Sweden in World War II - across borders: Lost Swedish civilian ships

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Sweden in World War II - across borders

Lost Swedish civilian ships

During World War II Swedish ships sailed for Sweden, the Allies, the Germans, the Red Cross and for some others.

Swedish merchant sailors memorial Around 1,400-1,500 Swedish sailors were killed when Swedish ships were hit by bombs, grenades, mines and/or torpedoes. (Plus or minus some hundreds - I've seen various numbers.)

500-600 Swedish sailors were killed on ships from other nations.

Around 270 Swedish ships were sunk.

The Germans were skilled when it came to salvage and repair of sunk ships, and some of the sunk Swedish ships were back in traffic later.

The list of ships is not complete. Two of my three main sources for the table has focus on the iron ore traffic from northern Sweden to ports in among others the Netherlands, on ships in the 'granted' Swedish traffic between Sweden and among others the South America, and the Red Cross relief traffic from Canada to Greece.

Date is Month-Day.

1939

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

09-24 - s/s Gertrud Bratt Skagerak - torpedo, German sub In book [s64, 1999] it is told that the crew was allowed to leave the ship before she was sunk. (In book [s63, 1993] the same author wrote that she was sunk by a mine, and that 4 men were killed.) Another source: she carried wood, pulp and paper.

09-25 - Silesia Norway - German sub

09-28 - s/s Nyland Norwegian coast - torpedo, German sub First investigation by German officer about the destination of the iron ore cargo, then the Swedish sailors could leave the ship before it was sunk.

Crew from Nyland got help from a Norwegian destroyer

09-30 - s/s Gun Skagerak - torpedo, German sub

10-08 - Vistula Shetland - German sub

10-20 - Gustaf Adolf 61.00N 00.48E - German sub

11-26 - Gustaf E Reuter Shetland - German sub

12-02 - Rudolf 56.15N 01.25 W - German sub

12-06 - Vinga 56.25N 01.08E - German sub

12-12 - Torö Near Falsterbo, Sweden - mine

12-18 - Lister 55.13N 01.33E - German sub

12-21 - Mars Iceland - German sub Sunk by U21. Another source: 12-15 - Mars, Britain - German sub

12-21 - Carl Henckel 57.00N 00.17E - German sub Sunk by U21

1940

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-01 - L.M. Trozelli 54.14N 01.36W - German sub

01-03 - Svartön North Sea - German sub 20 men killed. Another source: With iron ore from Narvik to Middlesbrough, Britain. Torpedoed.

01-05 - s/s Fenris Gulf of Bothnia - S.U. sub At least 2 women survived.

01-13 - Sylvia Scotland - German sub

01-18 - Foxen 58.52N 00.22W - probably British mine

01-18 - Pajala Hebrides - German sub

01-18 - s/s Flandria 54.00N 03.40E - German sub 16 men and 1 woman killed, 3 survived. Sunk by U9.

01-19 - s/s Patria 54.00N 03.30E - German sub (Earlier book: Dutch coast - 2 mines) Sunk by U9. (Earlier book: 17 men and 2 women killed). (Other book: 18 men and 1 woman killed, 4 survived.)

01-21 - Andalusia North Sea - probably German sub

01-22 - Gothia 57.46N 09.50W - German sub

02-01 - Fram North Sea 57.43N 02.06W - torpedo, German sub

02-05 - s/s Wirgo Åland - S.U. bombers

02-11 - Orania Shetland - German sub

02-12 - Dalarö 56.44N 11.44W - German sub

02-13 - s/s Norna 55.30N 11.00W - German sub

02-16 - Osmed Hebrides - German sub Sunk by U14

02-16 - Liana Hebrides - German sub Sunk by U14

02-24 - Santos 59.17N 00.42W - German sub

03-02 - Lagaholm 59.34N 05.10W - gun on German sub Crew left in lifeboats before the Germans began to shoot.

04-10 - Sveaborg 62.52N 07.34W - German sub

04-14 - s/s Torne Narvik - Germans opened valve in bottom of the ship Crew left ship during fights in harbour. When visited later, the ship had been sacked.

Torne, built 1913 by Lindholmens Verkstad

04-14 - s/s Styrbjörn (tug) Narvik - Germans opened valve in bottom of the ship Later salvaged and back in duty in Narvik.

04-15 - s/s Boden Narvik - Germans opened valve in bottom of the ship Had also been sacked.

04-22 - s/s Mertainen Trondheim - German bombers Pilots also used machine guns on deck and lifeboats. Was common during later air attacks.

05-04 - s/s Monark South Norway - British sub Captured by Germans, on way to Hamburg. Investigated by British, and then sunk.

05-08 - m/s Oxelösund Narvik - German bombers Had also been sacked. Later salvaged and back in the iron ore traffic.

05-11 - m/s Stråssa Narvik - German explosives Germans bombers failed to sink the ship, despite several hits.

?? - s/s Abisko Narvik

05-19 - Erik Frisell 57.25N 09.15W - German sub

05-28 - s/s Torsten Kattegatt - mine, British or Swedish?

