M/S Touraine

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Captain Sigfred Ahlgren appeared and stated he was Master of the m.s. "TOURAINE" ... The ship left Glasgow on 4th. October, 1940 and Clyde Anchorage 4 a.m. 6th October, bound for Sydney C.B. They lost the convoy on night of 6th/7th. October. On Monday 7th. October, 4.15 p.m. the ship was torpedoed and rapidly settled by the stern and the lifeboats were at once launched as further attack from the submarine was feared. Officers and crew were in three boats which stood by the sinking ship for 2 / 2 1/2 hours, and then it was dark. When ship was last seen her bow was high out of the water, and heavily down by the stern, and he had no doubt the ship would sink in a few hours time. For fuller particulars he referred to log extract. It is here mentioned that Captain stated ship's logbooks were lost, so while "extracts" were made up and handed to the Consul, in the circumstances "extracts" could not be compared with logbook by the Assessors.

To the numbered questions Captain replied as follows:-

(1) Ship torpedoed. (2) No. (3) in good order. (4) Boats swung out and lashed to the davits. Boat drill when boats swung out on 5th. Ocboter, 1940. (5) Could load 9650 tons. Ship in ballast. (7) 5 Hatches and securely battened down. 6 Beams in each hatch. Hatches wooden and covered by 2 tarpaulins on each hatch. One tonnage opening aft securely battened down. (8) No Leakage. Ships hull in good condition. (9) March 1940 in Oslo. Ship then surveyed. Not been aground since then. (10) Everything lost. (11) One lifeboat picked up by armed merhcant cruiser about 7 p.m. 8th. October. The other two boats sailed to shore. One arrived Arranmore Island, Donegal, 4 a.m. 10th. October, the other at Torry Island 9 a.m. 10th. October. No assistance required. (12) No. (13) ship torpedoed. (14) Nothing to ask.

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... First Witness stated he was John Borge ... Chief officer of the "TOURAINE". Ship left Clyde Anchorage on Sunday morning 6th. October along with three other ships. At 4 a.m. on 7th. October he came on watch and could not see the other ships as it was very dark. At daybreak he still could not see the other ships so he called the Captain and they decided to open the envelope with special instructions. The course of ship was altered to proceed to the position of these instructions. He left bridge 8 a.m. and came on watch at 4 p.m. At about 4.15 p.m. the ship was struck by a torpedo and crew took to the boats. In his boat were 11 ratings. They rowed to the stern of the ship and tried to speak to the Captain who was in another boat. They launched the sea anchor. The sea was rough and darkness was coming on. Next morning at daybreak the 3rd. Mate's boat (a motor boat) was near them and he tried by morse lamp to signal to them in the darkness but he could not read the message. The two boats separated and by daylight he could not see them. They lay to sea anchor until noon. About 1 p.m. they sighted a steamer, but she did not observe their signals. Later an aeroplane came over but did not see them either. In the afternoon the sea was now moderating so they set a course for land. As darkness came down they again put out the sea anchor. A ship was observed to leeward so they put up a blue light which was observed by the ship, which altered course towards them. They then put up two red lights and went alongside an armed merchant ship and abandoned the lifeboat. He reported to her Captain that two other lifeboats were afloat and understand this was reported to the Naval Authorities. They were landed at Greenock on Wednesday night 9th. October. The Witness further stated that he did not see either the torpedo or the submarine.

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Second witness, Jan Gunderson ... appeared and stated he was 2nd. Officer in the "TOURAINE". Ship left the Clyde Sunday morning 6th. October, 1940 with three other ships. During the darkness they got separated. He came on watch noon Monday until 4 p.m. He was speaking to the Chief Officer on the bridge when a torpedo struck the ship at No. 4 Hatch. Ship began to sink by the stern so the crew went into the lifeboats. He was in the Captain's boat. They stood by the ship until it was dark. They rowed with the wind astern until 10 a.m. on 8th. when sail was hoisted. Wind was westerly and they set a course East for land. In the night of 8th/9th. October wind and sea moderated. Next morning wind freshened from N.N.W. and they steered as much South East as possible. About 3 p.m. land was sighted. About 4 a.m. on 10th. October they rowed round the land until a bay was found on leeside and the boat was beached. They went to a farm house where they got hot tea and food. They ultimately arrived at Glasgow.

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Third Witness, Bjørn Eriksen ... Quartermaster, stated that he was at the wheel of m.v. "TOURAINE". He came on watch 4 p.m. Monday 7th. October. A torpedo struck the ship about 4.15 p.m. and crew took to the boats as the ship was sinking. He was in the Chief Officer's boat. He did not see either the submarine or the torpedo. They were in the boats until Tuesday about 7.30 p.m. when they were picked up by a British ship and landed at Greenock on Wednesday night. The Assessors having no questions to ask, the statement was read over and acknowledged.

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