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M/S Borgland To Borgland on the "Ships starting with B" page. Manager: Fred. Olsen & Co., Oslo Delivered from Akers Mekaniske Verksted, Kristiania (385) in May-1918 as Borgland (II) for A/S Borgå (Fred. Olsen & Co.), Kristiania. 4898(?) gt, 3054 nt, 6450 dwt; 362.0 x 51.9 x 22.5; 2x 6 Cyl. 4T single B&W DM, (Aker), 364 nhp. (this info was received from a stamp collector - the gross tonnage conflictst with what I've given). Captain: Anders Andresen. Her voyages are listed on this original document received from the National Archives of Norway. Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.
According to the archive document, Borgland left Buenos Aires on Jan. 11-1940, bound for Oslo, Norway, but arrival there is not given. When war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9, she was on her way from St. Vincent, CV, to Rio de Janeiro, later proceeding to Buenos Aires and it now looks like she spent a long time there, before heading to Freetown. In July that year, we find her in Convoy SL 39, which left Freetown on July 9 and arrived Liverpool on the 29th, and in which the Norwegian Elg, Jamaica, Samnanger and Tigre are also included. Borgland stopped at Belfast on July 27, and subsequently had a long stay at Clyde. At the external website that I've linked to below, she's listed as scheduled for Convoy OB 225, which left Liverpool on Oct. 7-1940, but she did not sail. She was also cancelled from the next convoy, OB 226, but eventually got away with OB 227 on Oct. 11, joining from Clyde. The Norwegian Annavore and Helle are also listed; see the external link provided in the table above. Borgland was bound for Durban, where she arrived Nov. 20, the convoy having been dispersed on Oct. 15. She remained in Durban for a month before proceeding to Freetown, with arrival there on Jan. 7-1941. With a cargo of sugar, she now returned to the U.K. in Convoy SL 62. The Norwegian Austvard (lost touch, sunk by aircraft, follow link for details) and Tyr (returned) also took part in this convoy, which left Freetown on Jan. 10-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Febr. 3 (it'll be noticed, when going back to the archive document, that Borgland's arrival is given as Febr. 1). More information on the other Norwegian ships named here can be found via the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index. Related external link:
Borgland was torpedoed on February 26-1941 by U-47 (Prien) in 50 (55?) 45N 14 29W when on a voyage from Liverpool/Belfast to Takoradi in station 35 (34?) of Convoy OB 290, having left Belfast Lough on Febr. 23, according to the archive document. My page about OB 290 has the abstract of the Commodore Ship Samuel Bakke's log describing the attacks on OB 290, as well as the Commodore's report and info on other ships sunk and/or damaged. Sandanger and Solferino are also listed in this convoy; the latter was sunk by aircraft. According to "Nortraships flåte", Prien had spotted the convoy just after noon on the 25th and notified the German authorities, while preparing to attack after dark. It soon became clear from the German radio signals that the convoy was being shadowed, and various changes in course were implemented, but U-47 could not be shaken off. Just after midnight, 2 of the ships in the rear of the convoy reported a U-boat coming in from behind between columns 3 and 4. Shortly afterwards 2 ships were torpedoed, 1 of which sank (this must have been the British Diala which was damaged and the Belgian Kasongo, which sank, 6 died - the nationality of this ship is incorrectly given as British by J. Rohwer). Borgland was in ballast at the time of attack (her log book gives the time as 01:25), but had 6 aircraft on deck. The torpedo resulted in a large opening in her port side, forward of the bridge, near No. 2 hatch, causing her to go down by the bow. Masses of splinters were flying in the air, and the 2nd mate, who was on watch on the bridge, was struck on his forehead and in his knee. The 32 crew and 4 British passengers abandoned the ship in the starboard and port lifeboats as well as the aft motorboat after about 15 minutes. The motorboat took the other 2 in tow until they were told by HMS Pimpernel to keep stationary and that they would be picked up later (Pimpernel picked them up around 03:00). As Borgland was still afloat the next morning, the captain and 15 men rowed back and reboarded her to see if she could be taken to port. Damages were found to be quite extensive; the port 'tween deck had blown away, all the cross webs in No. 2 hatch had disappeared, No. 2 and 3 lower holds were full of water, and there was a hole about 2' in diameter in No. 2 hold on the starboard side, as well as several small holes. There were 2 large cracks in the ship's side and the shelter deck, and considerable damage to the saloon and bridge structures. Nevertheless, the main engines were started and course set for the North Channel escorted by Pimpernel, but the forward pumps weren't working and water rose in No. 2 and 3 holds. She sank deeper and deeper by the bow while listing to port. The cracks on the starboard side widened and she would not steer in the increasing winds and heavy seas, so later that afternoon, when water started to come into the engine room after the bulkhead rivets had burst, the effort had to be given up and Borgland was again abandoned at 17:20 (in 55 53N 13 33W - J. Rohwer gives the position as 55 50N 14W).
The survivors were landed in Liverpool on Febr. 28 and the hearings were held there on March 7-1941 with the captain, the 2nd mate, the 1st engineer and Able Seaman Henriksen appearing. It was long believed that U-47, the attacker of Borgland, was later sunk with all her men by the destroyer Wolverine, chief commander Rowland, on March 8-1941, while trying to attack Convoy OB 293, but follow the link to U-47 below to read newer information on this. Borgland was 1 of 8 Norwegian ships lost in February of that year with a total of 93 lives lost - 11 of those were of foreign nationality. For info, U-47 was also responsible for the attacks on Britta (Dec.-1939), Lenda and Gro - follow the links for details.
Related external links: See also Ships hit (by U-boat) from convoy OB 290 - As mentioned, others were sunk by aircraft, again, please go to my own page about Convoy OB 290 Back to Borgland on the "Ships starting with B" page. Other ships by this name: This was the 2nd of Fred. Olsen's ships by this name. The 1st one was built in 1913, sold in 1916. The company also had a Borgland later on, built in Oslo for Syd-Amerika Linjen in 1953, 5658 gt, renamed Concordia Borgland in 1965 while on charter to Chr. Haaland, Haugesund, but got the name Borgland back that same year. Sold to Everett Orient Lines, Monrovia in 1970 and renamed Bradeverett. Broken up in 1973. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. others for cross checking info as named in above text - ref My sources.
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