Ships hit by U-boats


Bennestvet

Norwegian Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of H. Larsson-Feddes collection

NameBennestvet
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage2,438 tons
Completed1937 - A/S Moss Værft & Dokk, Moss 
OwnerTh. Brøvig, Farsund 
HomeportFarsund 
Date of attack15 Jun 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-172 (Carl Emmermann)
Position10° 47'N, 82° 12'W - Grid EB 8741
Complement25 (12 dead and 13 survivors).
Convoy
RouteNew Orleans (8 Jun) - Cristobal 
CargoWar material, including trucks, tanks, fuel, alcohol, cement and steel 
History Completed in May 1937 
Notes on event

At 20.00 hours on 15 June 1942 the Bennestvet (Master Olaf Nøstdahl) was hit on the port side in #3 hold by a torpedo from U-172, broke in two and sank within one minute. The master and eleven crew members were lost, the first engineer was the only surviving officer. As there was no time to launch the lifeboats the survivors had to jump overboard and rescued themselves on two rafts. The U-boat surfaced, questioned the survivors and gave them two loaves of bread. The commander wanted to shake hands with them, but this was refused. Two days later the survivors were located by an aircraft, picked up by the submarine chaser USS PC-458 and landed at Cristobal on 18 June.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 25 people who were on board


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