Ships hit by U-boats


Bisp

Norwegian Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Karmsund Folkemuseum

NameBisp
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage1,000 tons
Completed1889 - Sunderland Shipbuilding Co Ld, Sunderland 
OwnerOlaus Kvilhaug, Haugesund 
HomeportHaugesund 
Date of attack23 Jan 1940Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-18 (Ernst Mengersen)
Position58° 51'N, 1° 00'E - Grid AN 4219
Complement14 (14 dead - no survivors)
Convoy
RouteSunderland (20 Jan) - Åndalsnes 
CargoCoal 
History Completed in February 1889 as Truro City for Christopher W. Furness, West Hartlepool. 1890 sold to Norway and renamed Normandie for D/S Normandie (Jens Meinich & Co), Christiania. 1900 transferred to D/S A/S Normandie (Bruusgaard, Kiosterud & Co), Drammen. 1912 renamed Norli for Lie & Roer’s D/S A/S (Lie & Roer), Christiania. 1913 renamed Bisp for the same owner. 1914 sold to D/S Baltic (E.H. Rustad), Christiania. 1916 sold to A/S Christoffersens D/S Rederi (C. Christoffersen A/S), Brevik and later that year transferred to A/S D/S Bisp (A. Jacobsen & C. Andersen, Jr.), Bergen. 1932 sold to D/S A/S Bisp (Olaus Kvilhaug), Haugesund. 
Notes on event

At 07.01 hours on 23 January 1940, U-18 fired a G7e torpedo at a small steamer and observed a hit on the starboard side near the bridge and the sinking of the vessel within 40 seconds about 100 miles southeast of Shetland Islands. The U-boat had spotted the ship at 00.50 hours and missed her with a first torpedo at 06.49 hours. Its victim was very likely the unescorted and neutral Bisp (Master Rolf Kvilhaug) which was reported missing en route from the UK to Norway.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 14 people who were on board


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