06-20 - Tilia Gorthon 48.32N 06.20W - German sub

06-22 - Elgö Mediterranean Sea - Italian sub First torpedo missed, the sub used the 102 mm gun, and then sank Elgö with a torpedo.

07-07 - Bissen 50.06N 10.23W - German sub

07-17 - O.A. Brodin 59.22N 03.40W - German sub

08-01 - Sigyn 56.10N 09.25W - German sub

08-03 - Atos 56.00N 07.00W - German sub

08-09 - Canton Tory Island - German sub

08-13 - s/s Mongolia Kiel area - probably British magnetic mine British planes dropped many magnetic mines along the German coast, a hazard especially to ships with iron ore.

08-13 - Nils Gorthon Hebrides - German sub

08-16 - s/s Hedrun West of Ireland 57.10N 16.37W - German sub 8 men and 1 woman were killed.

08-29 - Alida Gorthon 56.09N 12.14W - German sub

09-26 - Siljan Iceland - German sub Sunk by U46

10-02 - Gondul Near Limhamn, Sweden

10-18 - Canvallaria 57.22N 11.11W - German sub Sunk by U46

10-18 - Gunborg 57.14N 11.00W - German sub Sunk by U46. A Greek ship offered the Swedes to come onboard, but they said no thanks. Some minutes later the Greek ship was sunk by a torpedo.

10-20 - m/t Janus 56.35N 15.03W - German sub Sunk by U46

10-27 - Meggie Azores - Italian sub

11-09 - m/s Vingaland 55.41N 18.24W - probably Italian sub Vingaland was damaged after attack of German bomber on 11-08, and the Italian sub Marconi reported a damaged ship sunk on 11-09.

11-17 - Veronica 55.20N 08.45W - German sub

11-23 - s/s Anten 56.57N 18.18W - German sub

12-02 - Gwalia 39.22N 14.22W - German sub

12-04 - Daphne Spain - German sub

12-12 - Stureholm North Atlantic - German sub

12-21 - Mangen 40.45N 16.50W - Italian sub

12-31 - Valparaiso 60.01N 23.00W - German sub

1941

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-11 - s/s Bertha København area - probably British magnetic mine 4 men killed.

02-26 - Rydboholm 55.32N 14.24W - German sub

02-26 - s/s Göteborg Iceland - German sub 9 men of Swedish crew killed, as 13 men and 1 woman from other nations. No one survived. Probably sunk by U70. Earlier the ship among others had transported British soldiers from Sweden to Britain, after the unsuccessful campaign in Norway in 1940, and in August 1940 she sailed from Lerwick (on Shetland Islands) to Petsamo (in northern Finland) with 124 Swedes from various sunk Swedish ships.

03-05 - m/s Murjek (on or after 02-28, mentioned in the same book) Faroe Islands - German sub 14 Swedes killed, as crew from other nations. No one survived. 8 of the Swedes had worked on other sunk ships, and had signed on Murjek in Santos on her trip to Sweden.

03-17 - Korshamn 61.09N 12.20W - German sub

03-29 - Liguria 60.00N 29.00W - German sub 7 men survived. 10 men spent 5 days on a raft before rescued by British s/s Athenic, who was sunk by a torpedo the following day. This time the Swedes were rescued after a few hours together with other survivors. They were brought to a hospital in Liverpool, and the same night Liverpool was bombed. Another source: Carried coal from Dunston to Las Palmas.

Liguria, built 1914 by Lindholmens Verkstad

03-31 - m/t Castor 57.59N 32.08W - torpedo, German sub 15 men killed, 21 survived. Another source: On her way to Gothenburg, with oil from Port Arthur, Texas. Sunk by U 46.

04-12 - m/s Kexholm North Atlantic - German bomber Crew survived.

04-17 - m/s Venezuela 53.00N 18.00W - torpedo, German sub 41 Swedish crew killed, and 4 men and 4 women from Finland who were passengers. No one survived. On 04-10 a German plane had missed with 6 bombs, but close enough for detonations to cause some damages. A seventh bomb had gone through the main deck, but not exploded. Then the plane used its machine guns, but no one was killed.

04-?? - m/s Trolleholm Portugal - German ‘hijacker’ ship Crew taken onboard German ship Thor, and explosives attached on Trolleholm.

05-04 - Japan West Africa - German sub

05-15 - s/s Ossian German North Sea coast - torpedoes and bombs, British planes 3 men killed.

06-06 - Taberg 35.36N 11.12W - Italian sub

06-22 - Calabria Inishtrabull - German sub

07-05 - s/s Stig Gorthon German North Sea coast - probably British magnetic mine

07-14 - s/s Aspen Dutch coast - British bombers Slightly damaged during nightly bomber attack in the Kiel channel, not hit during bomber attack the following night, but hit by 13 bombs (of which some did not explode) on 14th. One time-delayed bomb landed on the bridge, and was thrown over board where it exploded in the water. A German ship tried to tow the ship to Ijmuiden, but the ship leaked too much.

07-28 - Norita 40.10N 15.30W - probably torpedoes, German sub After the attack U203 had to dive to avoid depth charges, but they reported torpedo detonations.

