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M/T Storaas

To Storaas on the "Ships starting with S" page.

Crew List

Owner: Skibs-A/S Nanset
Manager: Iver Bugge, Larvik
Tonnage:
7886 gt, 4719 net, 11 850 tdwt
Signal Letters: LDLN

Built by Götaverken A/B, Gothenburg in 1929.

Captain: Arnold Morits Jensen

 Some War Voyages: 

Storaas was in the Bermuda portion of the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 56 in July-1940. She had a cargo of fuel oil and had station 57 of the convoy.

In Dec.-1940 she shows up, with destination Cape Town and Abadan, in Convoy OB 254, leaving Liverpool on Dec. 4. However, she's said to have returned to Clyde, subsequently joining Convoy OB 257, leaving Liverpool on Dec. 10. The external website that I've linked to below has the names of the other ships in these convoys.

She returned to the U.K. in Jan.-1941 in Convoy HX 104, again joining from Bermuda, and bound for Clyde with fuel oil. She was in Convoy OB 291 in March-1941 (destination Trinidad), and was 85 n. miles west of Achill Head when she was attacked by aircraft. The gunners defended her, which avoided direct hits but two bombs detonated so close that the engine stopped from the impact. The British corvette HMS Tulip stayed nearby for protection until her engine could be started again and she could continue. OB 291 had left Liverpool on Febr. 27 and was dispersed on March 3.

In June-1941 she was in Convoy SL 77, which departed Freetown on June 8 and arrived Liverpool on July 3 - Again, see the first external website below. At the end of the following month Storaas, with a cargo of fuel oil, joined the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 42, which lost so many ships. The Norwegian Askeladden, Måkefjell, Knoll, Lancing, Regin, Inger Elisabeth, Arosa, Vestland, Bestum and Stargard are also listed in this convoy; the latter was sunk - my page about Stargard has details.

The external site already mentioned will fill in some of the gaps in my voyage information for this ship.

In Oct.-1941 we find Storaas, with destination Curacao, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 25. This convoy will also be added to my Convoys section, along with more details on it, but in the meantime, please go to ON 25 in the section listing ships in all ON Convoys.

Related external links:
OB convoys - OB 254 is included, and there's also a section on the SL Convoys - As can be seen, Storaas is listed in SL 77. See also this section of the same site. By clicking on "Ship Search", using "Storaas" as keyword, several more convoys that are not mentioned in my text above will come up, including OB 348, July-1941, destination New York, and some Bandar Abbas to Aden convoys.

 Final Fate - 1943: 

Storaas departed Simonstown in ballast for Abadan on May 28-1943 in Convoy CD 20 (external link), escorted by 4 armed trawlers. Struck by a torpedo in the engine room from U-177 (Gysae) that same evening, 34 57S 19 33E. A ship a little in front of her on the starboard side had just been hit (American Agwimonte) and as no orders from the Commodore were forthcoming, Captain Jensen, fearing a torpedo from the starboard side had decided to order hard port wheel. Just as Storaas had turned about 30° a ripping sound was heard and immediately afterwards the wake of a torpedo was seen heading their way from starboard, resulting in a horrific explosion. The main engines stopped immediately, all the lights went out, and the after part started to sink very quickly, then seemed to stop.

Without orders the crew took to the aft lifeboats which were launched without problems. The starboard boat with the 2nd mate on board came alongside for the captain, the 1st and 3rd mates and the radio operator, as the port boat had already left the ship's side. (An attempt had been made by those remaining on board to launch the amidships, starboard motor boat, but the after tackle got caught and the boat flooded, though remained afloat).

The boats were ordered to stay nearby, the captain intending to reboard as soon as it was light. However, Storaas received another torpedo, and shortly afterwards an escorting trawler came up and ordered them all on board as quickly as possible (the trawler, named as HMSAS Vereeniging at Uboat.net, also picked up surviors from the rafts and a lifeboat from Agwimonte). The captain's request to stay near the ship until daylight was denied, as the escort had to remain with the convoy. They were landed in Port Elizabeth on May 30-1943, then travelled by train to Cape Town. 4 men were missing, all of whom, except the steward, were in the engine room when the explosion occurred.

Meanwhile, in the pitch black engine room, with oil and water gushing in from above, Mechanic Halaas was trapped, but eventually managed to free himself and get to the surface. He then swam around in the dark until he found an opening through which he could get out on deck, about an hour after the ship had been torpedoed. He went to his cabin and got some clothes and also found a flash light. Being unable to get the port dinghy out by himself, he stayed on board, near the dinghy in case the ship should capsize. He saw lights on the water quite a ways off and signalled for help with his flash light - someone signalled back, this was believed to have been survivors on a raft from the other torpedoed ship. Two hours passed, then another torpedo hit on the starboard side, abaft amidships, and about 10 minutes later an explosion occurred on the port side, causing Storaas to list heavily to port. He entered the dinghy, waited till the water reached it, then simply rowed away.

The ship remained afloat for as long as he could see it. He rowed all night in order to keep warm, but had no idea in which direction land was until daylight, at which time he started to row in that direction until a trawler picked him up late in the afternoon of May 29. He was landed in Cape Town, where he stayed at a nursing home for 2 weeks while being treated for various wounds.

