# Help with a 1962 sighting.



## chrisp9au (Aug 17, 2006)

Trying to track down a ship I saw back in 1961/62. Sighted on Southampton Water, when I was at the School Of Navigation, Warsash. I saw her two or three times during my year at Warsash and she always looked so clean and modern for those times, quite striking. I thought she was called the Willhelm Van Oldenbarnevelt. My memory has been known to be flakey, but I recall green hull, white superstructure, and an orange or maybe dark yellow single funnel, fairly large. I've seen postings about the Johann Van Oldenbarnevelt, but I understand she was a twin funnel, and getting on in years.
Thanks
Chris


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hi Chris,
She was 30+ years when you first noticed her and soon after she was purchased by Greek Line and renamed Lakonia.
As JVO with Nederline she serviced Netherlands-UK-East Indies-Australia, by 62 the service was uneconomical so she was sold and put to cruising, unfortunately in 63 there was a fire on board, this caused her sinking in the Atlantic.
My learning of most of these facts came from this site and I'm sure there will be much more information coming your way.
Cheers
Ted


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## aleddy (Apr 8, 2006)

*aleddy*

Hi again Chris,
My memory is also flakey at times,you mentioned a single funnel, JVO did have two funnels.
JVO was the elder of two ships in the fleet, 9 years her junior and looking similar ( I say this with tongue in cheek in this company ) was the Oranje which had a single funnel.
I am unable to comment on the livery colours as unfortunately I have never seen either ship. Orange sounds correct in there somewhere as it is there national colour.
In 64 Oranje became Angelina Lauro and suffered a fate similar to that of JVO catching fire and sinking in 79.
Cheers
Ted


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## ruud (Dec 6, 2004)

Ahoy Chris,
Both vessels for SMN
Stoomvaart Mij Nederland - Amsterdam

Here are both:
The story of the JVO:
Launched as JOHAN VAN OLDENBARNEVELT in 1930.
During the WW II as transportship for the troops.
In 1951 and 1959 rebuilt at ADM[docks],BRT=20.314
In 1963 sold to Greece as LAKONIA
On 22-12-1963 on 35°N - 15°15'W she got on fire. On that moment the vessel was about 200 miles from Madeira.She sailed a cruise from Southampton to Madeira,Tenerife,Las Palmas and le Havre, there were 643 passengers and 385 crewmembers on board.Soon the whole vessel was on fire, and the ships was abandoned by 886 survivors[537 passengers-349 crewmembers]
The Norwegian tug "Hercules" took the burning vessel on tow, but she capsized on 29 december on 230 miles from Gibraltar in position:35.56 N.L. en 10.00 W.L. and sunk.
128 Victims
Also involved by her rescue the tugs "Elbe" + "Praia Grande"

Here the story of the ORANJE:
Launched as ORANJE in 1939.
From 1941-1946 service as Hospitalship
In 1948 rebuilt as she was before the war BRT=20.165
In 1959 again rebuilt.
On 04-09-1964 to Italy as ANGELINA LAURO, again rebuilt[1½ year]
On 19-05-1972 during another rebuilding got on fire.
On 30-03-1979 got on fire in Charlotte Amalie[Virgin Islands], and finally sold for scrap.
On her towing to Taiwan, she got a leak and disappeared in the Pacific Ocean on 24-09-1979. 
Pos:11°43'NB - 121°43'WL


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## Boots (Nov 2, 2005)

*Help with a 1962 sighting*

Hello Chris,
My memory of the JVO was the length of her name, She was employed on the migrant run to Oz in the 1950s and, as a young Third Mate I was keen to practice my Morse, so called up every ship we passed in the 8-12 at night with the Aldis light. It was incredible how many times we met JVO in my watch, she certainly helped with my Morse!! I agree she was a nice looking ship .


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## chrisp9au (Aug 17, 2006)

Thanks everyone, I guess it must have been the JVO. As Boots points out, the name is very distinctive. After 44 years the memory has the occasional 'blip', and really, the memories of watching all the ships passing up and down Southampton Water, as a cadet in the Wilson wing at Warsash, was magic in itself! Still to visit a foreign port at that stage, and all these ships coming and going from all over the world, I couldn't wait to get to sea. Thanks everyone for all the info!


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