japanese bombers, then we may have a tidy little package here after all. What IF ABBEKERK was with this convoy all the way, Singapore to Oosthaven? Can other readers confirm or deny those time and destination details as I postulate them here?<
You're theory looks even better:
The information I got today:
What surprised me was the remark "ESCORTED" and I directly asked what that may mean. They just told me they didn't know and it was simply not possible for them to find out anymore. "it may be as simple as being met by a motor boat off Oosthaven."
But it could be as well be the small convoy you're talking about.
(On the other hand: Abbekerk was a fast ship and reconstructing its timeline I got surprised more than once what a distance a ship can cover doing 17 knots (or even more). Singapore-Oosthaven is about 600 miles. Not to difficult to do in 2 days. And she desperately wanted to get out off reach of the Japs. She covered the same distance in about the same time when she got in with DM.01.
And the convoy you talk about was "a convoy of small ships". Although Abbekerk was not as big as the Liners in DM.01, she was a quite big ship especially for the region where were smaller, shallow water vessels were more common)
Lets see if anyone here on the forum can give more information or confirmation about this small convoy that left Singapore on Januari 30 and delivered the AA units at Palembang.
What surprised me was the remark "ESCORTED" and I directly asked what that may mean. They just told me they didn't know and it was simply not possible for them to find out anymore. "It may be as simple as being met by a motor boat off Oosthaven."<
Question: Are these movement data for ABBEKERK alone or for the convoy of which she was a part? I think for ABBEKERK, but please confirm that.
Two items leap out at me:
1. ABBEKERK’s voyage to Fremantle is specified as INDEP, and we well know she sailed from Tjilatjap to Fremantle completely alone. Thus ESCORTED must mean what it says and implies: she (and likely other ships) was escorted by one or more armed warships. Being met by the harbor pilot in a motorboat at the entrance to the harbor is NOT being ESCORTED!
I daresay that single vessels were not being escorted that lengthy distance. Rather the naval authorities collected a group of vessels and assigned a suitable escort, depending upon the number of merchant vessels in the convoy and the nature of their cargoes. Soldiers and equipment sailing to defend a vitally strategic place (airfields and oil fields in this instance) would of course require a decent escort. Thus you may rule out the motorboat and assume one or two destroyers, sloops, and/or ocean-going gunboats escorted this small convoy to Sumatra.
2. One notes that the claim is made therein that ABBERKERK departed Oosthaven 15 Feb 1942 and arrived Tjilatjap 17 Feb 1942, contrary to your father’s recollection of departing Oosthaven on the 17th.
I think that we may justifiably conclude that ABBEKERK was part of the same convoy that carried the two British AA units to Palembang, and in fact she may have carried some of the men, guns, or other equipment of these units.
I also think the big mystery is where these ships went. If that movement card is for ABBEKERK, then she sailed directly to Oosthaven. That is not to say that all vessels in the convoy did so. Some may have gone directly to Palembang, particularly those carrying units of 6 Heavy AA Regiment assigned to P1 and the Palembang tank farm. Perhaps because of the size of Palembang harbor and/or the need NOT to put one’s eggs (ships) in one basket (harbor), part of the convoy, perhaps carrying the reinforced battery of 35 Light AA Regiment, sailed on to Oosthaven and put those troops and guns ashore to board the railway to P2. Of course, any such division of troops and equipment could have been otherwise done. But you have these choices:
1. Some vessels sailed to Palembang, whereas ABBEKERK and others went directly to Oosthaven. OR...
2. ALL vessels in the convoy sailed to Oosthaven.
Thus the antiaircraft units to defend the airfields and oilfields either went ashore at Palembang or they had to travel the railway and roads to the places to be defended.
That movement card is very likely more reliable than your dad’s memory vis-a-vis the date of departure from Oosthaven. Feb 17th does appear to be the date at the Tjilatjap end. Of course, that card may contain one or more typographical errors. Thus confirmatory information is essential.
I have read several of the personal accounts by British and Commonwealth military personnel taken by ship from Singapore to Sumatra, and in fact you recommend some of them in your postings. The military personnel so far providing these accounts were RAF ground crews and other support staff (including the series by the late Harry Tweedale), army antiaircraft gunners, and Australian meteorological staff. In every case but one, these men report boarding a vessel (named or unnamed) that sailed south as part of some small convoy or other, leaving Singapore in the late January–early February 1942 interval. The exception was a vessel that missed the convoy you describe departing 30 Jan 1942, but sailed the following day, the 31st. Also without exception, these accounts specify Palembeng as the destination.
From the Palembeng docks, the men were taken to provide ground support or AA defense for Airdrome P1 (Pangkalanbenteng) or AA defense of the oil refineries at Pladjoe/Pladju and the nearby tank farm on the Palembeng waterfront. Some units may have gone south to Airdrome P2 (Praboemoelih/Prabumulih). Okay, it is clear that the fastest way to get these men into place, whether to support RAF strike operations or to defend either the airfields or the oil fields, was to take them directly up the Moesi/Musi River to Palembeng.
We know from your father’s memory and ABBEKERK’s shipping movement card that this vessel at least seems unusual at this juncture in sailing from Singapore to Oosthaven. From her departure on 30 Jan 1942, may we conclude she was part of the small convoy that went largely to Palembeng? If so, at what point did she, and perhaps other vessels, split off to continue to Oosthaven? Did naval escort remain beyond the Palembeng leg? Why did she go to Oosthaven? Was it more efficient for troops assigned to P2 Airdrome to go to this southernmore port and then onto rail transport to Prabumulih? There is some indirect evidence to believe this: British troops falling back to P2 at Palembeng encountered a major obstacle in the limited ferry service (small, slow) across the wide river there. And, why did ABBEKERK lie so long at Oosthaven?
When Abbekerk left Singapore Januari 30 she sailed for Oosthaven, which was unusual as other ships (and convoys) mostly sailed for Palembang and Jakarta.
I just found out that - fully loaded - Abbekerk was over 9 meters deep in the water. According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musi_River_(Indonesia) nowadays Musi River is dredged to be kept on 6,5 meters deep. I think its safe to assume that Abbekerk, even only 3/4 loaded, was simply to big for the Musi River.
If her cargo of ammunition and explosive was needed on Sumatra, Oosthaven was a logical destination. But so far all I know is that her 4 Bofors guns were unload in Oosthaven and send "up north" (and only after her being in Oosthaven already for a week) and that she unloaded part of her cargo only to get rid of it and have it sunk to the bottom on barges.
Leaves us with some questions:
-Was more of her cargo brought ashore and may be transported north or used to demolish Oosthaven harbour later?
-Why did she spend two weeks there (1-2 to 16/17-2)
-did she carry evacuees from Singapore and Oosthaven?
