Vardaas
Norwegian Motor tanker
Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart
| Name | Vardaas | ||
| Type: | Motor tanker | ||
| Tonnage | 8,176 tons | ||
| Completed | 1931 - Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel | ||
| Owner | Arnt J. Mørland, Arendal | ||
| Homeport | Arendal | ||
| Date of attack | 30 Aug 1942 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-564 (Reinhard Suhren) | ||
| Position | 11° 35'N, 60° 40'W - Grid EE 9933 | ||
| Complement | 41 (0 dead and 41 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Capetown (7 Aug) - Trinidad | ||
| Cargo | Ballast | ||
| History | Completed in April 1931. Since 1940 in Admiralty service as Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). | ||
| Notes on event | At 06.12 hours on 30 Aug 1942, U-564 fired her last two torpedoes at the unescorted Vardaas (Master Hans Rustad) northeast of Tobago Island. One of them was a tube runner and missed, but the other hit on the starboard quarter and caused a heavy list to starboard after the #1 wingtank was flooded. At 07.10 hours, the U-boat surfaced, shelled the ship from both sides for 30 minutes with 50 rounds (35 hits) and then left the burning tanker in a sinking condition. Apparently the wreck remained afloat and had to be scuttled on 31 August. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats and made landfall about 7 hours after the attack at Plymouth Bay, Tobago Island. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 41 people who were on board. | ||
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