09-11 - s/s Garm 63.02N 37.51W - German sub U432 shot two torpedoes and sunk one ship, which may have been Garm. One woman were among the survivors.

09-11 - Scania 63.14N 37.12W - torpedoes, German submarines U82 hit with one torpedo, U202 hit with two torpedoes, and Scania sank.

09-16 - m/s Yarrawonga Hamburg - British bombers

10-21 - s/s Hilda Dutch coast - British bombers

10-27 - s/s Gunlög Dutch coast - British bombers

Gunlög

11-01 - s/s Sigrid Kiel area - British mine 11 men were killed. As so often the lifeboats were damaged when the mine exploded, and this time also the extra raft on deck was damaged. Loaded with iron ore, she sank in 30 seconds.

11-10 - s/s Vollrath Thamm Dutch coast - British mine

11-22 - m/t Uno Memel area in the Baltic Sea - probably German mine The ship transported destilled water to submarine batteries. A German guard ship signalled, but the signals could not be understood - so the tanker sailed towards the guard ship, and hit a mine.

11-23 - s/s Hedda Cuxhaven - British magnetic mine The ship had anchored in the harbour in dense fog, waiting for the fog to lift before berthing and unloading the iron ore. The following day a mine exploded at the aft. Probably the ship had turned around the anchor.

On 05-25 s/s Trione was hit by British bombers in the North Sea. 3 men were killed, but the ship was not sunk.
On 06-06 s/s Ceylon was hit by British bombers in the North Sea. 1 man was killed, but the ship did not sink.
08-08 – s/s Venersborg was hit by British bombers in Denmark. 2 Swedes and 1 Dane killed. The Swedes had abandoned the burning ship, but Germans from another ship went onboard (Swedes were not permitted to go onboard) and they managed to tow the ship to land where the fire was put out. Later she was towed to Sweden, repaired, and went back into the iron ore traffic.
11-01 – s/s Braheholm was bombed near Rotterdam, and as usual the planes also used their machine guns. One man was killed. On the way to the Kiel channel the convoy was attacked by British bombers at several occasions. The ship arrived in Stockholm one week later.
11-02 – s/s Ingeren bombed near Rotterdam, and one man was killed. After some days at a warft she sailed on to Sweden.
11-23 – s/s Hastings seemingly caused a magnetic mine to explode a little too early, and only got a minor leak. After inspection she could continue to Sweden.

1942

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-12 - m/s Yngaren 57.00N 26.00W - German sub A Swede and a Dane survived, rescued after 28 days on a raft in the North Atlantic in the middle of the winter.

02-03 - Amerikaland 36.36N 74.10W - German sub

03-07 - s/s Skåne 20.50N 62.05W - Italian sub No one was killed.

04-08 - s/s Ara South of Cuxhaven - mine explosion midship starboard Explosion tore up the heavy metal floor in engine room, bent the propeller shaft and damaged steam pipes. On deck the planking, a large part of the superstructure, and starboard lifeboat were damaged. The stove was thrown into the opposite wall. The cook was not there at the moment. One man in the machine room climbed over bulkheads to get out as hot steam filled the engine room and water rushed in through leaks. He managed to get out via the ‘propeller tunnel’. This man had experienced similar sinkings during WWI, and this was the third time he was on a ship sunk by mines during WWII.

04-13 - Korsholm 28.21N 80.22W - German sub

04-20 - s/s Arete Denmark - mines 4 men killed. Ship sank in three minutes.

04-20 - Agra 34.40N 69.35W - German sub

05-08 - s/s Ruth Dutch coast - British bombs Sunk in British bomber hit-and-run attack. British radar gave the Brits info about shipping along the enemy coast, bombers could reach the targets in 15-30 minutes and make low level bomb and machine-gun attacks, and leave before German fighters could reach the area. Ruth sailed in convoy that was attacked a number of times, and two other ships were sunk in the evening of the 7th. Ruth was hit by two bombs one hour before midnight, and despite efforts to save her she sank on the 8th. Another source: Ruth sailed from Rotterdam towards Gothenburg, with coal.

Ruth

05-13 - Tolken 51.50N 33.35W - German sub

05-19 - Tisnaren 03.38N 32.01W - Italian sub

05-30 - s/s Värmdö Dutch coast - British bombs 6 men and 1 woman killed.

06-03 - Anna 34.10N 68.22W - German sub Anna was reported to lack Swedish neutrality signs and illumination, and to sail with zigzag course.

06-09 - s/s Stureborg Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea - torpedo or bombs, Italian plane 16 Swedes, 2 Portugese and 1 Egyptian crew killed, and 1 Swiss Red Cross representative. 10 of the 20 in the crew managed to get onto a raft. Lack of water and food killed one after the other, and when the raft stranded near Gaza after 22 days only one man was alive. The ship sailed in the Red Cross aid for Greece, and was on the way to Haifa to fetch wheat for Greece.

