Nieuw Zeeland
Dutch Troop transport
Photo courtesy of State Library of New South Wales
| Name | Nieuw Zeeland | ||
| Type: | Troop transport | ||
| Tonnage | 11,069 tons | ||
| Completed | 1928 - NV Rotterdamsche Droogdok Mij, Rotterdam | ||
| Owner | Koninklijke Paketvaart Mij., Amsterdam | ||
| Homeport | Batavia | ||
| Date of attack | 11 Nov 1942 | Nationality:  Dutch | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-380 (Josef Röther) | ||
| Position | 35° 57'N, 3° 58'W - Grid CH 7472 | ||
| Complement | 256 (18 dead and 238 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | Torch | ||
| Route | North Africa - Gibraltar | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in April 1928. In 1940 the steam passenger ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty as troop transport. | ||
| Notes on event | At 12.42 hours on 11 November 1942 the Nieuw Zeeland (Master Klaas Ulbe Noordenbos) was hit by one of four torpedoes fired by U-380 about 80 miles from Gibraltar and sank following a coup de grâce at 13.08 hours. The ship was returning from Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa and carried 214 crew members, 29 gunners and 13 service passengers. 14 men were lost. The survivors abandoned ship in twelve lifeboats: six were picked up by HMS Porcupine (G 93) (Cdr G.S. Stewart, RAN), five by HMS Albrighton (L 12) (Lt R.J. Hanson, DSC, DSO, RN) and one by HNMS Isaac Sweers (G 83) (Capt W. Harmsen) and landed at Gibraltar, but four men died of wounds after being rescued. | ||
| On board | We have details of 42 people who were on board. | ||
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