Beek van, Cornelis.

Cornelis van Beek was born on 10 May 1889 at Hellevoetsluis as the son of Hendrik van Beek and Adriaantje Beekman. He was father was at that moment training for pilot and later became a sea pilot. The parents had been married since 21 July 1882. The father of the bride was registered as a skipper. It is unknown of what the exactly “skippered” e.g. was captain of. Hence there was a lot of salt blood in the family.

There were quite a few siblings:

Oldest sister Adriana (1883), 2nd.  sister Lena (1885), 3^rd sister Neeltje (1887), then Cornelis (1889). Followed by Maria Jacoba (1891), Adriana Hendrika (1894), Jacob (1897) and Tona (1899)

It is not known which Maritime school or academy he attended but he was accepted as cadet with Holland America on 15 July 1907 and assigned to the ss Potsdam. A cadet needed 365 days of sailing to be able to sit for the 3rd mates exam and Van Beek only did 5 months with HAL so this meant that he must have changed company’s halfway through his cadet year. He then passed his 3rd Mates exam on 14 May 1908,

He returned to HAL and was assigned to the ss Nieuw Amsterdam (I) sailing on the North Atlantic service between Rotterdam and New York. Then in the following years he sailed on a mixture of cargo and passengerships.

On 21 October 1912 he married at Maasluis (a town just west of Rotterdam), Tona Suzanna van Neuren (born 23 Aug. 1891 at Hellevoetsluis) and daughter of Geerit van Neuren (sea pilot) and Johanna Cornelia Kegge. A son was born on 05 July 1917 in Rotterdam, called Hendrik. and a daughter Johanna Cornelia was born on 25 May 1918. However she passed away on 18 august 1934 at the age of 16.  (b)

ED: This is all we know about his personal life. So if there is any family or relatives out there with additional information of anecdotes, and who would to help complete this biography, then please contact me on Captalbert1@aol.com.

In March 1915 he was promoted to Chief Officer / First Mate on the  cargo ship ss Eemdijk (I), which had come into service on 18 March after having been taken over from a Greek Company. After one voyage to New York, he made a roundtrip to Buenos Aires and other South American ports.  Homewardbound on this trip, the ship anchored at Deal outside London on 18 September for the required contraband inspection and was then released on the 20th. The ship departed on the 22nd. and while on the way to Rotterdam, was hit by two sea mines and sunk shortly after. He and the rest of the crew survived and was taken on board a Swedish ship and landed in Great Yarmouth on the East England coast. After interrogation by the British Authorties, they were all released and reached home by ferry from Tilbury to Vlissingen / Flushing on 28 September.

Chief Officer Van Beek was sent on leave until October 1915 and then joine the cargo ship ss Waaldijk. This was followed on 19 Jul 1916 with an assignment to the ss Zaandijk (I).

This ship was together with many other HAL ships involved in the service from Rotterdam to ports on the East coast of the USA. Each ships was to carry as much grain as could be loaded, to the Netherlands. Due to the war and the embargoon German grain, the Netherlands was continiously short of grain and other cereals and thus these shipsents were a life line of the country. During the return on his fifth voyage  the ship was torpedoed on 22 February 1917 after leaving Falmouth. The ship was sailing with a Dutch (un-escorted) convoy as the Netherlands was neutral and 7 Dutch ships were torpedoed at the same time including the ss Noorderdijk (I) of HAL. As the U boat commander of the U 21 gave sufficient notice, all on board had time to go into the lifeboats and were saved. The crews rowed their lifeboats to St Mary in the Scilly’s Islands. Later on they returned in small groups via HAL ships from England to Rotterdam. Our Chief Officer arrived home on 02 May 1917 with the ss Sommelsdijk (II). As the Netherlands was neutral during WWI, the torpedoing of the ship, and of the other six,  was a war crime and the company was later compensated with a German ship which was renamed ss Zaandijk (II).

Van Beek now remained ashore until1919 as most of the HAL ships were laid up in Rotterdam or had been interred in USA ports. On 03 March 1919 he was assigned as Chief Officer to the ss Waaldijk and on 25 March 1920 promoted to Acting Captain until 07 June. The ss Waaldijk was in service on the Britisch Indisch Line of the company from New York to the Dutch East Indies, first via Cape Town and later via Suez.

Then it was back to Chief Officer but as he had been captain, it automatically meant he was now a Sr. Chief Officer in the fleet and thus sailed on the most senior passenger ships. (Where the functoin was often noed as Staff Captain. Then  promotion came again on 12 March 1924 with the appointment as Captain to the ss Burgerdijk.  On 07 November 1925 that promotion became permanent when he went back to the ss Waaldyk.

