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SS Vigrid: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 50°03′N 05°55′W / 50.050°N 5.917°W / 50.050; -5.917
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{{About|the Norwegian First World War cargo ship||Vigrid (disambiguation)}}
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Revision as of 15:34, 12 June 2011

History
Norway
NameVigrid
NamesakeVígríðr - the large field foretold to host a battle between the forces of the Norse gods and the forces of the jötunn Surtr as part of the events of Ragnarök.
Ownerlist error: <br /> list (help)
Anton Barth von der Lippe (1915-1917)
D/S A/S Vigrid (1917)
Port of registrylist error: <br /> list (help)
Tønsberg (1915-1917)
Bergen (1917)
BuilderBergens Mekaniske Verksted in Bergen, Norway
Yard number191
Launched29 October 1915
Identificationlist error: <br /> list (help)
Code letters:
MLRT
FateTorpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-95 on 31 December 1917
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage1,617
Length74.5 metres (244 ft)
Beam11.5 metres (38 ft)
Draught15.8 feet (4.8 m)
Installed power885 ihp
PropulsionTriple-expansion steam engine

SS Vigrid was a Norwegian steam powered cargo ship built in 1915. Sailing during the First World War, she was torpedoed and sunk without warning by a German U-boat on 31 December 1917.

Construction

A 1,617 gross tonnes (951 net tonnes) vessel, she was built by the shipyard Bergens Mekaniske Verksted in the Western Norwegian port city of Bergen with yard number 191, being launched on 29 October 1915 and completed the next month.[1][2] Vigrid was powered by a single triple-expansion 885 ihp steam turbine engine. She measured 74.5 metres (244 ft) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 11.5 metres (38 ft) and a draught of 15.8 feet (4.8 m). After completion she was assigned the code letters MLRT.[2][3]

First World War

Vigrid sailed during the First World War, with H.M. Jensen as her captain. She belonged to the company of ship-broker Anton Barth von der Lippe in the port city Tønsberg, until she was bought by ship-broker Johan Waage's company D/S A/S Vigrid of Bergen in August 1917.[1][4]

The shaded areas show the unrestricted submarine warfare zone announced by Germany on 1 February 1917. Vigrid was sunk in the English Channel, well within the zone.

Sinking

On 31 December 1917 she was attacked and torpedoed without warning by the German U-boat U-95, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Athalwin Prinz. U-95 belonged to the IV Flottille U-boat unit. Vigrid sank in the English Channel some ten nautical miles west-north-west of Rundelstone Buoy, at 50°03′N 05°55′W / 50.050°N 5.917°W / 50.050; -5.917. At the time of her sinking, she was en route from the port of Barry in Wales to Rouen in France with a cargo of 2,102 tons of coal.[3][4][5] Five members of the crew were lost, while the captain and thirteen other crewmen survived the loss of the ship and landed at Penzance in Cornwall. Three of the sailors lost on Vigrid were Swedish citizens, the other two Norwegians.[4][1]

Aftermath

On 16 January 1918, 16 days after sinking Vigrid, U-95 was lost with all 36 crew members to unknown causes near Hardelot in France. Before being lost, U-95 had managed to sink a total of 14 ships and damaging another three vessels during the course of the six patrols she carried out in her career.[5]

Von der Lippe would later acquire another ship of the same name, MS Vigrid. She was built by the German shipyard Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as MS Titania before being bought by the shipping company Bruun & von der Lippes Rederi in 1937 and renamed Vigrid. She was sold later in 1937, and sunk as part of the Second World War convoy HX-133 in 1941.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Bergensdamperen "Vigrid" sænket nytaarsaften". Aftenposten Aften (in Norwegian). 2 January 1918. p. 1.
  2. ^ a b |register={{{register}}} is not a valid registry name (help)
  3. ^ a b Tandberg, Arne. "Norske skipsforlis i 1917" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Shipping History Society. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Steamer Vigrid". Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 June 2011.
  5. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "WWI U-boats: U 95". Uboat.net. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
  6. ^ Lawson, Siri Holm (28 January 2010). "M/S Vigrid". Warsailors.com. Retrieved 3 June 2011.