D/S Gunda
Updated Sept. 25-2011
To Gunda on the "Ships starting with G" page.
A picture (of a painting) is available on this external page (click in it to make it larger).
Owner: A/S Olymp
Manager: Einar Lange, Oslo
Tonnage: 2241 gt, 3640 tdwt.
Call Sign: LDIX
Built by McDougall-Duluth Shipbuilding Co., Duluth, Minnesota in 1919. Previous name: Chantier until 1929. According to the external website that I've linked to above, she was delivered in July-1919 as Chantier to U.S. Shipping Board, New York. Owned from Nov.-1928 by Ole Frøiland, Farsund, renamed Gunda. From Oct.-1938, A/S Olymp (Einar Lange), Oslo, no name change.
Captain: Odd Pedersen
Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2
Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
Voyage Record
From Apr.-1940 to Nov.-1942:
|
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).
Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.
As can be seen, this record is incomplete.
| 1940 |
Apr. 28 |
Hong Kong |
Sandakan |
May 3 |
Independent |
A. Hague says:
Traded in Pacific to Nov. 14-1940
(see Page 1) |
| |
Nov. 16 |
Singapore |
Penang |
Nov. 18 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Nov. 22 |
Penang |
Calcutta |
Nov. 29 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Dec. 3 |
Calcutta |
Singapore |
Dec. 11 |
Independent |
– |
| 1941 |
Jan. 1 |
Singapore |
Calcutta |
Jan. 8 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Jan. 18 |
Calcutta |
Aden |
Febr. 6 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Febr. 9 |
Aden |
Suez |
Febr. 15 |
BN 15 |
Convoy available at BN 15
(external link) |
| |
March 4 |
Suez |
– |
– |
BS 18 |
Dispersed March 9
(Page 1 gives arrival Aden March 12).
Convoy available at BS 18
(external link) |
| |
March 13 |
Aden |
Durban |
March 30 |
Independent |
A. Hague says:
Traded E Coast Africa/Ceylon to March 19-1942
(see Page 1 & Page 2) |
| 1942 |
March 31 |
Colombo |
Vizag |
Apr. 4 |
Independent |
A. Hague says:
Aircraft damage on passage |
| |
Apr. 22 |
Vizag |
Madras |
Apr. 25 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Apr. 30 |
Madras |
Lourenço Marques |
May 26 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Oct. 3 |
Lourenço Marques |
Mombasa |
Oct. 14 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Oct. 15 |
Mombasa |
Zanzibar |
Oct. 15 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Oct. 21 |
Zanzibar |
Mombasa |
Oct. 22 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Nov. 5 |
Mombasa |
Lourenço Marques |
Nov. 12 |
Independent |
– |
| |
Nov. 19 |
Lourenço Marques |
– |
– |
Independent |
Sunk - See "Final Fate" below |
As can be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Gunda was in Shanghai when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. She had arrived there on Apr. 8.
With Eidanger and Heimgar, she's listed in Convoy BN 15 from Aden to Suez in Febr.-1941, and early the following month, we find her in Convoy BS 18, together with Norse Lady and Tonjer - see the external links provided within the above record. Going back to the archive document, we learn that Gunda arrived Aden on March 12, having left Suez March 4.
There's a long gap in her voyages for 1942. She had arrived Lourenço Marques from Madras on May 26, and departure is given as Oct. 3, when she proceeded to Mombasa - see Page 2. It'll be noticed, that A. Hague mentions her receiving aircraft damage when on a voyage from Colombo to Vizagapatam in March/Apr.-1942; perhaps this long stay was due to her requiring repairs(?).
Gunda was on a voyage from Lourenço Marques to Zanzibar with 3134 tons of coal when she was torpedoed by U-181 (Lüth) on Nov. 19-1942, position 25 40S 33 53E (off the coast of East Africa, between Inhaca and Punta da Oro according to C. Hocking). She had left Lourenço Marques that same day. Page 2 of the archive documents gives the time as 22:32. Only 8, all of them from India, managed to save themselves on a raft. I have no information on who rescued them.
U-181 had also sunk the Norwegian K. G. Meldahl just a little over a week before.
