ssMaritime.com
& ssMaritime.net
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
The
KPM Sisters
SS
Nieuw Holland SS Nieuw Zeeland
SS
Nieuw Holland

SS Nieuw Holland was
built for KPM (Koninklijke Paketvaart Mij) by the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw
Co (Netherlands Shipbuilding Co) in Amsterdam. She was launched
on December 1, 1927. After her completion on April 20 1928, she
headed for Asia and commenced regular services from Malaya, via Singapore,
Dutch East Indies (todays Indonesia), to Brisbane, Sydney
and Melbourne. Nieuw Holland and her newer sister, SS Nieuw
Zealand, maintained a regular service between Australia and Asia
until the outbreak of the war. These two KPM sisters were
regarded as two of the most graceful pre-war liners to operate
between Australia and Asia, with their magnificently decorated
lounges clad with fine timbers featuring elaborate carvings.
Their external appearance gave them a casual tropical feel being
pained all white and buff to yellow funnels.

A
Dutch Postcard of the ship at Ijmuiden (Amsterdam)
Authors
private collection
In 1940, Nieuw
Holland headed for Melbourne where she was modified to become a
troop transport ship for up to 1,000 troops. Upon completion she
joined the Royal Navy, bur she continued to be operated by her
Dutch crew. She and SS Nieuw Zeeland joined regular convoys
between Europe and the Middle East, although Nieuw Holland did
operate in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean for a short time.
Late in 1941, she received yet another modification but his time
in the UK increasing her capacity up to 2,000 troops. Both SS
Nieuw Holland and her sister SS Nieuw Zealand were part of the
November 1942 invasion of North Africa.
From
a Japanese Concentration Camp to a Voyage on SS Nieuw Holland
home
I received a most interesting email from a
Dutch Gentleman who sailed on SS Nieuw Holland in 1946 having
been a prisoner of the Japanese with his while family. This is
his story of their voyage on this ship home.
I sailed with my parents and brother in
1946 from Bangkok Thailand to Amsterdam, having "enjoyed"
the hospitality of the Japs during the occupation of the Dutch
East Indies, having been incarcerated in various concentration
camps.
We were taken from the shores at the Bay of Siam
on a LST, crewed by British, and climbed the swinging
cable stairs on board the SS Nieuw Holland. This occurred in the
early in March 1946, and comprised my father 40 years of age,
my mother 37, my brother 14, and myself Lieuwe 11 years old. From
there we sailed to Singapore, then to Colombo India, Aden Arabia
and through the Suez Canal to Port Said Egypt. Then we
sailed through the Mediterranean Sea, Past Gibraltar and
eventually in April arrived in Amsterdam where the Red Cross
transported us to my Fathers parents home in Sneek
that is in the Province of Friesland Holland.
From what I can remember there were
approximately 1,500 passengers on board, and my dad became very
ill and nearly died of hepatitis, during the voyage. Others even
died and a total of fifteen were buried at sea having
suffered from all kinds of tropical diseases inherited
during the war.
I recall that the
ship had a swimming pool on the foredeck that was used on a daily
basis. The crew tried as best as they could to entertain the
children as well as the grownups to make the voyage as
pleasant as possible. In the various ports, native artists were
allowed on the ship to do show, enjoyed by all, but it was mainly
for the children. Lieuwe de Haas.
Nieuw
Holland Returns to Civil Duties
She continued her war
duties until being returned to her owners in March 1948 to be
restored as a passenger liner. One year earlier, KPN transferred
Nieuw Holland to the newly formed Royal Interocean Lines (RIL),
and she was sent to Hong Kong to be refitted. With her new livery
of a black hull and funnels, having an emblem in the Dutch
colours of red, white and blue with a gold crown set in the white
that was shaped like a triangle. She now had a capacity of 155
first class passengers. Her tonnage was now registered as 11.215 GRT.

Nieuw
Holland seen after her refit and being transferred to RIL in 1958
Authors
private collection
She commenced duties
from Singapore sailing via Indonesia to Brisbane, Sydney and
Melbourne; however ports of call also included Ceylon, India and
Pakistani on occasions. Late in 1958, after the Indonesia
confiscated all Dutch possessions, RIL decided to terminate
services and she commenced her final voyage to Australia in
January 1959, visiting Brisbane where she arrived on January 18.
She headed for Sydney (Jan 21) then Melbourne (Jan 23) where she
remained for five days before departing on January 28 for
Adelaide, Fremantle (Perth), then heading north for Malaya, after
which she sailed to India and returned to Singapore. Within days
this delightful passenger cargo liner departed Singapore heading
for a Hong Kong breakers yard, where she arrived on March 6 1959,
and was duly broken up.

