Hallo Zusammen,
mit der ZUIDERKRUIS haben wir einen Vertreter des Standart C Typ (Kargo) Victoryschiff.
Diese waren die Nachfolger der British Empire und Ocean Modelle und der American Liberty Schiffe.
Der Bau der Liberty- Schiffe sollte die schweren Verluste des U- Boot Atlantik Kriges ausgleichen.
Immerhin wurden 534 Lbertyschiffe gebaut.
Nach dem Krieg kaufte die holländische Regierung 39, um ihre zerstörte Handelsflotte wieder aufzubauen.
Die ZUIDERKRUS wurde 1945 von Oregon Shipb. (Portland, USA) ais Cranston Victory gebaut.
1947 wurde sie an Holland verkauft und 1951- 1952 zum Passagierschiff (850 Passagiere - im Vergleich Kriegsdienst 1600 P.) umgebaut.
Sie fuhr bis 1962 und dann an die Holländische Kriegsmarine verkauft, wo sie als NATO 853 eingelistet wurde.
Zuiderkruis was a Victory-ship, developed out of the Standard C-type dry-cargo ships. Victory-ships came after the other standard freighter types such as British Empire and Ocean and the well-known American Liberty-ships. Plans of building Liberty-ships raised after tremendous losses of ships on the North Atlantic. During the war there were 2751 Liberty ships and 531 Victory ships built. After the war 3 Victory ships were built to completion.
Directly after the war 39 Victory ships were bought by the Dutch Government to rebuilt the merchant fleet.
Originally ss Zuiderkruis was built as Cranston Victory by Oregon Shipbuilding Company, Portland, Oregon.
In 1947 she was sold to the Dutch Government. She was first rebuilt as a troop transport with a capacity of 1600 troops. In 1951/52 she was rebuilt as an immigrant-ship (capacity 850 passengers).
As such she served until 1962, afterwards she was sold to the Koninklijke Marine (Dutch Navy), NATO pennant A 853, were she served as barracks.
She was scrapped at Bilbao, November 1969.
picture texts in Italics:
Yellowcoe: Hey Captain, already back from the journey? Did you find a Winter?
Blooker: I only found a skiing-hal West out of Schwerin, they might be getting drowned. Instead of this I saw the Southern Cross and brought it with me (Zuiderkruis = Southern Cross).
Let's get it build!