M/S Norne

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

Final Fate - 1940:

Departed Wilmington N.C., U.S.A. on Aug. 8-1940 bound for Grangemouth, via Bermuda with a cargo of scrap iron. She arrived Bermuda on Aug. 11, then joined Convoy HX 66* on Aug. 15. The ships that were going to the east coast were detached from the convoy on Aug. 29, escorted by HMS Hibiscus. (Rohwer calls it HX 66A - follow the link to HX 66 for more convoy details). In the early hours of Aug. 30-1940 Norne was hit by a torpedo from U-32 (Jenisch), position 58 48N 06 49W (east of Stronsay). On the bridge at the time were the captain, the 2nd mate and the helmsman, Able Seaman Mikkelborg (all perished). Following 2 explosions on the port side forward of the engine room, she sank very quickly while some crew members were trying to launch the starboard lifeboat. The boat was crushed, and everyone on deck was pulled under with the ship; only 11 came back up.

* Norne had been scheduled for Convoy HX 53 in June-1940, but did not sail. She had also been cancelled from HX 54 at the end of that month.

About 3 hours later they were rescued from the debris and the raft they were clinging to by HMS Hibiscus, which landed them in Scotland on Aug. 31. Mess Boy Jensen was admitted to a hospital (near Burntisland) suffering from blood poisoning of an injured finger. The survivors were fitted out with clothes etc. before being sent to Newcastle on Tyne where an inquiry was held on Sept. 5-1940 with the radio operator, the 1st engineer, Ordinary Seaman Ericsson and the boatswain appearing.

Jenisch had torpedoed two other ships in quick succession, the British S/S Mill Hill, and S/S Chelsea, just before Norne was hit.

Crew List:
All the survivors were picked up from a raft, except the radio operator and Ordinary Seaman Vikan, who were in the water.

Survivors
Radio Operator Ole August Torkildsen	Carpenter Marner Hansen	Boatswain Helge Mortensen	Able Seaman Martin Liverød	Ordinary Seaman Paul Vikan	Ordinary Seaman Eskil Gustav Birger Ericsson (Swedish)
1st Engineer Hilmar Lundekvam	Oiler Nils Nilsen	Oiler Odd Tvedt	Steward Harald Albertsen	Mess Boy Kalmar Jensen
Casualties
† Captain Leif Hauge	† 1st Mate Fridtjof Müller	† 2nd Mate Frithjof Busch	† 3rd Mate Selmer Hansen	† Able Seaman Kaare Østby	† Able Seaman Konrad Mikkelborg
† Ordinary Seaman Knut Johannesen	† Jr. Ordinary Seaman Bernt Lund	† 2nd Engineer Mikal Pedersen	† 3rd Engineer Odd Svendsen	† Assistant Thorbjørn Hornhauer	† Mechanic Gunnar Byrknes
† Mechanic Bernhard Pedersen	† Oiler Dagfinn Nilsskog	† Repairman Frithjof Pedersen	† Cook Theodor Holdøy	† Galley Boy Hilmar Jensen

Related external links:
More on the casualties - Full names and birtdates/home towns are given. Some of the names are spelt a little differently at this memorial for seamen in Stavern, Norway, and the cook is listed as Theodor Holbø, the galley boy as Henry Jensen,

Operations information for U-32

U-32 | Hans Jenisch

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

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, and misc. (ref. My sources).