Westra, Hendrik Berend.
Captain Hendrik Berend Westra (photo approx. 1973)
Name: Hendrik Berend Westra
WHO CAN HELP AS I HAD BIG PROBLEMS FINDING INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CAPTAIN. He joined HAL in 1938 and the personnel lists are held by the Dutch Sailors pension fund and they refuse access. The fleet lists of the company after 1965 are not complete so I am puzzling his career together passenger list by passenger list, menu card by menu card. Any other personal information is not yet on line as he has not been death long enough. And so far I have not found any family who can help.
In an ideal world I would ask for: Seamans book, what he did do during the war, family photos, and family information, to complete a nice biography. IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT CaptAlbert1@aol.com.
Born: 14 May 1916 at the “Lange Nieuwstraat 29 in Tilburg, The Netherlands. His father was Schelte Westra (born 8 June 1886 at leeuwarden) and his mother was Gonda Woltera Baron (born 17 Feb. 1888 at Zwolle). His father was listed as being and Engineer. The parents had married on 22 Oct. 1912.
The two witnesses of the birth registration at City hall had both functions with the National Railways, so for the lack of better it is assumed that his father worked there as well. Plus the fact that his father, the captains grand father wasa Senior Ticket master, which is train function. The family moved to Rotterdam on 31 October 1918.
He moved on 17 Sep. 1934 to the Maritime School “Abel Tasman” at Delfszijl. After two years he returned to Rotterdam on 02 July 1936 and signs on for this cadet year with the VNS. (Verenigde Scheepvaart Maatschappij or United Shipping)
Then joined Holland America in 1938.
Early sailing days still to be researched.
His wife was born in Indonesia.
Promoted to Chief Officer in 1950
Promoted to Captain in 1956. First ship the ss Arnedyk
Made last 6 voyages of Maasdam as Captain before the ship became the Stefan Batory.
Was awarded on 09 October 1972 the silver medal of the KNSMI
Sailing List:
Date: Function: Ship: Wages and/or remarks.
Xx xxx 1936 Cadet XX Sailed for the VNS
Xx xxx 1938 4th. Officer Burgerdyk
GAP
Xx xxx 1950 Chief Officer xx
GAP
Xx xxx 1956 Captain Arnedyk
13 Jul. 1956 Captain Sommelsdyk Until 30 Oct. 1957
15 Nov.1957 Captain Axeldyk Until 12 Dec. 1957 (one voyage)
Gap
25 Feb. 1959 Captain Kinderdyk Until 16 Jun. 1959
04 Jul. 1959 Captain Kamperdyk Until 10 Jul. Coastal voyage.
19 Jul. 1959 Captain Kloosterdyk Until 22 May. 1960
GAP
07 Aug.1960 Kamperdyk Kamperdyk 11 Aug. 1960 Coastal voyage
GAP
22 Oct. 1960 Captain Arnedyk Until 16 Dec. 1960
28 Jan. 1961 Captain Arkeldyk Until 21 May 1961
10 Jul. 1961 Captain Kinderdyk Until 18 Jul. 1961 coastal voyage
21 Jul. 1961 Captain Kerkedyk 22 Mar. 1962
08 May. 1962 Captain Almdyk 01 May 1962 Coastal voyage
09 May. 1962 Captain Andyk 19 May. 1962 Coastal voyage
28 Jun. 1962 Captain Dinteldyk 13 Jan. 1963
GAP
31 May.1963 Captain Dongedyk 09 Dec. 1963
GAP
26 Mar.1964 Captain Gaasterdyk 23 Jul.1964
01 Aug. 1964 Captain Dongedyk 07 Nov. 1964
GAP
02 Sep.1965 Captain Moerdyk 25 Sep.1965 coastal voyage
08 Jan. 1967 Captain Kamperdyk 14 Mar. 1967
GAP
06 jun.1967 Captain Dinteldyk 27 Aug. 1967
GAP
06 Jul. 1968 Captain Maasdam 29 Sep. 1968
GAP
29 Jan. 1969 Captain Ryndam 27 May.1969
21 Jul. 1969 Captain Nieuw Amsterdam 24 Nov. 1969
GAP
Xx xxx. 1970 Captain Nieuw Amsterdam not dates yet
GAP
05 Apr. 1971 Captain Nieuw Amsterdam 07 May 1971
06 Mar. 1971 Captain Ryndam 17 Apr. 1971
27 Nov. 1971 Captain Poeldyk 03 Dec. 1971 coastal voyage
GAP
25 Jun. 1972 Captain Nieuw Amsterdam TBA
GAP
Xx.xxx. 1971 Captain Rotterdam Xx.xxx. 1971/72
GAP
Xx.xx 1973 Captain Statendam TBA
08 Nov. 1973 Captain Prinsendam First Captain of the Ship
01 Jan. 1974 Captain Prinsendam 23 Feb.1974
GAP
XX XX.1980 Captain Volendam
June 29, 2020 at 1:35 am
Hi, I recently found your website, and hope you can tell me when Hendrik Berend Westra was born and died – I am trying to put the family tree together on the myheritage website.
My aunt Helen (nee Nielsen / van Epps) was married to him in 1950/60’s, but we lost contact when my family came to Australia. We heard that Helen died in Spain 1973. In 1945 Helen was married to David Arnold van Epps and had a daughter Chris. They were divorced about 1949.
In recent years, I have reconnected to Chris purely by chance through the internet, and learnt of her mothers death and that she lives in New York. Am hoping she is safe as I have not heard from her since February, and her area has high CO19 figures.
Hoping you can add a piece into my puzzle, Kind regards, Linda Mullins
June 29, 2020 at 8:27 pm
Good morning,
thank you for visiting my website and commenting. For Captain Westra’s history is also still full of riddles. So what I have done now is uploaded what I know. Have a look at the web page again. It might help hopefully a little bit. At least it gives the birth information. About the family I have not information yet. I as told by later captains that I sailed with that his wife was Indonesian or born there. So if you have any information, photos, what ever it would really be appreciated. I have extracts from his birth certificate etc. so if your dutch is good enough I can forward those. I will also send this reply from my email address.
Hope to hear something soon.
Best regards
Capt. Albert
February 27, 2022 at 7:43 pm
Saw this article, from paperwork left after my mother died, found menu cards
with his name on it. Was curious what I could find about him and Captain Greidanus, also on the menucard. Nice piece of work you have done with all these articles! My father worked for 25 years with the HAL, last position Chef Personeels Dienst Zeevarenden and knew from his position quite a number of Captains and other staff. Rds Ed Meyer Note: if interested in a copy of the menucards let me know. at:e.meijer24@telfort.nl
September 8, 2022 at 6:52 am
Thanks for collecting this information.
You will find more information on family at:
https://www.myheritage.nl/research/collection-40001/familysearch-stamboom?s=706226401&itemId=1904945599&indId=individual-706226401-1519406&action=showRecord&recordTitle=Hendrik+Berend+Westra
If this information cannot be opened then please email me and I will copy the information in an email
September 8, 2022 at 3:31 pm
thank you very much for trying to help me
, but as I do not have a subscription I only get advertisements when using the link.
I will send you a request via my hobby email.
Best regards
Capt. Albert