 's Jacob in port inMakassar, about 1907–14 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | 's Jacob |
| Namesake | Frederik Bernard 's Jacob |
| Owner |
|
| Operator | 1918:British India SN Co |
| Port of registry |
|
| Builder | Mij v S&WFijenoord,Rotterdam |
| Yard number | 211 |
| Laid down | 26 February 1907 |
| Launched | 25 July 1907 |
| Completed | October 1907 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Sunk, 8 March 1943 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | passenger ship |
| Tonnage | 2,907 GRT, 1,853 NRT, 3,438 DWT |
| Length | 325.5 ft (99.2 m) |
| Beam | 44.1 ft (13.4 m) |
| Depth | 22.8 ft (6.9 m) |
| Decks | 2 |
| Installed power | 233NHP, 1,300ihp |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed | 10 knots (19 km/h) |
| Capacity | |
| Armament | 1941: 1 × 4 in (100 mm) gun |
| Notes | one of severalsister ships |
SS 's Jacob[Note 1] was apassengersteamship that was launched in theNetherlands in 1907 and sunk by enemy action offNew Guinea in 1943. She spent most of her career withKoninklijke Paketvaart-Maatschappij (KPM, the "Royal Packet Navigation Company"), based in theDutch East Indies.
In theFirst World War theUnited Kingdom seized her underangary. In theSecond World War she escaped theJapanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, and became part of theSouthwest Pacific Area (SWPA) command's permanent local fleet. A Japanese air attack sank her on 8 March 1943.
Between 1907 and 1914, KPM took delivery of a set ofsister ships from different Dutch shipyards. Maatschappij voor Scheeps- en WerktuigbouwFijenoord inRotterdam completed 's Jacob in 1907,Le Maire andVan Spilbergen in 1908,Van der Hagen in 1909,Van Waerwijck in 1910, andSloet van de Beele andVan Imhoff in 1914.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij inAmsterdam completedVan Heemskerk in 1909,Van Linschoten in 1910, andVan Neck in 1912.[8][9][10] Rijkee & Co in Rotterdam completedVan Rees in 1913.[11]
Fijenoord built the first ship of the series as yard number 211. She was laid down on 26 February 1907 asVan Noort, but she was launched on 25 July as 's Jacob,[1] afterFrederik Bernard 's Jacob.[citation needed] She was completed that October. Her registered length was 325.5 ft (99.2 m), her beam was 44.1 ft (13.4 m) and her depth was 22.8 ft (6.9 m). Hertonnages were 2,907 GRT, 1,853 NRT,[12] and 3,438 DWT. She had berths for 1,026 passengers: eight infirst class, 18 in second class, and 1,000 insteerage. Her holds had capacity for 180,000 cubic feet (5,100 m3) of grain, or 144,000 cubic feet (4,100 m3) of baled cargo.[1]
The ship had a singlescrew, driven by a three-cylindertriple-expansion steam engine. It was rated at 233NHP[12] or 1,300ihp, and gave her a speed of 10 knots (19 km/h).[1]
KPMregistered 's Jacob atBatavia in theDutch East Indies. Hercode letters were TFGK.[12]
On 20 March 1918 PresidentWoodrow Wilson issued Proclamation 1436, authorising the seizure underangary of Dutch ships in US ports. The UK also seized Dutch ships in ports of the British Isles and theBritish Empire. 's Jacob was seized inSingapore. She was vested in the UKShipping Controller, who appointed theBritish India Steam Navigation Company tomanage her. The ship was returned to her owners in February 1919.[1]
In 1925 's Jacob's code letters were changed to TFPN.[13] In 1928 her passenger accommodation was changed to eight first class, 26 second class, and 1,420 deck passengers. This changed her tonnages to 2,988 GRT and 1,873 NRT.[14] In 1934 thecall sign PKRV superseded her code letters.[15] In 1935 her tonnages were reassessed as 2,839 GRT and 1,770 NRT.[16]
In August 1940 theRoyal Netherlands Navy requisitioned 's Jacob to bescuttled as ablockship in thePort of Tanjung Priok. However, on 17 February 1941 she was returned to her owners.[1]
