Christiaan Huygens was a Dutch ocean liner that was built in 1927 by the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij for the Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (SMN). She was employed on the Amsterdam – Batavia route until the outbreak of the Second World War. Requisitioned as a troopship, she was employed in the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean. Surviving the end of the war in Europe, she struck a mine in the Scheldt on 26 August 1945 and was beached. She broke in two on 5 September and was declared a total loss.
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Ordering and construction
The order for Christiaan Huygens became known in February 1926. Previously Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (SMN) had ordered a comparable ocean liner, Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft from the French shipyard Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire. The price offered was so advantageous that it fell outside the contractual limits up to which the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij (NSM) was the preferred supplier for SMN. For Christiaan Huygens Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland did not get such an advantageous offer, and NSM offered to build her at a loss. Big delays in the construction of P.C. Hooft might also have been instrumental in securing the order for NSM, which was capable to deliver quickly.
Christiaan Huygens was built as yard number 186 by the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij, Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands. She was laid down on 13 March 1926. She was launched on 28 September 1927, the biggest ship built in the Netherlands up to that date. On 11 December 1927 she was towed from the NSM yard to the drydock Hendrik Dok of Amsterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij, where the propellers were added.
On 25 January Christiaan Huygens left IJmuiden for her technical trials on the North Sea. These were finished with positive results on the 26th. Later on the 26th, a second 'official' trial run was made with about two hundred technicians, prominent people from the shipbuilding industry and journalists. During the trial, there was a dinner at which Mr. Tegelberg announced that MSN would accept delivery. Having delivered months ahead of schedule, Mr. D. Goedkoop CEO of the NSM yard created a laugh by remarking that: The most difficult part of building a ship is getting a contract that has a solid name under it. Really, construction itself is much easier. Almost immediately after the speedy delivery of Christiaan Huygens SMN ordered two much bigger ocean liners at NSM, Johan van Oldenbarnevelt and Marnix van Sint Aldegonde.
Christiaan Huygens was registered in Port of Amsterdam, and her code letters were NJWV. In 1934 they were superseded by the call sign PDKD.
Description
Dimensions
The ship was 168.07 metres (551.4 ft) long, with a beam of 20.97 metres (68.8 ft). She had a depth of 11.03 metres (36.2 ft) and a draught of 12.12 metres (39 ft 9 in).
Machinery
The ship was powered by two ten-cylinder single cycle single-acting two-stroke diesel engines, They were rated at 2,490 nhp, 5,800 bhp. Each engine drove a single screw propeller, giving the ship a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h). The engines were built by Sulzer Brothers, Winterthur, Switzerland. They were model 10ST68 engines. Her auxiliary engines were three Sulzer 5S38 and a Sulzer 6RKH30 diesel engine, together rated at 2,250 bhp.
Accommodation
Accommodation for 638 passengers was provided. She had a crew of 230.
Service as a passenger ship
Christiaan Huygens left Amsterdam on her maiden voyage on 28 February, bound for Batavia, Netherlands East Indies. She called at Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom on 1 March. She arrived at Batavia on 30 March, a day ahead of schedule. She left for Amsterdam on 18 April, arriving on 18 May, also a day ahead of schedule. On a voyage in November 1928, she arrived at Amsterdam three days ahead of schedule. On 13 August 1933, the Norwegian cargo ship Fernglen ran aground south of Cape Guardafui, Italian Somaliland. Christiaan Huygens was one of the vessels that went to her aid.
With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Christiaan Huygens' route was altered, running between Genoa, Italy and Batavia.
Service as a troopship
After the Netherlands had been occupied by Germany in 1940, Huygens port of registry was changed to Batavia. She was placed under the management of the Orient Line and served as a troopship. Carrying 1,290 troops, Christiaan Huygens sailed from Fremantle, Western Australia on 22 September with Convoy US 5, arriving at Suez, Egypt on 12 October. She sailed from Suez on 28 October 1940 as a member of Convoy SW 2A, which dispersed off Aden on 1 November. Her destination was Bombay, India. Christiaan Huygens left Bombay on 12 November with Convoy BN 8A, which arrived at Suez on 23 November. She then joined Convoy BN 9A, which sailed on 30 November and dispersed off her destination of Aden on 5 December.
Christiaan Huygens then sailed to Colombo, Ceylon, from where she left on 16 January 1941 with Convoy US 8, which arrived at Suez on 28 January. She left on 17 February as a member of Convoy BSF 2, which dispersed at sea on 22 February. On 5 April, she joined Convoy SL 70, which had left Freetown, Sierra Leone on 29 March. At the time, she was carrying maize and personnel. She detached from the convoy on 20 April. Christiaan Huygens later reached the River Clyde, United Kingdom. Carrying 1,592 troops, she sailed from the Clyde on 22 May 1941 as a member of Convoy WS 8B. The convoy arrived at Freetown on 4 June. She sailed 20 June and joined Convoy WS 9A, which had left Oversay, Renfrewshire, United Kingdom on 3 June. She left the convoy at Durban, South Africa. Her movements are unknown until 13 November 1941, when she left Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada as a member of Convoy TC 15, which arrived at the Clyde on 21 November.
Carrying 1,575 troops, Christaan Huygens sailed on 12 January 1942 as part of Convoy WS 15. On 16 January, Llangibby Castle was attacked by U-402 and damaged. The convoy arrived at Freetown on 25 January. Having called at Cape Town, South Africa, the convoy reached Durban on 13 February. Carrying 1,475 troops, Christiaan Huygens left on 19 February as part of Convoy DM 3. The convoy was bound for Singapore, but during the voyage Singapore fell to the Japanese. The convoy's destination was changed, first to Batavia, then to Colombo and finally to Bombay as the Japanese advanced across south east Asia. The convoy arrived at Bombay on 6 March. Christiaan Huygens subsequently returned to the Clyde. Carrying 2,670 troops, she left on 1 June with Convoy WS 19P, arriving at Freetown on 15 June. She then joined Convoy WS 19PA, which formed at sea on 17 July and dispersed off Aden on 26 July. Her movements are unknown until 14 November, when Christiaan Huygens left the Clyde with Convoy KMF 3, which arrived at Algiers, Algeria on 23 November. She returned with Convoy MKF 3, which sailed that day and arrived at the Clyde on 3 December.