WINDWARD PASSAGE LOSS

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Hanseat - (1935-1942)

MS Hanseat

MARCH, 1942 saw three Panama Transport Company tankers attacked by submarines -all in the Caribbean area

and all within one week.

The Esso Bolivar was shelled, but not sunk, in Windward Passage, 30 miles southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba, on

March 8, 1942. The next day and 60 miles away, at the northern entrance to Windward Passage, the Hanseat was

torpedoed, shelled, and sunk, March 9.

Four days later, on Friday, March 13, the Penelope was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean, 180 miles west of

Martinique.

A Danish crew of 38 manned the Hanseat at the time of her loss. All hands were saved and no serious injuries re-

sulted. The story was told in the statements of Captain Einar E.V. Brandt, Chief Engineer Carl H. Sorensen, and

others.

Captain Brandt reported:

"I joined the Hanseat as master in the roads off Staten Island, New York, on March 1, 1942, and we sailed that day

in ballast for Caripito. The weather was fair and we steered a course complying with routing instructions. The ves-

sel was unarmed.

"'1\Te raised the coast of Cuba early on the morning of March 9. The Hanseat had been following a zigzag course

but at 5:30 a.m., ship time, we stopped zigzagging and the engine was put full speed ahead in order to make our

scheduled run in the daytime.

Hit by Two Torpedoes

"When the attack came we were about 10 miles north northeast of Cape Maysi. (Cape Maysi is the eastern tip of

Cuba; the Hal1seat was nearly in "Vindward Passage.) At 4 a.m. I had joined Chief Mate Peter Christiansen on the

bridge. Karl A. Karlsson, A.B., was helmsman. Robert G. Andersen, O.S., was lookout atop the bridge and Johan

O. Skantz, A.B., was on watch on the poop deck. The weather was fine, visibility excellent.

"Two torpedoes struck the starboard side almost simultaneously at 5:55 a.m. The first hit the bow and tore holes in

both sides. The second struck far aft, just ahead of the propeller. The chief mate started the general alarm signal.

"The ship settled by the stern immediately and I gave the order 'Stop engine' on the engineroom telegraph. It was

complied with at once. The decision to stop the engine was taken by me because the ship was hit aft and the order

appeared necessary to protect the engine crew.

"In the meantime Chief Mate Christiansen had ordered the helm hard astarboard. Radio Operator Svend P. Mohr

reported to the bridge and I instructed him to send out an SOS with the ship's position relative to Cape Maysi.

Engineers' Statements

"Chief Engineer Sorensen came amidships and informed me that water was pouring into the engineroom. I gave

the order to abandon ship. At 6: 10 a.m. all four lifeboats were lowered, with all hands. safe."

To quote from the statement of Chief Engineer Sorensen:

"When the torpedoes struck I went to the top of the engineroom and called for Third Engineer Harry B. Hansen and

Junior Engineer Nils A. Jacobsen, both of whom were on the 4 to 8 watch. Nobody answered me. I could hear water

pouring into the engineroom and the room was full of smoke. I went to inquire for Hansen and Jacobsen, failed to

find them, and returned to the engineroom, which was. now half filled with water. I called again, but there was still no

answer. '''Then Second Engineer Oscar L. Christiansen informed me that both Hansen and Jacobsen were safe at

their boat stations, I went to my own lifeboat. On the way I met Chief Mate Christiansen, who asked me if the engine

could be started again. I replied that it would not be possible, as the engineroom was half full of water and the port

auxiliary motor and generator were stopped by the explosion, possibly by a break in the fuel line."

Third Engineer Hansen's report included the following:

"I was on maneuver station when a torpedo hit on the starboard side just at the after part of the main motor, causing

a huge amount of water to pour into the engineroom and filling it with powder smoke. I received the order from the

bridge to stop the engine and immediately complied. I then told Junior Engineer Jacobsen to go to his boat station.

About a minute later the water was lY2 feet above the floor plates and rising very rapidly. Realizing that nothing more

could be done, I ran up on deck."

Junior Engineer Jacobsen stated:

"I was about 20 feet from the place where the torpedo hit, tearing a hole through the side. It threw me off my feet."

