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Appendix 10

Blockade Running Ships Between Europe and Far East
1942 - 1945

 

Winter 1942-1943
Ship Europe Remarks Far East
Wesserland
6528 GRT
Sailed Bordeaux 17 Aug 42.   Arrived Saigon 17 Jan 43.
Peitro Orseolo
6344 GRT
Sailed Biscay 2 Oct 42.   Arrived Batavia mid-Nov 42.
Burgenland
7320 GRT
Departed Bordeaux about 4 Oct 42.   Arrived Singapore 6 Dec 42. Departure from Batavia for Europe cancelled 1 Mar 43.
Dresden
5567 GRT
Arrived France early in Nov 42. Severely damaged by mine in Gironde River on 6 Nov 43. Later sank.   Departed Saigon 8 Sep 42.
Tanneefels
7840 GRT
Arrived Bordeaux a few days before 6 Nov 42.   Departed Far East Aug 42.
Kulmerland
7363 GRT
Arrived Gironde River about 7 Nov 42. Disabled in port by bombing on 23 Sep 43.   Departed Dairen 26 Aug 42.
Karin
7322 GRT
ex-Kota Nopan
Departed French port about 1 Nov 42.   Arrived Far East Jan 43.
Annelies Essberger
5173 GRT
Yanagi "E"?
Departed French port about 1 Nov 42. Scuttled 21 Nov 42 in 01°N - 23°W upon interception by USS Milwaukee.  
Rhakotis
6753 GRT
  Sunk 1 Jan 43 in 45°N - 11°W by HMS Scylia. Departed Batavia 5 Nov 42.
Cortellazzo
5292 GRT
Yanagi "M"
Departed Bordeaux 29 Nov 42. Sunk 1 Dec 42 in 44°N - 20°W by British convoy escorts.  
Germania
9851 GRT
Departed French port about 11 Dec 42. Scuttled 15 Dec 42 in 45°N - 16°W upon interception by British sloop.  
Hohenfriedberg
7892 GRT
  Sunk 26 Feb 42 in 42°N - 21°W by British cruiser. Departed Batavia end of Dec 42.
Regensburg
8068 GRT
  Scuttled 30 Mar 43 in 64°N - 27°W upon interception by British cruiser. Departed Far East Dec 42.
Doggerbank
5154 GRT
ex-Speybank U-905
  Sunk 3 Mar 43 in 31°N - 37°W apparently by German U-boat. Departed Singapore early Jan 43.

-- 155 --

 

Winter 1942-1943 (continued)
Ship Europe Remarks Far East
Irene
4793 GRT
ex-Silva Plana
  Scuttled 10 Apr 43 in 43°N - 14°W upon interception by HMS Adventurer. 146 Survivors. Departed Far East early Jan 43.
Karin
7322 GRT
ex-Kota Nopan U-915
  Scuttled 10 Mar 43 in 07°S - 21°W with boarding party from USS Eberle aboard. Departed Far East late Jan 43.
Pietro Orseolo
6344 GRT
U-917
Arrived Bordeaux by 2 Apr 43.   Departed Far East end Jan 43.
Rossbach
7000 GRT
ex-Madrono
  Ordered to return to Batavia on 1 Mar 43. Sunk near Kobe by enemy submarine 7 May 44. Departed Batavia early Feb 43.
Wesserland
6528 GRT
ex-Ermland
  Ordered to return to Batavia on 1 Mar 43. Departed Batavia 6 Feb 43.
Rio Grande
6062 GRT
  Ordered to return to Batavia on 1 Mar 43. Departed Batavia 25 Feb 43.
Portland
7132 GRT
U-910
Departed Bordeaux 25/26 Mar 43. Sunk 13 Apr 43 in 05°N - 22°W by French cruiser Georges Leygues.  
Himalaya
6240 GRT
Departed Pallice 8 Apr 43. Attacked by British A/C on 9 Apr 43 in Bay of Biscay. One hit estimated. Returned to Pallice.  
Osorno
6951 GRT
U-901
Departed Bordeaux 25/26 Mar 43.   Arrived Singapore 25 May 43.
Alsterufer
2729 GRT
U-901
Departed Bordeaux 28/29 Mar 43.   Arrived Batavia about 27 May 43.

Winter 1943-1944
Rio Grande
6062 GRT
  Sunk 4 Jan 44 in 07°S - 26°W by USS Omaha and Jouett. Departed Soerabaja about 29 Oct 43.
Osorno
6951 GRT
Beached off Le Verdon in sinking condition 25 Dec 43.   Departed Batavia 31 Oct 43.
 Alsterufer
2729 GRT
  Sunk 27 Dec 43 in 47°N - 19°W by A/C. Departed Far East end Oct 43.
Wesserland
6528 GRT
ex-Ermland
  Sunk 2 Jan 44 in 15°S - 22°W by USS Somers. 134 survivors. Departed Batavia 22 Nov 43.
Burgenland
7230 GRT
  Scuttled 5 Jan 44 in 07°S - 26°W upon interception by USS Somers and Jouett. Departed Batavia about 25 Nov 43.
Elsa Essberger
6103 GRT
Loaded and ready to depart France in Dec 43. Sailing cancelled when blockade running suspended in Jan 44.  

-- 156 --

 

Winter 1943-1944 (continued)
Ship Europe Remarks Far East
Fusijama
6244 GRT
Loaded and ready to depart France in Dec 43. Sailing cancelled when blockade running suspended in Jan 44.  
Himalaya
6240 GRT
Loaded and ready to depart France in Dec 43. Sailing cancelled when blockade running suspended in Jan 44.  
Pietro Orseolo
6344 GRT
Loaded and ready to depart France in Dec 43. Badly damaged by bombing in port Dec 43.  
Tannenfels
7840 GRT
Loaded and ready to depart France in Dec 43. Sailing cancelled when blockade running suspended in Jan 44.  

 

Surface Ships used to Refuel Submarines in the Indian Ocean
1943-1944
Ship Departed Far East Operations Arrived Far East
Charlotte Schliemann
7747 GRT
Singapore, 4 Jun 43. Fueled 6 U/B's on 22 Jun in about 30°S - 48°E. Soerabaja, 13 Jul 43.
Batavia, about 12 Jan 44. Fueled 1 U/B on 26 Jan in 24°S - 68°E. Sunk 12 Feb 44 in 23°S - 75°E by HMS Relentless. 3 More U/B's were to have been refueled.  
Bogata
1230 GRT
Batavia, mid-Jun 43. Fueled Jap Submarine (I-8) engaged in transportation ops to Germany. Balikpapan, 11 Jul 43.
Singapore, end Nov 43. Jap submarine to be fueled, the I-34 (MOMI), having been sunk, failed to appear at R/V planned for about 25 Nov. Singapore, about 3-4 Dec 43.
Sunda Straits, 18 Dec 43. Fueled Jap submarine I-29 (MATSU KIEFER) early in Jan 44. Djarkarta, 17 Jan 44.
Brake
9925 GRT
Balikpapan, end Aug 43. Fueled 5 U/B's on about 8 Sep south or southeast of Madagascar. Batavia, before 14 Oct 43.
Singapore, about 29 Feb 44. Fueled 3 U/B's on 11 Mar 44 in 32°S - 74°E. Only 1 completely filled. Scuttled on 12 Mar 44 in 32°S - 72°E after attack by cruiser and destroyer.  

--157--

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