SS Dr. Heinrich Wiegand (1938)

Last updated
330-PS-6135-2 (17232281942).jpg
Else Basse burning, 25 August 1953.
History
Name
  • Dr. Heinrich Wiegand (1938–49)
  • Else Basse (1949–55)
  • Kaarina (1955–68)
Namesake
Owner
  • Argo Line (1938–39)
  • Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
  • United States Maritime Commission (1946–48)
  • Seatrade Corporation (1948–49)
  • AS Hetland (1949–54)
  • Oy Suomi Shipping Ab – Finska Fiskeri Ab (1954–56)
  • Suomen Kalastus Oy (1957–64)
Operator
  • Owner operated except-
  • Ab R. Nordström & Co., Oy (1955–61)
Port of registry
BuilderNylands Verksted
Yard number340
Launched1 September 1938
Completed25 October 1938
Out of service4 May 1968
Identification
  • Code Letters DOUR (1934–49)
  • ICS Delta.svg ICS Oscar.svg ICS Uniform.svg ICS Romeo.svg
  • Pennant Number TS(K)6 (1939–43)
  • Pennant Number V 601 (1943–44)
  • Schiff 12 (1939–44)
  • Code Letters OUUC (1949–54)
  • ICS Oscar.svg ICS Uniform.svg ICS Uniform.svg ICS Bravo.svg
  • Denmark Official Number 13023 (1949–54)
  • Code Letters OFUM (1954–68)
  • ICS Oscar.svg ICS Foxtrot.svg ICS Uniform.svg ICS Mike.svg
  • Finland Official Number Lovisa 482 (1955–63)
  • Finland Official Number Kokkola 71 (1963–68)
FateScrapped
General characteristics
Class and type
Tonnage1,421  GRT, 797  NRT, 2,500  DWT
Length77.90 metres (255 ft 7 in)
Beam12.52 metres (41 ft 1 in)
Draught5.36 metres (17 ft 7 in)
Depth4.45 metres (14 ft 7 in)
Installed powerCompound steam engine, 54 nhp
PropulsionScrew propeller
Speed12 knots (22 km/h)

Dr. Heinrich Wiegand was a cargo ship that was built in 1938 by Nysted Verksted, Oslo for the Argo Line, Bremen. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during World War II and was designated Schiff 12. She was sunk in September 1944 but was raised post-war and returned to service as Else Basse. She was sold to Finland in 1954 and renamed Kaarina. She was scrapped in 1968.

Contents

Description

The ship was 77.90 metres (255 ft 7 in) long, with a beam of 12.52 metres (41 ft 1 in). She had a depth of 4.45 metres (14 ft 7 in), [1] and a draught of 5.36 metres (17 ft 7 in). [2] She was assessed at 1,421  GRT, 797  NRT, [1] 2,500  DWT. [2]

She was powered by a four-cylinder compound steam engine, which had two cylinders of 430 millimetres (16+3⁄4 in) diameter and two cylinders of 850 millimetres (33+1⁄2 in) diameter by 850 millimetres (33+1⁄2 in) stroke. The engine was built by Nylands Verkstged, Oslo. It was rated at 54 nhp and drove a screw propeller via a low-pressure turbine and a hydraulic coupling. [1] It could propel her at 12 knots (22 km/h). [2]

History

Dr. Heinrich Wiegand was built as yard number 340 by Nylands Verksted, Oslo for Argo Line, Bremen. She was launched on 1 September 1939 and completed on 25 October. [3] Her port of registry was Bremen and the Code Letters DOUR were allocated. [1]

On 13 September 1938, Dr. Heinrich Wiegand was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine. She was allocated the pennant number TS(K)2 and designated Schiff 12. Conversion for military use took from 29 November to 23 December. [3] She was allocated to 6 Vorpostengruppe, and from 1943 to 6 Vorpostenflotille as V 601 Dr. Heinrich Wiegand. [4] From 17 August 1940 to 17 September 1942, she was used as a transport ship in Norwegian waters. On 18 September 1944, she was sunk at Wesermünde during an Allied air attack. [3]

Dr. Heinrich Wiegand was later refloated. On 20 July 1946, she was allocated to the United States as a prize of war. [3] A notice appeared in The Times in August 1946 that her status as a prize was being decided in the British courts. [5] She was allocated to the United States Maritime Commission. [2] She retained the Code Letters DOUR. [6] In 1948, she was sold to Seatrade Corp., New York City. [7]

USNS LST-327, which assisted in extinguishing the fire aboard Else Basse in August 1953. 330-PS-6135-3 (17233455751).jpg
USNS LST-327, which assisted in extinguishing the fire aboard Else Basse in August 1953.

