One of the mysteries I never expected to solve was that of the gunners that left Abbekerk early Ferbuary 1942 in Oosthaven, Sumatra. Then I recieved an email from Peter North who found a picture of Abbekerk between the old things of his father: Lt Geoffrey North of the 35th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment.

He was in charge of the 16 gunners that were aboard Abbekerk during her second voyage in WS convoys: WS12Z and DM.01 to Singapore early 1942. The men crewed the two Bofors guns and were ordered ashore at Oosthaven, Sumatra just a week before it was overrun bij de Japanese. The men wer shipped to Java where they eventualy were captured when NEI captulated March 8 1942. Geoff spend most of the war in the infamous POW camp in Kuching, Borneo and was among the lucky men that survived the war.

Click here to read the whole of Geoff North’s story (under ‘Fragments’)

Also added two pictutures/drawing of the convoys WS.12Z and DM.01 made by Geoff in the ‘Pictures’ chapter of the main menu