Hartog, Heijs Bernard.

Hartogh Heijs; Bernard.

Captain Bernard Hartog Heijs was born on 27 July 1879 in The Hague (s’Gravenhage). He attended the “Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart” in Amsterdam and was accepted on  06 August 1894. His father Samuel Bernardus Hartog Heijs was a book keeper (final control) for the Council of Delft.  His mother’s name was Geertruida Kunz at the time of signing the “intake papers” of the school.

They had married on 21 September 1881 at The Hague. It is unclear why there are two years between the date of his birth and the parents marrying.  There seems to have been 5 children (subject to confirmation of which 2 sons died within the year of birth) He grew up in the City of Delft and lived by the time of going to Amsterdam at the Korenmarkt 81. (a)

While at the Maritime Academy, his school marks show above average scores in drawing (10 out of 10) and in languages. For this skill he was awarded in his 3^rd year, a box with painters tools and paint. On 24 August 1898 he is assigned to the Holland America Line ship ss Statendam (I) with captain F.H. Bonjer in command with a wage of Fl 10,– a month. For the 2^nd stint of his cadetship he is placed on board the ss Werkendam.

He returns on 24 September 1899 from his cadet year with a very good report. When he passes his 3^rd mates exam on 22 November 1899 it is noted that he did so with the inclusion of passing grades for 3 languages. He was then dismissed on the 25^th from the academy with the notifications as being very skilled, very well behaved and having had good reports. (a)

He then rejoins Holland America Line.

On 28 December 1911 he marries in Rotterdam Hendrina Philippina Mulder (born Haarlem 12 Sep. 1885). She passes away on 29 November 1944, killed during an air attack on the house they were living in as it was located next to a railway. (c.)

He is promoted to Captain in 1912 and assigned to the ss Soestdijk (I). In 1917 he is with his ship in Famouth were 27 other Dutch cargo ships have congregated, all hesitant to leave due to the unlimited U-boat war declared by Germany shortly before. Contrary to merchant ships from countries involved in the war, the Dutch neutral ships, did not receive any Navy escort protection and were thus “sitting ducks” if they would leave for open sea after the German declaration.

This was borne out, when a convoy of seven Dutch ships did leave and were torpedoed while in open waters. This included two Holland America Line ships. While all these ships were there the captains decided to form a Captains Society to be able contact the Dutch Government and other parties inregards to any captains concerns. Capt. Hartog Heijs was thus a founding member of this Society.  His ship made it out unscathed and was then laid up in New York. When the USA joined the war, nearly all the foreign ships in American ports were seized, but the crews remained with them. This lasted until late 1918 when these ships were put into American service and the “Dutch Sommelsdijk” became the “USS Sommelsdijk”. Then all these Dutch  captains and crew had to go home as with the neutrality of the Dutch Government they cold no longer stay with their ships. Hence Captain Heijs and his crew returned to Rotterdam on board the ss “Nieuw Amsterdam”.

In June 1919 he returns to sea and is assigned to the ss “kinderdijk” (I). By 1925 he is sailing on the newer G class ships on the new company service to the west coast of the America going as far as Vancouver.

He leaves the company on own request in 1927. Reason as of yet unknown. He was now only 48 years old, so in principle much too young to retire.

His wife dies on 29 November 1944 as the result of gun fire aimed at the house located next to the railroad (Groenelaantje 24, Nunspeet)

Captain Hartog Heijs passes away on 11 Oct. 1962 at the age of 83 years old and is buried in Nunspeet in county of Gelderland.  It looks like it that he took over the family house in Nunspeet as his mother had passed away there in 1936.

Sources:

• Comportementen Boek of the Kweekschool voor de Zeevaart in Amsterdam as held by the City Archives of Amsterdam
• Genealogy Information via Mr. E.A Kruidhof
• . Leo den Hartog

Sailing List:

Date:                    Function:                            Ship:                                    Wages and/or remarks.