Sent SOS Radio Operator Mohr:

"Immediately after the attack I reported on the bridge to Captain Brandt, who ordered me to send a distress call and

gave me the position of the ship. I then proceeded to the radio room and switched on the emergency light, disconnect-

ed the auto alarm, and shifted the main antenna from auto alarm reception to transmission and from intermediate freq-

uency main transmitter to the emergency transmitter. After checking' to see that all was ready, I sent the following mes-

sage:

SOS SOS SOS DE (from) HPFK HPFK HPFK (call letters of the Hanseat) HANSEAT TORPEDOED TEN MILES

NORTH OF CAPE MAYS I. PLEASE HELP.

"Each word was sent twice with a transmission speed of approximately 12 words per minute, every letter clear and

distinct.

"I then shifted to reception. As my message was not acknowledged, I pressed the key down and checked the antenna

current. The meter showed a little over 1.5 amperes. The note was as fine as it could be from any spark transmitter

using two spark gaps.

"I again transmitted the message, sending each word twice, at a speed of 15 words per minute. Still no answer. I sent

the message three more times, each word twice. During the last repetition I was ordered to my lifeboat station by

Captain Brandt, so I finished the message with the following:

ARE NOW GOING INTO THE LIFEBOATS.

"I attempted to screw the key fast in order to send a continuous signal for bearing purposes, but as the captain freq-

uently called me, my hands got shaky and the key jammed."

When the boats had been launched, Captain Brandt gave orders to steer southwest.

"At this time," he reported, "the periscope of a submarine was sighted. It ran past Chief Mate Christiansen's boat at

a distance of about five yards and passed about 50 yards astern of the Hanseat, which was now headed north."

Third Mate Marius Albertsen said:

"I abandoned ship in lifeboat No.4, which was equipped with an outboard motor. I steered alongside Captain Brandt's

boat and received orders to proceed to the nearest point on the coast where aid could be obtained. At 12: 30 p.m.

we arrived at the village of Maysi, where we got in touch with the authorities. Ten minutes later we left aboard the

motor launch Conario, in search of the other three life boats."

Continuing Captain Brandt's statement:

"We saw the submarine surface at about 8:30 a.m., half a mile from the Hanseat, and then run off to a distance of ap-

proximately one and a half miles. At 9 a.m. she started to shell the Hanseat. The shelling continued until noon. More

than 200 rounds were fired and the port side of the Hanseat was set ablaze at 9:40 a.m.

"In the meantime we were pulling toward shore. At 2 p.m. we were about seven miles from the Hanseat and all we

could see was a column of smoke. At this time the Panama Transport Company tanker MS Phoebus (bound from

New York to Caripito) was sighted bearing directly toward the Hanseat. I hoisted a yellow flag to warn her. The

Phoebus came near the lifeboats and Captain Hans K. Groth spoke to the men in Chief Mate Christiansen's boat

and then to those in my boat, inquiring about our condition and offering assistance. I told Captain Groth to keep on

going in order not to endanger his ship by stopping. He promised to send help and proceeded on his course. By

this time the last sign of smoke from the Hanseat had disappeared, leading us to believe she had sunk.

Rescued

"At about 3 p.m. the motor launch Corsario arrived and took boats Nos. 1, 2, and 3 in tow. She landed us at Maysi

at 4:30 p.m. Later the Conario transported us westward along the coast from Maysi to Baracoa, Cuba.

"The behavior of my crew was exceptionally orderly at all times."

The 38 survivors of the Hanseat were taken by bus from Baracoa to Havana. From Havana they were flown to Miami,

where they entrained for New York, arriving March 24, 1942.

The MS Hanseat was built in 1929 by Vulcanwerke at Hamburg, Germany. A single-screw vessel of 11,115 dead-

weight tons capacity on international summer draft of 28 feet, 5% inches, she had an overall length of 461 feet,

5.Y2 inches, a length between perpendiculars of 440 feet, a moulded breadth of 64 feet, and a depth moulded

of 35 feet, 3 inches. Her cargo carrying capacity was 71,025 barrels.

The Hanseat was especially designed for carrying lubricating oils and was equipped with special lubricating oil

pumps and cylindrical oil tanks.

The Motor Tanker "Hanseat," especially designed for transporting lubricating oils

Her Diesel engine developed 3,600 brake horsepower and gave her an average speed, loaded, of 11 % knots.

