The information below regarding ships in the Nortraship fleet is a direct transcript of the original source 'Sjøforklaringer fra andre verdenskrig (1940 - 1945)'. The informasjon is collected from maritime inquiries held during and right after the war. The information may differ from the other quality assured information in Krigsseilerregisteret.
- Date
- August 27, 1940
- Rank
- Ca. 60 miles øst for Rockall
- Cause
- Torpedert [av tysk ubåt]
- Cargo
- Trelast
- Route
- Sydney C.B. - Sharpness
- Crew list
- Delvis
- Missing
- 0
- Captured during WW2
- 0
- Survived
- 17
- Deceased
- 1 [1]
- Date
- September 12, 1940
- Place
- London
- Administrator
- Konsul J. Gregg
Minute
...
Appeared Captain Ingvald Waage ...
Captain Waage stated that on the 27th August the vessel was torpedoed without warning and was abandoned. The Cheif Officer succeded in bringing with him the log book which, however, was spoilt by sea water in the lifeboat. We did not succeed in getting the scrap logbook with us.
Captain Waage produced a report dated London the 11th September this year, with reference to the occurence, prepared by him according to memory. ...
The report was read out and approved by the Captain.
On being questioned the Captain stated that the vessel had all the prescribed lifesaving equipment and that this was incomplete order. Lifesaving jackets had been distributed to each one in particular of the crew. Hult had no lifesaving jacket on, neither had Unneland.
On being questioned the Captain stated that the coal would have been more suitable for firing with natural drought and that they were very unsuitable for forced drouth with which the vessel was equipped. The coals had been supplied by the Dominion Coal Co., Sydney, who supply all the vessels which are bunkering at Sydney.
On being questioned by the assessor the Captain stated that the steamer to which he signalled resembled by appearance the American ships which Belgium obtained at the outbreak of the war. The captain was quite sure that the steaamer must have seen the boats. It could not be avoided. There was brilliant sunshine at the time.
They were presumably 15 miles from land, slight swell.
All of the crew lost their clothes and personal effects onboard. As regards privately owned instruments etc., the captain lost:- one sextant and books.
The Chief Engineer lost:- some privately owned tools.
The Chief Officer lost:- some books.
...
Appeared as the 1st witness, 2nd Officer K. Francis Rasmussen ...
The witness had been on wathc since 12 o'clock. At about 1.30 o'clock the witness heard a heavy report and it seemed as if the ship suddenly sank under the feet of the witness, and all of a sudden the vessel heeled over to starboard. On looking toward aft. the witness saw that the top of the after mast had been broken off, the whole of the deck cargo upset, and on the starboard side there was deck cargo in the sea. The weather was fine, but there was a rather rough swell. The witness neither saw nor heard anything before the report. There was no one on the bridge besides the helmsman, jr. ordinary seaman Holtane.
In addition, ordinary seaman Gunnar Anderson was on deck.
The witness immediately went to the lifeboat. The witness thinks that about 3/4 of an hour elapsed before the lifeboats rowed away after the vain attempt at saving boy assistant Hult.
During that time the submarine had approached the vessel, at first only the tower could be seen, but gradually the hull emerged and during the attempt at saving Hult the submarine was lying still with the hull well out of the water, probably 1 1/2 - 2 miles off.
After the lifeboats had rowed away a fair distance the submarine commenced firing at the ship and the witness saw there were direct hits on the prot side of the forward part of the vessel.
The ship could be seen right up to the time darkness fell, but she had heeled over so that th rail was in the water. The list had decreased.
The boat, where the witness was, was not attacked by the submarine as this boat was lying too far away.
At about 1 o'clock the witness had seen Hult going towards aft. on the deck cargo with a pail; he was probably going to wash up after dinner. Later, the witness did not see Hult until he, the witness, was in the lifeboat and Hult was the clinging ot a wire which was hanging from the awning stanchion and the seas were breaking over him. The swell was breaking over the poop and there was a great deal of timber in the sea so that the lifeboats had to manoeuvre carefully.