06-12 - s/s Bojan Near Sassnitz, Baltic Sea - British magnetic mine Towed towards land where she sank. Damaged both by the mine, as the cargo of paper pulp swelled, and by explosives used to unload the cargo. Sold as wreck, but reappeared as “Hoheweg”, in traffic for the rest of the war.

06-12 - s/s Senta German North Sea coast - British bombers At least 2 women survived. The ship sank so fast that the lifeboats were not launched until the main deck was below the water.

06-21 - s/s Eknö German North Sea coast - mine

06-22 - s/s Ada Gorthon East of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo 14 men killed, 8 survived. Torpedo hit midship. The ship had 2,000 metric tonnes iron ore in the fore and another 2,000 in the aft - and sank in less than 30 seconds.

07-01 - m/s Eknaren Indian Ocean - Japanese sub

07-06 - m/s Argentina Skagerak - mines 4 men killed.

07-06 - m/s Uddeholm Skagerak - mines All rescued. Argentina and Uddeholm had sailed all the way from South America, and were close to Sweden. When questioned by Germans in Norway, it was discovered that published information about a change in the minefield had not been received by the Swedish captains.

Uddeholm, built in 1934 by Eriksbergs MV

07-09 - s/s Margareta North of Gotland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo 14 men killed, 4 survived.

07-11 m/s Luleå North of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo 8 men killed.

08-09 - s/s Sigyn Dutch coast - mine

08-16 - m/s Suecia 55.43N 25.58W - German sub Another source: She was Swedens first dieselpowered ocean-sailing ship, built in 1912, one of the first large dieselpowered ships on the planet. She sailed for Britain, and was on her way to Liverpool. One lifeboat went down, with 9 men.

08-18 - Blankaholm 19.41N 76.50W - German sub

08-18 - s/s Liljevalch North of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedoes 33 men killed, 7 survived. She was the first ship in a convoy of 16 ships (Swedish, German, Finnish and Dutch). She sank in 30-35 seconds.

08-22 - Hammaren 13.00N 38.15W - German sub

09-08 - s/s Tynningö German North Sea coast - mine

09-09 - Peiping 23.50N 50.10W - German sub

09-13 - m/s Lima 02.35N 11.22W - German sub

10-01 - s/s Thule Dutch coast - torpedo from British motor torpedo boat 9 men and 1 woman killed.

10-22 - m/s Remmaren South Norway - mines Crew rescued.

10-29 - s/s Bengt Sture Southern Baltic Sea - probably Soviet Union torpedo 14 men and 1 woman killed. There are various indications that 5-7 of the crew were taken on board a Soviet Union submarine and brought to Kronstadt or Leningrad. Leningrad was under heavy German attack. Their fate has not come to clarity.

11-06 - s/s Lidingö Kiel area - British magnetic mine On 1 April 1941 she had hit a mine in Swedish waters south of Sweden, and sank I 8 metres deep water. Salvaged and repaired, and back in traffic on 1 August 1941.

12-13 - Scania 01.36N 32.22W - German submarine crew Boarding party sank the ship.

12-14 - Etna 17.50N 46.20W - torpedo, German sub The crew was warned and left the ship before it was torpedoed.

?? - s/s Urania mine At least 3 women survived.

On 11-09 s/s Abisko was one of the ships in a German convoy from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. She carried coke. During the night British motor torpedo boats sank several of the ships. Abisko was damaged, and the crew left in lifeboats. The attack ended after some 15 minutes, and it was discovered that Abisko had stopped sinking. The crew returned, and they could sail the ship to Emden. The deck was close to the water, but a crucial bulkhead held and she could sail at top speed by herself. Three German tugboats assisted to yaw where the river was curved. A month later she was back in the iron ore-coal/coke trade. See below…

1943

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-01 - m/s Brageland 00.19N 37.28W - German submarine crew (?) Stopped, searched and sunk.

01-09 - m/t Sveajarl South Norway - mines 37 men killed, 3 men survived. Also 7 men from m/s Ecuador who tried to help the shipwrecked from Sveajarl were killed.

01-09 - m/s Brasil South Norway - mines Crew rescued. The ship sailed together with Sveajarl and Ecuador.

01-13 - s/s Virgo German North Sea coast - mine 2 men killed.

01-18 - s/s Algeria Dutch coast - British bombs 2 men killed.

01-22 - Neva 61.35N 14.15W - German sub

03-09 - Milos 58.00N 15.00W - German sub

03-13 - s/s Hermod German North Sea coast - torpedo from British motor torpedo boat 3 men and 1 woman killed.

03-25 - m/s Industria 11.40S 35.55W - German sub

04-05 - m/s Vaalaren 58.00N 34.00W - German sub

04-11 - s/s Abisko German North Sea coast - mine 1 man killed.

04-29 - s/s Narvik Dutch coast - British torpedo plane

04-29 - Nanking 05.10N 11.10W - German sub

05-07 - s/s Sirvall Near Sassnitz, Baltic Sea - British magnetic mine An example of the power of the magnetic mines, which could cause enough damage to sink a ship even when it exploded 10-15 metres from the ship.

