The Sibajak was ordered in 1925, its keel was laid down at the yard of De Schelde, Flushing the following year and launched at the beginning of April 1927. This ship was similar to the Indrapoera, though is larger with more powerful engines. Christened Sibajak (The Rich One) it was named after a mountain on Sumatra, the sea trials began early in January 1928. Her maiden voayage commenced on February 28th 1928 on the Rotterdam - Batavia (Djakarta) route. Ports visited en-route included Tangier, Port Said, Columbo, Sabang, Belawan, Singpore & Surabaya. The return trip found the Sibajak back at her home port by April 24th. This was one of the ships supporting the mail runs made between Holland and the Dutch East Indies. Also carried was a variety of cargo as well as the ever present civil servants and military types shuttling to and fro.
In between the long distance assignments the Sibajak made short cruises to Norway, Great Britain, the Canary Islands and certain Mediterranean ports. The ship continued to sail on through the years of the Great Depression, the improving years of the mid 1930's and on into the clouds of war gathering in Europe. During the Spanish Civil War the ship received a Dutch escort through the Straits of Gibralter, as unrest grew against the Jews in Europe many travelled on the ship to settle in Australia. It was on the Sibajak's 47th voyage that World War Two broke out, she was just out of Marseille heading east with another group of Jews fleeing Europe. Her return voyage was round Cape Horn, arriving in Rotterdam mid November.
The ship continued to ply its route to Djakarta, its final departure out of Rotterdam was on April 10th 1940. A month later Hitler invaded Holland, the Sibajak was berthed at Surabaya at that time. The ship was not immediately used for the direct war effort, rather it made several journeys to the United States with her holds full of tropical merchandise. From May 1941 the ship was hired to the British Government, receiving repairs in Singapore, now configured as a troopship and equipped with some light armaments. Six months were spent sailing between Singapore & Australia, before she sailed round Cape Horn to Liverpool. Further journies continued over this route until the Japanese invasion of the Dutch East Indies, Bombay now became a frequent port of call.
On February 17th 1942 the Sibajak sailed as part of convoy WS 16 from the United Kingdom. Freetown was reached on March 1st 1942 and departed on March 6th 1942. The Sibajak was amongst those ships that called in at Cape Town for refuelling, leaving there on March 22nd 1942. On April 1st the convoy split, one portion for Aden & Suez and the second portion for Bombay as convoy WS 16B, this latter group included tht Sibajak. Bombay was reached on April 8th 1942.
The Sibajak joined convoy WS 22 at Freetown on October 13th 1942, this convoy had sailed from the United Kingdom on August 29th 1942, in the convoy were the Sulzer engined ships Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt and Rangitata. The convoy reached Cape Town on September 25th 1942 with the Sibajak stopping here to refuel, departing on September 29th 1942. Near Durban the convoy was joined by several other ships including the Sulzer engined Felix Roussel & Indrapoera! These five ships would not remain together long, the Sibajak arrived at Bombay on October 17th 1942, the others split between Aden/Suez & Mombasa.
On January 23rd 1943 the Sibajak sailed from the United Kingdom as part of the joint convoy WS 26 & KMF 8, the ships in the latter designation would detach on January 29th 1943 for the Mediterranean. WS 26 reached Freetown on February 6th and departed on February 9th 1943. Cape Town was reached on February 22nd 1943 with this or Durban being the Sibajak's destination.
On March 14th 1943 three ships from Lagos joined convoy WS 27 (sailed from the United Kingdom on February 27th 1943) including the Sibajak, in the convoy already was the Christiaan Huygens. Cape Town was reached on March 23rd 1943, the Sibajak being in the group that refuelled here, the Christiaan Huygens reached Durban on March 26th 1943 for refuelling. The convoy reformed off Durban on March 29th 1943 with all the ships headed for Aden, reached on April 9th 1943 and then on to Suez.
The Sibajak joined convoy WS 30 at Freetown, departing here on June 3rd 1943. Cape Town was passed on June 16th 1943 and Durban reached on June 19th 1943 for refuelling. Departure from here was on June 25th 1943 with the Sibajak and one other ship destined for Aden, arriving there in early July 1943.
A serious fire broke out at Durban during August 1943, after repairs were completed the ship sailed for the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. The Sibajak completed her wartime service at the beginning of November 1945 returning from a voyage to East Africa. From Southampton the ship finally sailed to its home port of Rotterdam, going immediately into dry dock. Her wartime service had seen 75,000 troops transported, travelling over 410,000 nautical miles. The worsening situation in the Dutch East Indies led to the ship sailing there, via Bombay, with troops on the eastbound working and repatriates on the westbound run, this role continued until about 1950.
The 1950's were a time of Dutch emigration, to the USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand, many sailings were completed by the Sibajak in this role, carrying 25,000 emigrants in this role. By 1957 the emigrant flow had dwindled, from October the ship started on a new round-the-world service. This demanding service, in addition to the general age and condition of the ship had caused the Rotterdam Lloyd company to re-evaluate the keeping of the ship within the fleet. The ship was put out to tender but remained in world service until March 1959 when an offer of GBP180,000 was accepted for the ship
The last voyage commenced on June 23rd 1959 travelling west from Southampton via the Panama Canal to Papeete, Wellington, Sydney & Melbourne. Then it was on to Surabaya & Singpore before final delivery to the Chung Hing Enterprise Company in Hong Kong, arriving there on August 25th 1959 for scrapping.
Builder: Koninklijke Maatschappij de Schelde, Flushing
Length: 530 feet
Beam: 62.6 feet
Weight: 12,040 tons.
Displacement: 20,000 tons
Engines: 2 eight cylinder Schelde-Sulzer 8S76 engines of 5,000 shp each at 92rpm.
Auxiliary Engines: 3 x five cylinder 5SS38 engines totalling 2,000hp.
Screws: Two
Maximum speed: 17 knots
Passengers: 497 1st class, 24 troop accomodation.
Crew: 254
A postcard view of the Sibajak, believed to be on her last sailing with fare paying passengers.
Page added February 12th 2005
Last updated March 2nd 2008
Return to Ship menu
Return to Picture menu
Return to Home Page
|