The witness saw that Hult had a nasty wound on the temple and the whole of the back of his head was covered with blood. The witness considers it certain that Hult was not quite conscious, but was holding on to the wire due to cramp. He did not shout, but some sounds came from him at different times.
From the lifeboat the witness saw that the Captain and Andersen went towards aft. searching for Unneland and Hult. But at the same time the witness saw smoke from the poop as fire had broken out in the crew's quarters. For that reason Hult was probably hidden from them.
After Andersen had fastened the rope round Hult, a task which took time because the seas were breaking over both of them, it was found that the rope had not been made secure as it slipped when they commenced hauling from the lifeboats. Hult was still hanging on to the wire. Andersen had by then worked himself up to the prot rail. After quite a short while Hult was seen to have let go his hold and disappeared.
...
Appeared the 2nd witness, Arne Holtane ... jr. ordinary seaman on board ...
The witness was at the wheel and neither saw nor heard anything before the report. The witness belonged to the starboard lifeboat and stated that Hult was evidently not quite conscious. During the attempt at rescue, Hult was standing staring in another direction without replying to calls from the lifeboats.
The witness is of the opinion that the submarine fired about 15- 20 shots at the ship. The latter was seen the whole time until darkness fell, lying low in the water.
...
Appeared the 3rd witness, Gustav Barnholdt Røkenes ... Chief Officer onboard.
The witness stated that it was quite evident that the reason why the ship could not keep up with the convoy was solely on account of the poor coal.
The explosion was violent. The witness formed the opinion that the torpedo struck on the starboard side abreast of the after mast.
The vessel was lying with the forward part well out of the water when the submarine started to fire. After that the vessel was lying lower in the water as far as the witness could see. About 20 shots were fired.
...
Appeared the 4th witness, ordinary seaman Gunnar Andersen ...
The witness had been on watch from 12 o'clock and had not seen anything of Hult until he, the witness, was in the starboard lifeboat. Hult was then holding on to a wire at the starboard rail of the poop. There was shouted to him that he should jump into the sea, but it seemed as if he neither heard nor saw anything. The witness is of opinion that he was more dead than alive. The witness swam with a rope across to Hult and saw that his teeth had been knocked out and that his head was covered with blood. Hult did not recognise the witness. Having got to the starboard rail the witness fastened the rope round the waist of Hult with a clove-hitch. Anyhow, the witness thinks that he succeeded in making a clove-hitch. Every now and again the seas broke over both of them so that they were completely under water. For some reason or other the rope slipped off Hult who thereafter held on to a plank before he disappeared.
The witness was then near the ventilator on the poop, he went right aft. and swam to the lifeboat.
...
Appeared the 5th witness, Ole Martin Amundsen ... 2nd engineer on board. ...
The witness had been on watch in the engineroom from 12 o'clock. After the explosion the vessel heeled just a little over to port and thereafter to starboard.
The quick shutting valve had closed by itself. The witness and the fireman experienced a little difficulty in getting up as the ladder had been knocked loose. They ran to the lifeboat on the port side. The witness went along to his cabin and fetched some clothes which came in very useful as most of the men were found to be badly clothed. On being questioned the witness remarked that the coals were not suitable for forced drought and that was the reason why the ship lost the convoy.
...
Appeared the 6th witness, Peder Kristoffersen ... Chief Engineer on board.
The reason why the ship lost the convoy was solely the coal from Sydney.
As soon at they had come down to the English coals the speed came up to 33 -34 miles (8 1/2 miles and hour).
Hult was evidently unconscious and was holding convulsively on to the rail. A rope was thrown and twice the rope came straight over his shoulder.
...
Again appeared Chief Officer Røkenes and made the following statement regarding the conversation between the submarine and the Chief Officer's lifeboat.
After the ship had been fired at the first time the U-boat came up alongside the lifeboat and asked for the nationality which was replied to. When the commander of the U-boat got to know that we were Norwegian he shook his head. Further, there was asked why we were sailing there.
This was not replied to. Afterwards the Commander of the U-boat made a derogatory remark about England.