05-20 - Sicilia Indian Ocean - gun, German sub Another source: 05-27 torpedoed by German sub U-995 along Mocambique

Sicilia, built in 1934 by Kockums

05-25 - s/s Haneström V av Göta German Baltic Sea coast - mine 2 men killed in hot steam leaking from broken pipes in the engine room. She sank in 24 metres deep water, but was salvaged and back in traffic in late August 1943.

05-29 - s/s Gondul German Baltic Sea coast - mine She was on the way from Germany to Sweden, apparently with among others iron, cars and oranges.

06-21 - Venezia 25.50S 38.38W - German sub

07-10 - m/s Scandinavia 08.28N 48.30W - German submarine crew Stopped and sunk.

07-19 - s/s Vidar Dutch coast - British magnetic mine

07-24 - m/t Pegasus Indian Ocean - German sub

07-28 - s/s Gapern Hamburg - bomb attack on the city 1 man killed.

10-09 - s/s A.K Fernström Gdynia - bomb attack on the city

12-29 - m/s Camelia Saloniki harbour, Mediterranean Sea - mine, probably British magnetic mine After explosion towed to shallow water, where she sank. She was later salvaged, and after provisional repair towed to Sweden where she arrived in mid September 1944. (Yes, it’s apparently true. My note.)

1944

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-14 - Entrerios Norway, near Farsund - air attack On her way from Narvik to Germany.

03-05 - s/s Diana German North Sea coast - torpedo from British plane 2 men killed. Polish and Soviet Union prisoners had loaded coke on Diana in the severly bombed Emden. Normally it took a week for ships to be unloaded and loaded, but in these times it could take up to two weeks. The torpedo explosion damaged both lifeboats and the raft in the fore. The ship sank in 3 minutes. A few minutes later the survivors were rescued by a German escort ship, where they were well treated.

04-11 - s/s Emily Stettin - bomb attack on the city Crew had not time to leave for shelters in the harbour, but were in the stern. A bomb exploded on the ship 15-20 metres further to the stem.

04-19 - s/s Tärnan Near Lübeck - magnetic mine 2 men killed.

04-19 - s/s Embla French Mediterranean Coast - British bombers On 04-06 she was set afire by a British bomb, near the French-Spanish border. After provisional repair she left Port Vendres on 04-19, and was sunk by two British bombs. She was marked with among others Red Cross symbols.

Embla, built in 1908 by Lindholmens Verkstad

05-13 - BT-V (tanker) Stettin - bomb attack on the city 4 men killed. The ship had almost finished the loading of lubrication oil, this time for Sweden. (She had freighted oil to German submarines in the Baltic Sea many times.)

06-13 - m/s Fenja Turkey - mine Fenja made her maiden voyage in March 1944, and was sunk on 13 June 1944.

06-29 - s/s Libau Near Sassnitz, Baltic Sea - British magnetic mine 1 man died the following day.

07-06 - m/t Solbris German North Sea coast - mine

07-08 - s/s Sif German North Sea coast - torpedo from British plane She sailed from Emden in a convoy with 3 Swedish, 2 German and 2 Dutch ships. The convoy was escorted by 8 German naval ships, among them 2 destroyers. Some 30 planes attacked, and several were shot down. 3 merchant ships were sunk, and there were damages on escort ships.

08-12 - s/s Nämdö German North Sea coast - mine 4 men killed. She had made around 50 trips to and from Germany. (On 29 May 1942 she sailed in a convoy behind s/s Värmdö from the same shipping company, when that ship was sunk. One bomb hit the gunwale on Nämdö and went overboard before it exploded. The side of the ship got damaged, but she could sail on. When the plane came back for another attack it flew so low that one wing hit the foremast on Nämdö, and the plane fell into the sea and sank.)

09-06 - s/s Rosafred German North Sea coast - torpedo from British plane Due to the growing risks for the crews and ships, this was planned to be her last trip to Germany with iron ore. Around 30 planes attacked the convoy, and they no longer had to fear German fighters intercepting. Another source: She was on the way from Emden towards Stockholm, with coal, and sailed in a German convoy.

Rosafred

11-24 - s/s Hansa Between the Swedish mainland and the Swedish island Gotland - torpedo from Soviet Union sub 84 people killed. Another source: It was earlier believed that the attack on this passenger ship was a mistake, but in 1993 it was disclosed that the shipping company who owned Hansa transported German soldiers and equipment in 1944. Maybe that was known by the submarine captain?

12-29 - s/s Venersborg Southern Swedish Baltic Sea coast - torpedo from Soviet Union sub 17 men and 2 women were killed.

?? - s/s Svanen mine Crew survived, among others Märta Frese who had signed on in 1944. She was a pensioner at the time she signed on.

?? - Vesta, fishing boat Mine

1945

Date and ship Place (appr) and cause Notes

01-xx - Beltana, fishing boat Mine 5 men died.

03-14 - Magne Scotland east coast - German sub Another source: U-714. Magne was on the way from Liverpool to London.

Magne

Swedish merchant sailors memorial

Main sources for the table: [s63] (foremost iron ore traffic between Sweden and Germany), [s64] (foremost traffic westwards) and [s65] (more general view). The books [s63] and [s64], by the same author, have some contradictory information.

