Eidsvold

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shipstamps
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:12 pm

Eidsvold

Post by shipstamps » Tue Feb 24, 2009 4:47 pm



Owner: Skibs-A/S Eidsiva
Manager: Sverre Ditlev-Simonsen & Co., Oslo
Tonnage: 4184 gt, 2368 net, 8330 tdwt
Call Sign: LSVR
Built in Gothenburg 1934.

When Norway was invaded on Apr. 9-1940 Eidsvold was at Moji, Japan, loading scrap iron. The company's Vinni was also there at the time, as was M/S Ringwood. Eidsvold had just been chartered that day to the Japanese company Kawasaki, and their orders were to continue to India to take on board a cargo for the U.S. but upon hearing about the invasion they remained at Moji for a few days, until new orders came for them to head to Hong Kong.
She was back in Suez on Jan. 1-1941, continued to Aden for bunkers, then to Calcutta for a cargo for Australia. This was discharged at Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. New cargo was then loaded at all 4 of the mentioned ports whereupon she went to Port Said where part of that cargo was unloaded. From Haifa she continued to The Red Sea and loaded a cargo of phosphates. Following sailings around New Zealand, Australia and Haifa, she then departed Suez in ballast at the beginning of Dec. From the 21st December 1941 until Jan. 3-1942 (having been by Aden) she was at Colombo for the installation of cement slabs around the machine guns on the bridge, then headed for Christmas Island (south of Java) on Jan. 3-1942.
Final fate 1942:

Eidsvold arrrived Christmas Island on Jan. 12-1942 and had loaded 3700 tons phosphates for Fremantle on the 13th and 14th when a storm came up and she had to head to sea to anchor up off Margaret Beach in order to wait for the weather to improve so that she could continue loading.
At 14:30 on January 20-1942, the 2nd Mate reported seeing what looked like the wake of a torpedo on the port side. The Captain decided to go close to land and report the incident, whereupon the pilot came on board and told them they had often seen whales around the island, but to be on the safe side he advised them to stay close to land, protected by the fort there (it had one single canon), and also told them where they could beach the ship in case something happened. The lifeboats were now swung out and all the rescue equipment checked and Eidsvold was moved as close to the fort as possible - Eidsvold herself only had 3 Colt Marlin machine guns to defend herself with.
She was about 4 cable lengths from the fort when at 18:15 the captain spotted a periscope on the starboard side and immediately gave orders to the 1st mate, who had also come to the bridge, for full ahead and hard port wheel. Just then a torpedo was seen coming towards them, the lookout on the starboard side was told to run to the port side of the ship, and shortly thereafter the torpedo struck forward of No. 4 hatch, breaking her almost in 2 (the torpedo had come from the Japanese I-159, Yoshimatsu). The starboard lifeboat was filled with water and oil, but the crew of 31 managed to get to shore. According to the 2nd mate's report the sub came up shortly afterwards, but a few salvos from the gun at the fort made it disappear in a hurry. By 19:30 the entire complement was ashore and the shipwrecked men were given lodgings at the homes of various local families.
In the course of the following night Eidsvoll broke completely in two, and as both parts drifted towards shore and settled in shallow waters, with the 2 parts about 40' away from each other, her crew made many trips back and forth rescuing equipment, food, clothing, etc. (incl. the ship's papers). Even the radio station was disassembled and taken ashore, where it was used by the inhabitants of the island.
After over 2 weeks on Christmas Island the crew was picked up on Feb. 6 by the cruiser Durban (British) and taken to Batavia, where they waited for 10 days for further transport.
The wreckage of Eidsvoll was still visible in the 1950's.
SG362, 363.
Detail from Wikepedia

aukepalmhof
Posts: 7771
Joined: Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:28 am

Re: Eidsvold

Post by aukepalmhof » Tue Jun 22, 2021 9:18 pm

Update:
The Australian passenger vessel MARELLA arrived from Singapore with 400 passengers (evacuees?).
Her Malayan crew had apparently had enough of the war at sea and left the ship soon after arrival, thereby leaving the MARELLA in need of crew.
The entire crew from EIDSVOL was sent aboard to be in charge of the lifeboats in case something should happen to the ship and arrived on 21 March at Sydney.


Missing stamps:
Christmas Islands 1992 45/80c sg 362/63
Attachments
1992 Eidsvold--Hit-by-Torpedo (2).jpg
1992 Eidsvold--Sinking (2).jpg

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