Ships hit by U-boats


Besholt

Norwegian Motor merchant



Photo courtesy of Museum Nord, Melbu

NameBesholt
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage4,977 tons
Completed1936 - Kockums Mekaniska Verksteds A/B, Malmö 
OwnerS. Holter-Sørensen, Oslo 
HomeportOslo 
Date of attack2 Dec 1942Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-174 (Ulrich Thilo)
Position3° 20'N, 30° 30'W - Grid ER 9798
Complement42 (14 dead and 28 survivors).
Convoy
RouteLobito, Portugese West Africa (23 Nov) - Trinidad - New York 
Cargo8000 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 infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 42 people who were on board


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