MENU

Merchant Navy Gunner’s Vest

From the collection of the Maritime Museum Rotterdam

h 79 cm x w 58 cm
1940-1945

Roeland Jan Kroesen was just one of thousands of men sailing with the Dutch Merchant Navy when the Second World War broke out. Life changed drastically: ships that weren't in occupied waters at the outbreak of the war and capable of helping the Allied effort were required to do so. This was the result of a vaarplicht (injunction to continue sailing) issued by Dutch royal decree on 6 June 1940.

Read more ›
img
https://www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl/100voorwerpen/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/22.-FS10568_8_sc-copy.jpg
imgfull
Damages suffered by the Dutch Merchant Navy’s S/S Pennland on 25 April 1941. The ship sunk a short time later (Source: Maritime Museum Rotterdam).
https://www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl/100voorwerpen/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/22.-Gunners-vest-van-de-koopvaardij.jpg
img
imgfull
https://www.tweedewereldoorlog.nl/100voorwerpen/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/22.-gunner.jpg
img
imgfull

It was the beginning of a long and hazardous military service that killed thousands of Dutch merchant seamen. Ships were fitted with cannons and guns. The men also received suitable attire: such as this gunner’s vest. The danger at sea came from above as well as below. German aircraft and submarines hunted down Merchant Navy ships. When the Holland America Line’s S/S Pennland was shelled off the coast of Crete on 25 April 1941 and sunk within a few hours, Roeland Jan Kroesen was wearing this vest. Kroesen survived the bombing and served on other ships for the rest of the war. The vaarplicht was lifted in 1946.