Crew List:
|
Survivors:
|
|
Able Seaman
? Waxiulla
(India)
|
Helmsman
Kur Shid Miya
(India)
|
Stoker
Lotoo Mian
(India)
|
Oiler
Attori Ali
(India)
|
Trimmer
Moh. Kati Mian
(India)
|
Manager
Abdul Latif
(India)
|
|
Boy
? Birwa
(India)
|
+ 1 more?
see*
|
|
|
|
|
|
Casualties:
|
|
†
Captain
Odd Pedersen
|
†
1st Mate
Olaf Bottenstuen
|
†
2nd Mate
Apoloniusz Padziora
(Polish)
|
†
Carpenter
Kwan Pak Hien
(Chinese)
|
†
Able Seaman
Samir Ali*
(India)
|
†
Able Seaman
Njad A. Allee*
(India)
|
|
†
Able Seaman
Gora Meah*
(India)
|
†
Able Seaman
Abdul Malick*
(India)
|
†
Able Seaman
Jacob Ali*
(India)
|
†
Able Seaman
? Fyziuddin*
(India)
|
†
Helmsman
Abdul Ghani*
(India)
|
†
Helmsman
Rustom Mian*
(India)
|
|
†
Helmsman
Abu Bakar*
(India)
|
†
1st Engineer
Rolf Andersen**
|
†
2nd Engineer
Christian Abrahamsen
|
†
3rd Engineer
Sten Sture Melin
(Swedish?)
|
†
Stoker
Sultan Mian*
(India)
|
†
Stoker
Jaifar Ali*
(India)
|
|
†
Stoker
Moradis Alis*
(India)
|
†
Stoker
Calla Meah*
(India)
|
†
Stoker
Asad Mian*
(India)
|
†
Stoker
Sultan Mian*
(India)
|
†
Stoker
Ali Farah Abdi*
(Sudan)
|
†
Stoker
Ali Haji Mohamed*
(Sudan)
|
|
†
Oiler
Abdul Sabham*
(India)
|
†
Trimmer
? Joinalla*
(India)
|
†
Trimmer
Kohbad Meah*
(India)
|
†
?
? Mojodolla*
(India)
|
†
Steward
? Patal*
(India)
|
†
Cook
Peter de Costa*
(India)
|
|
†
2nd Cook
Gabriel de Costa*
(India)
|
†
Cook
Noor Ahmed*
(India)
|
†
Cook
Mohamed Sudick*
(India)
|
†
Pantry Boy
? Jhari*
(India)
|
†
Galley Boy
? Habidullah*
(India)
|
†
Mess Boy
? Kalloo*
(India)
|
|
†
Mess Boy
? Walliuddin*
(India)
|
†
Mess Boy
Mohamed Sadick*
(India)
|
†
Manager
Abdul Barrick*
(India)
|
|
|
|
* I wonder if this Able Seaman may have been the 8th survivor? I say this, because there were 38 casualties, and adding Fyziuddin makes it 39. Also, he appears to be the only one not listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website.
** Chief Engineer Rolf Andersen had previously been the chief engineer on the captured D/S Helios and had later signed on D/S Gunda. Follow the link for more details.
The above list is from "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I. As can bee seen from the list below, some of the names and titles differ slightly from what can be found at the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website, but I've chosen to leave them as is, since I don't know which is correct (I'm not sure what is a surname and what should be the first name). Marek Twardowski, a visitor to my site, has given me the correct spelling for the Polish 2nd mate.
* Billy McGee, England has told me that the following men are commemorated at Tower Hill, Panel 54 - they can be found by entering each name in the relevant search field on The Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website, using Second World War and 1942 in the other fields to narrow the search:
Fireman Abdi Ali Farah (age 32), Cook Ahmed Noor (22), Fireman Ali Jaifar (28), Sailor Ali Jeacob (27), Fireman Ali Moradio (22), Sailor Ali Samir (27), Sailor Allee Anjad (39), Quartermaster Bakar Abu (35), Storekeeper Barrick Abdul (41), Cook Gabriel De Costa (25), Chief Cook Peter De Costa (32), Quartermaster Ghani Abdul (45), Boatswain Habidullah (51), Boy Jhari (24), Trimmer Joinalla (25), Boy Kalloo (25), Sailor Majodolla (51), Sailor Malick Abdul (25), Fireman Meah Calla (24), Sailor Meah Gora, Trimmer Meah Kohbad, Fireman Mian Asad (39), Quartermaster Mian Rustom (32), Fireman Mian Sultan (36), Fireman Mian Sultan (25), Fireman Mohamed Ali Haji (29), Steward Patal (37), Greaser Sabham Abdul (37), Boy Sadick Mohamed (24), Cook Sudick Mohamed (22), Boy Walliuddin (22).
The Norwegians are commemorated at the memorial for seamen in Stavern, Norway - ref. link below.
Back to Gunda on the "Ships starting with G" page.
Norway had previously had another ship by this name, originally built in 1890 as Ardnamurchen for owners in Scotland, later became Italian Speranza in 1909, then Norwegian Gunda in 1912. Sold for breaking up in 1925.
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. - (ref. My sources).
|
Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home