D/S Varøy

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Berge Andreassen states:-

I have held a Master's Certificate since 1932.

I joined the "VARØY" as Chief Officer in November 1939 but have since the 1st April 1941 been in command of her.

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We loaded a cargo of 1825 tons of cement at Cliffe (River Thames) bound for Grangemouth, which was completed at 4 p.m. on the 6th October and then proceeded off Southend to adjust to compasses. Our draught was 18.5 feet forward and 19.11 ft. aft., and mean draught 19.2 ft.

In the evening we adjusted the compasses. The compass cards were lost when the vessel sank but as far as I can recollect there was no devation on the heading of N.W. but between N.W. and N. there was a deviation of 2o Easterly.

When we arrived at Southend we were anchored a little below Southend Pier. A convoy meeting had been held on the 6th October but we had arrived too late to anable me to attend the meeting. I received my papers on the evening of the 6th and we were to sail at 7.30 a.m. the following morning, but owing to fog we did not get under way untill 11.30 a.m. on the 17th October.

According to the convoy instructions the "VARØY" was No. L. 17 F, and was to be the 4th vessel in the starboard column. The vessels bearing even numbers were to be in the port column and those with odd numbers in the starboard.

We proceeded in single line ahead as far as the Sunk light Vessel and after passing this we were to fall into a double column. Although "L. 13 F" and "L. 15 F" were included in the cruising order, no names of the vessels were against them and when we formed up I took up the second position in the starboard column, i.e. next astern of the Vice-Commodore vessel. The only names of vessels I remember were the "Mr. Therm" whcih was the Commodore Vessel leading the port column and the Norwegian steamship "ASK" which was stationed somewhere astern of us. I cannot sate where the "Francis Fladgate" was stationed.

According to convoy orders the columns were to keep three cables apart and the vssels in the columns two cables astern of one another.

It is usual at the conference to receive orders regarding the exhibition of lights which are to the effect that vessels trading in the Nort Sea should not exhibit lights unless it is necessary to avoid a collision. At the time of the collision with the "Francis Fladgate" no vessel were exhibiting any lights and the Commodore and Vice-Commodore vessels were not exhibiting stern lights.

The speed of the convoy was to have been 7 1/2 knots but as we left Southend a little late the speed was about 8 to 8 1/2 knots. Between 5.00 and 5.30 p.m. the Chief Officer reported to me that he had picked a message sent by flag from the Commodore ship that the speed of the convoy was to be 8 knots and orders were given by voice tube to the engine room to regulate the engine to this speed.

I was on and off the bridge during the 7th October. The Chief Officer's watch was from midnight to 4 a.m. on the 8th.

We were steering by keeping the Vice-Commdore vessel a little on our port bow, but I was of course checking our various courses with those laid down in the convoy orders.

We passed Buoy No. 8 at 0.55 a.m. on the 8th, the log reading 32 and Buoy No. 8a at 1.28, the log reading 36. We passed this buoy about half a mile off on our port hand.

The night was dark with rain and light W.N.W. airs. The tide was ebb of a force of 1 to 2 knots. We were making a speed of about 7 1/2 to 8 knots. The next buoy (8b) we had to pass was a white three-flash every 20 seconds.

At this time a sailor was keeping a lookout on the starboard side of the bridgte, a gunner was on the port side, another sailor was at the wheel and I was in the middle of the bridge with the Chief Officer. In compliance with convoy orders we were not exhibiting any lights, neither were the other vessels in the convoy. The Vice-Commodore vessel was not exhibiting a stern light.

The wheel house is enclosed with cement slabs and it is possible to walk from one to the other without passing through the wheelhouse.

We were keeping about 1 1/2 to 2 cables astern of the Vioce-Commodore vessel which was bearing a little on the port bow.

The collision occurred at about 1.57 a.m. (engine room time). About 1.45 a.m. I could see that the visibility was beginning to lessen owing to thick misty rain. I therefore altered course a few degrees to port in order to get a little closer to the vessels in the port column and also to get right astern of the Vice-Commodore vessel. After making this alteration I the altered to get on to the convoy course. We were now right astern of the Vice-Commodore vessel. I asked the helmsman what course he was on and he reported North West. That would be by the compass. As I have already said, there was no deviation on this heading. If I remember rightly this course of N.W. was about a point to port of the course laid down in the convoy orders, but we were steering the same course as the Vice-Commodore vessel.

