SS Erlangen (1929)

Last updated

Erlangen (1929) River Scheldt AS.1968.001.2175.jpg
Erlangen arriving at Antwerp
History
Merchant flag of Germany (1919-1933).svgFlag of Germany (1935-1945).svg Germany
NameErlangen
Owner Norddeutscher Lloyd
Port of registry Bremen
RouteBremen – Australia – New Zealand
Builder Blohm+Voss, Hamburg
Yard number484
Launched31 August 1929
Completed2 November 1929
Fate Scuttled 25 July 1941
General characteristics
Type cargo ship
Tonnage6,049  GRT, 3,613  NRT, 9,690  DWT
Length449.6 ft (137.0 m)
Beam57.6 ft (17.6 m)
Depth26.8 ft (8.2 m)
Decks2
Installed power3,800 shp
Propulsion
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)
Crew64
Sensors and
processing systems
Notes sister ships: Frankfurt, Chemnitz, Goslar

SS Erlangen was a German cargo vessel that escaped from New Zealand at the beginning of the Second World War and travelled to Chile.

Contents

Construction

The Erlangen was built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg for North German Lloyd (NDL). She was given the construction number 484, and launched on 31 August 1929. Her maiden voyage took place on 2 November 1929. The vessel was a coal-fired steamship using a steam turbine with single reduction gearing and a single screw for propulsion. Her sister ship was the Goslar . Her registered length was 449.6 ft (137.0 m), her beam was 57.6 ft (17.6 m) and her depth was 26.8 ft (8.2 m). Her tonnages were 6,049  GRT, 3,613  NRT, and 9,690  DWT. Her turbine was rated at 3,800 shp and gave her a speed of 13 knots (24 km/h). [1]

In Dunedin – August 1939

The Erlangen made multiple visits to New Zealand on the German trade route from the Gulf of Mexico. [2] She arrived in Auckland on 1 August 1939, and then stopped at Wellington and Lyttelton before entering Otago Harbour at Dunedin on 24 August and berthing at Victoria Wharf. [3] [4] The vessel had a crew of 63 including Captain Alfred Grams, 12 German officers and assistants, and 50 Chinese seamen. [5] [6] [7]

Early on 25 August 1939, the German coast radio station Norddeich Radio sent a telegram to over 2,400 German merchant ships warning them that war was imminent, and that they should stay away from normal shipping lanes. In subsequent messages, they were instructed to seek safety in friendly or neutral ports within 4 days. [4] The vessel was low on fuel and had planned to take on more coal at Port Kembla in Australia. [2]

On 26 August 1939, after receiving the radio messages, Erlangen cleared customs and left Dunedin, declaring intentions to sail to Port Kembla. [nb 1] When it left Dunedin, Erlangen had 220 tonnes of coal, but had a daily consumption of around 45 tonnes. [6] The nearest safe ports were, however, around 5,000 nautical miles away. [6]

At the Auckland Islands

The Captain decided to wait at a secluded anchorage that was as safe as possible from discovery and see how things developed in Europe. The Chinese crew agreed to stay on board after being told that they were in danger of becoming prisoners of war, and were assured that their wages would be paid until they reached their new port of arrival. The vessel steamed northwards along the coast during the day, but then after dark turned south and headed for the Auckland Islands. The Erlangen travelled at only half normal speed, to conserve their limited fuel. [8] [nb 2] The vessel arrived off the entrance to Carnley Harbour in the early evening, and waited offshore overnight before entering the narrow channel. After the fog lifted, the Erlangen entered Carnley Harbour around midday the next day and anchored in the North Arm of the harbour in a location that was partly hidden by the Figure of Eight Island. [9] Over the next five weeks, the crew cleared around 1.2 ha (3 acres) of rātā forest, aiming to collect 400 tonnes of wood to fuel the vessel. New Zealand authorities suspected that the Erlangen could be in the Auckland Islands, and sent the cruiser HMS Leander to search for Erlangen. However, severe weather prevented HMS Leander from entering Carnley Harbour and the Erlangen was not discovered. [10]

During the time in Carnley Harbour, the crew fabricated sails using available canvas and tarpaulins from the ship's hatch covers. These sails were rigged to the masts and derricks to provide additional propulsion.

