Site Map | Search Warsailors.com | Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home |
|
M/T Leiv Eiriksson To Leiv Eiriksson on the "Ships starting with L" page. Owner: A/S Laboremus Delivered on Oct. 22-1936 from Bremer Vulkan, Vegesack, Germany as Leiv Eiriksson to A/S Laboremus (T. Dannevig & Co.), Oslo. 492.9' x 66.1' x 36.4', 2T doubl. acting 6 cyl. 600/1100, 4100 bhp MAN DM. Built as German payment for whaleoil delivered by Unilever, which in turn sold the building contract to T. Dannevig. In service with oil California-Japan 1937-1938. (Info: Dag Midbøe). In Admiralty service (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) 1940. Captain: Alf A. Amundsen.
Leiv Eiriksson is listed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 95 in Dec.-1940, bound for Clyde, station 22. Early in 1941 she joined Convoy OB 274, which left Liverpool on Jan. 14 and dispersed on the 19th. No destination is given for her, but the following month she sailed in the the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 110, according to the external site that I've linked to below. As will be seen, she's not mentioned on my own page for this convoy, but my information is incomplete (only the Bermuda portion is available). In April-1941 she shows up in Convoy OB 305, leaving Liverpool on Apr. 2-1941, dispersed on the 6th. Her destination is given as Curacao, station 35. See the external link provided below for more on the OB convoys. In May we find her in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 128, Admiralty fuel for Clyde, station 32 (she had originally been scheduled for Convoy HX 125, but did not sail, then joined HX 127, but returned to port for repairs of steering gear). The following month she's listed in Convoy OB 335, departing Liverpool on June 16, arrived Halifax on July 2, however, Leiv Eiriksson's destination is given as Curacao. Going back to the external site below we find her in Convoy HX 141 from Halifax to the U.K. at the end of July-1941 - again, she's not mentioned on my own page for this convoy, but as will be seen my information is incomplete. The following month she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 9; her destination was New York, and she returned to the U.K. with Convoy HX 151, along with several other Norwegian ships. This convoy left Halifax on Sept. 22 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 7. A week later she joined the westbound Convoy ON 26, sailing in station 63. She was bound for Curacao, but left the convoy for Iceland on Oct. 20 - see Notes on my page about this convoy. She's now listed in Convoy HX 156 at the external site already mentioned (not available on my own site), and is said to have joined from Iceland (in other words, she sailed with this convoy from Iceland to the U.K., Convoy HX 156 having originated in Halifax on Oct. 22, arrived Liverpool on Nov. 5). She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 36 in Nov., joining from Clyde. In Febr.-1942 she can be found among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 175, and on March 6 she left Gourock, joining the westbound Convoy ON 73* for New York (convoy departed Liverpool on March 5, dispersed March 16), arriving her destination on March 18, then left for Halifax on Apr. 18, arriving on the 20th in order to join Convoy HX 187 for Loch Ewe and other ports on the 26th.
Going back to the external website below, Leiv Eiriksson is listed in station 94 of Convoy OS 28 in May-1942, voyaging from Oban to Trinidad in ballast. However, the same website has her in station 105 of Convoy OS 30 in June-1942, and judging from the dates she could not have been in both, so it looks like she was cancelled from OS 28 - follow the link for more details, other Norwegian ships took part in both convoys. Leiv Eiriksson arrived Port of Spain on June 21, then embarked on what was to be her last voyage on June 26-1942. Related external links:
She was on her way from Port of Spain to Gibraltar with 14 366 tons of fuel oil on June 27-1942 when she was torpedoed by U-126 (Bauer). She was on charter to Tankers Corp. of New York at the time. Position for Leiv Eiriksson's sinking is given as 13 18N 59 57W in Jürgen Rohwer's "Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two". This position is a little different from what is found in reports presented at the maritime hearings in New York. I've received a copy of these reports from Ken Dunn, who in turn has received them from the Maritime Museum in Oslo. Included was also a crew list. It appears the maritime hearings were not held until Aug. 11-1948 in New York. Questioned at the hearings were 1st Mate Johannes Hansteen, who had come on duty at 04:00, 2nd Engineer John Haldorsen, who was in the engine room, Able Seaman Borge Astrup Andersen, who was at the helm when the 1st torpedo hit (he had later seen the U-boat from the lifeboat), Able Seaman Bjarne Monsen, who had been on lookout duty from 04:00 and was thrown down to the deck when the explosion occurred (he had not seen the U-boat until after the 2nd explosion) and Able Seaman Sverre Egge, on gun duty (saw the U-boat just before the 2nd torpedo hit). The following text is a summary of 3 reports presented at the hearings and various statements made by these 5 men on Aug. 11 (names in bold green text are mentioned for the first time in the text, names in pale green have been mentioned before). One of the reports is signed by the 1st and 3rd mates, who state that the ship had arrived Port of Spain Road at 18:20 on June 20-1942. She headed for Point Fortin with a pilot on board at 10:50 on the 23rd, arriving around 12:20. Loading of cargo started at 07:30 on the 24th and was completed at 08:40 on the 25th, with the cargo distributed between the center tanks No. