Ships hit by U-boats


Vardaas

Norwegian Motor tanker



Photo Courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameVardaas
Type:Motor tanker
Tonnage8,176 tons
Completed1931 - Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel 
OwnerArnt J. Mørland, Arendal 
HomeportArendal 
Date of attack30 Aug 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-564 (Reinhard Suhren)
Position11° 35'N, 60° 40'W - Grid EE 9933
Complement41 (0 dead and 41 survivors).
Convoy
RouteCapetown (7 Aug) - Trinidad 
CargoBallast 
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 infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 41 people who were on board


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