Hertford (1920)

Hertford (formerly Rheinland and Friesland) was a freighter which was built in Germany in 1917 and served with both the Hamburg-Amerika Linie and Federal Steam Navigation Co Ltd before being lost after torpedoing by the German submarine U-571 off the coast of Massachusetts in 1942. She was also extensively damaged after striking a German mine off the Australian coast in 1940.

This article is about the ship. For other uses, see Hertford (disambiguation).

History
Germany
Name: Friesland, originally Rheinland
Owner: Hamburg-Amerika Linie (HAPAG), Hamburg
Builder: Bremer Vulkan, Bremen-Vegesack, Germany
Launched: 13 October 1917
Completed: June 1920
Fate: Ceded as war reparations
Great Britain
Name: Hertford
Owner: Federal Steam Navigation Co Ltd
Acquired: 1922
Fate: torpedoed by U-571 on 29 March 1942
General characteristics
Type: Freighter[1]
Tonnage: 10,923 GRT[1]
Length: 162.5 m (533 ft)[1]
Beam: 19.6 m (64 ft)[1]
Draft: 11.64 m (38.2 ft)[1]
Installed power: 1,300 hp (970 kW)[1]
Speed: 14 knots[1]
Complement: 62 (including captain & gunnery complement)[1]
Armament: armed (details not known)[1]

Origins

She was built by Bremer Vulkan at Bremen-Vegesack in Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Germany. She was launched on 13 October 1917 under the name Rheinland and completed in June 1920 as Friesland for the Hamburg-Amerika Linie (HAPAG), Hamburg. In 1922, she transferred to Great Britain as war reparations and sold to the Federal Steam Navigation Co Ltd who renamed her as Hertford.[2][3]

Incident in Australian waters during 1940

On 7 December 1940, Hertford struck a mine approximately 25 nautical miles (46 kilometres; 29 miles) west-south west of the Neptune Islands off the South Australian coast in a mine field placed by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin during November 1940.[4][5] She was towed to Port Lincoln for temporary repairs, then to Port Adelaide where further repairs were carried out and then she sailed to Sydney where she was dry-docked to complete repairs.[6] The mine field was the subject of a mine sweeping operation in 1946 using German naval records to ensure that all mines had been accounted for.[7][8]

Loss

Hertford was sunk by the German submarine U-571 on 29 March 1942 about 350 nautical miles (650 kilometres; 400 miles) east of Nantucket, Massachusetts with the loss of four of her 62 crew.[9] The wreck site is reportedly to be located in the vicinity of 40°30′0.0″N 63°18′36″W.[2]

See also

References
  1. "HERTFORD CARGO SHIP 1917-1942". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  2. "Ships hit by U-boats; Hertford, British Steam merchant". uboat.net. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  3. "Friesland (1144656)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. "FAMOUS WARSHIP'S BRIEF SA VISIT; Warspite Off Willunga In 1942". The Advertiser. 23 August 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  5. Waters, Sidney David (1949). German Raiders in the Pacific. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs. p. 25. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  6. "Death Of A Fine Ship; Ulysses' Last Days Were Full of Thrills". The Mail. 12 August 1944. p. 5. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  7. "MINE WARNING TO SMALL CRAFT; Naval Flotilla To Sweep Dangerous Waters". The Recorder. 18 February 1946. p. 1. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  8. "MINESWEEPERS HERE THIS WEEK, No Mines Found in Five Months' Search, From A Staff Representative ABOARD HMAS SWAN". The Advertiser. 8 April 1946. p. 6. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
  9. "World War II Day-By-Day: Day 941 March 29, 1942". worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
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