D/S Miranda
Updated Febr. 19-2012

To Miranda on the "Ships starting with M" page.


Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.
Another picture is available on this external page (click in it to enlarge).

Final Fate - 1940 (Norway still neutral):

Miranda was on a voyage from Blyth to Oslo with a cargo of coal when she on Jan. 20-1940 was torpedoed by U-57* (Korth). She had a crew of 17, 14 died. The 3 survivors were picked up by the British armed boarding vessel Discovery II the next day and taken to Kirkwall.

*I've been getting a few E-mails asking me to correct my text for Miranda, because newer findings claim that U-22 was the culprit and that the attack took place on Jan. 21. Jürgen Rohwer has told me that he agrees with this, though in his book "Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two" he has listed U-57. He adds that what he has about Tekla and Foxen in his book is also incorrect; he believes Tekla was sunk by U-55, Foxen by U-57. However, please note that this does not seem to fit the facts. The subject has been brought up in a thread on my Ship Forum, where the posters say the following:

"The attack of U-57 took place at 20.26 hours on 20 January, but we know from survivors reports:
Foxen was lost in the evening of 18 January
Tekla was lost at about 06.00 GMT on 21 January (time and position indicates that U-22 was the attacker)."

and (from "Shipwrecks of the North of Scotland" by Bob Baird):

"A 'sjøforklaring' (enquiry) into the loss of the Miranda was held in Bergen on 1.2.1940. The three survivors said that the Miranda had left Blyth on 19.1.1940, bound for Oslo with a cargo of coal. She was one of five vessels sailing together, without any armed escort. ... Everything went well until, without warning, their ship was torpedoed in the engine room at about 19.15 hours on 20.1.1940".

So, what J. Rohwer has in his book should be correct - Foxen was sunk on Jan.18 by U-55, Miranda on Jan. 20 by U-57, and Tekla on Jan. 21 by U-22.

(For info, U-57 sank later that same year following a collision with the Norwegian Rona, but was raised and repaired and returned to service).

According to a visitor to my website, position given in "Off Scotland" (which lists virtually all wrecks around the Scottish coast, private publication) is 30 miles northwest of Peterhead, agreeing with Charles Hocking, who also gives the date as Jan. 20, adding she was sunk by mine or torpedo.

The following are commemorated at the Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway (link below):
Engineer Einar Kjell Arnesen, Seaman Halvard Bakkelund, Cook Ferdinant Eriksen, Able Seaman John Gotfred Gustavsen, Captain Asser Hiorth, Steward Otto Marinius Johansen, Seaman Edvard Hjalmar Mathisen, Stoker Ingvald Moldekleiv, Cook Erling Myrlie, Donkeyman Paul Pedersen, Mate Bjørn-Erik Rasmussen, Chief Engineer Sivert Martin Simonsen, Ordiary Seaman Albert Skråmestø, and Deck Boy Ottar Birger Øverby.

Related external links:
Stavern Memorial commemorations - The date is given as Jan. 21 here.

U-57

Back to Miranda on the "Ships starting with M" page.

Norway also had a Miranda much later, built 1971, 496 gt. Became Mistral of Stockholm in 1980, Miranda of Haugesund 1985, rebuilt. Sold to Kristiansund in 1990. Ran aground on Jan. 26-1991 south of Grindavik, Iceland, refloated but sank the next day under tow to Hafnarfjordur. No casualties.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two", Jürgen Rohwer and E-mail from same, "Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam - including sailing ships and ships of war lost in Action 1824-1962" by Charles Hocking, and misc. (ref. My sources).