M/S Trafalgar

Kapteinens rapport, skrevet etter hukommelsen

October 1st. In Buenos Aires loaded for New York. 15.30 o'clock vessel competed loading. Cargo totalled 7.900 tons in all. Thereof 1100 tons sunflower seed oil and the rest 6.800 tons consisted of about 2400 tons wet salted hides, 2000 tons tanning extract and 2.000 tons of corned beef and other general cargo.

Draft F. 26.6 A. 26.10+. All hatches properly covered with 3 good tarpaulins; manned provisioned and bunkered for the approaching voyage.

16.00 o'clock sailed assisted by two tugs and Harbour pilot on board.

18.00 o'clock Harbour pilot left ship at Interseccion and voyage continued according to river pilots instructions.

October 2nd. Pilot left ship at about 3 o'clock at the Recalada pilot station. Voyage continued according to Captain's orders and according to the American/British routing instructions, under normal weather conditions until -

Ocgorer 15th. Wireless message received from the Commander-in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet ordering us to alter our course more westerly. Course altered in accordance with instructions.

19.20 o'clock the Officer on watch as well as the lookouts on foc'sl head and on top of the steering roof sighted an object. The Officer shouted to the Captain who stood on top of the ladder leading up the upper bridge, "Isn't there something white there?" The lookout on the foc'sl head at the same time sounded the bell and simultaneously the first torpedo was felt. The Captain ordered hard port wheel in order to put the 4" gun in position, and at the same time rushed to sound the alarm when the second torpedo struck. Both torpedoes struck the starboard side - one in No. 3 hold (under the bridge) the second in the engine room. Both were followed by a tremendous wave and spray covering the whole of the ship. There was a bad smell from gas and gun powder smoke.

The entire crew were at their respective duties within a second. In addition to the gunner on duty, the other gunners rushed to the gun but nothing could be seen of the submarine (probably had dived). The Chief Officer, Mr. Birkeland, was on duty on the bridge, helmsman A. B. Godøen, lookout at the foc'sl A.B. Utvær, and on top of the wheel house A.B. Lauritzen and gunner Cato Nilsen on duty at the 4" gun. When the second torpedo struck the electric current went off. The lifeboats (2 in all) on starboard side, davids etc. were blown sky high. The derricks on the afterdeck were also blown up, some falling back on deck. We had no alternative but to got to the lifegoats and both lifeboats on port side wee launched together with the dingy on the poop. When the water started coming in on the fore end midships deck the Captain gave the order to leave immediately. The number of crew was checked and found to be in the two lifeboats and in the dingy, 43 men in all without a scratch. From the first torpedo until the ship sunk, a time of 5-6 minutes elapsed.

Shortly after we were hailed by the submarine which came up and asked for the Captain and confidential papers. They were answered by Wireless Operator and the Chief Officer that the Captain had gone down with the ship; he was neither in that boat nor in the others. The sub Commander asked if they were sure about that and the answer was "yes.". He then asked the ship's name, cargo, tonnage, where from and bound for and was answered by the Wireless Operator and Chief Officer. When this was finished the submarine was seen to be flashing in different directions with a very strong red light and then disappeared. We started our trip towards nearest land. The first night we rowed and waited for daylight. The next morning we hoisted sail and set out for the nearest land which was then considered to be the West Indies. After 2-1/2 days hard sailing we decided since the crew in the dingy was having such a hard time, to divide them into the other two boats, and the Captain decided to strip the dingy of everything and let it go adrift.

After 8 days more hard sailing we sighted land on Sunday, October 25th in the morning. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we landed on an island which, after the Captain spoke to the natives, proved to be Deserade of the Guadalupe group governed by Vichy France. We were told to leave immediately or be interned for the duration of the war. A kettle of water was asked for which was gladly granted. We continued our sailing and on the 26th of October at 3 pm in the afternoon the Captain's boat landed at Marigot, Dominica. (The Chief Officer's boat landed at Rosseau.). We were taken ashore at Marigot and transferred in autos to a small place called Portsmouth. The next day, Oct. 27, we were transferred to Rosseau in a motorboat and on the 28th we were taken by a U.S. PC boat to St. Lucia where we boarded the Canadian steamer Colister which took us via St. Vincent/Grenada and landed us in Trinidad, November 2nd.

The behaviour of the officers and crew from beginning to end was excellent and everyone proved to be of first rating.

Nils Løken, Masster

B. Birkeland, 1ste styrm.

Leif Bye, Telegrafist