24 Aug. 1898      Cadet                                  Statendam                         10,–

10 Jun.  1899      Cadet                                  Werkendam                       15,–

21 Sep.  1899      Temporary dismissed to got to school for 3^rd mates license Passed 22 nov 1899

17 Jan.  1900      4^th. Officer                         Spaarndam                         30,–

06 Feb.  1901      4^th. Officer                         Maasdam                           30,–

10 Sep.  1901      Act. 3^rd officer                   Maasdam                           40,–

20 Jan.  1902      3^rd officer                           Maasdam                           50,–

08 Apr.  1902      3^rd. officer                          Potsdam                             50,–

01 May.1902      3^rd. officer                          Amsterdam                        50,–

25 Mar. 1903      3^rd. officer                          Potsdam                             50,–

02 Dec. 1903      Temporary dismissed to go to school for study 2^nd mates license. Passed on 9 march 1904

11 Mar. 1904      Act. 2^nd officer Jr.             Potsdam                             60,–

09 Nov. 1904      Act. 2^nd officer                  Amsteldijk                          60,–

30 Aug. 1905      Act, 2^nd officer Jr.             Noordam                            60,–

17 Jan. 1906      Temporary dismissed to go to school for study 1^st mates license.

29 Jan.  1906      act 2^nd officer Jr.               Statendam                         60,–

11 Apr.  1906      Temporary dismissed to go to school for study first mates exam.

14 Jun. 1906       Did not pass.

11 Jul.  1906        Act. 2^nd Officer Jr.             Noordam                            60,–

05 Dec. 1906      Act. 2^nd Officer                  Amsteldijk                          60,–

24 Jan.  1907      2^nd Officer                          Statendam                         60,–

13 Apr.  1907      2^nd Officer                          Statendam                         70,–

17 Jun.  1907      Temporary dismissed to go to school for study 1^st mate. Passed on 8 Oct. 1907

14 Oct. 1907      2^nd Officer                          Statendam                         70,–

16 Nov. 1907      2^nd Officer                          Statendam                         70,–   Transferred in Boulogne Sur Mer

09 Jun.  1908      2^nd Officer                          Rotterdam                         70,–

26 Nov. 1908      Act. Chief Officer              Soestdijk                             90,–

06 Mar. 1909      2^nd Officer                          Nieuw Amsterdam           70,–

19 Apr.  1909      Chief Officer                      Potsdam                             100,–

22 Nov. 1909      Chief Officer                      Statendam                         100,–

29 Dec. 1909      Chief Officer                      Potsdam                             100,–

09 Mar. 1910      Chief Officer                      Nieuw Amsterdam           100,–

Per  1 Jan. 1911 due to wage review                                                       175,–

30 Jul. 1911         Wage increase                                                               190.—

24 Nov.1911       Dismissed for one voyage from the Nieuw Amsterdam. Stays behind to get married.

06 Feb.  1912      Wage increase                                                               200,–

23 Oct. 1912       Promotion to captain                                                   250,–

23 Oct. 1912      Captain                               Soestdijk                             250,–

08 Jan.  1914      Standby ashore

04 Feb.  1914      Captain                               Sommelsdijk                      250,–

01 Jan    1916      Wage increase                                                               275,–

11 Oct.  1916      Temporary ashore

21 Dec.                1916      Captain                               Sommelsdijk                      275,–

01 Aug. 1918      Wages increased                                                           325,–

04 Dec. 1918      temporary ashore                                                         with the Nieuw Amsterdam to Rotterdam (as ship has been seized by the USA)

22 jun.   1919      Captain                               Kinderdijk                           325,–

01 Jul.    1919      Wage increase                                                               675,–

01 Jan.  1920      Wage increase                                                               700,–

15 Oct. 1920      Wage increase                                                               725,–

16 Oct.  1921      Wage decrease                                                              660,–

02 Jul.    1922      Wage decrease                                                              635,–

28 Jul.    1922      temporary ashore

02 Aug. 1922      Captain                               Dinteldijk                            635,-

17 May  1923      Temporary ashore

14 Aug. 1923      Captain                               Drechtdijk                           635,–

02 May 1924       Captain                               Moerdijk                             635,–

11 Sep.  1924      Captain                               Grootendijk                        635,–

16 Oct.  1924      Captain                               Drechtdijk                           635,–

22 Oct.  1924      Suspended                          until 1 July 1925

01 Jul.    1925      Temp ashore

07 Jul.    1925      Captain                               Dinteldijk                            635,                      via the Harwich ferry

01 Jul.    1926      one year sick leave without wages

01 Apr.  1927      Wage increase to                                                          655,–

13 Jun.  1927      Retired from the company on own request.

 

Last Updated: 07 June 2023