2015-08-29. www.granfoss.se. Text/pictures: Arne Granfoss

Date and ship	Place (appr) and cause	Notes
09-24 - s/s Gertrud Bratt	Skagerak - torpedo, German sub	In book [s64, 1999] it is told that the crew was allowed to leave the ship before she was sunk. (In book [s63, 1993] the same author wrote that she was sunk by a mine, and that 4 men were killed.) Another source: she carried wood, pulp and paper.
09-25 - Silesia	Norway - German sub
09-28 - s/s Nyland	Norwegian coast - torpedo, German sub	First investigation by German officer about the destination of the iron ore cargo, then the Swedish sailors could leave the ship before it was sunk.

09-30 - s/s Gun	Skagerak - torpedo, German sub
10-08 - Vistula	Shetland - German sub
10-20 - Gustaf Adolf	61.00N 00.48E - German sub
11-26 - Gustaf E Reuter	Shetland - German sub
12-02 - Rudolf	56.15N 01.25 W - German sub
12-06 - Vinga	56.25N 01.08E - German sub
12-12 - Torö	Near Falsterbo, Sweden - mine
12-18 - Lister	55.13N 01.33E - German sub
12-21 - Mars	Iceland - German sub	Sunk by U21. Another source: 12-15 - Mars, Britain - German sub
12-21 - Carl Henckel	57.00N 00.17E - German sub	Sunk by U21

04-14 - s/s Styrbjörn (tug)	Narvik - Germans opened valve in bottom of the ship	Later salvaged and back in duty in Narvik.
04-15 - s/s Boden	Narvik - Germans opened valve in bottom of the ship	Had also been sacked.
04-22 - s/s Mertainen	Trondheim - German bombers	Pilots also used machine guns on deck and lifeboats. Was common during later air attacks.
05-04 - s/s Monark	South Norway - British sub	Captured by Germans, on way to Hamburg. Investigated by British, and then sunk.
05-08 - m/s Oxelösund	Narvik - German bombers	Had also been sacked. Later salvaged and back in the iron ore traffic.
05-11 - m/s Stråssa	Narvik - German explosives	Germans bombers failed to sink the ship, despite several hits.
?? - s/s Abisko	Narvik
05-19 - Erik Frisell	57.25N 09.15W - German sub
05-28 - s/s Torsten	Kattegatt - mine, British or Swedish?
06-20 - Tilia Gorthon	48.32N 06.20W - German sub
06-22 - Elgö	Mediterranean Sea - Italian sub	First torpedo missed, the sub used the 102 mm gun, and then sank Elgö with a torpedo.
07-07 - Bissen	50.06N 10.23W - German sub
07-17 - O.A. Brodin	59.22N 03.40W - German sub
08-01 - Sigyn	56.10N 09.25W - German sub
08-03 - Atos	56.00N 07.00W - German sub
08-09 - Canton	Tory Island - German sub
08-13 - s/s Mongolia	Kiel area - probably British magnetic mine	British planes dropped many magnetic mines along the German coast, a hazard especially to ships with iron ore.
08-13 - Nils Gorthon	Hebrides - German sub
08-16 - s/s Hedrun	West of Ireland 57.10N 16.37W - German sub	8 men and 1 woman were killed.
08-29 - Alida Gorthon	56.09N 12.14W - German sub
09-26 - Siljan	Iceland - German sub	Sunk by U46
10-02 - Gondul	Near Limhamn, Sweden
10-18 - Canvallaria	57.22N 11.11W - German sub	Sunk by U46
10-18 - Gunborg	57.14N 11.00W - German sub	Sunk by U46. A Greek ship offered the Swedes to come onboard, but they said no thanks. Some minutes later the Greek ship was sunk by a torpedo.
10-20 - m/t Janus	56.35N 15.03W - German sub	Sunk by U46
10-27 - Meggie	Azores - Italian sub
11-09 - m/s Vingaland	55.41N 18.24W - probably Italian sub	Vingaland was damaged after attack of German bomber on 11-08, and the Italian sub Marconi reported a damaged ship sunk on 11-09.
11-17 - Veronica	55.20N 08.45W - German sub
11-23 - s/s Anten	56.57N 18.18W - German sub
12-02 - Gwalia	39.22N 14.22W - German sub
12-04 - Daphne	Spain - German sub
12-12 - Stureholm	North Atlantic - German sub
12-21 - Mangen	40.45N 16.50W - Italian sub
12-31 - Valparaiso	60.01N 23.00W - German sub

