Besholt
Norwegian Motor merchant
Photo courtesy of Museum Nord, Melbu
| Name | Besholt | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,977 tons | ||
| Completed | 1936 - Kockums Mekaniska Verksteds A/B, Malmö | ||
| Owner | S. Holter-Sørensen, Oslo | ||
| Homeport | Oslo | ||
| Date of attack | 2 Dec 1942 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-174 (Ulrich Thilo) | ||
| Position | 3° 20'N, 30° 30'W - Grid ER 9798 | ||
| Complement | 42 (14 dead and 28 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Lobito, Portugese West Africa (23 Nov) - Trinidad - New York | ||
| Cargo | 8000 tons of copper, tin and palmoil and 32 bags of mail | ||
| History | Completed in October 1936 | ||
| Notes on event | At 23.17 hours on 2 December 1942 the unescorted Besholt (Master Leif Langefoss) was hit on the port side underneath the funnel by one G7a torpedo from U-174, broke in two and sank within 4 minutes. The U-boat had fired one G7a and one G7e torpedo at 22.05 and 22.07 hours, but they were apparently duds. The master, eleven crew members and two US passengers were lost. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats and were questioned by the Germans. One boat made landfall near Camosim, Brazil on 11 December, while the other reached Canaris Bar near Parnahiba on 14 December, after having sailed 800 miles. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 42 people who were on board. | ||
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