Slamat Commemoration 2011

COMMEMORATION OF THE GREATEST DISASTER IN

DUTCH MERCHANT NAVY HISTORY

Wednesday April 27th – 2011

 

PICTURES OF OUR VICTIMS

We regret the fact that we are not in the possesion of more pictures of Slamat/Diamon/Wryneck victims than we show below. In order to enlarge the lists below we would like to ask victims’ relatives to send us more pictures of their beloved!
3. CREW AND THEIR SHIPS

HMS Diamond

ss Slamat

HMS Wryneck

DIAMOND CREW

Lt. Commander Philip Alexis Cartwright

SLAMAT CREW

Captain: Tjalling Luidinga

WRYNECK CREW

Commander Robert Henry Douglas Lane

Samuel de Boo Purser (41)

George Brand
Doctor (61)

Gerardus Borsboom
Pantryman (31)

David Bruggeman
Quartermaster(41)

Martinus Diekerhof
1st Engineer (51)

Hendrik Doornkamp
Sailor (24)

Albertus Gramsma
3rd Engineer (37)

Cornelis ten Have
2nd Engineer (45)

Willem Jacob Klijn (46)
1st Officer

Gijsbert van Langeveld (34)
4th Engineer

Antonis Nicolaas Lokkerbol (32)
Steward (2nd class)

Johannes Hendrikus Lindeman (46)
2nd Radio Officer

Jacobus Antonis Meeuwsen (36)
Cook-Patissier

Jan Nieweg
Sailor (33)

Frederik Jan de Reus (29)
4th Engineer

Cornelis Johannes Schraven (50)
Quartermaster

Arie van der Sjouw (25)
3rd Cook

Philippus Sluijter
Boatswain (41)

Jan Marinus Weber
Barkeeper (42)

Jan Pille (22)
Apprentice Officer
ALLIED SOLDIERS

Dr Lennox Douglas (NZ)
Surgeon (39)
attached to the Slamat Crew

Edwin Lewis Wealthy (31) (UK) Gunner Royal Army

Walter Scott (UK)
Lieutenant (35)
attached to the Slamat Crew

 

Dr John Watson (UK) Surgeon Lieutenant RNVR (27) HMS Diamond

SOME SURVIVORS (all of them deceased!)

Johannes Marinus Trijsburg
Assistent Purser (35) ss Slamat
( ? February 21st 2002)

Jasper de Jong (?)
Sailor ss Slamat

George Dexter(UK)
Allied Private (23) Royal Army ( ? July 13th 2014)
The pictures of the two destroyer Commanders are from ‘The Britannia Museum Trust’

FEW OF THE MANY PICTURES OF THE COMMEMORATION

Wednesday April 27th – 2011

Frans Luidinga interviewed by Radio Rijnmond

Chairman, Ed van Lierde discussing the ceremony with the HMS Diamond crew

Ed van Lierde discussing the ceremony with Commander HMS Diamond, Ian Clarke

The coffee corner with arriving commemoration guests

Coffee plus “petite four”

Exposition HMS Diamond with a part of the crew

Member of the Board, Kees Amsterdam talking with the Australian Military Attaché, Major Leichsenring

Briefing of our Museum volunteers

Interview Chairman, Ed van Lierde by RTV-Rijnmond

Eight members of the Ruys family (Royal Rotterdam Lloyd founders) walking to their seats for joining the ceremony

Speech Chairman, Ed van Lierde

Speech Commander HMS Diamond, Ian Clarke

Speech Frans Luidinga about his Slamat book

The very impressing video of the last living Slamat/Wryneck victim, George Dexter

Speech by Rotterdam Mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb

Het Slamat/Diamond/Wrynech monument unveiled by Anje ten Have (daughter Slamat victim) and Rotterdam Mayor, Ahmed Aboutaleb

