D/S Nidarland

To Nidarland on the "Ships starting with N" page.

Crew List

Related page on this website:
Odd's ships - My father served on this ship for a while. According to one of my father's letters, Nidarland went to assist survivors of Athenia (external link) on Sept 3rd-1939.

Nidarland was on a voyage from Sweden to Trinidad, via Bergen on Apr. 8-1940 (the day before the German invasion of Norway), probably to join a convoy, but continued north upon news of the invasion. She went to Florø first, then to Eikefjord, where she stayed until May 30, when she was able to escape to Shetland.

Final Fate - 1942:

On charter to Alcoa Steamship Co. Departed Buenos Aires on Oct. 14-1942 with about 8435 tons zinc concentrate in No.'s 1, 2, 3 and 4 holds, and 179 silver ingots in No. 3 hold, bound for Baltimore, via Trinidad for bunkers. She was on course 234° true, sailing at a speed of 9 knots and was in position 11 41N 60 42W when she was torpedoed by U-67 (Müller-Stöckheim) in the morning of Nov. 9 (time given as ca. 08:05 ship's time, and in summary of statements by the 1st mate, found in British archives, time is given as 16:05 GCT). The weather was clear with a choppy sea, wind east/northeast force 2 or 3 and good visibility. No other ships were in sight, but 2 planes had flown overhead 10 minutes prior to the attack, and Nidarland had hoisted recognition flag and numeral as well as the Norwegian flag, and had put out name boards on both the port and starboard side, but all these had been taken down a minute later, except the Norwegian flag, which was still flying when attacked.

2 torpedeos were believed to have struck simultaneously, the first in No. 3 hold, the second in No. 4 hold, both on the starboard side, sending parts of her cargo high in the air, and causing the top of the mast and radio aerial to fall down; no distress signal was sent. On the bridge at the time were the 1st mate - who had been on watch until 08:00 ship's time and had just been relieved by the 2nd mate - the lookout, Able Seaman Reistad, and the helmsman, Able Seaman Smith. Able Seaman Brekke was by the aft gun - no U-boat or wake of torpedoes had been seen by anyone. The starboard lifeboat and the motorboat on the same side were blown overboard; only the port boat could be used and was successfully launched. The main deck was already under water at that time. Some men aft were seen to be jumping overbord, so the midships, port side raft was released, and some of the men in the water managed to get into it while others held on to misc. debris.

When all those who had assembled on the boat deck had gotten into the lifeboat they intended to get away as quickly as possible in order to avoid the suction as the ship was sinking. Just then the 1st engineer was seen standing at the rail, and they urged him to jump, but he appeared to be in shock and did not act. As the edge of the boat deck was now already in the water, they could not go alongside with the lifeboat again. The ship sank head first about 2 minutes after the torpedoes had struck.

The lifeboat rowed around and picked up 4 (5?) from the water as well as the 9 who were on the raft, including the captain, who had been in his office when the attack occurred. A search for the 1st engineer proved in vain, so the 34 proceeded to row and sail towards shore, landing on the north point of Tobago in the morning of Nov. 10 (Norwegian report says at 06:00). After a short stay they sailed on and arrived Plymouth (Tobago) that same afternoon (British report gives time as 14:00 GCT), then continued by car to Scarborough where they were given food and clothing as well as accommodations while waiting for passage to Port of Spain.

The maritime inquiry was held in New York on Dec. 15-1942 with the captain and the 1st and 2nd mates appearing.

(Rohwer gives the time for attack as 12:43 German time, mentioning only 1 torpedo).

A week later U-67 torpedoed another Norwegian ship, M/S Tortugas.

Crew List:

Survivors
Captain Magne Hegvik	1st Mate Olav Søbstad	2nd Mate Alf G. Olsen	3rd Mate Karl Johan Hansen	Radio Operator Kaare Jansen	Carpenter Ivar Hoel
Boatswain August Ingvaldsen	Able Seaman Halvor Tharaldsen	Able Seaman Ronald K. Clews (British)	Able Seaman William E. Smith (American)	Able Seaman Reidar Kaastad	Able Seaman Aleksandrs Linins (Latvian)
Able Seaman Arthur Tronstad	Able Seaman Edvin Reistad	Able Seaman Sigurd Nesheim	Able Seaman Rangvald Gundersen	Able Seaman Kaare Brekke	Ordinary Seaman Erling Fiskaa
2nd Engineer Karl D. Bergendahl	3rd Engineer Tjøstolf Knudsen	Donkeyman Thorolf Lilland	Stoker Henrik Roalsen	Stoker Arnold Berg	Stoker Finn Knutsen
Oiler Kaare Kristiansen	Oiler Olaf J. Henriksen	Oiler Dagfin Hansen	Oiler Bernhard Davies (British)	? Reidar Solvang	Steward Hans M. Sørensen
Cook Egil Eriksen	Galley Boy Olaf Gilberg	Mess Boy Magnus Dalaker	Saloon Boy George Johnson (British)
Casualty
		† 1st Engineer Ole A. Karlsen

Related external links:
The names of 2 who died - In addition to the 1st engineer, August Waldemar Ingvaldsen is also commemorated at this memorial for seamen in Stavern, Norway, which says 2 died - August Ingvaldsen is listed among the survivors as boatswain above (as 2nd mate at the memorial). He may have joined another ship and died at a later date(?)

Operations information for U- 67 - As will be seen, this U-boat was responsible for the loss of several Norwegian ships.

U-67

Back to Nidarland on the "Ships starting with N" page.

Geo. Hansen had another ship by this name after the war, ex Liberty Ship Frederick C. Hicks, built in 1944, 7207 gt - became Norwegian Nidarland in Sept.-1947, then Trya in 1950 (Gørrissen & Klaveness, Oslo). Sailed under the Liberian flag as Bendita from 1952 (Seres Shipping Inc, New York), then under the Greek flag as Despina K from 1958 (same managers). In 1959 she came under the management of Ceres Shipping Co., London, then from 1961 N. J. Vlassopulos Ltd., London. Sailed under the Lebanese flag from 1963 (same managers), then managed by Palmco Shipping.Inc, New York from 1966. Ran aground on May 19-1967 near Mexico (5 m northeast of San Lazaro Light, 24 52N 112.16W), voyage Tokyo-Guayaguil in ballast. Broke in 2 in June, total loss.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Norwegian Maritime Museum, Volume II, summary of statements by 1st Mate O. Søbstad (from British archives), received from Tony Cooper, England, and misc. other as named within text above (ref. My sources).