Thereafter the U-boat continued on and fired at the ship with a gun for the second time. We could not see the effect very well, but anyhow the ship was well afloat after the firing was finished.
...
Deck log (in Norwegian)
Rapport om s.s. "EVA"s reise fra Sydney C.B. til Sharpness august / spetember 1940
Torsdag 15. august avgikk fra Sydney i konvoi bestemt til Sharpness. Skibet var lastet med trelast og var ved avgangen i full sjødyktig stand og godt utstyret for reisen. Konvoiens fart var 7 1/2 mil. Uheldigvis fant vi at bunkerkullene vi hadde fått ombord i Sydney var helt umulig, og som følge herav kom farten ned i 6 mil.
Fredag 16de om morgenen kunne vi nesten ikke se konvoien og omkring middag kom et av eskorteskibene langs siden og signalerte at konvoien var 12 miles borte, og kom kvellen var den helt forsvunnet.
Lørdag 17de kom vi til bedre kull og farten øket til 32/33. På søndag håpet vi å ha tatt igjen konvoien, men uheldigvis så vi den ikke, og reisen fortsattes ifølge de oppgitte posisjoner.
Tirsdag 27/8 kl. omtr. 1.30 em. på N 57 50 og V 11 15 ble skibet torpedert uten varsel. Skibet krenget straks over til styrbord, men vi klarte å få begge livbåter uskadd på vannet. Torpedoen traff skibet på styrbord side mellem nr. 3 og 4 luken. Da mannskapet var samlet midtskibs, savnet vi 2 mann, nemlig matros O. Unneland og maskingutt Helge Sture Hult. 3 mann var blitt skadet ved eksplosjonen, og den som var i verst forfatning var lettmatros L. Standal. 2 mann ble sendt akterut for å lete etter maskingutten og matros Unneland. De kom tilbake og sa at de kunne ikke finne dem. Da "Eva" krenget mere og mere over til styrbord, ga kapteinen ordre til å forlate skibet. Telegrafisten hadde holdt på å sende ut nødsignal men fikk ikke noe svar. Straks før vi gikk i båtene falt antennen ned, og man sluttet med nødsignalene, da det var umulig å reparere antennen. Kapteinen var den siste som forlot skibet. Etter at vi var kommet i båtene hørtes rop fra sjøen, og babords båt styrte mot lyden og fant at det var matros Unneland som lå der og holdt seg flytende på noen planker. Han var helt uskadd, og fortalte at han ble kastet langt bort fra skibet ved eksplosjonen. Da styrbord båt passerte skibets akterende hørtes en lyd. Det viste seg å være den savnete maskingutt Helge Sture Hult som sto og holdt seg fast i rekkverket på styrbord side av poopen. De rodde kloss opp under og ropte at han skulle hoppe overbord, men fikk intet svar. En line ble kastet over til ham men han gjorde intet tegn på å ta den.- Lettmatros Gunnar Andersen tok av seg klærne og hoppet i sjøen med en line. Han klarte å komme ombord, gjorde linen fast rundt Hult, og fikk ham bort fra rekkverket. Det ble ropet til Hult at han måtte holde fast i linen. Uheldigvis gle linen av mannen og han forsvant under plankene som lå og fløt omkring. Vi søkte etter ham en stund, men der var intet mere å se. Da Andersen ble tatt opp i båten igjen, kunne han fortelle oss at Hult var forslått i ansiktet, og noen av tennene var slått ut. Andersen talte til ham, men han syntes å være bevisstløs. Vi lå en stund et stykke fra "EVA" og etter 1/2 times tid kom ubåten opp og begynte å skyte på skibet. Den holdt på ca. 1/2 time og kom da borttil babord båt og spurte om skibets navn og bestemmelsesstedet, hvor etter den forsvant. Vi konfererte nu sammen og bestemte at styre for det nærmeste land, Hebriderne. Etter ca. 1 times roing så man fly styre mot skibet. Flyet sirklet rundt vraket en stund, og det sendtes opp raketter fra begge båtene, som bare lå 3 - 4 miles borte, og vi håpet å bli sett, men flyet forsvant uten å ha gitt tegn til å ha sett båtene. Vi fortsatte da mot land.