03-31 - m/t Castor	57.59N 32.08W - torpedo, German sub	15 men killed, 21 survived. Another source: On her way to Gothenburg, with oil from Port Arthur, Texas. Sunk by U 46.
04-12 - m/s Kexholm	North Atlantic - German bomber	Crew survived.
04-17 - m/s Venezuela	53.00N 18.00W - torpedo, German sub	41 Swedish crew killed, and 4 men and 4 women from Finland who were passengers. No one survived. On 04-10 a German plane had missed with 6 bombs, but close enough for detonations to cause some damages. A seventh bomb had gone through the main deck, but not exploded. Then the plane used its machine guns, but no one was killed.
04-?? - m/s Trolleholm	Portugal - German ‘hijacker’ ship	Crew taken onboard German ship Thor, and explosives attached on Trolleholm.
05-04 - Japan	West Africa - German sub
05-15 - s/s Ossian	German North Sea coast - torpedoes and bombs, British planes	3 men killed.
06-06 - Taberg	35.36N 11.12W - Italian sub
06-22 - Calabria	Inishtrabull - German sub
07-05 - s/s Stig Gorthon	German North Sea coast - probably British magnetic mine
07-14 - s/s Aspen	Dutch coast - British bombers	Slightly damaged during nightly bomber attack in the Kiel channel, not hit during bomber attack the following night, but hit by 13 bombs (of which some did not explode) on 14th. One time-delayed bomb landed on the bridge, and was thrown over board where it exploded in the water. A German ship tried to tow the ship to Ijmuiden, but the ship leaked too much.
07-28 - Norita	40.10N 15.30W - probably torpedoes, German sub	After the attack U203 had to dive to avoid depth charges, but they reported torpedo detonations.
09-11 - s/s Garm	63.02N 37.51W - German sub	U432 shot two torpedoes and sunk one ship, which may have been Garm. One woman were among the survivors.
09-11 - Scania	63.14N 37.12W - torpedoes, German submarines	U82 hit with one torpedo, U202 hit with two torpedoes, and Scania sank.
09-16 - m/s Yarrawonga	Hamburg - British bombers
10-21 - s/s Hilda	Dutch coast - British bombers
10-27 - s/s Gunlög	Dutch coast - British bombers

11-01 - s/s Sigrid	Kiel area - British mine	11 men were killed. As so often the lifeboats were damaged when the mine exploded, and this time also the extra raft on deck was damaged. Loaded with iron ore, she sank in 30 seconds.
11-10 - s/s Vollrath Thamm	Dutch coast - British mine
11-22 - m/t Uno	Memel area in the Baltic Sea - probably German mine	The ship transported destilled water to submarine batteries. A German guard ship signalled, but the signals could not be understood - so the tanker sailed towards the guard ship, and hit a mine.
11-23 - s/s Hedda	Cuxhaven - British magnetic mine	The ship had anchored in the harbour in dense fog, waiting for the fog to lift before berthing and unloading the iron ore. The following day a mine exploded at the aft. Probably the ship had turned around the anchor.

05-13 - Tolken	51.50N 33.35W - German sub
05-19 - Tisnaren	03.38N 32.01W - Italian sub
05-30 - s/s Värmdö	Dutch coast - British bombs	6 men and 1 woman killed.
06-03 - Anna	34.10N 68.22W - German sub	Anna was reported to lack Swedish neutrality signs and illumination, and to sail with zigzag course.
06-09 - s/s Stureborg	Cyprus, Mediterranean Sea - torpedo or bombs, Italian plane	16 Swedes, 2 Portugese and 1 Egyptian crew killed, and 1 Swiss Red Cross representative. 10 of the 20 in the crew managed to get onto a raft. Lack of water and food killed one after the other, and when the raft stranded near Gaza after 22 days only one man was alive. The ship sailed in the Red Cross aid for Greece, and was on the way to Haifa to fetch wheat for Greece.
06-12 - s/s Bojan	Near Sassnitz, Baltic Sea - British magnetic mine	Towed towards land where she sank. Damaged both by the mine, as the cargo of paper pulp swelled, and by explosives used to unload the cargo. Sold as wreck, but reappeared as “Hoheweg”, in traffic for the rest of the war.
06-12 - s/s Senta	German North Sea coast - British bombers	At least 2 women survived. The ship sank so fast that the lifeboats were not launched until the main deck was below the water.
06-21 - s/s Eknö	German North Sea coast - mine
06-22 - s/s Ada Gorthon	East of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo	14 men killed, 8 survived. Torpedo hit midship. The ship had 2,000 metric tonnes iron ore in the fore and another 2,000 in the aft - and sank in less than 30 seconds.

07-01 - m/s Eknaren	Indian Ocean - Japanese sub
07-06 - m/s Argentina	Skagerak - mines	4 men killed.
07-06 - m/s Uddeholm	Skagerak - mines	All rescued. Argentina and Uddeholm had sailed all the way from South America, and were close to Sweden. When questioned by Germans in Norway, it was discovered that published information about a change in the minefield had not been received by the Swedish captains.

