Octavian
Norwegian Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of H. Larsson-Feddes collection
| Name | Octavian | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 1,345 tons | ||
| Completed | 1938 - Nylands Verksted, Oslo | ||
| Owner | Hilmar Reksten, Bergen | ||
| Homeport | Bergen | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Jan 1942 | Nationality:  Norwegian | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-123 (Reinhard Hardegen) | ||
| Position | 37° 57'N, 74° 22'W - Grid CA 5756 | ||
| Complement | 17 (17 dead - no survivors) | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Galveston (9 Jan) - St. John (New Brunswick) | ||
| Cargo | Sulphur and wood resin | ||
| History | Completed in July 1938 | ||
| Notes on event | At 13.01 hours on 17 Jan 1942, U-123 fired a G7e torpedo at an unescorted, deeply laden freighter of about 4000 GRT (estimated), observed one hit and the sinking of the vessel in about 35 seconds. The ship hit was the Octavian (Master Jens L. Dahl), reported missing when she did not arrive at her destination on 18 January. It was previously thought that the Octavian had been torpedoed and sunk by U-203 at 11.21 hours on 17 Jan 1942 in grid BB 6655 (approximately 46° 57N, 52° 45'W) but the discovery of the wreck of the Octavian, in 2018, very close to the attack position of U-123, proves this to be incorrect. | ||
| More info | |||
| On board | We have details of 17 people who were on board. | ||
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