Kruithof, Nicolaas Pieter
Name: Kruithof, Nicolaas Pieter
Born: Hansweert, 25 Nov. 1902
Note: his war record indicates the town of Kruiningen as his place of birth. This is just outside the town of Hansweert. According to people who sailed with him it was Wemeldinge, as he required the ship to give 3 long blasts as a greeting when he sailed by. But these towns are all close together.
Son of Johannes Kruithof and Janneke Elisabeth de Nooijer. His father was Adjunct commisario of the Customs office in Hansweert. (Located on Zuid Beveland in the Province of Zeeland. This was often the last stop for small sea going vessels and inland river barges before they crossed over the “Westerschelde into Belgium) (a,b)
Religion: Dutch Reformed.
Student of the maritime school “Willem Barentz” at Terschelling and on completion of his studies joined the Holland America Line on 03 Oct. 1922
He married on 10 Feb. 1940 at Rotterdam Machelina Kramer (25 May 1904) (a)
Because having been laid off in the period 1930 – 1935 his career progressed much slower than his colleagues who stayed on. It was only in the war that he caught up with them, as he already had his master license.
Note: he was not dismissed in 1930 because of bad performance but because he was the youngest one and because he was single. It was the company’s way of reducing the impact of the depression on families. The moment the depression eased off, he was back again.
It would be nice to find out how he kept himself going during the depression years.
He spend the whole 2nd world war at sea, having left Rotterdam in April, with the Noordam, just before the invasion of the Netherlands took place. Pictures of crew in wartime are quite scarce, so as Editor I feel quite privileged to publish two of them which not P.R photos. One is with Captain Dobbinga Sr. at one of the Anti Air Craft stations on board the Leerdam. With then 2nd officer Kruithof shooting at the enemy. For this work the ships had gunnery crews on board, while the deck officers where the liaison officers between the Bridge and the AA station.
He was promoted as part of the wave of new captains needed when Holland America bought the A class cargo ships at the end of the war and as such his name comes up again in the records in May 1950 when he is appointed Master of the ss Aalsdijk.
He is in the newspaper in 1953 when the whole world donates goods and money to the Netherlands after the severe floodings of the South West part of the Netherlands. The crew of the Aagtedijk collects money and buys a cow which is christened with the naam Aagje. (The ships company wished that the cow should go to somebody in Stavenisse. Via a procedure unknown, the cow is allocated to farmer / milkman Pieter Stoutjesdijk of the town of Stavenisse. Captain Kruithof as master of the ss Aagtedijk is dispatched (together with a Provision Master, a 4th. Officer and a Bo’sun) and accompanied by his wife to present the cow on 01 May, in the presence of the local mayor and his wife, to the new owner. After an official presentation with the mayor in charge, Captain Kruithof walks the cow to her new stable. (See photo)
His career this follows the regular path of ship transfers and eventually ending up on the Noordam and Westerdam. Due to the gap in his career he lacked the seniority to reach the Nieuw Amsterdam as the final ship but finished his career on the Westerdam. After 10 years of retirement he passed away 14 Dec. 1972 in the village of Tholen at the age of 70. Tholen is a town in the same region of Zeeland as Hansweert.
Sailing List:
Date: Function: Ship: Wages and/or remarks.
03 Oct. 1922 Cadet Officer Eemdijk 52,–
26 Mar. 1923 Cadet Officer Drechtdijk 52,–
25 Dec. 1923 Temporary ashore to study for 3rd mates license
03 jun. 1924 Passed Exam for 3rd Mate
04 Jun. 1924 Temporary ashore (without pay)
23 Jun. 1924 Cadet Officer Edam 72,–
11 Sep. 1924 In service (on loan) of the VNS as cadet officer (ship unknown)
23 Jan. 1925 Cadet Officer Ijseldijk 72,–
15 jun. 1925 Temporary ashore
16 Jul. 1925 Cadet Officer Dinteldijk 72,–
18 Jul. 1925 In service ( on loan) of the VNS as cadet officer (ship unknown)
02 Feb. 1926 Temporary ashore
08 Feb. 1926 Cadet Officer Ijseldijk 72,–
18 jun. 1926 Cadet Officer Kinderdijk 72,–
10 Oct. 1926 Temporary ashore due to illness (Fever)
13 Oct. 1926 Cadet Officer Blijdendijk 72,–
18 Oct. 1926 Temporary ashore
22 Oct. 1926 Act. 4th. Officer Nieuw Amsterdam 100,–
14 Nov. 1927 Act. 4th. Officer Leerdam 100,–
01 Jan. 1929 Wage increase 110.—
26 Jun. 1929 Temporary ashore 110,–
28 Jun. 1929 4th. Officer Noorderdijk 110,–
07 Jul. 1929 4th. Officer Bilderdijk 110,–
17 Aug. 1929 Temporary ashore to study for 2nd mates license
01 Feb. 1930 Passed exam for 2nd Mates license
02 Feb. 1930 Temporary ashore 110,–
09 Feb. 1930 4th. Officer Nieuw Amsterdam 110,–
01 Jan. 1930 Wage increase 115,–
28 Jun. 1930 Temporary ashore 115,–
06 Jul. 1930 4th. Officer Edam 115,–
25 Aug.1930 4th. Officer Andijk 115,–
05 Sep. 1930 4th. Officer Damsterdijk 115,–
16 Aug. 1930 Dismissed due to times at hand with one month wages
What did he do during this period.