The maritime inquiry was held in Cape Town on June 18-1943 with the captain, the 2nd mate, the 1st engineer, Mechanic Halaas, Able Seaman Olsen, and Able Seaman Brandt attending. The captain stated that the escorting trawler had the marking T-62, however, HMSAS Vereeniging had T-72. None of the witnesses had seen the steward prior to the attack.

Note: I posted a query to Uboatwaffe.net's forum re this attack (see the external link below), and Roland Berr replied with an excerpt from U-177's KTB, as follows:

"(GR 6752)
21.25 h Sread of two on a big and a small steamer (AGWIMONTE)
21.27 h Spread of two on a big Tanker (STORAAS)
Both spreads shot on great range (25 hm, thats 2500 Meters!!!). Heard detonations after 7 and 8 minutes. No success observed. None of the ships seems to be hit. CO GYSAE assumed one surface runner and the remaining torpedos detonated an end of running time. After this attack the boat took a new attempt to get a good attack position and reload torpedos, managed just to load two tubes.

(GR6764)
22.10 h U-177 sighted a hospitalship in the opposite direction the convoy goes

(GR6769)
23.53 h U-177 fired a further spread of two against the big frighter (AGWIMONTE), turned around and fired a second spread of two (Backward torpedoes) against the tanker at 23.55 h. 24.00 h U-177 obsered a hit in the maschinery of the tanker and another on the frighter. Whilst the convoy continous the journy one escort and one BLUE FUNNEL steamer going to the hidden ships for rescue duty. As there is no attack on U-177, GYSAE decided to reload and try to sinkt the tanker with a coupe de grace.

29.05.1943
(GR 6769)
00.40 h After reloading tube VI U-177 starts a further attempt to attack. As both hidden ships are circled by escorts the CO of U-177 decides to wait some more time. At this time the boat is just 2000 Meters away from its victims.

00.46 h U-177 fired a single torpedo against the AGWIMONTE hitting her in the machinery

01.10 h coupe de grace against the tanker (single torpedo). The torpedo struck the STORAAS again with the result of sinking a little deeper

01.25 h AGWIMONTE is sinking

(GR 6766)
Because there is allready no attempt by the escorts to hunt U-177, GYSAE decides to try a third attempt to sink the tanker.
01.53 h U-177 fired a further torpedo which hit STORAAS after 2'14 min and sink her."

Crew List:
2nd Mate Syvertsen was the officer on watch on the bridge.
Mechanic Halaas had just joined the ship in Simonstown.

Able Seaman Olsen, who was at the helm when the explosion occurred had also joined the ship just 10 days before.
Able Seaman Brandt, who was on lookout on the wheel house roof, had been on board for 4 months.

Survivors
Captain
Arnold Morits Jensen
1st Mate
Ragnar Martinsen
2nd Mate
Karsten Harry
Lie Syvertsen
3rd Mate
Leif Tellefsen
Radio Operator
Nils A. Thorstensen
Carpenter
Olaf Olsen
Boatswain
Karl Karlsen
Able Seaman
Olaf Kristiansen
Able Seaman
Peder Abrahamsen
Able Seaman
Fritz Halvorsen
Able Seaman
Konrad Andersen
Able Seaman
Arne Abrahamsen
Able Seaman
Gustav Kristenson
(Swedish?)
Able Seaman
Anton Andersen
Able Seaman
Sven Rasin Olsen
Able Seaman
Ludvik Larsen
Able Seaman
Olaf Seldal
Able Seaman
Eugen Kristian Brandt
1st Engineer
Lars Eriksen
2nd Engineer
Finn Christoffersen
3rd Engineer
Frank Gulbrandsen
Mechanic
Paul Olsen Halaas
Mechanic
Hans Høst
Mechanic
Leif Johnsen
Mechanic
Erling Jacobsen
Mechanic
Nils Henning
Nilsson
(Swedish)
Mechanic
Olav Sørhus
Mechanic
Alexander Scott
(British)
Pumpman
Olaf Olsen
Cook
Eric Carlson
(Swedish)
Galley Boy
Sydney Adams
(South African)
Mess Boy
José Vaz
(Portuguese)
Saloon Boy
Henry Pitcher
(South African)
Gunner
Raymond Sydney
Reveritt(?)
(British)
Gunner
Francis Cook
(British)
Gunner
Kenneth Durham
(British)
Casualties

4th engineer
Gunnar Mathisen

Mechanic
Haakon Olaisen

Steward
Ole Kraasgåt

Related external links:
Those who died - This site says that 5 died in the sinking. In addition to the 3 above, Mate Aksel M. Bjønnes and Carpenter Nils O. Andreassen are commemorated. However, checking with "Våre falne", which lists Norwegian WW II casualties, I find that Aksel Monrad Bjønnes had died on board of heart failure on Aug. 3-1942, when en route from Abadan to Australia, and was buried at sea. Carpenter Nils Ove Andreassen had died on Febr. 18-1941, also of heart failure, and is buried in Leith, Scotland (he had 6 children).

My query to the ubootwaffe.net forum regarding the attack on Storaas. As will be seen Roland Berr has replied with an excerpt from U-177's KTB, confirming there were 3 attacks (Rowher mentions only one attack on Storaas).

Operations information (& crew list) for U-177

U-177 | Robert Gysae

See also
Uboat.net's account on the attack

Back to Storaas on the "Ships starting with S" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume II, Norwegian Maritime Museum, and misc. (ref. My sources).

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