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 and side tanks No. 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19. At the maritime hearings the 1st mate stated that the fuel oil had a higher temperature than usual, 125°F compared to the usual 80-90°. He said that he thought the oil had not been cooled after having been refined. They departed Point Fortin with a pilot on board at 11:15 on the 25th, arriving Port of Spain Roads at 13:40 the same day. According to a report signed Barbados, July 4-1942 by Chief Engineer Bjarne Selfoss, 2nd Engineeer J. Haldorsen, 1st Mate Johs. Hansteen, Gunners/Able Seamen S. Egge and Arve Olafsen, Able Seaman Leif A. Gård and 3rd Mate Halftan Pettersen the ship departed Port of Spain at 06:40 on June 26 in convoy, then after they had cleared land the convoy "split" and the vessel continued on a course north of Barbados as per instructions, zig-zagging from 15:30 hrs., diagram No. 11. Still zig-zagging until June 27, at 01:25 when 3rd Engineer Mads Mathisen reported to the chief engineer to inform him of some abnormal noises coming from the engine. The latter came down to investigate and the engine was subsequently stopped at 01:35. After some adjustments had been made the problem was believed to have been fixed and engine was restarted at 01:50. However, at 03:10 oiler Armond O'Connor reported to the chief engineer asking him to come down again, whereupon the engine was again stopped at 03:17. Position is given as approximately 13 23N 59 53W. Later, at the maritime hearings 2nd Engineer Haldorsen stated that the engine had been in tip-top shape before the voyage started, so the complications were quite unexpected. The problem was isolated and the 2nd engineer, along with Mechanic Dag Midbøe and oiler Fred Mc Daid were woken up to come down and help with the repairs, while the captain was notified that they would need 2 to 3 hours. He did not seem overly concerned about this, feeling they were safe enough in that area since they were able to see land. However, at 04:55, as it was starting to get light, a torpedo detonated in the foreward cargo hold, resulting in a large hole in her starboard bow which caused her to sink down by the bow until the water started to wash across the foredeck, while some oil was leaking out. She stayed like that without sinking any further. The engine crew came up at that time fearing another torpedo. Immediately following the explosion the crew started to launch all the aft boats, and the majority of people went in them, with the exception of 9 men, namely Captain Amundsen, who had arrived on the bridge right after the explosion, 1st mate Hansteen, 2nd Mate Arne Hansen, Radio Operator Monrad Smith, Steward Halftan Hansen, 2nd Engineer Haldorsen, Gunner/Able Seamen S. Egge and Arve Olafsen and Able Seaman Olaf Knutsen. SOS was continually sent out, flares and snowflakes sent up, the whistle was sounded and their guns fired in an effort to get assistance from land, which could clearly be seen - the U-boat had not been seen at this time. A 2nd torpedo hit on the port side at 05:40, a little foreward of the bridge and out from No. 3 center tank, which resulted in a terrific explosion and a tall column of burning oil shooting up from the tank and landing across the upper bridge, so that the entire area and the port lower bridge were immediately an "ocean of flames". The captain and 2nd mate, who were on the bridge managed to jump overboard and were pulled into one of the lifeboats, very seriously burnt, but the radio operator and the steward died in the flames. The 1st mate, who had been in his cabin when this explosion occurred managed to get out through the passageway and to the lower bridge on the starboard side, then jumped overboard and was taken into the same lifeboat; injured but not seriously. The remaining men who had been aft near the guns also jumped overboard and were all taken on board the same boat. Meanwhile the ship was sinking quickly by the bow until only the after part of the poop was visbile above water. Shortly afterwards the engine room filled with water and the ship sank. This report states that from the time the 2nd torpedo hit and until the ship was gone about 4-5 minutes had passed. Just before the second torpedo hit the gunners had spotted a periscope on the port side across from the middle part of the ship, but it was too close at the time for the aft gun to be put into effective use. After the ship had gone down the U-boat surfaced and came over to the lifeboat to ask for the captain's name etc. before it took off in a northwesterly direction, still on the surface. About 5-10 minutes later a British "speed boat" arrived which landed the shipwrecked men that same day in Bridgetown, Barbados where the captain, 2nd mate and 1st mate were admitted to a hospital, but the former 2 died later that day. They were buried there the following day with the entire crew present, as well as a large amount of people from the local population. 4 armed guards and 40 crew had been on board (Swedish, English, Scottish, Estonian, Irish as well as Norwegians). Counting the 2 who died in hospital 4 died - named further down on this page. The ship's journals and confidential papers, which were kept in an iron box went down with the ship.
