Fjordaas
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| Name | Fjordaas | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 7.361 tons | ||
| Completed | 1931 - Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel | ||
| Owner | Arnt J. Mørland, Arendal | ||
| Homeport | Arendal | ||
| Date of attack | 11 Sep, 1942 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Damaged by U-218 (Richard Becker) | ||
| Position | 51.16N, 29.08W - Grid AK 9678 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | ? men (0 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | ON-127 | ||
| Route | |||
| Cargo | |||
| History | In 1942 rescued 17 survivors from an American ship in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1944 she served as fleet oiler for Allied patrols in the Bay of Biscay and had also depth charges on board to supply the escort ships. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 01.37 and 01.40 hours on 11 Sep, 1942, U-218 fired torpedoes at the convoy ON-127 and reported the sinking of two freighters. However, only the Fjordaas (Master Peder N.A. Saltnes) was struck by one torpedo on the port side amidships under the bridge. Another torpedo had barely missed. The explosion badly damaged the bridge section and opened a hole 30 to 60 feet and the ship was close to breaking in two, but she stayed afloat because she was built with four tanks right next to each other. The crew abandoned ship in two lifeboats and remained close to the vessel, while the master, first mate and the chief engineer inspected the damage. The engines and steering gear were intact, so the crew reboarded the tanker. The Fjordaas arrived at Clyde on 15 September, having sailed about 1000 miles. The tanker was repaired at Smith´s Dock in Newcastle and returned to service in December 1942. The master and the chief engineer were awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for this action. | ||
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