In November 1949, [3] she was sold to AS Hetland, Copenhagen, Denmark and renamed Else Basse. [7] The Code Letters OUUC and Danish Official Number 13023 were allocated. [2] On 19 August 1953, while on a voyage from Greenland to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, [8] she caught fire off Cape Anguille, Newfoundland, Canada. Her 24 crew and a passenger were rescued by the British steamship Corner Brook. [9] The fire was extinguished by the United States Army tug LT-1953 and the United States Naval Service Landing Ship, Tank USNS LST-287. Else Basse was towed to St. George Bay by LT-1953 and LST-287. [8] She was later towed to Philadelphia. She was subsequently towed to Copenhagen, arriving on 28 October. Else Basse was laid up. [2]

On 1 April 1954, [2] she was sold to Oy Suomi Shipping Ab, Loviisa, [10] Finland and renamed Kaarina. She was rebuilt. The Code Letters OFUM were allocated. [2] She was operated under the management of AB R. Nordström & Co., Oy until 1962. Kaarina was sold in 1963 to M. Rauanheimo Oy, Kokkola. Her port of registry was changed to Kokkola in 1964. [10] She arrived at Hamburg, West Germany on 4 May 1968 for scrapping by Eckhardt & Co. [3]

Related Research Articles

Norddeutscher Lloyd was a German shipping company. It was founded by Hermann Henrich Meier and Eduard Crüsemann in Bremen on 20 February 1857. It developed into one of the most important German shipping companies of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and was instrumental in the economic development of Bremen and Bremerhaven. On 1 September 1970, the company merged with Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) to form Hapag-Lloyd AG.

SS <i>Donau</i> (1929) German cargo steamship sunk by Norwegian resistance in 1945

SS Donau was a Norddeutscher Lloyd (NDL) refrigerated cargo steamship that was built in Germany in 1929 and sunk in occupied Norway in 1945. In the 1930s she sailed mostly between Bremen and the West Coast of the United States via the Panama Canal.

Ceuta was a 2,719 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1929 for the Oldenburg-Portugiesische Dampfschiffs-Reederei. She was sunk during an air raid in 1943, but later raised, repaired and returned to service. She was seized as a war prize in 1945, passed to the British Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Camel.

Claus Rickmers was a 5,165 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1923 for Rickmers Reederei AG. She was sunk by Allied bombing at Larvik, Norway in 1945 and then salvaged and towed to Bergen for repairs. She was then seized as a war prize) and ownership passed to the UK's Ministry of War Transport (MoWT), being renamed Empire Carron on completion of repairs in 1947.

Minna was a 1,544 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1922 by Nylands Verksted, Kristiania, Norway for Swedish owners. In 1934, she was sold and renamed Britt. In 1939, she was captured by the Kriegsmarine and sold to German owners in 1940 and was renamed Leba. In 1945, she was seized by the Allies and passed to the Ministry of War Transport(MoWT). She was renamed Empire Conavon and was sold in 1947 to a British company and was renamed Baltkon. She served until 1959 when she was scrapped.

MV <i>Wickenburgh</i>

Wickenburgh was a cargo liner that was built in 1938 as Adler by Lübecker Maschinenbau Gesellschaft, Lübeck for German owners. Requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940, she was seized by the Allies in Vordingborg, Denmark in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Coningsby. In 1946, she was transferred to the Dutch Government and renamed Margeca. In 1947 she was sold into merchant service and renamed Wickenburgh. In 1953 her compound steam engine and low-pressure steam turbine were replaced with a diesel engine, with a reduction in gross register tonnage from 1,494 to 1,420. She was sold to Greek owners in 1963 and renamed Nissos Thassos. In 1970 she was sold to Panamanian owners and renamed Savilco. She was scrapped in 1984.

Orlanda was a cargo ship that was built in 1920 by F Krupp AG, Emden for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in Hamburg, in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Conington. In 1946, she was allocated to the Newfoundland Government. In 1949, she was sold to Panama and renamed Alabe. She served until 1958, when she was scrapped.

Edenhurst was a cargo ship that was built in 1930 by Furness Shipbuilding Ltd, Haverton Hill-on-Tees for British owners. She was sold in 1937 to Finnish owners and renamed Ilves. In 1939, she was sold to German owners and renamed Glückauf. In 1940 she was sold and renamed Warnow and was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in that year. She was seized by the Allies in Rendsburg in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Conleven. In 1946, she was allocated to the Soviet Government and renamed Alexandr Parkhomenko(Александр Пархоменко). The ship was deleted from Lloyd's Register in 1960.

Friedrich Bischoff was a 1,998 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1940 by Lübecker Maschinenbau Gesellschaft, Lübeck, Germany for German owners. She was sunk in an air raid in 1943, but later salvaged and returned to service. She was seized by the Allies in April 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Consequence. In 1947, she was transferred to the United States, and was sold into merchant service the following year. In 1951, she was sold to Finnish owners and renamed Kaisaniemi, serving until 1967 when she was scrapped.

Ganter was a 1,771 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1927 by G Seebeck AG, Bremerhaven, Germany for German owners. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War and operated as Transporter RO 29, she was seized by the Allies in May 1945. She was passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Consistance, being sold into merchant service in 1948. In 1950, she was sold to the Dutch government and renamed Jan Willem and then sold and renamed Maria in 1951. She was sold to Finnish owners later that year and being renamed Dagny. She served until she was scrapped in 1967.

