May 18

From: Stuart Usher

Norwegian steamer m/s STAMSUND

I have been admiring your exceptional website! I'm very impressed.

I wonder if you can help, or at least point me in the right direction.

For many years I have been involved in the search for the Royal Navy midget submarine "X-5" which was one of the three submarines which attacked TIRPITZ in her anchorage at Kaafjord near Alta in September 1943. In fact I have just returned from Alta where I was participating in a BBC documentary about this attack.

I am trying to find some information about a Norwegian vessel known at the STAMSUND. She was in Kaafjord on the day of the attack, and actually was caught in the firing line of TIRPITZ' guns as she opened fire on one of the submarines. STAMSUND's captain was Sven Hertzberg and the ship was owned by the Vesteraalen Steamship Company of Stokmarknes.

STAMSUND had been ordered to Kafjord to unload some motor vehicles for the German occupying forces when all of this started happening around her. One of the crew was killed and several injured in the shooting.

Can you tell me:

Given that this ship was clearly under German control, is it likely that her log survived?

If the ships log does still exist, where is it likely to be archived?

Can we assume that the captain would have been restricted in what he could write in his log?

Do you have any suggestions as to where I could go for further information about the ship, her crew and her activities

Many thanks and very best wishes

Stuart Usher
Cambridge
UK