M/S Taurus

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Appeared Captain Carl Jensen, ... who stated that he was the master of the motor ship "Taurus" of Tønsberg.

The vessel was, on departure from Freetown, in good seaworthy condition. The crew consisted of 34 men, including the master, and in addition 4 gunners. All the regulation lifesaving equipment was available and in the prescribed order.

Captain Jensen produced log extract ...

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The log extract was compared with the log book and found to be entirely in accordance with same.

The log extract was read out and Captain Jensen declared that the contents were correct in all respects and that he approved it as his evidence. The captain stated that 3 of the men were sligthly injured in the lifeboats after they had left the ship. The captein stated that he thinks salvage vessels are stationed on the north coast of Scotland.

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Appeared as 1st witness, John Bjørn Gundersen, ... chief officer on board. ...

The witness was on the bridge from 12 o'clock midnight, Odvar Isaksen was the helmsman, Ole M. Nilsen the look-out man on the bridge. The witness had heard the drone and directly afterwards an aeroplane was seen not much above the mast tops. Saw no light signals from the aeroplane. There was no heavy sound from the explosion. Tremendous shaking of the vessel. The engine stopped and all in darkness. The captain gave orders to take soundings.

During the second attack the witness was standing on the forecastle. Approximately the same shaking as on the previous occasion. The whole of the surface of the sea seemed to be lifted up. All the lifesaving equipment in complete order.

The witness wa shown the produced log extract, signed by him, which he read through and approved. He added that on both occasions the aeroplanes disappeared at once. He did not see anything which might have been light signals from the first aeroplane, but tracer bullets round the aeroplane.

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Appeared the 2nd witness, Oscar Emanuel Engelsgaard, ... chief engineer on board. ...

He was in bed dressed. Having come out into the passage he met 3rd engineer Herman Hansen, greaser Emil Riis and a motorman, who were on watch in the engine room. They all went on deck and then down again into the engine room and set the motor working according to orders from the bridge. After a few minutes he had to stop the motor on account of lack of cooling water. Water was coming in from the port side in the form of a strong jet which destroyed the electric switch board. The tunnel door was closed by the 2nd engineer and a couple of motormen.

The witness was shown the produced log extract which had been counter signed by him. He approved the extract.

Greaser Emil Riis received a blow on the head in the engine room. 2nd engineer Otto Lindahn received injury to his leg whilst in the lifeboat.

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Appeared the 3rd witness, Alfred Sandstad, ... A.B. Seaman on board. ...

During the second attack the witness was standing on the forecastle. The course of the aeroplane was approximately from abeam on the port side. It dropped the bombs after the firing had commenced and as it (the aeroplane) was rising. The bombs fell probably about 25 away. The witness read through the produced log extract and found nothing to remark thereon.

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