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With Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian,
Cruise‘n’Ship Reviewer & Author
Memories of the JVO
MS Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt
Chapter
Ten
Conclusion
Netherland
Line Post Card of the JVO in Amsterdam
Lakonia lies at
the bottom of the sea, resting at a depth of one thousand two hundred fathoms.
It is strange, but she sank near the place where her sister ship Marnix van St Aldegonde
had been torpedoed and consequently sunk during the war. The burning and the
sinking of Lakonia shocked the
maritime world, and quickly prompted stringent regulations to be imposed on all
passenger liners. This process of upgrading the "safety of life at sea" (SOLAS) has continued right up to the most recent 2010
changes. Due to the introduction of the new and comprehensive SOLAS
regulations, many of the older ships have been taken out of service. One of
these was another much loved and admired passenger liner, P&O's SS Canberra, SS Norway, ex SS France
and many other famous liners. Although some have been saved and are operating
as fine luxury hotels, such as the famed SS Rotterdam of Holland America Line
and she is at her homeport in Rotterdam the Netherlands!
The author about to depart
on a Christmas - New Year cruise to Australia on the JVO
ex Wellington December 20, 1961, sailing via Auckland,
Melbourne & Sydney
back to Wellington.
In
1963, a colourful Greek Line brochure promised a holiday on Lakonia that would
be remembered and talked about "for the rest of your life." Her final
cruise was indeed a voyage that will never be forgotten! She will be remembered
for many reasons, first as the popular Dutch liner Johan van Oldenbarnevelt,
the JVO, a welcome visitor to Australia
and New Zealand
so many occasions. Then in the UK
as the Lakonia, a ship that gave many the best possible holidays during her
first seventeen cruises. Be it the JVO or Lakonia, she will be remembered and
spoken about for years to come, for this passenger liner of yesteryear has
earned a significant place in modern maritime history. All that have sailed on
JVO prior to becoming the Lakonia will always remember her as a fine ship that
provided us with a lifetime of wonderful and happy memories. She was not only a
beautiful ship, but also a happy ship. Without doubt, being the traditional
Dutch passenger ship that gave her that special charm and warm hospitality. Due
to this, the JVO, "Johan
van Oldenbarnevelt" became
like our very own, a little piece of The Netherlands in the Southern
Hemisphere. The only way to travel the Dutch Way in the 20th century, is to cruise on one of the "Holland
America Line" fine ships cruising the world, including, in and out of New
Zealand and Australia on such ships as the ms Volendam and Zaandam which are
based in Sydney and Auckland each during the summer months, as well as the
regular visits of the ms Amsterdam and for the 2012/13 summer the ms Oosterdam
will also be based in Sydney and Auckland.
Thousands,
including the author continue to have wonderful Memories of the JVO for she
will live in our hearts forever!
Reuben Goossens
Dedication
This
work is dedicated to the memory of 98 passengers and 30 crew, 128 precious
lives that were sadly lost, on that fateful day, 22 and 23 December 1963.
Also,
to all who have sailed on the JVO (Johan van
Oldenbarnevelt) and the TSMS Lakonia.
Two of the author’s JVO Mementos
Right: a
Souvenir Pendant was included with the menu at the 1961 New Years eve Captains Diner party.
Left:
Brass Letter opener housed in a round solid timber housing. The medallion reads
m.s. Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. The Netherlands Line
House flag is in the center.
Read the Tom Boelen
Story
The night
the JVO almost went down
JVO Index
Chapters
with an * were recently updated
Introduction Remembering the JVO
Chapter 1 The New Pride of the Netherlands
Chapter 2 JVO the Trooper
Chapter 3 A New Service
Chapter 4 New Lease of Life
*
Chapter 5 JVO the Cruise Ship *
Chapter 6 Goodbye JVO *
Chapter 7 Cruise Ship TSMS Lakonia
Chapter 8 Lakonia's Final Voyage *This Chapter
has 17 new photographs and stories – Dec 2009
Chapter 9 The End is Near
Chapter 10 Conclusion
*
Passenger
stories
Page One Boelen Family – The
night the JVO almost went down
Page Two - NEW Pieter
Goldhoorn –1947 – a
soldier’s voyage to the East Indies (Indonesia)
Page Three William Hamlyn – 1945
Royal Signalman’s voyage home from wartime duties
Page Four - NEW Laszlo
Pal – A Voyage to Canada
Page Five – NEW Harold Heasman – His service on the JVO from March 1942 to August 1943
***********************************
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Who is the
Author of ssMaritime?
Commenced in the passenger Shipping Industry
in May 1960
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Photographs
on ssmaritime and
associate pages are by the author or from the author’s private
collection. In addition there are some images
that have been provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or
collectors. Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are some
photographs provided to me without details regarding the photographer/owner
concerned. I hereby invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make
them-selves known to me (my email address may be found on www.ssmaritime.com only), in order 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 these individuals either refuse to provide
credit or remove them when asked, knowing full well that there is no legal
comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show these charlatans up and
do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!
This
notice covers all pages, although, and 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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