M/S Touraine

To Touraine on the "Ships starting with T" page.

Crew List


Source: Lillesand Sjømannsforening.

* She's said to have been scheduled for Convoy OB 224 (external link), which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 5-1940, but did not sail. According to A. Hague a ship by this name did sail in OB 224 (also external), but he says it was the French Touraine, which straggled and was sunk by U-59, so there appears to be a mix-up here on Hague's behalf. Uboat.net (also external link) states that the Norwegian Touraine had initially been part of the next convoy, OB 225 (also external link - see also this external page). This convoy had left Liverpool on Oct. 7, and I'm not entirely sure this fits with the facts, nor is she included in this convoy. Had Touraine joined OB 224 afterall?

** The above position is from Wilh. Wilhelmsen's fleet list; Rohwer gives the position 55 14N 10 34W at 16:01.

The 1st mate's lifeboat with 11 ratings launched a sea anchor, the sea being very rough and darkness was coming on. At daybreak the following morning they tried to signal to the 3rd mate's boat (motor boat) with the help of a morse lamp, but the latter could not read the message, and by daylight (Oct. 8) the 3rd mate's boat was no longer within view. They lay at sea anchor until about noon and about an hour later a steamer was sighted, but their signals were not observed. An aircraft came over them later on, but again their signals were not seen. The weather improved that afternoon so they set sail for land, launching a sea anchor again as darkness fell. When a ship was observed to leeward, they put up a blue light and the ship altered course towards them. Shortly thereafter they were all safely on board the British S/S Derbyshire which landed them at Greenock on Oct. 9, having reported the existence of the other 2 boats to the Naval Authorities.

The captain's lifeboat remained by the ship until dark, then rowed with the wind astern until 10 a.m. the following morning, at which time sail was set, sighting land about 15:00 the next day, Oct. 9. At 4 a.m. on the 10th they rowed around until a bay was found on leeside where the boat was beached (Arranmore Island, Donegal), before they went to a farmhouse where they got hot tea and food. They later arrived in Glasgow.

The 3rd lifeboat landed at Tory Island in the morning of Oct. 10.

The maritime inquiry was held in Glasgow on Oct. 28-1940 with the captain, the 1st and 2nd mates, and Able Seaman Eriksen attending.

Crew List:
The 1st mate was on duty on the bridge when the torpedo struck.
The 2nd mate had just come off watch and was speaking to the 1st mate on the bridge. (He was in the captain's lifeboat).
Able Seaman Eriksen was at the wheel (in the 1st mate's lifeboat).
The cook was admitted to a hospital, but died of his injuries on Oct. 11.

Related external links:
SL Convoys - As will be seen, Touraine is listed in SL 46.

Operations information for U-59

U-59

Back to Touraine on the "Ships starting with T" page.

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