Posted by Ole Kr. Valle
okvalle@post.olivant.fo on April 16, 2001.
Can anyone help me with information about the norwegian ship "Vestvard" sunk Sept. 27. -1940 by U-31, Wilfried Prellberg. Or information abot other ships sunk by this captain.
RESPONSES:
Posted by Roger W Jordan
rogwj@aol.com on April 17, 2001.
VESTVARD was built in 1925 by AG Neptun, at Rostock, Germany, and was owned by Klosters Rederi-A/S (manager Lauritz Kloster, of Tollbodgaten 25B, Oslo).
The vessel was 4319 gross tons, 2441 net tons, 7608 deadweight tons, 402 feet overall length, 53 feet breadth, and 23.5 feet depth. It was fitted with an MAN 6-cylinder diesel engine of 1950 bhp and had a service speed of 10.5 knots.
Signal letters were LDDL.
At 1113 hours, central European time, on 27 September 1940, VESTVARD was torpedoed by U31 and sunk about 300 miles west of Ireland. One crew member was lost, but 28 crew survived. She was on voyage from Manchester to Montreal in ballast.
KL Prellberg was in command of this U-boat from July 1940 to 2 November 1940. His previous command was U19, from April to July 1940.
On 2 November 1940, while in the vicinity of convoy OB237, U31 was located by the destroyer HMS ANTELOPE and was sunk in a depth charge attack. Of the U31 crew, 2 were drowned, but Prellberg and 43 others survived and were made prisoners of war. Two of the crew died later in a failed attempt to escape.
Roger W Jordan
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Posted by Axel van Eesbeeck
gemyala@netcologne.de on April 17, 2001.
ships sunk by U-31
name: Agu
date: 05.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: Estland
BRT: 1575
name: Aviemore
date: 16.09.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: Great Britain
BRT: 4060
Konvoi: OB4
23 people died
name: Gimle
date: 04.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: norway
BRT: 1271
name: Hazelside
date: 24.09.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: Great Britain
BRT: 4646
name: Mercator
date: 01.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: finnish
BRT: 4260
name: Ove Toft
date: 03.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: Danmark
BRT: 2135
name: Primula
date: 04.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: norway
BRT: 1024
name: Union Jack
date: 22.09.40
type of ship: Trawler
nationality: Färöer
BRT: 81
name: Vestvard
date: 27.09.40
type of ship: freighter
nationality: norway
BRT: 4319
Konvoi: Einzelfahrer
name: Vinga
date: 06.12.39
type of ship: freighter
nationality: sweden
BRT: 1974
name: Glen Albyn
date: 23.12.39
type of ship: Auxiliary Patrol Vessel
nationality: Great Britain
BRT: 82
The auxiliary patrol vessels Glen Albyn and Promotive were sunk by mines
in Loch Ewe.
name: Promotive
date: 23.12.39
type of ship: Auxiliary Patrol Vessel
nationality: Great Britain
BRT: 78
The auxiliary patrol vessels Glen Albyn and Promotive were sunk by mines
in Loch Ewe.
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Posted by Ole Kristian Valle on April 18:
Thank you all for your help so far.
I have another question fr you: Do anyone know of a crew list and or the statutory declaration? Please let me know
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Posted by Josef Pijacek
josef_pijacek@rametchm.cz on April 18:
I have 2 more ships:
4.12.39 HMS Nelson, British battleship, damaged by mine laid by U-31
29.10.40 Matina, British merchant, 5389 gt, sunk
As an addition to the Mr. van Eesbeeck's list, all together then fits with the record for U-31 on the U-boat Net site (http://uboat.net/boats/u31.htm), which says:
13 ships sunk for a total of 30.894 tons and 1 ship damaged for a total of 33.950 tons
I would like to know if any ships sunk by U-31 in 1939, except those already mentioned, were sunk by mines she laid. Thanks in advance for any help.
Best regards, Josef Pijacek
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Posted by Marek Twardowski
marektwardowski@hotmail.com on April 19:
Here is additional information on ships sunk by U31:
16.09.39 AVIEMORE OB4
24.09.39 HAZELSIDE artillery + 1 torpedo
01.12.39 MERCATOR 2 torpedoes
03.12.39 OVE TOFT 1 torpedo
04.12.39 PRIMULA ?
04.12.39 GIMLE ?
4.12.39 NELSON damaged by mine laid by U-31
05.12.39 AGU ?
06.12.39 VINGA ?
23.12.39 GLEN ALBYN on mine
23.12.39 PROMOTIVE on mine
22.09.40 UNION JACK artillery
27.09.40 VESTVARD ?
29.10.40 MATINA U31 finished off a drifting wreck of a ship; she was hit by 2 torpedoes and shelled by U28 on 26.10.40.
I do not have info how the PRIMULA, GIMLE, AGU and VINGA were sunk, but I am pretty sure they did not sink on mines. .
Best regards,
Marek Twardowski
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Posted by Josef Pijacek on April 19
Hi, Marek!
Thank you very much for your information.
Best regards, Josef Pijacek
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Posted by Poul Olvhoj
poulolvhoj@madasafish.com on May 27
Can anyone help me with information about the British vessels "Aviemore" and "Hazelside", both sunk by U-31 in 1940 or thereabouts. I would also like to contact any survivors from those ships or members of the crews' families.