On 8 December 1941Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies. On 1 March 1942 Japanese forceslanded on Java. 's Jacob took part in logistics support for theAmerican-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA) effort to hold the Malay Barrier. With fourtankers and acargo ship, 's Jacob sailed in Convoy MS4, which leftSydney on 31 January bound for the ABDA theatre of operations, taking the route south of Australia and up the west coast. On 15 February, the day Singapore fell, and asHMAS Perth took over the escort, ports inSumatra were falling and the tankers and other cargo ships were ordered to return toFremantle. 's Jacob andPerth continued, and were later joined by the Dutch shipsSwartenhondt andKarsik, but on the evening of 21 February, some 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) south of theSunda Strait, they too were ordered to return to Fremantle.[17]
's Jacob was one of the 21 KPM ships that were based in Australia after Java fell on 12 March. The Commanding General, United States Army Forces in Australia (USAFIA) was ordered to buy orcharter the ships for the SWPA's permanent local fleet. On 26 March 1942, the Chief Quartermaster, USAFIA arranged interim charters pending final negotiations with theDutch government-in-exile in London. Final negotiations between the USWar Shipping Administration (WSA) and the Dutch government resulted in their being placed underUnited States Army control through a complex charter arrangement in which the UKMinistry of War Transport (MoWT) chartered the KPM vessels and with WSA allocated them to SWPA with the stipulation they be under total control of the US Army. They typically were crewed by KPM's Dutch officers and Javanese crew.[18] 's Jacob wasdefensively armed with a 4-inch naval gun mounted aft.[citation needed]
The ship took part in the early days of reinforcements forPort Moresby andMilne Bay in New Guinea. She was in Convoy A3, which leftBrisbane on 10 August 1942 and reachedFall River inMilne Bay on 17 August.[19] On 2 September 1942, 's Jacob andAnshun leftTownsville for Milne Bay in Convoy Q2, escorted byHMAS Swan and laterHMAS Arunta. On 5 September, the convoy was holding south ofChina Strait as Japanese naval forces were expected in Milne Bay that night.Arunta escortedAnshun into the port the next day withSwan and 's Jacob awaiting orders south of the strait whereArunta joined them in the night. Meanwhile,Anshun was discharging cargo by lights when Japanese surface forces attacked the port, and thelight cruiserTenryū shelled and capsized her. 's Jacob entering Milne Bay was considered an unnecessary risk, and the escorts were ordered to Port Moresby until the situation stabilized.[20]
's Jacob took part in three more convoys fromQueensland to Milne Bay, each of which took three days. Convoy W left Cairns on 22 September 1942, and Convoy TN11 left Townsville on 1 December. Convoy TN 42 left Townsville on 26 February 1943, and reached Milne Bay on 1 March.[19]
's Jacob then joinedOperation Lilliput. Escorted by theAustralian corvetteHMAS Bendigo, she left Milne Bay carrying troops, weapons, and supplies bound forOro Bay. On 8 March 1943, as 's Jacob roundedCape Nelson, nine high-flyingJapanese bombers escorted by 12 fighters attacked her nearPorlock Bay. The aircraft scored three direct hits and at least 15 near misses, which caused serious structural damage and wounded several crewmen. A large fire started on the foreship, and her water pumps shut down, which prevented firefighting. The order was given to abandon ship. All those aboard jumped overboard and clung to wreckage.Bendigo rescued 158 men, two of whom died on the way to Milne Bay. Within 18 minutes of the attack, 's Jacob sank at 13:16 hrs off Porlock Harbor.[21][22]
Five men were killed in the sinking, including PrivateGeorge Watson, who remained in the water and instead of trying to save himself, helped into liferafts those soldiers who could not swim. He was posthumously awarded theMedal of Honor.[23]
In 1986 divers found 's Jacob's wreck 9 nautical miles (17 km) off Porlock Harbour, at a depth of 160 feet (49 m). Theship's bell was recovered and later given to theLae Yacht Club.[24]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1943 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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