Memorial Frans H. C. Aarts Bergen op Zoom

Frans Aarts was an officer in the merchant navy on M.S. Kota Tjandi. This ship was torpedoed and sunk near the coast of West Africa. He drowned whilst trying to prevent a sloop with its crew to go under together with the ship by releasing the ropes from the lifeboat. The text on the plaque can be translated as follows:

In memory of
our beloved son

Frans H.C. Aarts.
Officer Koninklijke Rotterdamse Lloyd (Royal Rotterdam Lloyd)

Drowned with M.S. Kota Tjandi
torpedoed by the Germans
near West Africa
on 30-04-’43.

Source: "History of the Dutch merchant navy in World War Two" by K.W.L. Bezemer.

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Source

• Text: Mia van den Berg
• Photos: Rob Bosma