History
The SS Van Heemskerk was built in the Netherlands in 1909. At the end of the First World War, she was seized by the British government. She was released again in 1919.
The Van Heemskerk ran aground on a reef north of the island of Buton (Celebes, Dutch East Indies) on May 15, 1924. She sprang a leak. The passengers were evacuated from the ship. Subsequently, the ship was refloated (May 21, 1924) and repaired in Surabaya. (Delpher newspaper reports 1924)
While traveling with troops and supplies from Milne Bay to Wakka, the Van Heemskerk sank in Milne Bay on April 14, 1943, and was lost due to a Japanese air raid. Four people on board the Van Heemskerk lost their lives in this incident.
Description
Built: Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw-Maatschappij, Amsterdam, NL
Owner: Koninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij, Batavia, Netherlands East Indies
| Power | 1300 hp |
|---|---|
| Speed | 10 knots ~ 12 mph (19 km/h) |
| Width | 325 ½ feet (99.2 m) |
| Draft | 22 ¾ feet (6.9 m) |
| Beam | 44 feet (13.4 m) |
| Tonnage | 2996 ton |