M/S Grenanger
Updated July 4-2013

To Grenanger on the "Ships starting with G" page.

Crew List

A picture is available on this external page (click in it to make it larger).

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4

Notes:

As will be seen when going to Page 1 above, Grenanger was on her way from Callao (Peru) to Valparaiso and Buenos Aires when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940.

Final Fate - 1942:

Grenanger had been transferred from the Westfal-Larsen Line (between U.S. west coast and Brasil/Argentina) to service between South America and the east coast of the U.S. She left Barnebe Island, Santos on March 29-1942 with a cargo of coffee and general for New York, and at about 13:10 on April 11, when in position 22 45N 57 13W*, she was struck by a torpedo in the starboard side between hatch No. 2 and 3. The explosion resulted in masses of water being flung up in the air, filling the decks on the starboard side as well as all the cabins, the boatdeck, and the wheelhouse, with water gushing into the engine room through the skylight. The steering gear was broken, lights went out, the engine stopped immediately, and she developed a heavy list, so they started to launch the port lifeboat and the motorboat, all the rescue equipment on the starboard side having been destroyed. In the meantime the U-boat had surfaced in front of her on the starboard side, manning its guns. Without the engine operating it was impossible to turn Grenanger around to make use of her own gun, so the crew was ordered to the boats, the captain and the 2nd mate/radio operator being the last to leave. The latter, who was off duty at the time of attack, immediately went to the radio station and sent out an SOS with their position (a patrolling aircraft observed debris in the reported position on Apr. 14), but while this was taking place U-130 (Kals) was shelling the bridge and radio station, so the 2nd mate ran to the motorboat. This had drifted off in an attempt to escape the shelling so he jumped overboard and swam towards the boat which rowed up to meet him, whereupon both boats rowed away as quickly as they could. Grenanger caught on fire and sank by the bow at 13:48.

*A Memorandum dated May 4-1942 (Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations), based on statements by survivors and signed Ensign A. J. Powers, U.S.N.R., gives the position as 22 58N 57 14W. At the time, she was on a course N 20 degr. West true, sailing at a speed of 12 1/2 knots, zig-zagging, radio not used. Three lookouts with glasses were on watch, one in the crow's nest, one aft on the gun platform and one on the bridge. The Memorandum adds that the U-boat surfaced immediately after the torpedoe struck on a course parallel to the ship, 45 degrees off the starboard bow about 400 to 500 yards distant. At this angle, Grenanger's one gun could not be brought to bear. Immediately after surfacing the U-boat began to shell the ship, firing one or two shots before the ship was abandoned and 25 or more after abandonment, nearly all of which were hits. Confidential codes had been thrown overboard in weighted bags. The U-boat is described as follows: It was "large, over 250 feet long, newly painted light grey, lighter than U.S. war paint, no streaks or discolorations except a dark patch on the port side of the conning tower. Two guns were aboard, large gun forward, smaller gun aft. The bow was blunt and the stern sloped. No net cutter was observed. The submarine did not contact the liferafts and its nationality was not determined". Then there's a Comment: "The approach of the submarine from an angle at which the stern gun could not be operated is called to attention".

The motorboat took the lifeboat in tow and headed southwest towards the West Indies. As it turned dark they stopped the motor, sail was set on the other lifeboat which then took the motorboat in tow. The next day, Apr. 12 sail was also set on the motorboat in order to save on petrol, and the 2 boats sailed independently. That afternoon the men in the motorboat were picked up by the British Almenara (Captain E. Shaw) which steered towards the lifeboat and offered to deviate from her own course and take all of them to Bermuda (the Memorandum says this took place 26 hours after Grenanger was sunk). However, this ship had a crew of over 30 and very little rescue equipment so they chose to sail on, after Captain Shaw had supplied them with a map and 15 gallons of water as well as some juice and cigarettes. They were able to find the motorboat again, manned it with 11 men then took it in tow with a course for Sombrero Island. The following day, Apr. 13 the motor was used for several hours and the lifeboat was towed, but when they had very little petrol left that afternoon it was again the lifeboat's turn to tow the motorboat.

