D/S Stargard

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... the first witness (Max Harlow Bøge, chief officer) who produced a written report made by him in connection with the loss ...

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He referred to the report as his evidence and added that there was no opportunity for any Maritime Inquiry to be held at Reykjavik. The "Stargard" had a crew of 17 men - one in excess of the manning scale. The vessel was equipped with two machine guns which were served by the deck crew. They were, however, not made use of as we did not see any U-boat in the vicinity. 2 men of the crew lost their lives, namely chief engineer Gustav Andersen of Fredrikstad and fireman Erling Olsen of Fredrikstad.

Just before the casualty occurred both of them had been seen on deck, but the witness did not afterwards see anything of them and did not definitely know that they were the two who were missing until he arrived here at Glasgow.

The witness was among the 6 who were picked up by a corvette. Before the vessel went down the witness ran into the chart room and took the bag containing the secret convoy instructions and threw it into the sea. The other ship's papers went down with the ship. The witness last saw the "Stargard", from the corvette, at about 4-5 o'clock in the night. At that time the port side was still above water. In the opinion of the witness there was no possibility in any way of saving the vessel. The whole of the after part of the ship was already under water. Those on board the corevette were also certain that the vessel would soon sink by herself.

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The 2nd witness, Jacobsen (2nd officer) stated that he was aware of the contents of the report to which he referred as his evidence. The witness was thrown into the sea and was picked up by the corvette, probably after about half an hour. The witness was talking with chief engineer Andersen just before the torpedo came. The chief engineer then went over to the starboard side, presumably in order to go down into the engine room. He hadnot seen anything of him since. He did not see fireman Olsen at all. The witness was also of the opinon that it was out of the question to save the vessel and get her to land. As the torpedo struck amidships in the engine room there is every probability that chief engineer Andersen and fireman Olsen, both of who were on watch in the engine room, were killed.

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The 3rd witness, Einar Hansen (A.B. Seaman) was also acquainted with the contents of the report to which he referred. He added that, when the torpedo struck, he was forward in the crew's quarters. He at once ran up and aft to the starboard lifeboat (the motor boat). He could not get it loose, but cut the tackle and jumped into the sea and, about 5 minutes afterwards, was picked up by the lifeboat. The witness did not see anything of the two who lost their lives who, in his opinion, were killed in the engine room. In the opinion of the witness, the saving of the vessel, which was steadily sinking, was out of the question.

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A. B. Seaman Ottensen, who was helmsman when the casualty occurred and who had been told to be a witness, did not appear.

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