Halma
Panamanian Motor merchant
Halma under her former name Nora. Photo courtesy of Danish Maritime Museum, Elsinore
| Name | Halma | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 2,937 tons | ||
| Completed | 1940 - Aalborg Værft A/S, Aalborg | ||
| Owner | Cosmopolitan Shipping Co, New York | ||
| Homeport | Panama | ||
| Date of attack | 3 Jun 1943 | Nationality:  Panamanian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-119 (Horst-Tessen von Kameke) | ||
| Position | 44° 17'N, 62° 23'W - Grid BB 7550 | ||
| Complement | 48 (0 dead and 48 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | BX-55 (straggler) | ||
| Route | Boston - Halifax - Sondre Stromfjord, Greenland | ||
| Cargo | 2975 tons of general cargo for US bases | ||
| History | Completed in January 1940 as Danish Nora for D/S Vesterhavet A/S (J. Lauritzen), Esbjerg. On 8 Sep 1941, seized by the US War Shipping Administration (WSA). On 6 Jan 1942, registered in Panama as Halma for the Marine Transport Line under GAA agreement. On 14 May 1943, transferred to the Cosmopolitan Shipping Co, New York. | ||
| Notes on event | At 17.45 hours on 3 Jun 1943 the Halma (Master Hans R. Schnitler), a straggler from convoy BX-55 due to thick fog, struck a mine laid on 1 June by U-119 off Halifax. The mine exploded on the port side between #2 and #3 hatches. The explosion caused a geyser of water to shoot 75 feet in the air. The vessel took a heavy list to port but gradually settled back on an even keel until she went down by the head 35 minutes after the hit. The 37 crew members, five armed guards and six passengers (US Army Security personnel) abandoned ship in two lifeboats. The men were picked up by the Canadian sailing vessel Caroline Rose at 20.00 hours and landed at Halifax. | ||
| On board | We have details of 2 people who were on board. | ||
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