Herk van, Jozias
Capt. Jozias van Herk on a 1951 company photo.
Jozias van Herk was born on 14 January 1897 at Vlissingen (Flushing) in the South West of the Netherlands. Calling name “Jos”. His father was Cornelis van Herk (born 21 Nov. 1856), a superintendant at the local shipbuilding and repair yard (Most likely the “De Schelde” yard in Flushing). His mother was Catharina Puijpe (born 26 April 1875) . There were 2 brothers and 4 sisters.
In 1914 he lived at 146 Winkelmanstraat still at Flushing. He entered the “Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart in Amsterdam” on 9 September 1914 to attend the 2 year course. His school ratings show that he was an average student, who did not like Geography and French very much.
The ss Sommelsdijk (II) had joined the HAL fleet in 1912 and was predominantly used for cargo service to New York. (d)
On 09 October 1916 he joined Holland America as a cadet on board the ss Sommelsdijk (II), sailing from Rotterdam to New York. Once home from the first voyage on 23 December 1916 he has to stay behind for military service.
Jozias van Herk as cadet with HAL. We can recognize his function has he has no “pips” on his lapels. (f)
After being discharged he returned to HAL and to the ss Sommelsdijk to complete his cadet year and is discharged on 30 December 1919 with a very good sea going report. On 23 March 1920 he passed his exam for 3rd. officer and is dismissed on 25 March from the Academy with good marks. (a)
He then returned to HAL.
GAP in sailing days, still to be completed.
During this period he must have sailed on the ss Zijldijk, in service with HAL until 1928.
The ss Zijldijk was an unusual vessel in the fleet, as it still resembled very much a sailing ship with an steam engine plonked in the middle. It had a bow sprit and a fregate stern, giving rise to the idea that the hull had indeed been constructed along a sailing ship lay out.
Here we see the ss Zijldijk docked at Montreal. Loading cargo. In the background two ships of the British Allen Line which maintained a regular service between the East of Canada and Liverpool. The dock (although rebuilt) is still there and is now the main cruise terminal for Montreal.
Until we have confirmation about the exact date, on this photo we see Jozias van Dijk, now in the rank of 3rd. officer, on the bridge of a passengership. The gentleman in the back showing a sextant is a cadet.
On 21 November 1922 he married Berendina Baarschens in Vlissingen and settled down in Rotterdam (Burgemeester Hoffmanslein 76). The family moved on 20 July 1927 to the town of Voorburg (Oostenburgerdwarslaan 29) and remained there for the rest of their lives. Eventually there were 3 childeren:
Cornelius van Herk born on 17 December 1923 (who also would become captain with Holland America)
Johannes van Hernk born on 18 July 1926
Jozias van Herk on 08 April 1929.
Gap in service information 1919 – 1940, as the company information is locked away at the HAL Pensionfund and not accesible to historians.
The ss Spaarndam (II) entered service in 1922 as a series of 4. (Edam, Leerdam, Spaarndam, Maasdam) In 1936 her second funnel was removed when a change was made to the passenger accomodation. (d)
GAP
In november 1939 he is Chief Officer on the ss Spaardam (II) which had left Rotterdam on 17 November 1939 and was on a return voyage home from Tampico and New Orleans. On 09 October the ship arrives at “The Downs” the anchorage at the Thames Estuary for the compulsory Contraband Inspection by the British. She remains here until 18 November and is then orderd to proceed to Gravesend, located further inland. The ship is released on 26 November and while leaving the Thames, it hits a mine.
The ss Spaardam (II) on fire at the estuary of the Thames. This photo is dated 28 November 1939. (f)
The ship catches fire, is beached and burns out. Capt. Fortkert Dobbenga orders the ship to be abandoned. One crewmember dies due to an explosion in the engineroom and three crew and the single passenger on board get killed when their lifeboat turns over due to the bad weather. 42 survive the ordeal. Chief Officer Jozias vanHerk returns by airplane to the Netherlands.
This photo is copied from a Dutch Newspaper, the capation reads: Mr. J. van Herk,First mate of the Spaarndam, which at the estuary of the Thames hit a mine, is leaving the terminal of Schiphol after his return to our country by KLM airplane. (d)
In March 1940 he is back in the UK, and after having completing an Anti Aircraft Gunnery course on the 9th. he is assigned to ss Leerdam (II) on the 11th. of March. 3 months later he is disembarked from the ss Leerdam (II) in London on 13 June 1940 after being diagnosed with shell shock. He finds lodgings with the family Allsop in Woodford for recuperation. (Many English families volunteered to take foreign servicemen in their houses for some R&R, before hey are being sent back to war) .
