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MaSS

stepping stones of maritime history

History

In 1940 the SS Slamat was converted to a British troopship. In 1941 she was bombed and sunk while evacuating British soldiers from Greece to Crete.

The convoy steamed south down the Argolic Gulf, until at 06:45 a Luftwaffe aircraft attacked it. A 250 kg (550 lb) bomb exploded between Slamat's bridge and forward funnel, setting her afire. Her water system became disabled, hampering her crew's ability to fight the fire. Another bomb hit her and she listed to starboard. The captain ordered to abandon ship.

Nearly 1,000 people were killed in the loss of Slamat, Diamond and Wryneck. Of the 500 or so soldiers that Slamat embarked, only eight survived. Of her complement of 193 crew and 21 Australian and New Zealand DEMS gunners and NZEF Medical Corps 11 survived.

Description

Type: twin-screw steamship
Built: Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde, Vlissingen, 1924
Owner: Rotterdamsche Lloyd
Tonnage: 11,406
Dimensions: 510.1 ft (155.5 m) x 62.0 ft (18.9 m) x 35.2 ft (10.7 m) (1931–41)
Propulsion: steam turbines; twin screw
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 193 + 21 DEMS gunners
Master, Tjalling Luidinga

Down on 18 February

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