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This is a continuation of my two previous films about the time that my father spent in the Dutch Navy before and during the whole of WW-II. Both films address his period on the Hr.Ms. Johan Maurits van Nassau. This ship played an important role in the defence of the Afsluitdijk when the Germans invaded the Netherlands on the 10th of May 1940. Sadly the Johan Maurits was bombed by a German Stuka and sank of the coast of North Holland when part of the Dutch Navy made efforts to escape to England.
For some unknown reason my father was transferred from the Johan Maurits to the Hr.Ms. Jan van Brakel, just days before it sunk. He was part of the rescue operation to save the crew of the Johan Maurits.
The Jan van Brakel and about half a dozen other ships managed to escape to England. My father briefly served on the Hr.Ms Westerland, the depot of mine layers, Hr.Ms.Medusa and the Hr.Ms. Douwe Aukes before being transfered to the brand new Hr.Ms. Isaac Sweers on 1 May 1941.
The Hr.Ms. Isaac Sweers was built as one of four destroyers ships (torpedojager in Dutch) in the new "Callenburg class" by the Koninklijke Maatschappij De Schelde at Vlissingen. Its keel was layed on 26 November 1938 and launched on 16 March 1940 as seen here. On that date the Isaac Sweers was not much more than a hull. In order not to let this valuable asset fall in the hands of the enemy, it was decided to tow the Isaac Sweers to England. Its engines were not in a ready state to do so on its own power.
The large tug Zwarte Zee managed to couple to its hull on 11 March 1940. Despite being attacked by German aircraft, both ships reached the Inner Downs at Deal Bank on the following day. Subsequently the Isaac Sweers was towed further West via Spithead to Portsmouth. Some time later it is towed to a warfe in Southamption in order to be completed as a destroyer.
Eventually the ship was commissioned on the 29th of May 1941 and started its carreer that lasted just over 1.5 years.
This film shows its many adventures in the North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean, The Indian Ocean and around Africa. Please watch this film and listen to the spoken commentary for the more details.
In view of the 5000 character limit for KZfaq descriptions, please visit: www.ricksfilmre... for a full transcript of the commentary.
On the 12th of November 1942, the Isaac Sweers left Gibraltar to rejoin with Force H. The next day at 05:15 in the morning, the fate of the Isaac Sweers was sealed as it got attacked by a German U-boot. Two torpedos hit the ship, the second killing most of the officers who were asleep.
The ship immediately started to list and sink by its stern. Next it capsized over stern while breaking in half.
If I recall correctly, my father was blown overboard due to the blasts. After about 3 hours in the water he got finally rescued by British ships. He was very lucky because 119 of the 194 crew members were killed!
What exactly happened to my father in the days after the tragedy is unknown to me. Ten days later he was stationed on the Hr.Ms. Oranje Nassau, to be transfered on 5 December to "Rol London" followed by a short 9 day stay at Enys House, a training facility for officers.
On the 10th of November he returned to London to serve at the Dutch Navy's HQ in London, in the C&A building at Marble Arch, until the end of the war when he returned to his family in The Netherlands on 13 July.
His period in London during Wartime will be the subject of one of my next videos.
In remembrance of the 119 (105 recorded) casualties of this tragedy.
This film is dedicated to my father (1918 - 1986).
Music: Experia.
Source:
- NIMH beeldbank
- Beeld En Geluid
- Archive.org.
This video footage has been restored, enhanced and colorized with the latest A.I. video software.
Please do not re-use any of my material without further permission. Thank you very much.