On Apr. 18 they arrived Sombrero Island where they were given iced water, biscuits and tea by the 5 who operated Sombrero Light, who also offered to let them stay overnight, but they decided to continue towards St. Thomas, so after having been given paraffin, water and juice the motor was started and the voyage continued with the lifeboat in tow. Just as they left the island an aircraft came over but they were not seen. A couple of hours later another aircraft came over, but again the boats were not seen. However, at 17:30 a patrolling aircraft spotted them and notified St. Thomas. Not long afterwards 2 aircraft circled above them, 1 of which came in very low to drop a handkerchief which Gunner Altman went into the water to retrieve. It contained a message saying that the pilot would land on the water if immediate assistance was required. It also stated that a vessel was on its way from St. Thomas and would reach them in about 3 hours.

This is the note dropped by the aircraft. Received from Eric Wiberg - original source: Chris Voorhees of www.buyandsellwwii.com.

Since they were not in need of immediate assistance they continued in a westerly direction as instructed by the aircraft pilot. At 23:05 that night they were hailed by a minesweeper which had been sent out from St. Thomas. While 3 men remained in the lifeboat and 2 in the motorboat, the others were taken aboard the minesweeper, USS Courier, which then took both boats in tow, arriving St. Thomas in the morning of Apr. 19. (According to the Memorandum mentioned above, Courier picked them up off Virgen Gorda, B.W.I).

The maritime hearings were held in New York on May 11-1942 with Captain Rusti, the 2nd and 3rd mates (the latter had been on duty on the bridge), Ordinary Seaman Hillaren (lookout in the crow's nest in the foremast), Able Seaman Raudeberg (helmsman), the gunner and the 3rd engineer appearing. Gunner Altman was the only trained gunner on board and was on duty when the torpedo hit, but as he was also responsible for the machine guns on the bridge, he was checking them at the time of the attack.

For info, U-130 was also responsible for the attacks on Frisco, Alexandra Høegh, Varanger, Tankexpress, Malmanger and Mirlo - follow the links for dates and more info.

Crew List - No Casualties:

Captain Finn Rusti	1st Mate August A. Lund	2nd Mate/Radio Operator Borge Langeland	3rd Mate Torgeir Våge	Carpenter Otto Monsen	Boatswain Knut Sandvik
Able Seaman Aron Hagen	Able Seaman Arnfinn Raudeberg	Able Seaman Leif Kjerlid	Ordinary Seaman Arnold Schreuder	Ordinary Seaman Konrad Blom	Ordinary Seaman Nils Hillaren
Ordinary Seaman Per Stokke	Ordinary Seaman Per Moberg	Ordinary Seaman Malvin Thorstensen	Ordinary Seaman Erling Lohne	Jr. Ordinary Seaman Fritz Pedersen	Jr. Ordinary Seaman Elmar Eliassen
1st Engineer Bjarne Christoffersen	2nd Engineer Edward Hardeland	3rd Engineer Ingolf Magnussen	4th Engineer Johannes Andersen	Electrician Gustav Karlson (Swedish)	Mechanic Lars Vestvik
Mechanic Magnus Vabø	Mechanic Johan Justinussen	Oiler Audun Sivertsen	Oiler Karl J. Johansen	Engine Boy Kristen Ellingsen	Engine Boy Nils Larsen
Steward Albert Knutsen	Cook Rolf Olsen	2nd Cook Erling Skorpen	Mess Boy Jørgen Gjerdrum	Waiter Anders Mårtenson (Swedish)	Gunner Ove Jan Altman

Related external links:
U-130 | Ernst Kals

Back to Grenanger on the "Ships starting with G" page.

Other ships by this name: In Nov.-1946 Westfal-Larsen purchased Cape Falcon and renamed her Grenanger. Originally delivered in Sept.-1944 from Pennyslvania Shipyards Inc., Beaumont, Texas to United States War Administration, 5155 gt. Later sold (July-1962) to Vaboens Rederi, Kristiansand, renamed Herbjørn. Sold in July-1967 to Galveston Merchant S.A., Panama, renamed Galveston Merchant, renamed Indonesian Star in 1968. Broken up in Spain in 1969. A 3rd Grenanger (tanker) was delivered to the company in Nov.-1964, 12 872 gt, built in Gothenburg. Sold in Sept.-1975 to Vietnam Ocean Shipping Co., Haiphong, renamed Cuu Long I. A 4th Grenanger was delivered in Oct.-1982 (chemical tanker) to Daewo Grenanger S.A. on special hire/purchase terms, registered in Panama, 13 331 gt. This ship later sailed as Bow Explorer for Skibs-A/S Storli, Bergen from 1990, renamed Ncc Asir that same year. (Majority of info from company fleet list)

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) - (ref. My sources). The Memorandum was received from Tony Cooper, England.