Photographer:          Unknown

Title:                          M.S. Willem Ruys, Rotterdamsche Lloyd

Date:                          c1915

Medium:                    Real Photo Post Card

Size of Image:          3 5/8 x 5 1/2  inches

Size of Mount:          na

Condition:                Medium tonal image, lightly bumped corners, edges rubbed, handling marks at center of image, used       postally Batavia postmark, Nederlands stamp.

Other:                      Uncommon RPPC of the M.S. Willem Ruys, presumed from its maiden voyage.  As noted in the book, The Achille Lauro Hijacking by Michael K. Bohn the, “Willem Ruys departed Rotterdam on December 2, 1947, on her maiden voyage to Batavia with 779 passengers.  After transiting the Suez Canal on December 11 and stopping in Singapore on December 22, she arrived at Tandjong-Priok, Batavia’s port, on Christmas Eve.  Willem Ruys made the return trip January 3-23, 1948.”

This card is postmarked Batavia with the year date “48” just visible, the day date of “4” but the center month date is not readable.  Ironically, the message addressed to a Rev. George H. White & Rev. Buchmiller, Seteran 43, Semarang, Java, reads, “Greetings in Jesus’ Name.

                                 Willem Ruys collided with the MM Oranje in the Red Sea in 1953.  Following repairs she was put into service on the North Atlantic run including New York and then later Canada.  In 1959 she was converted from a passenger ship to a luxury cruise ship.  In 1964 she was sold to the Flotta Louro Line and renamed the Achille Lauro and then was resold in 1985 to the Chandris Line.  In 1885 hijackers took control of her off Egypt during a well publicized incident which included President Regan ordering the Air Force to intercept the hijackers escape plane on its way to Tunisia. It was forced down in Sicily, and the hijackers were arrested except their leader causing much consternation internationally.  She caught fire and sank in 1994 off the coast of Somalia.

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