SS <i>Barlind</i>

Barlind was a 1,453 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1938 as Süderau by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen, Germany for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Content. In 1946, she was allocated to Norway and renamed Svartnes. She was sold into merchant service in 1947 and renamed Barlind. In 1971, she was sold to Greece and renamed Ikaria. She served until 1972 when she was scrapped.

Alk was a 1,175 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1924 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany for German owners. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Contest. In 1946, she was allocated to the Soviet Union and renamed Vereshyagin (Верещагин). She served until about 1960, being deleted from Lloyd's Register in that year.

Jean Marie was a 964 GRT coaster that was built in 1922 by F Schichau GmbH, Elbing, Germany as Tertia for German owners. A sale in 1925 saw her renamed Hornland. In 1926, a further sale saw her renamed Taube. She was seized by the Allies in May 1945, passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and was renamed Empire Contour. In 1946, she was transferred to Belgium and renamed Jean Marie. She was sold into merchant service, serving until 1951 when she sank after her cargo shifted.

Hessen was a Kriegsmarine weather ship that was built in 1939 as the sealer Sachsen. She was requisitioned in 1939 and served until 1945. Returned to her owners post-war, she regained her former name. In 1950, she was sold to Norway and renamed Arild. She later served under the names Foynøy, Munkøy and Kitak. She foundered in the Norwegian Sea on 7 May 1965.

Anglia was a Hansa A Type cargo ship which was built as Weserberg in 1944 by P Smit, Rotterdam, Netherlands for Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen, Germany. She was seized as a prize of war in 1945, passing to the Ministry of War Transport and renamed Empire Gallery. She was sold to Singapore in 1947 and renamed Kampar. She was sold in 1957 to Greece and renamed Anglia before being sold the next year to Panama. She served until 1974 when she was scrapped.

SS <i>Auriga</i> (1944)

Auriga was a Hansa A Type cargo ship which was built as Adamsturm in 1944 by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg, Germany for Deutsche Dampfschifffarts-Gesellschaft Hansa, Bremen Germany. She was seized as a prize of war in 1945, passing to the Ministry of War Transport and renamed Empire Gantry. She was sold in 1947 and was renamed Baltanglia. She was renamed Baltic Pine in 1952. Sold to Greece in 1954, and renamed Germania, she was declared a constructive total loss following a collision in 1955. Sold to Germany, she was repaired and renamed Auriga. She served until 1965, when she was scrapped.

V 104 Falke was a German-built cargo ship which was converted into an auxiliary warship for the Kriegsmarine as a Vorpostenboot and then Sperrbrecher. The ship was built as Toreador and was also known as Poldorf and Düsseldorf.

Phönix was a cargo ship built in 1913 by Stettiner Oderwerke, Stettin, Germany for Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo AG, Bremen, Germany. She served with a number of German shipping lines before being requisitioned in 1939 by the Kriegsmarine as VP-106 Phönix, later serving as Sperrbrecher 36 and Sperrbrecher 136. She was scuttled at Saint-Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure, France on 25 August 1944.

Reiher was a 975 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1909 by Bremer Vulkan, Bremen, Germany for Argo Line. She was renamed Flamingo in 1938 and was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1939, serving as the vorpostenbootV-109 Flamingo and the sperrbrecherSperrbrecher 39 and Sperrbrecher 139. She struck a mine and sank off the coast on Norway in February 1945.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Dr. Heinrich Wiegand(23454)" (PDF). Lloyd's Register: Navires à Vapeur et à Moteurs. DOS-DRA (in English and French). London: Lloyd's Register. 1939–1940. Retrieved 14 February 2024– via Southampton City Council.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Detaljerede oplysninger om skibet: Else Basse (II)" (in Danish). J. Marcussen. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gröner 1993, p. 536.
  4. ↑ "Vorpostenflottillen 1939 – 1945" (in German). Württembergische Landesbibliothek. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Prize Courts". The Times. No. 50541. London. 28 August 1948. col A, p. 1.
  6. ↑ "DOV-DRA Lloyd's Register 1948–49". Lloyd's Register. London: Lloyd's of London. 1949.
  7. 1 2 "Argo Line, Bremen / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo AG 1896–1923 / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo mbH 1923–1925 / Argo Reederei AG 1933–1936 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co. 1936–1952 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Söhne 1952–present". The Ships List. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  8. 1 2 "267 F. 2d 584 – Nolan v. A H Basse Rederiaktieselskab". Openjurist. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "Danish Freighter on Fire". The Times. No. 52705. London. 20 August 1953. col B, p. 5.
  10. 1 2 "Ship Card#938". Finnish Mercantile Marine Database. Retrieved 14 February 2024.

Sources

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Else Basse (ship, 1939) at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.