Vestfold
Panamanian Whale factory ship
Name | Vestfold | ||
Type: | Whale factory ship | ||
Tonnage | 14,547 tons | ||
Completed | 1931 - Furness Shipbuilding Co Ltd, Haverton Hill, Middlesbrough | ||
Owner | Vestfold Corp (Johan Rasmussen & Co), Panama | ||
Homeport | Panama | ||
Date of attack | 17 Jan 1943 | Nationality: Panamanian | |
Fate | Sunk by U-268 (Ernst Heydemann) | ||
Position | 61° 25'N, 26° 12'W - Grid AD 8947 | ||
Complement | 75 (19 dead and 56 survivors). | ||
Convoy | HX-222 | ||
Route | New York - Halifax (8 Jan) - Clyde | ||
Cargo | 17.386 tons of fuel oil and 3 landing craft as deck cargo | ||
History | Completed in July 1931 for Hvalfangers A/S Vestfold (Johan Rasmussen & Co), Sandefjord. 1934 transferred to Vestfold Whaling Co Ltd, London. 1935 transferred to Vestfold Corp (Johan Rasmussen & Co), Panama. | ||
Notes on event | At 16.00 hours on 17 Jan 1943 the Vestfold (Master Emil Haga) in convoy HX-222 was torpedoed by U-268 and abandoned by the crew and passengers while the engines were still running. Before the ship sank she ran uncontrolled in circles and almost collided with the British rescue ship Rathlin, which picked up the survivors and landed them at Liverpool. The three British landing craft HMS LCT-2239, HMS LCT-2267 and HMS LCT-2344 (each 291 tons) on deck were lost with the vessel. | ||
More info | |||
On board | We have details of 9 people who were on board. |
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