M/S Bra - Kar

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Then appeared the vessel's master who produced the foloowing log extract signed by himself ...

The master referred in all respects to the log extract.

He stated that two fire hoses were lying on deck coupled and ready for use. The master, who was the last to leave the ship, stated that, at the beginning, they did not think matters were so serious as they later proved to be. They stayed on board until 3 o'clock on the Sunday morning when the heat became too great and they had to go into the boats.

The machinery was stopped and the fire hoses were put out of action. The vessel was still burning on the following day when the fire brigade arrived at about 5 o'clock on the Sunday morning and began the extinguishing of the fire on the quay. The "BRA-KAR" was still burning on the Monday and the after part of the ship commenced to sink. On Tuesday she was still burning, and the after part of the ship was then lying so deep that we thought it was lying on the bottom. Later, the forward part of the ship also sank. The captain considered it doubtful if she can be salved and he considered her to be a total loss.

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... as the 1st witness appeared: Chief Officer Paul Strand ...

The witness had kept the log book on board and referred in all respects to the extract. The witness made statement in accordance with the master. He stated that they managed to put out those incendiary bombs which fell on board, and that it was mainly the fire on the quay which set the ship on fire.- The witness did not think they could have saved anything from the ship.

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... as the 2nd witness appeared:- Chief engineer Norval Magnussen ...

The witness stated that the pumps were set going at about 11 o'clock. The pumps and hoses were going the whole time on both sides. He stated that one bomb came down after another, and when one bomb fell into the hold, where there was timber, the fire spread. On Sunday morning they had to leave the ship. The fire brigade arrived on the Sunday morning in ordrer to extinguish the fire on the quay. The vessel was burning the whole time and on the Monday morning there was an explosion on board which, the witness thought, came from the oil tanks. The vessel sank very slowly and on Monday there were only the upper parts of the super-structures above water.

All the men on board lost their effects.

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... as the 3rd witness appeared:- Carpenter Oskar Adolf Karlsen ...

The witness was in his cabin on the deck aft when the attack began. The witness saw a land mine come down on to the quay and that it exploded. Everything was in order on board. The fire hoses were lying ready and sand had been placed in several places on the deck. They threw many incendiary bombs over board. They suceeded in putting out some, but there were to many explosions both on shore and on board. It was at the last moment that they came ashore from the ship. All effects and papers were lost. Everything possible was done by the crew in order to extinguish the fire on board.

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... as the 45h witness appeared:- A.B. Seaman Sigvard Johansen ...

The witness was aft when the air attack began and he heard a violent explosion on the quay, after which the incendiary bombs began to drop. They were fighting the fire on board as long as they could stand on the deck. The bombs continued to fall the whole night between Saturday and Sunday.

Nothing was saved.

The witness otherwise made statement in accordance with the previous witnesses.

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