Ships hit by U-boats


N.T. Nielsen-Alonso

Norwegian Whale factory ship



NameN.T. Nielsen-Alonso
Type:Whale factory ship
Tonnage9,348 tons
Completed1900 - C. Connell & Co Ltd, Glasgow 
OwnerMelsom & Melsom, Larvik 
HomeportLarvik 
Date of attack22 Feb 1943Nationality:      Norwegian
 
FateSunk by U-753 (Alfred Manhardt von Mannstein)
Position48° 00'N, 31° 24'W - Grid BD 5253
Complement53 (3 dead and 50 survivors).
ConvoyON-166 (straggler)
RouteUK - New York 
CargoBallast 
History Built as steam merchant Custodian 1923 renamed Polcevera 1926 converted to whale factory ship and renamed N.T. Nielsen-Alonso
Notes on event

At 04.36 hours on 22 Feb 1943, U-92 (Oelrich) fired three FAT torpedoes at convoy ON-166 and reported two ships sunk and a third as damaged, but the first and third FAT struck the N.T. Nielsen-Alonso (Master Johan H. Bjerkholt) in station #25 and the remaining torpedo missed. The ship was hit on the port side between engine and boiler room, the main engine was flooded, two port lifeboats destroyed and three men on watch below were killed. The crew soon abandoned her in four lifeboats.

At 07.29 hours on 22 February, U-753 fired two coups de grâce at the abandoned N.T. Nielsen-Alonso and hit her with one torpedo amidships, but the ship stayed afloat while the U-boat was chased away by a corvette. The survivors observed this attack, were later picked up by the US Coast Guard cutter USS Campbell and transferred to the ORP Burza, which scuttled the wreck at 13.00 hours in 48°N/34°W and landed them in St.Johns on 27 February.

 
On boardWe have details of 53 people who were on board

Attack entries for N.T. Nielsen-Alonso

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
22 Feb 1943U-92Kptlt. Adolf OelrichDamaged9,348  
22 Feb 1943U-753KrvKpt. Alfred Manhardt von MannsteinSunk9,348  


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