The flower ceremony in front of the Slamat monument

The end of the flower ceremony

A British Royal Navy sailor is photographing the Slamat plague

Die Maeze Sanghers giving their great performance

HMS Diamond crew plus British Military Attaché, Captain Lambourn, Frans Luidinga and Ed van Lierde

Commemoration dinner – Master of ceremonies, Nico Guns just finished his opening speech

Commemoration dinner – ‘Dames Danzi’ in their musical setting

Commemoration dinner

Commemoration dinner – Words of gratitude by Chairman, Ed van Lierde

The “beseeching hand” of the Slamat monument with the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd flag (Oudehorne – Friesland)

Alexandria/Egypt – Flower wreath on the grave of Slamat-3rd Officer, G. van der Woude, laid by the Dutch War Graves Foundation on behalf of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum

Athens/Greece – Flower wreath with military honor on and aroud the grave of Slamat-Apprentice officer, J. Pille, laid by the Dutch War Graves Foundation on behalf of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum

 

Press reports after the Commemoration

A: Television

A-1 NOS Journaal

A-2: Radio TV Rijnmond

 

B: Newspapers

 

Schakel – 5 mei 2011

 

U-TUBE: “Slamat Song”, Source: Ton Kellner

please click text below for playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYmh-VypCRk

 

U-TUBE: “We’ll meet again”, Source: Ton Kellner

please click text below for playing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q76RzjJsVcA

COMMEMORATION PROGRAMME – APRIL 27th 2011

MUSICAL SUPPORT DURING THE COMMEMORATION

 

CONTRIBUTION OF THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY TO OUR SLAMAT/DIAMOND/WRYNECK – COMMEMORATION.

The Dutch never returned thanks to the British for the rescue attempts of the Slamat crew and allied troops on board the Slamat by the HMS Diamond and HMS Wryneck crew members. On April 27, 2011 we made an end to this negligense and invited Commander Ian Clarke and seven crew members of the modern HMS Diamond to be part of the official ceremony.

HMS Diamond on “zig-zag” course Commander Ian Clark

During the Commemoration the ‘Coat of Arms’ of HMS Diamond (shown down below) was presented by PO Tanja Berry to the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum. A great reason and a good moment to present the Slamat model (scale: 1 – 1250) which will sail from now on with the modern HMS Diamond.

The old HMS DIAMOND The HMS WRYNECK

The representatives of the Royal British Navy with Frans Luidinga (Son of the Slamat Captain, Tjalling Luidinga – 5th from right) and Ed van Lierde (Founder and Chairman of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum – 4th from right).

Captain Lambourn, British Defence Attaché to The Benelux (3rd from right)

Commander Ian Clarke Commanding Officer HMS Diamond (2nd from right)

Lt. Commander Allen (1st from right)

PO Morris

PO Berry

LS James

LET Barnes

LET Chadwick

LSC Meggeson

 

PARTICIPANTS TO THE COMMEMORATION CEREMONY

RELATIVES OF OUR VICTIMS (58)

VIPS (18)

1. United Kingdom: Captain Peter Neil Lambourn, British Defence Attaché to the Benelux 2 t/m 9. United Kingdom: Commander Ian Clarke, Commanding officer of HMS Diamond plus 7 crew members 10. Greece: Mr. Yannis Ioannidis “Cultural Attaché of the Greek Embassy to The Netherlands 11. New Zealand: His Excellency George Troup, New Zealand Ambassador to The Netherlands 12. Norway: Commander S.G. Torre Andersson, Norwegian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands 13. Portugal: Mr. Jorge Silva Lopes, Minister-Counsellor and Chargé d’ Affaires of the Portuguese Embassy to The Netherlands 14. The Netherlands: Commodore Ir. C.H. (Kees) Boelema Robertus “Director of Operational Support of the Commander Royal Netherlands Navy 15. The Netherlands: Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam.
FAMILY-RUYS:
– Mr. B.E. Ruys (Son of Willem Ruys B.zn. shot down by the Germans in World War II),
– Mrs. W.P. Barones van Pallandt-Ruys (Daughter of Willem Ruys B.zn.),
– Ir J.D. Ruys (Son of Willem Ruys B.zn.),
– Ir D.P. Ruys (Son of Ir J.D. Ruys),
– Drs L.A. Ruys en Mrs. C.L.M. Mertens (Son and Daughter-in-law of Ir L.P. Ruys, who lived in London during World
War II),
– Drs C.T. Ruys en Mrs. E.M.F. Ruys-de Gaay Fortman (Son and Daughter-in-law of Ir L.P. Ruys).
SPONSORS (39)
FORMER ROYAL ROTTERDAM LLOYD PERSONNEL (84)
OTHER PERSONS INTRESTED (75)
DIE MAEZE SANGHERS (70)
TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS TO THE CEREMONY: 344
PARTICIPANTS OF THE COMMEMORATION DINNER
185 dinners have been served by the fantastic Catering team of Rob Swagemakers at Tilburg
PRINTED MATTER OF THE COMMEMORATION DINNER
Menu of the Commemoration dinner

