Leikanger
Norwegian Steam merchant
Photo from City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 447-2405.2
| Name | Leikanger | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,003 tons | ||
| Completed | 1923 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow | ||
| Owner | A/S Westfal-Larsen & Co, Bergen | ||
| Homeport | Bergen | ||
| Date of attack | 27 Jul 1942 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-752 (Karl-Ernst Schroeter) | ||
| Position | 4° 00'N, 18° 00'W - Grid ET 7374 | ||
| Complement | 31 (18 dead and 13 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | FN-20 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Beirut - Capetown (13 Jul) - Trinidad - Baltimore | ||
| Cargo | 1000 tons of chrome ore | ||
| History | Completed in November 1923 On 18 Sep 1941, the Leikanger was passing Flamborough Head, when her convoy FN-520 was attacked by a German Ju88 bomber. The aircraft was shot down by the escorting HMS Westminster (L 40) (LtCdr A.A.C. Ouvry, RN) before it could do any damage. The convoy was attacked again that same night and the Leikanger was hit by a dud bomb, which was carefully thrown overboard. | ||
| Notes on event | At 14.14 hours on 27 July 1942 the unescorted Leikanger (Master Eugen de Lange Hansen), dispersed from convoy FN-20, was hit by two torpedoes from U-752, broke in two and sank immediately. The master, 16 crew members and one British gunner were lost. Twelve crew members and one British gunner managed to get on two rafts which floated nearby. They found a crate containing signal flags and used them as protection against the sun during the day and for warmth during the night. The survivors were picked up on 31 July by the Harry Luckenbach and landed in Capetown on 12 August. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 31 people who were on board. | ||
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