madoera sulzer powered ships
Madoera
1922 - 1958


The Madoera had been completed in August 1922 as a steam powered vessel for the NV Stoomvaart Mij Nederland, Amsterdam. During 1933 the Madoera was converted to a motorship and lengthened. The Madoera was one of three conversions in 1933/34, the other two being the Manoeran & Mapia.

During August 1942 the Madoera was in Australian waters, transiting East Coast ports. By October the ship was noted sailing from Cristobal, then Guantanamo, New York and across the North Atlantic to Liverpool in convoy HX 213. It then returned to New York during Novembner in convoy ON.149.

The Madoera travelled from New York to Liverpool in convoy HX.222 during January 1943, then on February 13th with a complement of 86 departed Cardiff in ballast en route to Belfast to join convoy ON.166 from Liverpool to New York. Shortly after 1am on February 24th 1943 at position 46.02N, 39.20W, the convoy came under attack from U-653, which fired a spread of four torpedoes. Two hits were reported, one of which hit the bow of the Madoera. The master J. Lassche and the crew quickly abandoned ship utilising several lifeboats. At daylight the ship was down at the bow but still afloat, the master and fifteen men reboarded the ship. They determined there was still hope for the ship, and worked on reducing the list to the bow and dealing with the water in No.2 hold and the engine room. They were eventually able to get underway at a modest four knots, headed for St. Johns. After several days an icefield was encountered about 200 miles from Newfoundland. This was successfully navigated with St. Johns reached on March 1st 1943.

The remainder of the Madoera's crew were left to fend for themselves in three lifeboats. One with three Lascar seamen picked up twelve survivors from the Jonathan Sturges (sunk by the U-707) and later came across a lifeboat from the same vessel with 23 survivors, six of which were transferred to the Madoera's lifeboat to equalize the load between the two lifeboats. The survivors in the Dutch boat were picked up by USS Belknap (DD 251) on March 12th 1943 and landed at Argentia, Newfoundland on 14th.

A second lifeboat with about six occupants was located by U-591, which took the second engineer aboard. A third lifeboat with 35 aboard was found by U-753 on February 27th, six men were transferred to the U-boat. The two lifeboats and their occupants were never found.

After repairs the ship was back in service by July 1943, being noted that month in convoy SH.94 Sydney CB - Halifax. During October the Madoera sailed in convoy HX.262 from New York to Liverpool. Then followed convoy OS/KMS.61KM from Liverpool during December, fog in the Irish Sea caused delays of several days. Late in December 1943 the Madoera was part of convoy UGS.26 Hampton Roads - Port Said.

During May 1944 the Madoera sailed between Cristobal - Guantanamo - NYC - Liverpool, then completed two round trips between the United Kingdom & New York.

The Madoera's last recorded convoy was during February 1945, convoy OS/KMS.108KM from Liverpool.

March 3rd 1949 Madoera due Singapore for Europe.

On June 9th 1950 the Madoera reached Fremantle from London to discharge 774 tons of bagged cement, 200 tons of cement in drums and 270 tons of newsprint, all from the United Kingdom.

During 1956 the vessel was renamed Amstelwal for NV Reederij Amsterdam. It would be broken up at Ghent in March 1958.

General Details

Builder: Forth Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Alloa, Scotland
Launched: 1922, converted to diesel propulsion 1933 by Werkspoor, Amsterdam
Length: 523 feet
Beam: 60.6 feet
Draught 30.3 feet
Weight: 9,382 gross tons, 13,335 deadweight
Engines: 2 x 7SD56 6,700bhp (total?) at 215rpm.
Screws: ??
Service Speed: 14.4 knots
Home Port: Amsterdam
Crew: ??

Sources
Moteurs Marins a Deux Temps, circa 1935.

Page added May 15th 2016.

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