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M/S Crux To Crux on the "Ships starting with C" page.
Manager: Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab, Bergen Ordered by Bergenske D/S in 1915, delivered in July-1923 from Burmeister & Wains Maskin- og Skibsbyggeri, Copenhagen, Denmark (325), 367.5' x 51.5' x 23.2', 2 x 6 cyl. B & W diesel 1900 bhp, 10.5 knots. Operated on Den norske Syd-Amerika Linje service, which was owned by Det Bergenske Dampkibsselskab, A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, and Fred. Olsen & Co. Captain: Einar Hansen 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, Crux was on her way from Bahia to Madeira when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. That summer, she's listed as bound for Cardiff in Convoy OB 159, leaving Liverpool on June 1. A. Hague has also included Vestfold (Panamanian flag) and Hallfried in this convoy. The external website that I've linked to in the table above has more convoy information. Crux arrived Cardiff on June 3.
Crux departed Cardiff again with a cargo of 6300 tons patent fuel in the afternoon of June 18-1940, bound for Rio de Janeiro, via Milford Haven for convoy, leaving the latter in Convoy OB 171 in the afternoon of June 20. This convoy joined up with Convoy OA 171 on June 21, the 2 convoys forming the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 34 (see ships in all OG convoys). She's said to have remained with this convoy (station 72) until the morning of June 25* at which time she continued alone, while OG 34 headed south to Gibraltar. At 23:45 that same night she was torpedoed by U-A (Cohausz, a Turkish sub in German service) in 36 52N 14 00W. The torpedo struck on the starboard side, abaft the engine room near No. 4 hatch, causing her to list heavily to port and she immediately started to sink. The starboard lifeboat was destroyed in the explosion, but the port lifeboat and motorboat were launched, and 7 men who had had to jump overboard (incl. the captain) were picked up by this boat. About 3 minutes later, Crux went down by the bow.
U-A came up to ask the usual questions about ship and cargo etc., then promised to try to send help, before taking off again. A southbound ship passed by very close about 20 minutes later, but thinking the U-boat might still be in the vicinity, they did not use their flashes to make themselves known, and thereby rescued, for fear of putting that ship in danger as well, so the vessel passed by without having seen them. They remained at the scene until dawn to see if they could find the rafts in order to get some more supplies from them in case they had to stay in the lifeboats for a long time, the nearest land being about 300 n miles away (Cape St. Vincent). Shortly after they had replenished their suppplies from 2 rafts at about 04:30 they spotted a ship which saw their signals and came over to pick them up. This was the British D/S Brutus (Captain Hopper), which landed them in Plymouth on July 1. The maritime hearings were held there on July 4-1940 with the captain, the 3rd mate, the 1st engineer, Able Seaman J. Storheim (helmsman), and Jr. Ordinary Seaman J. Olsen (lookout) appearing. U-A continued on south to the Cape Verde Islands and her next Norwegian victim was D/T Sarita.
Related external links: Back to Crux on the "Ships starting with C" page. Other ships by this name: Bergenske D/S also had a ship named Crux after the war, delivered from Pennsylvania Shipyards Inc., Beaumont, Texas in Apr.-1944 for the United States War Shipping Administration, New York under the name Cape Faro, 5231 gt. Sold to Det Bergenske Dampskibsselskab in Dec.-1946 and renamed Crux for use in Den norske Syd-Amerika Linje. Sold in June 1951 to Det Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskap, no name change, on a 3 years time charter. Later had 4 more owners, and various names: Grey Master, Siredal, Sunfalcon, Concordia Falcon, Sol Tulla, Scandia Falcon. Eventually sold to Taiwan in 1972. Departed Hong Kong on Jan. 16-1973 in tow for Kaohsiung, presumably for breaking up. Another Crux was delivered to Bergenske D/S in Sept.-1956. Renamed Sunrise in 1964, Crux in 1967, Concordia Crusader in 1968, Crux again that same year. Sold in 1969 to owners in Piræus and renamed Pacific Klif. Sold in 1978, renamed Agios Gerassimos. Broken up in 1982. In May-1958 a ship named Cap Domingo was delivered to German owners. This ship was purchased by Bergenske D/S in March-1970 and renamed Crux. Sold to Yugoslavia in 1973, renamed Marko Polo. Broken up in 1985. Lillesand Sjømannsforening's website has more details on these ships (w/pictures - external link). The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Bergenske, byen og selskapet", Dag Bakka Jr., "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. others for cross checking info. - ref My sources.
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