The Hanseat reached New York from Rotterdam on August 20, 1939. On the same day her German crew was re-

placed by Americans. Captain Lester S. McKenzie became master of the Hanseat and Chief Engineer Percy O.

Gill took charge of her engineroom. The Germans were repatriated on the Europa, which sailed August 22.

First Wartime Cargo

The Hanseat loaded her first wartime cargo, 69,621 barrels of lubricating oil, at New York and sailed for Copenhag-

en September 22, 1939. She was intercepted en route by a British cruiser and ordered to a British port for exami-

nation. The July-August, 1940, issue of The Ships' Bulletin quoted an account of this incident and also of what the

Hanseat's crew witnessed at the detention port. It was written by Chief Mate Sydney Wire (now Industrial Relations

Assistant, Operating Division, Marine Department) . Mr. Wire's story is re.quoted herewith:

"Only 36 hours out of New York on the voyage and about 300 miles east of Ambrose Lightship we were halted by a

large British cruiser of the Essex type.

"Coming from far astern, the cruiser had signaled with code flags, 'What ship?'. After we gave our name, port of

departure, and destination, we were commanded to heave to. The cruiser maneuvered to a position close by and

sent off a cutter containing two officers and ten enlisted men. They came aboard, examined the ship's papers,

questioned the crew as to nationality, etc., and finally ordered us to proceed to Kirkwall, in the Orkney Islands.

"The British maintained a strict supervision of all shipping bound to European ports, and all vessels headed east-

ward were diverted into a British port for examination. Those vessels proceeding via north of Scotland were taken

into Kirkwall, which was England's principal examination port for ships bound into the Baltic and Scandinavian ports.

Scapa Flow, principal base of the British Home Fleet, is separated from Kirkwall by a strip of land one and a half

miles wide. Upon arrival at Kirkwall the ship's papers were taken ashore and sent to London to be examined by

the Ministry for Economic Warfare."

The Hanseat arrived at Kirkwall on October 8 and was there on the night of the 14th, when a German submarine

carried out one of the most daring and dramatic exploits of the war. The U-boat was commanded by Captain-

Lieutenant Guenther Prien. Under cover of darkness, and somehow getting through the anti-submarine defenses

of Scapa Flow, she stole into the harbor. In quick succession at least three, and perhaps four, torpedoes exploded

against the side of the battleship HMS Royal Oak, 29,150 ton "floating fortress", and she sank rapidly. Of the

warship's complement of upwards of 1,200 men, 786 lost their lives in this tragedy.

Saw Bombing at Scapa Flow

The crew of the Hanseat could not, in the darkness, see what was happening; but they heard the explosions and

the resulting furore as British patrol vessels tried to track down and destroy the enemy raider. The Germans es-

caped to boast of their achievement.

A few days later the crew of the Hanseat witnessed an air raid on Scapa Flow, which was described by Chief

Mate '!\Tire in the Bulletin article referred to: "Wednesday, October 17, broke fine and clear. Our lifeboat crew

had just fi nished securing our boat after the morning drill when at 9:30 we heard the air raid warnmg.

"The mournful drone of Kirkwall's siren came floating over the water, bringing a chill to the hearts of the seamen

on the many neutral ships which lay anchored in the bay awaiting clearance by the British.

"Gun crews on the nearby naval ships could be seen racing to their posts and the Royal Air Force landing field

on shore close by became a beehive of activity as the ground crew began rolling out the planes and tuning up

the motors.

"There they are! Eight of them! German bombers!

Almost with the shout came the dull report of Scapa Flow's anti-aircraft batteries, about one and a half miles

distant. 'White smoke puffs from anti-aircraft shells began to appear in great numbers as volley after volley of

British fire was sent screaming into the sky over Scapa.

"We sighted the German raiders high above the bursting shells as they came roaring toward Scapa Flow. There

were eight huge planes, silver in color. \!\T e estimated their altitude to be over 12,000 feet as seen through the

ship's glasses.

Raider Falls in Flames

"The naval vessels in ,IGrkwall Bay now had the range and were blazing away unceasingly. One of the raiders

was seen falling in flames, end over end, coming down somewhere in the vicinity .of Scapa Flow. Mingled with

the sharp bark of the anti-aircraft guns was the heavy thud of the German bombs falling on Scapa. We learned

later from passing boatmen that HMS Iron Duke was struck and severely damaged.