07-09 - s/s Margareta	North of Gotland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo	14 men killed, 4 survived.
07-11 m/s Luleå	North of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedo	8 men killed.
08-09 - s/s Sigyn	Dutch coast - mine
08-16 - m/s Suecia	55.43N 25.58W - German sub	Another source: She was Swedens first dieselpowered ocean-sailing ship, built in 1912, one of the first large dieselpowered ships on the planet. She sailed for Britain, and was on her way to Liverpool. One lifeboat went down, with 9 men.
08-18 - Blankaholm	19.41N 76.50W - German sub
08-18 - s/s Liljevalch	North of Öland, in Swedish waters - Soviet Union torpedoes	33 men killed, 7 survived. She was the first ship in a convoy of 16 ships (Swedish, German, Finnish and Dutch). She sank in 30-35 seconds.
08-22 - Hammaren	13.00N 38.15W - German sub
09-08 - s/s Tynningö	German North Sea coast - mine
09-09 - Peiping	23.50N 50.10W - German sub
09-13 - m/s Lima	02.35N 11.22W - German sub
10-01 - s/s Thule	Dutch coast - torpedo from British motor torpedo boat	9 men and 1 woman killed.
10-22 - m/s Remmaren	South Norway - mines	Crew rescued.
10-29 - s/s Bengt Sture	Southern Baltic Sea - probably Soviet Union torpedo	14 men and 1 woman killed. There are various indications that 5-7 of the crew were taken on board a Soviet Union submarine and brought to Kronstadt or Leningrad. Leningrad was under heavy German attack. Their fate has not come to clarity.
11-06 - s/s Lidingö	Kiel area - British magnetic mine	On 1 April 1941 she had hit a mine in Swedish waters south of Sweden, and sank I 8 metres deep water. Salvaged and repaired, and back in traffic on 1 August 1941.
12-13 - Scania	01.36N 32.22W - German submarine crew	Boarding party sank the ship.
12-14 - Etna	17.50N 46.20W - torpedo, German sub	The crew was warned and left the ship before it was torpedoed.
?? - s/s Urania	mine	At least 3 women survived.

05-25 - s/s Haneström V av Göta	German Baltic Sea coast - mine	2 men killed in hot steam leaking from broken pipes in the engine room. She sank in 24 metres deep water, but was salvaged and back in traffic in late August 1943.
05-29 - s/s Gondul	German Baltic Sea coast - mine	She was on the way from Germany to Sweden, apparently with among others iron, cars and oranges.
06-21 - Venezia	25.50S 38.38W - German sub
07-10 - m/s Scandinavia	08.28N 48.30W - German submarine crew	Stopped and sunk.
07-19 - s/s Vidar	Dutch coast - British magnetic mine
07-24 - m/t Pegasus	Indian Ocean - German sub
07-28 - s/s Gapern	Hamburg - bomb attack on the city	1 man killed.
10-09 - s/s A.K Fernström	Gdynia - bomb attack on the city
12-29 - m/s Camelia	Saloniki harbour, Mediterranean Sea - mine, probably British magnetic mine	After explosion towed to shallow water, where she sank. She was later salvaged, and after provisional repair towed to Sweden where she arrived in mid September 1944. (Yes, it’s apparently true. My note.)

05-13 - BT-V (tanker)	Stettin - bomb attack on the city	4 men killed. The ship had almost finished the loading of lubrication oil, this time for Sweden. (She had freighted oil to German submarines in the Baltic Sea many times.)
06-13 - m/s Fenja	Turkey - mine	Fenja made her maiden voyage in March 1944, and was sunk on 13 June 1944.
06-29 - s/s Libau	Near Sassnitz, Baltic Sea - British magnetic mine	1 man died the following day.
07-06 - m/t Solbris	German North Sea coast - mine
07-08 - s/s Sif	German North Sea coast - torpedo from British plane	She sailed from Emden in a convoy with 3 Swedish, 2 German and 2 Dutch ships. The convoy was escorted by 8 German naval ships, among them 2 destroyers. Some 30 planes attacked, and several were shot down. 3 merchant ships were sunk, and there were damages on escort ships.
08-12 - s/s Nämdö	German North Sea coast - mine	4 men killed. She had made around 50 trips to and from Germany. (On 29 May 1942 she sailed in a convoy behind s/s Värmdö from the same shipping company, when that ship was sunk. One bomb hit the gunwale on Nämdö and went overboard before it exploded. The side of the ship got damaged, but she could sail on. When the plane came back for another attack it flew so low that one wing hit the foremast on Nämdö, and the plane fell into the sea and sank.)
09-06 - s/s Rosafred	German North Sea coast - torpedo from British plane	Due to the growing risks for the crews and ships, this was planned to be her last trip to Germany with iron ore. Around 30 planes attacked the convoy, and they no longer had to fear German fighters intercepting. Another source: She was on the way from Emden towards Stockholm, with coal, and sailed in a German convoy.

11-24 - s/s Hansa	Between the Swedish mainland and the Swedish island Gotland - torpedo from Soviet Union sub	84 people killed. Another source: It was earlier believed that the attack on this passenger ship was a mistake, but in 1993 it was disclosed that the shipping company who owned Hansa transported German soldiers and equipment in 1944. Maybe that was known by the submarine captain?
12-29 - s/s Venersborg	Southern Swedish Baltic Sea coast - torpedo from Soviet Union sub	17 men and 2 women were killed.

?? - s/s Svanen	mine	Crew survived, among others Märta Frese who had signed on in 1944. She was a pensioner at the time she signed on.
?? - Vesta, fishing boat	Mine