I've found an interesting personal story related to the sinking of Leiv Eiriksson in the book "Sjøfolk i krig" by Leif M. Bjørkelund (largely based on interviews with seamen 50 years after the war). The story is an excerpt from the war diary of the mechanic on board, Dag Midbøe. He starts off by saying they had two dogs, Topsy and Bamse, which ran freely around the ship during the day, but always slept below deck. As the ship departed Port of Spain on June 26-1942 Topsy found her a spot on the boatdeck, right next to one of the lifeboats, and no coaxing could get her to budge. Still, when the ship sank, Topsy went down with her, but Bamse survived. Midbøe says the 2nd torpedo hit about 45 minutes after the first one, adding that there were 5 men amidships, one of whom, the 1st mate, somehow managed to get through the flames and into the motor lifeboat, which had been lowered by then, without serious injuries. The remaining 4 were not so lucky; 2 went down with the ship, the other 2 were found in the water and picked up by the boat, but their burns were so serious they died in the hospital, as mentioned. According to this account there were 3 lifeboats on the water, and while the crew were busy distributing themselves in them the U-boat came up asking the usual questions about ship and cargo etc. Bauer also said he regretted the loss of lives and asked if they needed first aid articles, but the 2 injured officers were beyond such aid, so the offer was turned down. Bauer then pointed in the direction of Bridgetown, Barbados, which they could see in the distance, wished them a "good journey, and I hope that I will never see you again", then took off. The 3 boats headed for land, but 45 minutes later a British MTB arrived and took them all on board, then proceeded at full speed towards Bridgetown, a trip which took less than half an hour. A large crowd welcomed them as they arrived. The two injured men were taken to hospital, but as their lives could not be saved they were buried at Bridgetown the next day. The officers were given lodgings at one of the tourist hotels, while the crew were placed in what Midbøe calls a typical English "Sailor Rest" by the name of Flying Angel. Midbøe's shipmate, an Estonian fellow by the name of Johannes (this must be Johannes Kaarme - see list below) told him that when he discovered that a countryman was missing he had gone in search of him and had found him in shock on his bed, unable to move, and it had taken 2 men to get him up on deck and into one of the boats. Johannes had earlier served as a steward on an Estonian steamer and was en route from the U.S. in 1939 when the news reached him that Russia had invaded Estonia. They received orders to go to a Russian port, but Johannes and some of his shipmates had other plans. They armed themselves and took control of the vessel, then proceeded to Scotland. I believe Dag Midbøe and this Johannes had also served together on the Norwegian M/T Sandar, which was torpedoed and sunk just a couple of months after they had payed off in Febr.-1942. Before he served on Sandar, Dag Midbøe was on M/T Vivi. He had joined Leiv Eiriksson at the beginning of March-1942 (his first voyage being in Convoy ON 73 to New York, March 6), so had only been on board for about 3 months when she was sunk. He subsequently joined M/S Bañaderos in Sept. that year, where he stayed until Apr.-1943, at which time he signed on M/T Kaldfonn, then Washington Express (May-1944), M/T Skotaas (June-1945), and Panamanian Alfred Clegg (July-1946) until he could finally go home in Aug.-1946. Through the wonders of the Internet I am now in touch with a fellow (Neil Carlsen) in Haugesund, who knows Dag Midbøe. He has very kindly sent me some pictures and documents, among which there was a picture of some of the survivors after landing in Barbados.
This list was sent to me by Ken Dunn, who in turn received it from the Maritime Museum in Oslo, along with the Maritime Declaration.
Related external links: To Leiv Eiriksson on the "Ships starting with L" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of:
Copy of report from the Maritime Declaration (received from Ken Dunn) and "Sjøfolk i krig", Leif. M. Bjørkelund.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
