MS Borgestad

MS Borgestad
Class overview
NameMS Borgestad
In service1925-1941
History
NameBorgestad

MS Borgestad was a Norwegian diesel-powered cargo ship, built at Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen in 1925.[1] The vessel is known for having engaged the German heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper to protect a convoy, where many of the vessels managed to escape thanks to her actions. Borgestad was sunk in early 1941 and all 31 people on board perished.[2] Captain Lars Grotnæss was awarded the War Cross, post mortem.

Encounter with Admiral Hipper

Borgestad's encounter in the Atlantic with Admiral Hipper in 30 January 1941 was reported in Norwegian newspapers as early as May 1945, including Agderposten.

Borgestad under fire, its last moments, 1941

The ship was travelling east across the Atlantic towards England and the convoy's destination, Liverpool. The convoy was without a military escort and Borgestad was in the front line of the convoy. Borgestad was armed with a single gun, which was manned. The ship headed straight for the German cruiser and fired relentlessly, even though they knew that the target could not be reached with a small anti-submarine gun.

Captain Lars Grotnes's maneuver gave the other ships in the convoy chance to disperse while the German cruiser turned its attention to the attacker. Agderposten characterizes this as a battle between David and Goliath, and it could not last long. After a broadside from the cruiser, Borgestad was sunk. The German cruiser sank a further five of the convoy's ships.

"... it is certain that if Borgestad's crew had not so bravely sacrificed their lives, the convoy's losses would have been far greater", writes Agderposten. "The feat was also praised as one of the most brilliant examples of Norwegian seamanship and patriotism during the war, and Borgestad's entire crew was decorated after their death"[3]

Trips

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
Apr. 1 1940 Durban Cape Town Apr. 4 Independent For earlier trips see this Note
Apr. 8 1940 Cape Town Takoradi Apr. 19 Independent
Apr. 26 1940 Takoradi Baie Comeau ? Independent Arrived at Sorel-Tracy in May 20 [4]
May 27, 1940 Baie Comeau Botwood June 1 Independent
June 5, 1940 Botwood Cristóbal June 23 Independent
June 24, 1940 Balboa Los Angeles July 7 Independent
July 7, 1940 Los Angeles Tacoma July 13 Independent
July 15, 1940 Tacoma Vancouver July 16 Independent
July 24, 1940 Vancouver Colombo Sept. 9 Independent
Sept. 18 1940 Colombo Bombay Sept. 24 Independent
Sept. 24 1940 Bombay Port Sudan Oct. 8 BN 6 For Port Sudan

(left convoy Oct. 7) Convoy available at BN 6[5]

Nov. 7 1940 Port Sudan ? ? BS 8 For Port Elizabeth.

Dispersed off Aden, Nov. 12. Convoy available at BS 8 [6]

Nov. 12 1940 Dispersed from BS 8 Port Elizabeth Nov. 30 Independent
Dec. 30 1940 Port Elizabeth Cape Town Jan. 2 1941 Independent
Jan. 3 1941 Cape Town Freetown Jan. 19 Independent
Jan. 30 1941 Freetown ? ? SLS 64[7] Sunk by German cruiser Admiral Hipper

[8]

References

  1. ^ Krigsseilerregisteret.no. "M/S Borgestad". krigsseilerregisteret.no. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  2. ^ "M/S Borgestad - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945". warsailors.com. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  3. ^ "Fotoarkivet etter Gunnar Knudsen. Gruppe mennesker ombord på skipet "D/S Borgestad" i New York". digitaltmuseum.no. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  4. ^ http://www.warsailors.com/riksarkivet/borgestad.gif
  5. ^ "Arnold Hague convoy database - BN convoys". www.convoyweb.org.uk.
  6. ^ "Arnold Hague convoy database - misc convoys". www.convoyweb.org.uk.
  7. ^ "Convoy SLS 64 - warsailors.com". www.warsailors.com.
  8. ^ "M/S Borgestad - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945". warsailors.com. Retrieved 2023-10-27.