Coffee and ‘Petite four’

1. THE LOCATION OF THE COMMEMORATION

The Laurens Church at Rotterdam

The Laurens Church is situated in the city center of Rotterdam. The atmosphere, situation and flexibility makes this beautiful church a very suitable location. We have made a reservation for Wednesday April 27, 2011 but, dependent on the succes of the fund raising, the Slamat Commemoration will indeed take place on this important spot.

In May 2010 it was exactly 70 years since the inner city of Rotterdam was flattened by German air raids. After bombing, the Laurens Church was one of the few buildings left standing. One year later German Stuckas bombed the Slamat in the Mediterranean. She and most of her crew and allied soldiers did not survive! This makes the Laurens Church, in many respects a great and impressive place for this commemoration ………!

2. THE SLAMAT MONUMENT

 

 

The only existing Slamat monument is situated in Birmingham-England. The last living Slamat survivor, George Dexter initiated this monument. In spite of the fact that the SLAMAT drama still is the greatest disaster in Dutch Merchant Naval history, the Netherlands itself never had a SLAMAT monument. With a SLAMAT monument the Dutch could give the family members of the Slamat victims an important place for remembrance. Besides some exceptions the Dutch are not aware of what happened at sea in World War II, a SLAMAT monument itself and extensive publicity around the Slamat monument could change that (awareness of history and culture). With a SLAMAT monument located in the Netherlands the Dutch Government and the Dutch people could also honour the victims of HMS WRYNECK and HMS DIAMOND. (Crewmembers of both British destroyers paid with their lives in protecting the SLAMAT). The well known Dutch sculptor, Nicolas van Ronkenstein was so impressed by the SLAMAT story that he made this monument for free!! Picture above-right: Nicolas van Ronkenstein and Ed van Lierde talking about the monument in flooded Reuver.

 

3. THE SLAMAT SONG

The association: ”DIE MAEZE SANGHERS” (80 men and 3 women) from Maassluis, The Netherlands are performing a repertoire of English, French, German, Spanish, Swedish and Dutch sea songs en shanties and will be accompanied by a small ship’s orchestra.
During the SLAMAT Commemoration (formal part) this seamen’s choir performed a song dedicated to the SLAMAT drama and their victims. Especially for this occasion this song is composed by them. Also in the formal part they sang the song: ”Roll out the Barrel”. The brave Royal British Navy crew members (from HMS WRYNECK and HMS DIAMOND) will be honoured in those two songs too. During the informal part the choir performed several ‘suitable’ songs from their repertoire.
PLEASE SEE AND HEAR U-TUBE-RECORDING SLAMAT SONG FAR ABOVE !
4. SLAMAT STREAMER AND FLAGS OF HMS WRYNECK AND HMS DIAMOND

 

Since the sailing ships of our founder, Mr. Willem Ruys, ships of the Rotterdam Lloyd were flying their so called; “streamer” on the first or second mast. The red streamer features the name of the ship and in fact its form was a long equilateral triangle. Measurements about: hight: 100 cm., lenght: 500 cm. Above shown streamer (a replica) will be shown during the SLAMAT Commemoration.