This is de burnt out wreck of the ss Spaarndam, sunk at the Thames estuary. As can be seen, nearly the whole superstructure has burnt out but amazingly the funnel with the company colors has been spared. (f)
ED note: It seems strange to me, that Van Herk was re-assigned to a sistership of the mined Spaarndam, as with the ship being identifal, everything must have reminded him of that faithful day. When looking forward from the bridge, he would have seen each moment of his watch, the same “stage” where the it all happened. One wonders if it would not have been better to have him assigned to a totally different ship.
GAP: photo Breedijk.
This happens on 13 November 1940 when he is assigned to the ss Breedijk, in Glasgow, a cargo ship from 1922 which is assigned to North Atlantic services. But on 16 December 1940 he is admitted to a hospital in New York. (b,c) The personnel card reads: “27 Dec. 1940 was likely not able to make the voyage as he still very weak, is afraid ,has real fear to cross the water.”.
It is not clear when he returned to the ss Breedryk, but once back, he remains with this ship until 20 April 1943. He disembarks in New York and is then granted a long leave, To join the next ship, he travels overland by train from New York to San Francisco, and embarks the ms Noordam (II) on June 16.
Chief Officer Jozias van Herk. Seen here top left. To the right the Radio Officer (name unknown) and in the middle from top to bottom, 2nd officer D Bak, the ships doctor (name unknown) and 3rd officer A.M van Gemert. (Photo courtesy the family of the late captain A.M van Gemert
Here he remains until September 1945, when after leave he returns to the ss Leerdam (II). He is then temporary promoted to captain of the ship to cover a two month gap (12 Sep. 1945 – 15 Nov. 1945) in the scheduling of the more senior captains. He makes a round voyage from Rotterdam to New York and back.
Captain Jozias van Herk and his son Cornelius, then a HAL 4th. officer. Both served together for a short while on the ss Volendam in 1946 (f) Note: although Van Herk was serving as Staff Captain on the Volendam, Sr. passenger ships staff Captains often wore 4 stripes. It can also be that this photo was taken in 1948-1949 when he was promoted to Captain. (f)
While in Liverpool (15 Sep. – 17 Oct. he meets his oldest son who had had just joined Holland America. Although unusual for the company to let family sail together, father and son served together on the ss Volendam (I) while the ship was repatriating soldiers and service staff from the East Mediterannean to Toulon and later to Glasgow (voyages 199 and 200). He is relieved from the ss Volendam (I) on 31 December when the ship arrived in Rotterdam.
The ms Damsterdyk in Kiel now under the German name of “Mulhausen”. Two tugboats brought her to Rotterdam. She would return to service in 1949 as the ms Dalerdyk.On 01 January 1946 he is send to Germany to collect the hulk of the ms Damsterdyk. Officially Captain Drost had been assigned but was not available. The ms Damsterdyk was stuck in Rotterdam when the war broke out and was eventually taken over by the occupier and moved to Germany to serve as a target ship for the submarine service. She was found back, heavily damaged, in Kiel after the capitulation of Nazi Germany. On 27 December 1945 she was handed back to Holland America who then send a team, with two tugboats, to collect her and have her towed to Rotterdam. The tow arrived on 16 January 1946 at the Wilton Feijenoord shipyard. Here she was laid up pending assessment.
Now being considered a Senior Chief Officer he is re-assigned to the ss Volendam (I) while waiting for a permanent command. This appointment comes on 30 March 1948 when he is assigned as Master of the ss Averdyk. Holland America was in the process of buying 10 surplus Victory ships from the USA, the A class and the Averdyk was one of them.
The ss Averdyk. At the time when Captain van Herk was in command the ship was making voyages to New York and nearby ports and to the Gulf of Mexico. (d)
In the following years he rotates over the cargo fleet and serves on several of these A class ships.
Capt. Jozias van Herk, when sailing on the A class cargo ships of the company. (f)
On 09 May 1953 the ss Arkeldyk arrived in Rotterdam coming from Antwerp. While in Antwerp (same day) Captain Jozias van Herk passed away on board due to most likley a failure of the liver (f). He had just completed two voyages with the ship to the Gulf of Mexico .
He was buried in his home town of Voorburg on the 13th. of May 1952 at the age of 56. (e)
Sailing List:
Date: Function: Ship: Wages and or remarks.
09 Oct. 1916 Cadet Officer Sommelsdijk
23 Dec. 1916 Ashore for military service
xx.xxx. 1919 Cadet Officer – completes sailing year on 30 Dec. 1919
23 Mar. 1920 Passes exam for 3rd. Mate.
GAP in records still to complete.
xx.xxx. 1939 Chief Officer Spaarndam Until 26 November 1939 as ship is mined.
