Ships hit by U-boats


Takstaas

Norwegian Steam merchant



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameTakstaas
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage1,830 tons
Completed1916 - Sørlandets Skibsbyggeri A/S, Fevig near Arendal 
OwnerArnt J. Mørland, Arendal 
HomeportArendal 
Date of attack29 Sep 1939Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateA total loss by U-7 (Werner Heidel)
Position60° 15'N, 4° 41'E - Grid AN 2473
Complement? men (0 dead and ? survivors).
Convoy
RouteSundervail - Norrsund, Sweden - London 
CargoLumber 
History Completed in July 1916 by Fredriksstad Mekaniske Verksted A/S, Fredriksstad as Standford for A/S Standard (J.B. Stang), Kristiania. 1916 renamed Stokke for C.N. Stensholt. 1927 renamed Takstaas for Arnt J. Mørland, Arendal. 
Notes on event

At 07.45 hours on 29 Sep 1939 the neutral Takstaas (Master Kristian M. Eltvedt) was stopped by warning shots from the 20mm gun by U-7 about 10 miles off Marsteinen Lighthouse, outside Bergen, Norway. After examining the papers, Heidel gave the crew 20 minutes to abandon ship in the two lifeboats because the ship was en route to England. At 08.55 hours, the U-boat fired a torpedo that hit on the starboard side amidships and caused a list to starboard but she remained afloat on her load of lumber. The Germans circled the ship and fired with the 20mm gun at the water line until a Norwegian aircraft appeared and forced them to dive. The lifeboats were later taken in tow to Sund in Korsfjord by the Norwegian torpedoboat Storm and continued to Bergen on their own. The ship was after a few hours taken in tow by a Norwegian tug, but broke in two and while the foreship sank, the afterpart was towed in and most of her cargo was salvaged.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 1 people who were on board


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