The Company “Shipmate” at Vlaardingen-The Netherlands will also produce the flags of HMS Diamond and HMS Wryneck. Steamer and flags will of course play an important roll during the Commemoration.

 

Since the sailing ships of our founder, Mr. Willem Ruys, ships of the Rotterdam Lloyd were flying their so called; “streamer” on the first or second mast. The red streamer features the name of the ship and in fact its form was a long equilateral triangle. Measurements about: hight: 100 cm., lenght: 500 cm. Above shown streamer (a replica) will be shown during the SLAMAT Commemoration.

The Company “Shipmate” at Vlaardingen-The Netherlands will also produce the flags of HMS Diamond and HMS Wryneck. Steamer and flags will of course play an important roll during the Commemoration.

5. RENEWAL SLAMAT BOOK

 

Frans Luidinga

At the SLAMAT Commemoration a revised edition of this book written by Frans Luidinga will be published. The intention right now is to edit a Dutch and an English version. As far as Frans Luidinga concerns the Slamat Commemoration of 2007 was a good reason to rewrite his Slamat book. Another subjects to be added are: Several pictures, an eye-witness report of the Slamat disaster, German archive records and a New Zealand contribution from Slamat surgeon, Lennox Douglas. At the Commemoration the first book (in Dutch language) was presented by Frans Luidinga to the organiser of the ‘Great Slamat Commemoration’, Ed van Lierde.

 

6. SPECIAL COMMEMORATION PUBLICATION OF THE MUSEUM MAGAZINE: “LLOYD-KOMPAS”
The magazine of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum normally is meant for people who signed on to our Museum and for members of our Committee of recommendation. Especially for the Slamat Commemoration a special, extra thick, publication was made. This Special is written in the English language and is designed and destined for foreign and Dutch Commemoration guests. One can find the following subjects: Preparation of the Commemoration, the disaster itself, the victims, the ships involved, the participants, several projects within the Commemoration and of course the Commemoration Programme, etc. etc.
We are very glad to inform you that the Rabobank-Rotterdam will support us by financing the printing costs of this Commemoration-Special.
THIS COMMEMORATION SPECIAL IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR 3 EURO (excl. forwarding-charges).
7. MINIATURE MODEL OF THE ss SLAMAT
Especially for the Commemoration small models will be made (scale:1-1250 – lenght: 13 cm) of the ss Slamat. Interested people can order those scale models by enrolment. which means that there is no financial risk for the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum. The pricing will be kept low and until the day after the Slamat Commemoration the Slamat model will be sold exclusively by The Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum.
8. EXPOSITIONS DURING THE COMMEMORATION
Specific expositions in the Laurens church were organised by:
1. Our own organisation: the “Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum Foundation”
2. The British Royal Navy
3. Merchant Navy Personel 1940-1945 Foundation
4. Damen Schelde Naval Schipbuilding BV
5. Frans Romeijnsen with Oil-paintings of Lloyd ships, especially the Slamat
9. THE ‘SECRET’ PROJECT

At December 2010 the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd Museum Foundation commissioned a foreign artist to paint an oil-painting of the German air attack on the ss Slamat and HMS Diamond. Because real pictures of the disaster are not available our Museum thought it desirable to visualize the attack artisticly. One week before the commemoration the Oil-painting arrived from far abroad. See above to witness the surprising result of this secret mission.

10. THE OIL-PAINTING SUPPORT-PROJECT

Painter, Frans Romeijnsen sold an oil-painting from his ‘Paiting-support-project’ during the Slamat Commemoration. The buyer is a member of the Rotterdam Lloyd founders family-RUYS, he bought an oil-painting of the flagship ‘Willem Ruys’

The Bay of Nauplion in peace time – 1945