MS Abbekerk - DEMS

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by timuk, Sep 25, 2017.

  1. timuk

    timuk Well-Known Member

    My main interest is the 35th Regt LAA but the following may be of interest to others. I am not sure whether it was a common occurrence with other ships. 35th embarked in the Clyde in the SS Empress of Japan for the Middle East transferring to the SS Narkunda in Durban and diverting to Singapore. The Regt's guns, ammunition and equipment were embarked in the MS Abbekerk, a Dutch cargo vessel. At the same time a detachment from 35th's 89 Battery of one officer and fifteen ORs were also embarked in the Abbekerk to assist the ship's own and DEMS gunners. Abbekerk's armament consisted of two Oerlikons, two Lewis machine guns and a 4" gun.
    Obviously not very impressed with this the RA gunners opened up the hold, removed two of their Bofors and ammunition and mounted the guns on the deck.
    The link also covers Abbekerk's role in the evacuation of Singapore and Java.
    ms Abbekerk
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    CL1 likes this.

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