Ships hit by U-boats


Start

Norwegian Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Library of Contemporary History, Stuttgart

NameStart
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage1,168 tons
Completed1923 - Skiens Mekaniske Verksted, Skien 
OwnerA/S Start (Erling Mortensen), Oslo 
HomeportOslo 
Date of attack31 Jan 1940Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-13 (Max-Martin Schulte)
Position57° 45'N, 1° 48'W - Grid AN 1864
Complement16 (16 dead - no survivors)
Convoy
RouteSunderland (29 Jan) - Oslo 
Cargo1478 tons of coal 
History Completed in August 1923 for A/S Start (A.T. Simonsen), Oslo. In February 1939 transferred to A/S Start (Erling Mortensen), Oslo. 
Notes on event

At 00.43 hours on 31 January 1940 U-13 fired one G7a torpedo at a steamer of about 4000 grt in bad weather about 7 miles east-northeast of Kinnaird Head and reported that the vessel sank after being hit on starboard side just ahead of the funnel and breaking in two. The U-boat had spotted at least three steamers and seven escorts and after this attack unsuccessfully fired two G7e torpedoes on an unknown Danish steamer at 00.54 and 01.14 hours.

It is possible that the neutral Start (Master Jacob Bartmann Jacobsen) was sunk in this attack. The ship was reported missing after departing Sunderland on 29 January.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 15 people who were on board


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