I served as radio officer on two Dutch ships during the Second World War. The first of these, the New Holland was a large Dutch liner, previously registered in Indonesia but during the war was partly manned by Dutchmen and served the allies as a troopship. The second was a petrol tanker Magdala, owned by Anglo-Saxon Petroleum and employed in carrying high octane aviation spirit on the North Atlantic convoys between New Jersey and Glasgow. I had by now been promoted to second sparks. Both ships had a small handful of British sailors to make up the crew.
Most of the Dutchmen’s families were in German occupied Holland. One of the crew had a wind-up portable HMV record player and it was in great demand. Their great generosity introduced me to classical music. Friendships were formed, and I became aware that they lived mostly for the day when we would have victory in Europe and they would return home. From the conversations I became closely aware of their intense feeling about their family lives and their desperate longing for an early victory in Europe.
Subsequently finding myself hospitalised after a particularly arduous convoy fringing the arctic I discovered on my discharge that the Magdala had sailed without me. It was some time after VE Day that I discovered that the ship had been sunk with all hands.
My grandfather served on this ship
Left the Magdala just before her last trip
He was one of the lucky ones
He was in the Dutch merchant navy
Left Holland in 1939 and came home in aug 1945
I believe John left the ship shortly before its last voyage
My father also sailed on the ms Magdala from Mar 31, 1941 Singapore – Dec 3, 1942 Stanlow. He was a 5th engineer. Dec 1942 he went on furlough in London for three months. Luckly he didn’t have to experience convoy HX 229. He went to a safer area. Curaçao, sailing on a lake tanker, between Willemstad and lake of Maracaibo. I am glad that I was able to reconstruct all his years at sea (1939-1945).
My father Boeli Huizing died in 1976, aged 56. Unfortunately I never asked him about that time, my interest came later.
My uncle John Henry Milner RN was serving on this ship as a gun layer when it was lost.
My great Grandad served on this ship and when it was torpedoed, he managed to survive and was picked up and taken to Texas.
I’d be interested to know more about MV Magdala if you’re able to help, as I’m struggling to find information online
Hi
I have passed this on to John and will get back to you
Steve Finch