The journey to Chile

On 7 October 1939, the Erlangen left her anchorage with only an additional 240 tonnes of wood fuel, with the aim of reaching Chile. [10] [11] On the journey, the ship travelled 1,507 nmi (2,791 km; 1,734 mi) under sails alone, and 3,319 nmi (6,147 km; 3,819 mi) under steam power. [6] [12] The vessel anchored off the port of Ancud in Chile on 11 December 1939. On 12 December, Erlangen anchored off Puerto Montt and hosted a reception on board. [6] [13] The story of the escape of the Erlangen was told on Berlin Radio  [ de ] on 17 December 1939. [2] The Chinese crew were released and were free to return home. [6]

The Erlangen has been described as "Germany’s most famous blockade-runner of WWII". [7]

In July 1941 the Erlangen was pursued and fired upon by the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Newcastle off the River Plate. The Erlangen crew set off charges on the vessel causing a fire, and it sank on 25 July. [14] [15]

The novel The Sea Chase, written by Andrew Geer and published in 1948 incorporates some aspects of the story of the escape of the Erlangen from New Zealand. [16] The novel was later used as a basis for the script for the 1955 movie The Sea Chase. [17]

Notes

  1. ↑ Sources vary, with alternative dates of 26 August and 28 August for the departure from Dunedin, and differing dates for the arrival at the Auckland Islands. Watson (1994) states that the 26 August date is derived from the official vessel movement records of the Port of Otago.
  2. ↑ The distance from the Otago Peninsula south to the entrance to Carnley Harbour in the Auckland Islands is 665 km (359 nmi). If the vessel was making 6 knots, the voyage would take 60 hours

References

  1. ↑ "Steamers and Motorships of 300 tons gross and over". Lloyd's Register of Shipping . II: 304. 1932–33.
  2. 1 2 3 "Strange Adventures Of Captured German Freighter Erlangen". Central Hawke's Bay Press. Vol. XXXVII, no. 177. 30 July 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  3. ↑ Trail, Dan (7 January 1992). "Erlangen's resourceful escape to safety". Dominion . p. 9.
  4. 1 2 Watson 1994, p. 7.
  5. ↑ Matzen, Thies. "Das Geheimnis der "Erlangen"". www.mare.de (in German). Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Reinemuth, Rolf. "Erlangen, escape under sail (in German)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Erlangen (Scuttled)". Sixtant – War II in the South Atlantic. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  8. ↑ Kählert, Silvia (13 March 2020). "Most famous blockade runner of the Second World (in German)". Condor. Vol. 83, no. 4373.
  9. ↑ Watson 1994, p. 8.
  10. 1 2 Brenstrum, Erick (May–June 2015). "Danger isles". New Zealand Geographic (133). Archived from the original on 21 December 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  11. ↑ "Auckland Islands". Department of Conservation. Archived from the original on 19 February 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  12. ↑ "The Erlangen: How she reached Chile – Wood fuel and much sailing". The Evening Post (New Zealand) . Vol. CXXIX, no. 21. 25 January 1940. p. 14 – via Papers Past.
  13. ↑ "Nazi ship's long cruise". Dominion . Vol. 33, no. 73. 19 December 1939. p. 9.
  14. ↑ "The End of the Erlangen". Rotorua Morning Post. No. 3446. 5 August 1947. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  15. ↑ Kindell, Don. "British and Other Navies in World War 2 Day-by-Day: Naval Events, July 1941, Part 2 of 2, Tuesday 15th – Thursday 31st". naval-history.net. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  16. ↑ "Book Review: The Sea Chase". SKJAM! Reviews. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 18 April 2025.
  17. ↑ "The Sea Chase". Variety. 1 January 1955. Retrieved 18 April 2025.

Works cited

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