Ondina (1939)

Ondina was a 9,070 GRT oil tanker built in 1939 and owned by Royal Dutch Shell; initially operated by “La Corona” company. In November 1942, during the Second World War, she was attacked in the Indian Ocean by two Japanese commerce raiders, one of which (the Hokoku Maru) was sunk possibly by a shell fired by the Ondina. After the war it continued operating until decommissioned and broken down in 1959.

Career


‘’Ondina’’ was built in 1939 at the shipyard “Nederlandse Dok & Scheepsbouw Mij”, Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.. It sailed for La Corona, a subsidiary of the Royal Dutch Shell company.

Second World War
In November 1942 "Ondina" took part in the battle against the Japanese auxiliary cruisers and raiders ‘’Aikoku Maru’’ and ‘’Hokoku Maru’’ where it was damaged; after which it was " was temporarily repaired and then sent to Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia where she was stationed from 22 June 1943 supplying fuel to US submarines. On 1 September 1943 the "Ondina" also supplied fuel to the ship MV "Krait" then taking part in Operation Jaywick, the raid on Singapore. At the end of 1943 the ship was sent to the US for repairs at Tampa, sailing via Melbourne, Balboa, Panama Canal and Galveston.

Action against Japanese raiders
On 11 November 1942, Ondina was sailing escorted by HMIS Bengal, a Bathurst class corvette, to the southwest of Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean, when the Japanese commerce raiders Aikoku Maru and Hōkoku Maru attacked them. The Japanese ships were armed with six-inch guns, while Ondina had a 102 mm gun and Bengal a single four-inch gun. Both allied ships scored hits in the Hōkoku Maru which blew up and sank; the other raider escaped. Although Ondina was damaged in the action, it reached port safely.

Postwar
Ondina was decommissioned and scrapped in 1959, at Hong Kong.