Speech by Captain Leendert Welter

ROYAL ROTTERDAM LLOYD MUSEUM
OUDEHORNE – SEPTEMBER 22, 2007

SPEECH CAPTAIN LEENDERT WELTER, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE KRL/WRZ ASSOCIATION

I’ll introduce myself ……

I am Captain Lennart Welter, retired master of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd.

First of all I want to tell you that I am very impressed by the lecture about the Slamat disaster in the Greek archipel by Mr. Luidinga.

I represent, being a former chairman, on request of the present chairman of the society of old pensioners of the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd and William Ruys & Sons, who could not be present here.

I do thank Mr Van Lierde for the invitation that I gladly accepted.

I myself am not directly involved as the next kin related to the loss of the ss Slamat. However my father served a long time as a 2nd engineer on her, that was before the 2nd world war.

According to the website of this museum our society is closely related.

Mr. Luidinga, who is well known to me, as I have assisted him by finding out the various occupations of the deceased seafarers during the 2nd worlds war, mentioned at the Rotterdam Lloyd war memorial at Rotterdam.

I wish you a successful reunion.

Thank you very much indeed.