Difference between revisions of "SS Marnix van Sint Aldegonde"
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Revision as of 00:20, 10 May 2019
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| History | |
|---|---|
| Builder/Built | 1930 N.V. Dutch Shipbuilding, Maatsch, Amsterdam |
| Type | Luxury Passenger ship & cargo liner |
| Displacement | 19,355 tons |
| Speed | 17 knots |
Remarks
Built for the Netherlands Line for use on the Amsterdam to Jakarta route. She operated out of Surabaya from 21 February 1940, and was requisitioned as a troopship at Singapore in May 1941 to transport Australian troops from Melbourne to Asia and Africa, and to bring 1,000 Italian prisoners of war from Egypt to Mumbai.
She later carried Allied troops who participated in landings in French North Africa, Sicily and Salerno in Italy. Her Captain was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in January 1943 after his ship destroyed two attacking bombers off North Africa on 9 November 1942.
The SS Marnix van Sint Aldegonde sailed with a convoy from England to the Mediterranean on 27 Oct 1943. She came under attack by Dornier torpedo bombers while in the Mediterranean on 6 Nov 1943 and was hit by a torpedo which flooded the engine room. All personnel were safely rescued by other ships, and the SS Marnix van Sint Aldegonde was taken in tow. Another ship the SS Santa Elena had been similarly disabled by another torpedo in the same attack; and was also taken in tow. The two ships collided while in tow, and both sank from progressive flooding the following evening.