Lagaholm
Swedish Motor merchant
Photo courtesy of Sjöhistoriska Museet, Stockholm
| Name | Lagaholm | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 2,818 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - Eriksbergs Mekaniske Verkstads A/B, Gothenburg | ||
| Owner | A/B Svenska Amerika-Mexiko Linien, Gothenburg | ||
| Homeport | Gothenburg | ||
| Date of attack | 2 Mar 1940 | Nationality:  Swedish | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-32 (Hans Jenisch) | ||
| Position | 59° 34'N, 5° 10'W - Grid AM 3465 | ||
| Complement | 28 (1 dead and 27 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Baltimore - New York - Kirkwall - Gothenburg - Malmö | ||
| Cargo | 4700 tons of general cargo, including 100 tons of aluminium ingots, 62 tons of copper, 53 tons of brass, engines and chemicals and mail | ||
| History | Completed in November 1929 | ||
| Notes on event | At 07.15 hours on 2 March 1940 the neutral Lagaholm was ordered to stop by U-32 about 80 miles west of Kirkwall. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats after a shot across her bow, they were questioned by the Germans and given the course to the nearest land. At 08.10 hours, the ship was shelled with 40 rounds from the deck gun, caught fire and sank later in 59°42N/05°35W. The survivors were picked up by the Norwegian motor merchant Belpamela and landed at Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay. The Lagaholm and Belpamela had been ordered to Kirkwall by the British armed boarding vessels HMS Northern Sky (4.41) (Lt J.E. Bromley, RNR) and HMS Northern Princess (4.06) (Lt J.N. Hulse, RNR) for contraband inspection. U-32 had first attacked Belpamela with three torpedoes at 01.12, 02.12 and 04.56 hours, but all detonated prematurely. The commander experimented with the torpedo settings between the shots, but gave up after the third attack and decided to stop the other ship with gunfire. | ||
| On board | We have details of 1 people who were on board. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.