On 2 November 1927, on the way back from South America just before arriving in Rotterdam, Captain and crew saved the lives of crew of the french sailing vessel “Gabi” while in the English Channel. During very bad weather this ship had lost all steering capacity and was floundering. A boat was lowered with 7 crew and they managed to get all the French crew off. Just escaping death themselves as the ships mast came crashing down the moment they came along side the Gabi. Op 27 March 1928, while the Waaldijk was in Rotterdam again,  the seven crew and the captain, were recognized for their heroic efforts by means of a medal and a scroll, presented by the French Consul.

On 27 November 1927 the Waaldijk was involved in a collision with the ss Eemland on departure for a voyage to South America. Both ships are damaged and the Waaldijk had to go to dry dock for bow repairs delaying the voyage by 3 weeks. The Board of Inquiry later acquited all captains involved as with at least 4 ships hindering each other, it was impossible to put the blame somewhere.

The next medal he received was the recognition for his efforts in maintaining weather logs,  so on 14 January 1930 he received the Silver medal of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Society (KNMI)

In 1938 regular assignments started to the smaller passenger ships with the ss Maasdam (IV)  and ms Dinteldyk  (I). The latter sailing on the Vancouver service through the Panama Canal. While in command of the ss Dinteldyk he was in Rotterdam when the war broke out and could not get his ship out on time. He thus was stuck in the Netherlands for 5 years under German occupation. His ship was hit by incendery bombs during the bombing of the center of Rotterdam and partly burns out. The hull was later used as a blockade vessel in the New Waterway to prevent an Allied invasion through the port. After being raised the remainders were scrapped in 1946.

As of yet it is unknown what Captain Van Beek did during the occupation years.

As soon as the war was over (10 May 1945) and the HAL ships returned one by one to Rotterdam, he was back to sea again to relieve the crews who had been away for 5 long years. His first assignment was a Dutch Government ship which was given in management to the company, the ms Philips Wouwerman . This was a British built “Empire Class” cargo ship of 7000 tons with one single Doxford Diesel engine. The Captain made one voyage on her to Montrea and then, after 9 months on the ms Delftdyk (service to Vancouver), he was assigned to the larger passenger ships.

First to the ms Noordam (II), followed by the ss Volendam (I) and ss Veendam (II). Then in March 1948 he was appointed to the flag ship of the fleet the ss Nieuw Amsterdam II, sailing from Rotterdam via Le Havre and Southampton to New York. On 11 December 1948 he was promoted to Commodore.

After turning 60, all  deep sea sailors had to officially retire and so also Captain Cornelis van Beek. However he was requested to return due to a shortage of captains as the fleet was rapidly expanding with the arrival of the 10 A class cargo ships. This also helped with the pension situation as , with the fund only having been established in 1933, the pay outs were not that high for those who had only been enrolled for a few years. Hence he was doing fill-ins (sometimes for several months) between 1950 and 1955.

The ship he served the longest on was the ss Eemdyk (III) involved in voyages to the Gulf of Mexico. In 1955, he was 66 years old and that was supposed to be the end of his sailing career. However he was called back one more time, when he was 73, not as captain but as Owners Representative to be on board the new cargo ship ms Grotedyk when it made its trial trip on 07 August 1962.

Retired Holland America Line Commodore, Captain Cornelis van Beek passed away on 26 May 1975 (d)

ED: I have not been able to find out yet where he lived after his retirement 

Sailing List: (c)

Date:                    Function:                            Ship:                                        Wages and/or remarks.