"At about 10: 30 a.m. the firing ceased as the German planes disappeared over the North Sea.

"On the following morning at 10 o'clock a single German raider flew over Kirkwall at a great height. It was a fine,

clear day and his silver wings glistening in the sun were easily discernible.

"The German pilot circled his plane high overhead with an almost tangible attitude of contempt as the white

puffs of the ground batteries broke far beneath him. No bombs were dropped, however, and after a last slow

circle over Scapa and Kirkwall the German turned and headed tor home.

"It .vas not without a great sigh of relief that on Sunday, October 22, we received word that we were to be re-

leased and could continue the voyage to Denmark. Our papers were returned from London and at I p.m. on

Sunday we hove anchor and sailed.

"We reached Copenhagen without further incident, except the occasional circling of a British patrol plane

while we were crossing the North Sea."

The Hanseat arrived at Copenhagen October 25.

The Americans left the vessel about October 26 and were replaced by a Danish crew. The Hanseat was man-

ned by Danes for the rest of her career. The Americans were repatriated on the Moore-McCormack liner Scan-

states sailing from Copenhagen October 31 and reaching New York November IS, 1939.

Returning from Copenhagen the Hanseat repaired at Mobile, then loaded a mixed cargo of lubricants at Baton

Rouge, New Orleans, New York, and Philadel· phia and discharged at Le Havre and Rouen, France, in March,

1940.

Her next cargo, lubricating oil again, loaded at New York, was also taken to France. She discharged at Le Havre,

Rouen, and other Seine River ports and left there June 8, 1940. That she cut the time rather

fine was attested by press dispatches for June 8 which stated that German forces had broken through Allied

lines, had reached a point not far from Rouen, and were threatening Dieppe and Le Havre.

The Hanseat completed discharge at the French ports of La Pall ice and Furt, proceeded to the control port of

Casablanca for orders, and started her homeward voyage July 2.

She was then assigned to coastwise and South American service and remained in, western Hemisphere

waters for the remainder of her career.

The wartime transportation record of the Hanseat was in summary as follows:

Year	Voyages (Cargoes)	Barrels
1939	1	66,621
1940	4	282,498
1941	11	768,406
1942	3	212,161
	19	1,332,686

The Scandinavian masters of the Hanseat during the war were Captains C.M. Albertsen, Sigvald Madsen,

M.T. Anderson, and Einar E.V. Brandt.

Associated with them were Chief Engineers Anders P. Iversen, Jens K. Jensen, and Carl H. Sorensen.

Survivors of the "Hanseat" March 9 1942 ;

Einar E. V. Brandt	Master
Peter Christiansen	Ch. Off.
Haarvard A. Johnsen	2nd Off.
Marius Albertsen	3rd Off.
Carl H. Sorensen	Ch. Engr.
Oscar L. Christiansen	2nd Engr.
Harry B. Hansen	3rd Engr.
Harald S. Nielsen	4th Engr.
Eigil K. Pallesen	Jr. Engr.
Soren G. Belsjoe	Jr. Engr.
Els A. Jacobsen	Jr. Engr.
Johan P. Sorensen	Jr. Engr.
Svend P. Mohr	Radio Op.
Svend G. Larsen	Elect.
Johan E. Kristiansen	Steward
Eilert Reichelt	Ch. Cook
Andreas N. R. Larsen	Bos'n
Corneel Amelinkx	Pumpman
Johan H. Moller	A.B.
Michael F. Jensen	A.B.
Morten E. Nielsen	A.B.
Jens A. K. Hansen	A.B.
Johan O. Skantz	A.B.
Karl A. Karlsson	A.B.
Jens S. Jensen	A.B.
IbN. Molvig	A.B.
Svend A. P. Christensen	O.S.
Robert G. Andersen	O.S.
Hans P. E. Johansen	D k yman.
Gunnar W. O. Johansson	Oiler
Ludvig I. Larsen	Oiler
Arne G. Birknes	Oiler
Hans A. Albertsen	Oiler
Jens D. H. Rasmussen	2nd Cook
Fritz Olsen	M.M.
William Boyd	M.M.
Ahmed Hussein	M.M.
Gerald Taaffe	M.M.