28/2 begynte vinden å friske fra syd, i løpet av dagen øket den med regn. Vi holdt det gående til kl. 21.00 da vi dreiet båten på for natten. Vi lå således til torsdag morgen da været begynte å bedre seg litt og vi fortsatte mot land. Kl. ca. 10 fikk vi se land rett forut og vi antok å være ca. 20 miles av. Vinden løiet nu, og vi fortsatte å ro mot land. Ved middagstider så vi en damper som nærmet seg, og vi håpet å bli sett. Da skibet var ca. 3- 4 miles borte sendte vi opp raketter og en skjorte ble vist fra en stang. Vi antok at båtene var blitt sett, men det utenkelige hendte at skibet gikk forbi, uten å stoppe.
Vi fortsatte mot land og omkring midnattstider nærmet vi oss dette. Vi fortsatte langs kysten inntil fredag den 30te august kl. 4.00 da det satte inn med tåke og båtene ankret. Kl. 9.00 lettet tåken og kapteinen bestemte seg til å gå iland for å finne folk. Etter å ha gått i 10 minutter kom han til et hus. Stedet viset seg å være Traigh Eais-Eclogarry, Barra Island.
Der ble telegraferet etter dokter og bil for å bringen folkene til Castle Bay. Kapteinen gikk da tilbake til båtene og fikk alle mann iland. Etter å ha fått noe mat og legen hadde undesøkt dem som var syke, fortsatte vi til Catel Bay.
Lørdag 31te august: Telegram ble sendt til Burnet, Newcastle, samt til The Norwegian Shipping & Trade Mission, London. Mannskapet var forholdsvis frisk etter turen, med unntagelse av Standal som måtte holde sengen.
Søndag 1. september: Standal noe bedre idag.
Mandag 2. september: Ved middagstider mottok man telegram fra Trade Mission om å komme til London.
Tirsdag 3. september: Kl. 3.00 fm. avreiste fra Castle Bay til Oban, og fortsatte derfra med toget til Glasgow.
Onsdag 4. september: Fortsatte fra Glasgow og ankom til London omkring midnatt.
Fredag 6. september: Mannskapet avmønstret i London.
Skibets dagbok som ble bjerget da skibet gikk tapt ble dessverre helt ødelagt av sjøvann natten mellem 28de og 29de august.
London, 11te september 1940
Ing. Waage, Fører
Crew list (16)
- Details
- Date of birth December 13, 1906 in Sund
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- 2. maskinist
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth July 29, 1922 in Oslo
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- A. Golden
- Details
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fyrbøter
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- Einar Grimsrud
- Details
- Date of birth May 13, 1906 in Kristiania
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- Arne Holtane
- Details
- Date of birth August 30, 1919 in Sannidal
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Jungmann
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- Helge Sture Hult
- Details
- Nationality
- Sweden
- Rank
- Maskingutt
- Fate
- Død
- Name
- Kristian Johnsen
- Details
- Date of birth September 28, 1903 in Kragerø
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fyrbøter
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth January 18, 1880 in Avaldsnes
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- 1. Maskinist / Maskinsjef
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- Sverre Olsen
- Details
- Date of birth July 3, 1899 in Tønsberg
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Donkeymann
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth May 28, 1916 in Bergen.
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- 2. styrmann
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth November 10, 1895 in Kvæfjord
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- 1.styrmann
- Fate
- reddet
- Name
- Ludvik Standal
- Details
- Date of birth July 30, 1913 in Sunnfjord
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Dekksgutt
- Fate
- Reddet
- Name
- Oscar Unneland
- Details
- Date of birth October 1, 1912 in Gulen
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Matros
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth January 2, 1903 in Oslo
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth October 9, 1912 in Bergen
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Lettmatros
- Fate
- Reddet
- Details
- Date of birth January 11, 1891 in Tysnes
- Nationality
- Norway
- Rank
- Fører
- Fate
- Reddet
