Ringhorn
Norwegian Steam merchant
| Name | Ringhorn | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 1,298 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - Huiskens & van Dijk, Dordrecht | ||
| Owner | Albert Schjelderup, Bergen | ||
| Homeport | Bergen | ||
| Date of attack | 4 Feb 1941 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-52 (Otto Salman) | ||
| Position | 55° 46'N, 22° 36'W - Grid AL 5132 | ||
| Complement | 19 (14 dead and 5 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | OB-280 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Gourock (30 Jan) - St. John, New Brunswick | ||
| Cargo | 1300 tons of coal | ||
| History | Completed in March 1920 as Hans Gude for D/S A/S Fane (Vilhelm Torkildsen), Bergen. 1927 renamed Ringhorn for D/S A/S Ringhorn (Albert Schjelderup), Bergen. In November 1939 the Ringhorn rescued 54 survivors from the Danish motor merchant Canada (11,108 grt), which had struck a mine on 3 November from a minefield laid in October by German destroyers and sank east of Holmpton, Spurn Head. At 08.27 hours on 28 November 1940, the Ringhorn (Master Torger Nilsen Humlevik), a straggler from convoy OB-248 since 26 November due to bad weather, was missed by a torpedo from U-95 (Schreiber) in 55°29N/18°01W and tried to escape at full speed while sending a distress signal after which HMS Wanderer (D 74) (Cdr A.F.St.G. Orpen, RN) was detached from convoy HX-89 but did not find her. She was missed again by a torpedo at 09.33 hours, but the U-boat surfaced at 10.25 hours and attacked with the deck gun. After two hits in the funnel and near the bridge the crew abandoned ship. U-95 had soon to break off the shelling due to the rough seas and missed at 11.12 hours with a third torpedo that was a tube runner. Believing the ship will sink the Germans left the area but the crew reboarded the vessel that was only damaged at the superstructure and arrived at Belfast Lough on 1 December. | ||
| Notes on event | At 08.38 hours on 4 February 1941 the Ringhorn (Master Trygve Terkelsen), a straggler from convoy OB-280 since 2 February due to bad weather, was hit by one torpedo from U-52. The torpedo struck in the starboard bow, causing a list to port and destroying the starboard lifeboat. The port boat with about eleven men reached the water, but turned over when the ship capsized and was hit by the funnel. Four of the men managed to reach a raft in the heavy seas but were not able to help the others that cried for about one hour before they drowned or died of exhaustion in the cold water. The master and all officers were lost. The survivors later spotted another man sitting on the capsized boat and unsuccessfully tried to reach him. After six hours, the five survivors were found by HMS Harvester (H 19) (LtCdr M. Thornton, DSC, RN), which already had 113 survivors from HMS Crispin on board that had been sunk the day before by U-107 (Hessler). So the destroyer ordered HMS Camellia (K 31) (LtCdr A.E. Willmot, RNR) to pick them up. They were landed at Greenock on 9 February. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 28 people who were on board. | ||
Attack entries for Ringhorn
| Date | U-boat | Commander | Loss type | Tons | Nat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Nov 1940 | U-95 | Kptlt. Gerd Schreiber | Damaged | 1,298 | |
| 4 Feb 1941 | U-52 | Kptlt. Otto Salman | Sunk | 1,298 | |
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