We had not yet sighted Buoy 8b.

At this time I could just maake out the loom of the Commodore vessel which was bearing about 3 points on the port bow. Owing to the bad visibility I cannot say how far she was away. I could also see the vessel abreast of us on our port side. She was about 2 to 3 cables distant. We were now making a speed of about 7 1/2 to 8 knots.

Shortly afterwards we had heavy rain and mist which shut down the visibility to about 2 cables at the most, and I lost sight of the Vice-Commdore vessel. When I last saw her she was bearing right ahead about 1 1/2 to 2 cables distant.

After the visibility had shit down I estimate I could pick up the broadside loom of an unlighted vessel at the distance of about 1 1/2 cables.

We did not stream our fog buoy.

I cannot remember the time, but according to the Chief Engineer's log book I rang the telegraph full ahead at 1.54. I gave this order to give the "VARØY" a little more speed so that she could draw up on the Vice-Commodore vessel to see if I could sight her. I did not see her, however, and in order to avoid overtaking her I ordered the engines half ahead at 1.55 a.m. and I also spoke to the engine room by voice tube to make the speed 8 knots. I should think the engines were run full ahead for about half a minute.

About this time I sighted the flash of a wreck buoy bearing a little on the port bow. While I was waiting for the next flash so that I could identify the buoy I sighted a vessel abeam on our starboard side. I thought the vessel was the next one astern of us. The Chief Officer and the lookout man on the starboard wing sighted theis vessel at the same time and reported it to me. This vessel which eventually proved to be the "Francis Fladgate" appeared to be about 1 to 1 1/2 cables away but owing to the bad visibility it is difficult for me to give any estimate of the distance. She certainly was not more than 1 1/2 cables away. Her bridge would be abreast of our bridge, which was amidships.

I did not pay any particular attention to her, but very shortly afterwards I noticed that the "Francis Fladgate" was angled about 3 to 4 points to port and converging across the course of the convoy. She was now about 1/2 to 1 cable distant and her stern was about abreast of our bridge. In order to give her a little more room I ordered the wheel "barboard" (hard-a-port) and gave two short blasts on the whistle. The "Francis Fladgate" did not straighten up on the convoy course but continued to converge on my vessel and when she was about a ship length or a little less away I rang the engines 'stop' and without about 15 seconds 'full astern'. At about the same time the "Francis Fladgate" gave 3 short blasts and coming on at speed and swinging to port with her stem struck our starboard side in the way of the after part of No. 2 hatch at an angle of about 80o leading forward in my vessel. The blow was a heavy one.

At the time of the collision the "Varøy" had I think just commenced to alter to port.

After the collision I at once went to inspect the damage and found the deck had been raised about 2 to 3 feet and the side set in 2 to 3 feet. She was making water and settling down by the head. I ordered the lifeboats which were swung outboard, to be lowered and rang the alarm bell. The "Varøy" continued to settle very quickly by the head and I ordered the crew into the boats. The dekc forward was nearly awash. I went into the chart room and got the scrap deck logbook and I threw the box containing the confidential papers overboard. the smooth logbook was in the mate's room and there was no time to get it.

We entered the two lifeboats and pulled over to a lighted wreck buoy where we tied up. We left the vessel about 2.10 a.m. I entered the starboard lifeboat. We pulled away from the vessel and then to the wreck buoy. I cannot say how the vessel was heading when I left her. It took us 15-20 minutes to pull over to the wreck buoy and were eventuyally picked up by one of H.M. vessels at 2.30 a.m. and taken to Grimsby.

I lost all my effects.

I did not look at the clock at the time of the collision, but according to the Chief Engineer the collision occurred at about 1.57 a.m. on the 8th October. It occurred in an approximate position of about 1/4 - 1/2 mile to the S.E'ly (mag) of the wreck buoy between buoys 8b and 57 g and was caused in my opinion by the "Francis Fladgate" getting out of her position in the convoy and altering course to port towards the vessels in the starboard column I think when the "Francis Fladtate" saw that she was outside the starboard column she endavoured to fall in astern of us but she misjudged the distance.

On two occasions prior to the collision I had seen a vessel which was in ballast with er funnel aft and bridge amidships draw up abreast of us and then fall aft.