09 Mar. 1940 Until 11 March follows “Oerlikon” anti aircraft course.
11 Mar. 1940 Chief Officer Leerdam 259,–
Stayed behind in London 13 June 1940 due to sickness (Shell shock)
13 Nov. 1940 Chief Officer Breedijk 259,– Joins at Glasgow.
04 Feb. 1942 On leave. Leerdam Joins at New York.
23 Jun. 1942 Chief Officer Leerdam 299,– Until 20 April 1943 disembarks in New York and on leave.
20 Apr. 1943 Chief Officer Noordam 299,– Joins at San Francisco,
21 Mar. 1944 Chief Officer Noordam 304,– Until 24 August 1944, disembarks for vacation.
23 Nov. 1944 Chief Officer Noordam 304,–
11 Sep. 1945 Chief Officer Leerdam 304,– Until 10 Oct. 1945 (Arrived in Rotterdam on September 26)
01 Jan. 1946 Captain/ company representative to collect Damsterdyk until 16 Feb. 1946
GAP.
11 Jun. 1946 Chief Officer Volendam 484,– Until 03 Oct.
15 Oct. 1946 Chief Officer Volendam 484.— Until 31 Dec.
21 Jan. 1947 Chief Officer Volendam 494,– Until 19 Mar.
22 Apr. 1947 Chief Officer Volendam 494,– Until 08 May
09 May. 1947 Chief Officer Volendam 494, — Until 20 July
23 Jul.1947 Chief Officer Volendam 494,– Until 16 Oct.
30 Mar. 1948 Captain Averdyk Until 11 Jan. 1949
GAP
01 Aug. 1949 Captain Aardyk Until 28 Oct. 1950
20 Nov. 1950 Captain Diemerdyk Until 06 Dec. 1950 Coastal relieve voyage
07 Dec. 1950 Captain Blommersdyk Until 27 Mar. 1951
26 Apr. 1951 Captain Aagtedyk Until 01 May 1951 Coastal relieve voyage
23 May. 1951 Captain Almdyk Until 16 Nov. 1951
26 Dec. 1951 Captain Eemdyk Until 22 nd. March 1952
3 Mar.1952 Captain Arkeldyk Until 01 may 1952
GAP
26 Aug. 1952 Captain Almdyk Scheduled until 11 May 1953 in Rotterdam but passes away on the 9th.
Sources:
(a) Comportementen Boek. Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart Amsterdam, as held by the City Archives of Amsterdam.
(b) Dutch Government 2nd worldwar Personell cards.
(c) Mr. Laurens van der Laan.
(d) Photos from Capt. Albert collection
(e) Delpher news papers.
(f) Mr. Kees-Jan van Herk, grandson of Captain Jozias van Herk and son of Capt. Cornelius van Herk.
Last Updated: 07 November 2025
October 29, 2025 at 9:45 pm
Met interesse heb ik dit stuk over mijn opa gelezen.
Ik ben in 1956 geboren en heb mijn opa helaas niet meer meegemaakt.
Van mijn vader kapitein C. van Herk en mijn oma heb ik een aantal verhalen gehoord over mijn opa, m.n. over de oorlogsjaren .
Op basis van deze verhalen, krantenknipsels en foto’s zou ik graag een aanvulling willen geven op bovenstaande stuk.
Op 26 november 1939 voer mijn opa, die eerste stuurman was op het ss Spaarndam, op een mijn in de monding van de Theems. zie foto en krantenknipsels). Het was stormachtig weer, waardoor één reddingboot verkeerd in het water kwam, waarbij drie bemanningsleden en een passagier verdronken. Eén bemanningslid kwam als gevolg van de explosie van de magnetische om in de machinekamer.
Van de 46 opvarenden verdronken vier bemanningsleden en de enige passagier. Mijn opa werd per vliegtuig gerepatrieerd naar Nederland. In december 1939, net voor het uitbreken van de oorlog in Nederland, vertrok hij op de Leerdam. Door het uitbreken van de oorlog in Nederland heeft hij zijn familie bijna zes jaar niet meer gezien. Gedurende de oorlog heeft hij, op de Leerdam, de Breedijk en de Noordam gevaren, meestal onder konvooi. , vele Atlantische reizen gemaakt, naar Noord Afrika, maar heeft hij ook op beruchte route naar Moermansk gevaren.
In september 1945 was het weerzien met zijn oudste zoon in Liverpool. Mijn vader, had de Hogere Zeevaartschool in Amsterdam afgerond en was net in dienst getreden bij de Holland Amerika Lijn. Bij hoge uitzondering mocht hij samen met zijn vader aantal reizen op het ss Volendam in de Middellandse zee maken. Ze Engelse brachten troepen thuis vanuit Egypte, Israël en Malta naar Toulon in Frankrijk.
Mijn opa is op 9 mei 1953 in Antwerpen aan boord van de Almdijk overleden (waarschijnlijk leverfalen ?)
Kapitein Albert, u kunt contact met mij opnemen als u belangstelling hebt voor foto’s, krantenknipsels of info over mijn vader kapitein C. van Herk.
Groet Kees-Jan van Herk