Harboe Jensen
We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.
| Name | Harboe Jensen | ||
| Type: | Motor merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 1.862 tons | ||
| Completed | 1929 - Götaverken A/B, Gothenburg | ||
| Owner | L. Harboe Jensen & Co, Oslo | ||
| Homeport | Oslo | ||
| Date of attack | 15 Jan, 1943 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-617 (Albrecht Brandi) | ||
| Position | 33.04N, 21.50E - Grid CO 5722 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | 25 (18 dead and 7 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Alexandria - Tobruk | ||
| Cargo | War material | ||
| History | From late 1941, the Harboe Jensen was used as supply ship between Alexandria and the front in Libya. On 22 December, the ship was attacked by German aircraft, when passing Rosetta light east of Alexandria. One crew member was wounded during the attack. In January 1942, the Harboe Jensen was bombed several times in Benghazi, while unloading her cargo of ammunition and explosives from Alexandria. On 26 January, the ship had to left this harbour with 400 soldiers, 50 officers and 60 women and children on board, due to the German advances in the area (Benghazi was taken on 7 February). The next day the evacuation convoy was attacked by five torpedo aircraft and again by four Me 109 aircraft the following day, but arrived Alexandria safely on 28 January. The Harboe Jensen was now used to bring supplies to Tobruk and arrived there on 27 February with a cargo of ammunition, but was bombed for several days in a row and severly damaged. The ship was towed out of Tobruk on 7 March, arriving Alexandria two days later, where she stayed for a long time until she was repaired. In December 1942, the ship resumed her service to Benghazi (the harbour had been retaken on 20 November), again she came under attack by aircraft on several trips. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 10.31 hours on 15 Jan, 1943, U-617 fired four torpedoes at a small convoy, consisting of two merchants, the Annitsa and Harboe Jensen, escorted by the British armed trawler HMS Southern Isles. Brandi observed two hits on each merchant, that had a great effect. Both merchants were sunk in the attack. The Harboe Jensen (Master Sverre Aanonsen) was hit by two torpedoes on the port side and sank immediately. The master and 17 crew members were lost. Five Norwegians and one British jumped overboard and found an upturned lifeboat which they righted. They picked up two survivors from the Greek ship, before they were rescued by the trawler. Gunner Falkensten, who had also jumped overboard kept himself afloat on a plank and was rescued after about an hour. | ||
If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.