15 Jul.    1907      Cadet                                  Potsdam                             15,–

11 Jan.  1908      Temporary dismissed to go to school. Passed for 3^rd Mate’s license on 14 May 1908

15 May. 1908     4^th. Officer                         Nieuw Amsterdam       30,–

08 Oct.  1908      4^th.Officer                          Sloterdijk                            30,–

24 Mar. 1909      3^rd. Officer                         Sloterdijk                            30,–

27 Oct.  1909      3^rd. Officer                         Noordam                            50,–

04 Jul.    1910      3^rd. Officer                         Zaandijk                              50,–

22 Dec. 1910      Temporary dismissed to go to school. Passed for 2^nd Mates license on 16 Mar. 1911

01 Jan. 1911       Due to restructuring wages                                         75,–

21 Mar.1911      3^rd Officer                           Sloterdijk                               75,–

08 Aug. 1911      3^rd Officer                           Maartensdijk                     80,–

27 Sep.1911        Temporary dismissed waiting for position

08 Oct.  1911      Promoted to 2^nd Officer                                               100,–

08 Oct. 1911       2^nd Officer                          Potsdam                                100,–

05 Sep.  1912      2^nd Officer                          Soestdijk                                100,-

13 Dec. 1912      2^nd Officer                          Rotterdam                             100,-

04 Apr.  1913      Wages increased                                                                   110,-

13 May.1913      2^nd Officer                          Potsdam                                    110,–

07 Oct.  1913      2^nd.Officer                          Andijk                                         110,–

29 Dec. 1913      Temporary ashore awaiting transfer to ss Noordam.

05 Jan.  1914      2^nd Officer                          Noordam                                   110,–

20 Mar. 1914      Temporary dismissed to go to school passed for Chief’s Mate ticket on 10 June 1914

24 Jun.  1914      Wages increased                                                                     150,–

12 Mar. 1915      Chief Officer                      Eemdijk                                      150,–

Ss Eemdijk sunk on 23 Sept. at 03.30 in the morning on location: 55o47N – 3o50E.

Per ss Framnaes to Yarmouth and from there on 28 sept per ss Mecklenburg to Flushing. Arrived on  28/9 in Rotterdam

18 Oct. 1915       Wages increased to                                                               160,–

18 Oct. 1915       First Officer                        Potsdam                                   160,–

21 Oct.  1915      Chief Officer                      Waaldijk                                    160,–

23 Jun. 1916       Wages increased                                                                     175,–

19 Jul. 1916         First Officer                        Zaandijk                                    175,–

05 Dec. 1916      Wages increased                                                                     190,–

Ss Zaandijk on 22 Feb. 1917around 0628 , while approx. 27 miles west of Bishops Rock  torpedoed by a

German submarine.  Taken on board of the Naval patrol trawler  ”White Tides” and on  24 Feb. arrived at Penzance. On 2 May 1917 arrived home in Rotterdam with the ss Sommelsdijk.

30 May.1917      mobilized and assigned to the army as a sailor.

18 Nov.1918        First Officer                        Rotterdam                         190,-      (for the books, remains ashore)

03 Mar.1919       First Officer                        Waaldijk                               200,–

01 Jul.    1919      Wages increased                                                                290,–

18 Jan.  1920      Wages increased                                                                 320,–

25 Mar. 1920      Act. Captain                       Waaldijk                                600,–    until       7 June

07 Jun. 1920       Chief Officer                      Rotterdam                            320,–    working as 2^nd officer

21 Jun. 1920       Temporary s shore for leave                                          320,–    (on wages and per diem)

27 Jul. 1920         Chief Officer                      Noorderdijk                         320,–

Wages increased                                                                                                     340,–    Per 1 Jan. 1920

15 Oct. 1920       Wages increased                                                                360,–

22 Aug. 1920      Chief Officer                      Rijndam                                 360,–

01 Sep.  1921      Wages decreased                                                                344,–

16 Oct.  1921      Wages decreased                                                                328,–

24 Mar. 1922      Wages increased                                                                  350,–

20 Sep.  1922      Temporary ashore

13 Nov. 1922      First Officer                        Nieuw Amsterdam          350,–

02 Jan.  1923      First Officer                        Volendam                              350,–

12 Mar. 1924      Act. Captain                       Burgerdijk                              560,–

16 May. 1924     Act. Captain                       Zijldijk                                       560,–

02 May. 1925     Act. Captain                       Blijdendijk                              560,–

30 Jun. 1925      Chief Officer                      Veendam                                 380,–

01 Jul. 1925       Act. Captain                       Hoogkerk                               625,–

Assigned for filling in at VNS but did not sail, position taken by Capt. Burger.

30 Jul. 1925       Temporary ashore

18 Sep. 1925     Act. Captain                       Binnendijk                              560,–

07 Nov.1925     Captain                                 Waaldijk                                   560,–

01 Apr.  1927    Captain                                 Waaldjik                                   580,–                   wage increase

27 Jul.    1927    Captain                                 Ashore                                      580,–                   on leave

08 Aug. 1927    Captain                                 Waaldijk                                   580,–                   At Amsterdam

29 Jul.    1928    Captain                                 Ashore                                      580,–

08 Aug. 1928    Captain                                 Waaldijk                                   580,–

01 Jan.  1929    Captain                                  Waaldijk                                   600,–                   Wage increase

13 Mar. 1929   Temporary ashore                                                                 600,–

02 Apr.1929      Captain                                  Bilderdijk                                 600,–

14 Aug. 1929    Captain                                  Westerdijk                              600,–

29 Apr.  1930    Temporary ashore                                                                  600,–

Silver medal of the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Society  awarded on  14 Jan. 1930

01 Jun.  1930    Wage increase                                                                           620,–    sailed during the last 3 years 2 years and  4 ½ months

09 Nov. 1930   Captain                               Statendam                                    600,–    As passenger heading to the Indies.