Nieuw
Hollands final visit to Sydney
Specifications
Built:
1928 by Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Co, Amsterdam - Yard 187
Engines:
2 Stork steam turbines - 7.500 SHP
Propeller:
One
Speed:
15.5 knots
Length
160.60m 527ft
Width:
19.00m 62.30ft
Tonnage:
10.903 GRT 1958 11.215 GRT
Passengers:
123 First class 50 Third class passengers
1958 - 155 all first class passengers
Crew:
200 crew
Troops:
1940 1,000. 1941 2,000
**************************************
SS
Nieuw Zeeland

SS
Nieuw Zeeland
Authors
Private collection
SS Nieuw Zeeland was launched on January 6 1928
and was completed on April 12 1928. She departed Rotterdam and
headed for Asia where she commenced regular services from Malaya,
via Singapore, Dutch East Indies (todays Indonesia), to
Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Like her sister the SS Nieuw
Holland, she maintained a regular service between Australia and Asia
until the outbreak of the war. Her external appearance was
unusual at that time being pained all white and her two buff to
yellow funnels. In 1935 due to problems, she was fitted with new
turbines.
In 1940, with the war having commenced, SS
Nieuw Zeeland was rebuilt as a troop ship in Singapore to
accommodate up to 1000 troops. She was handed over to the Royal
Navy, but like her sister her Dutch crew remained onboard. She
joined convoys sailing to the Middle East and Europe.
SS Nieuw Zealand was involved in the invasion
of North Africa, however, having just disembarked her troops she
was torpedoed by a German U Boat, the U407 on November 11 1942.
Sadly 16 lives were lost.
Specifications
Built:
1927 by Rotterdamsche DD Mij. Rotterdam Yard 142c
Engines:
2 Mij Feijenoord steam turbines 8,000 SHP
Propeller:
One
Speed:
15.5 knots
Length
160.60m 527ft
Width:
19.00m 62.30ft
Tonnage:
10.906 GRT
Passengers:
123 First class 50 Third class passengers
Crew: 200 crew
Troops:
1,000
Three additional
images

Above
& below: Two KPM brochures


A
rare photograph of the SS Nieuw Holland seen in the Brisbane
River
Taken
by a MR. P. Williams (1930s) from the authors
private collection

SS
Nieuw Holland
Authors
private collection

Nieuw
Holland seen arriving in Brisbane
Authors
private collection
If
you or your family sailed on SS Nieuw Holland from Batavia to Australia
on 22 September 1939 I now have s a copy of passenger list for
this sailing online Enter the PASSENGER LIST HERE.
**************************************
I
trust you have enjoyed reading this page on these much loved
passenger liners. If you have sailed on them I would like to hear
from you, and if you have any photographs I would greatly
appreciate some, especially those of the interiors and out on
deck. Email Me!
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Who is the Author of ssMaritime?
In
the passenger shipping industry since May 1960

info@ssmaritime.com
PLEASE
NOTE: I receive hundreds of requests for Passenger/Crew Lists
and Sailing Schedules. I hereby wish to advise that I am unable
to assist due to time restrains and as most shipping companies
have long gone these lists/schedules are no longer available. I
regret to advise that any request for these will no longer be
answered regardless of the circumstances presented!
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& ssMaritime.net
Where
the ships of the past make history & the 95 year old MV
Doulos Site
Photographs
on ssmaritime and associate pages are: 1. By the author. 2. From
the authors private collection. 3. As
provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or
collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there
are photographs provided to me without details provided regarding
the photographer concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these
images would be so kind to make them-selves known to me, that due
credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a
multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either
refuse to give me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing
full well that there is no legal comeback when it comes to the
net. However, let us show the charlatans up and do the right
thing at all times and give credit where credit is due! Note:
I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the
owners of the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of
their private collection.
This
notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure
that all photographs are duly credited and that this notice is
displaced on each page, that is, when a page is updated!
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is owned and © Copyright 2010 - by Reuben Goossens - All Rights
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