19 Feb. 1935 Act. 3rd Officer Blommersdijk 118,– temporary contract
26 May. 1935 Dismissed at the end of the voyage as he was on a temporary contract
19 Aug. 1935 4th. Officer Burgerdijk 92,– temporary contract
20 Nov. 1935 4th. Officer Edam 92,–
21 Nov. 1935 Act. 3rd Officer Edam. 118,– promoted to act. 3rd officer
16 Apr. 1936 Act. 2nd Officer Breedijk 116,– promoted to act 2nd officer
08 jun. 1936 Act. 3rd Officer Spaarndam 118,– set back to act 3rd officer
10 jun. 1936 Act. 3rd Officer Edam 188,–
24 Jun. 1936 Act. 3rd Officer Binnendijk 118,–
Transferred to Blommersdijk in Galveston due to illness of L.J. van der Graaf who went to Binnendijk to be taken home.
29 Jul. 1936 Act. 2nd Officer Blommersdijk 166,– At Galveston
15 Aug. 1936 Wage as 3rd officer increased 121,75
19 Sep. 1936 Act. 2nd Officer Edam 166,–
18 Feb. 1937 Act. 2nd Officer Damsterdijk 166,–
06 Jun. 1937 Wage increase 169.75
01 Oct. 1937 According to new regulation 189.25
Gap in the archives, to be ascertained later.
War record, might be incomplete.
xxx.Apr. 1940 2nd Officer Noordam Until 17 May 1941 (At New York)
29 May. 1941 Promoted to 2nd Officer
31 May.1941 2nd Officer Edam 23 Mar. 1943 (at New York)
09 April – 30 April 1943. Scheduled Leave.
23 Apr. 1943 Promoted to Chief Officer
30 Apr. 1943 Chief Officer Leerdam ?????
14 Jul. 1944 Chief Officer Delftdijk xx Mar. 1945 (at New York)
15 Mar. 1945 Chief Officer Philip Wouwerman
Gap.
05 May. 1950 Captain Aalsdijk Until 22 Mar 1952
Gap.
Xx xxx.xxxxx Captain Aagtedijk Until 21 Mar. 1953
Gap.
12 May. 1953 Captain Dongedijk until 22 Jun. 1953
25 Jun. 1953 Captain Almdijk Until 04 Nov. 1953
27 Dec. 1953 Captain Amsteldijk Until 12 Aug. 1954
19 Aug. 1954 Captain Schiedijk Until 31 Dec. 1954 ill or /on leave ???? from Newport UK
11 May. 1955 Captain Schiedijk Until 18 Jun. 1955
Gap.
28 Mar. 1956 Captain Arendsdijk Until 13 Jul. 1956
21 Jul. 1956 Captain Noordam Until 13 Aug. 1956
11 Aug. 1956 Captain Dongedik Until 20 Nov. 1957
06 Dec. 1957 Captain Dalerdijk Until 06 Mar. 1958
21 Mar. 1958 Captain Dalerdijk Until 08 Jan. 1959
22 Jan. 1959 Captain Dalerdijk Until 01 May.1959
Gap.
17 Dec. 1959 Captain Dalerdijk Until 31 Dec. 1959
14 Jan. 1960 Captain Kerkedyk Until 22 Jan. 1960 Coastal voyage
17 Feb. 1960 Captain Dinteldijk Until 05 Mar. 1960 Coastal voyage
18 Mar. 1960 Captain Kamperdyk Until 24 Apr. 1960
16 May. 1960 Captain Noordam Until 02 Aug. 1960
15 Sep. 1960 Captain Kerkedyk Until XX Feb. 1961
14 Apr. 1961 Captain Kerkedyk Until 10 Jul. 1961
30 Sep. 1961 Captain Westerdam Until 03 Sep. 1962
06 Oct. 1962 Captain Westerdam Until 26 Feb. 1963
End of records.
Sources:
- (a) E H.Kruidhof
- (b) Holland America Line Archives as held by the Municipal Archives of the City of Rotterdam.
- (c) NASM News 1953 (Company Magazine)
- (d) Local Newspapers via Delpher website.
- (e) Laurens van der Laan, HAL Historicus
- (f) G. Meiners 4th officer HAL WWII via (e)
Leave a Reply