22 Nov. 1930   Captain                               Beemsterdijk                             600,–    At New York.

05 Jun.  1931    Captain                               ashore                                           620,–

03 Jul.    1931    Captain                               Grootendijk                              620,–

04 Oct.  1931    Temporary ashore                                                                  620,–

12 Nov. 1931    Wages decreased                                                                    496,–    and placed on standby on 70%

16 Dec. 1931   Captain                               Blommersdijk                            496,–

08 Apr.  1932   Captain                               Breedijk                                        496,–

01 Nov. 1932   Wages decreased                                                                     446,–

24 Mar. 1932   Captain                               Maasdam                                       446,–

28 Jun.  1933   Wages decreased with 5% acc. to Memo 929 date 27 June 1933

27 Jul.    1933    Captain                               Bilderdijk                                    446,–

20 Oct.  1933    Temporary ashore                                                                    446,–    regular leave.

15 Nov. 1933    Captain                               Blommersdijk                             446,–

28 Dec. 1933    Wages decreased to                                                            401,40

See Memo 929 dated 27 June 1933

09 Jan.  1934    Temporary ashore                                         401.40   cancelled

11 Jan. 1934     Temporary ashore at 70%                        401,40   cancelled

18 May. 1934   Temporary ashore at 70%                         401,40

02 Jun. 1934    Captain                               Breedijk                401.40

27 Jul.    1934   Temporary ashore                                            401,40   regular leave.

17 Aug. 1931    Temporary ashore 70%                                 401,40

29 Aug. 1934    Captain                               Binnendijk            401.40

01 Oct.  1934    Wages decreased                                               385,50

17 Dec. 1934    Captain                               Bilderdijk                 385,50

15 May.1935    Captain                               Burgerdijk                385,50

On 3 Jan. 1936 coming from the office of the agents and on the way home to the ship, fell while getting on the bus in the Leadenhall street and broke the disk of his knee. Taken into the London hospital at Whitechapel street London.

04 Feb.  1936    Temporary ashore in London                        385,50

Comes home with the Damsterdijk 7 March from London and 8 March in Rotterdam.

08 Mar. 1936    Temporary ashore                                                  385,50

15 Apr. 1936     Captain                   Boschdijk                                  385,50

01 Oct.  1937    According to new arrangements                     430,–

10 Sep. 1938    Captain                   Maasdam

12 Nov. 1938   Captain                   Dinteldijk

Arrived on 07 May 1940 in Rotterdam and was supposed to leave again in due course but the ship burns out during bombardments while fighting in the port.

1940 – 1945     In the Netherlands under occupation.

27 Jul. 1945    Captain                Philip Wouwerman

27 Sep. 1945   Captain                Delftdijk

02 Nov. 1946   Captain               Noordam

20 Jul. 1947      Captain               Volendam

05 Mar. 1948   Captain               Veendam

Appointed Commodore November 1948.

11 Dec.1948    Captain              Nieuw Amsterdam    Until June 1949

Should have retired when turning 60 years of age as this was the compulsory retirement date. Was requested to return due to shortage of captains as the fleet was rapidly expanding with the arrival of the A class.

15 Jun. 1950     Captain               Edam                  Until 31 Dec. 1951

09 Mar. 1951    Captain               Eemdyk              Until 23 Dec. 1951

02 Jan. 1952    Captain                Ryndam             Until 03 Feb. 1952

26 Mar. 1952    Captain               Eemdyk              Until 04 Apr. 1952 Coastal Relieve voyage

26 Sep. 1952     Captain              Eemdyk               Until 03 Sep. 1954

28 Feb. 1955     Captain              Sloterdyk           (End Date unknown)

01 Aug. 1962    Captain               Grotedyk           Until 07 Aug. 1962 Owners representative trial trip

Sources:

(a) Captain Albert Schoonderbeek HAL Archive and photo database,

(b) E.H.  Kruidhof (family information)

(c) “Stamboek” sailing periods HAL Archives as held by the Municipel Archives of the City of Rotterdam.

(d) Information by Laurens van der Laan, HAL historian par Excellence.

Last updated: 28 Jan. 2026.