|
THOR: T/S Thor (HSK IV SCHIFF 10) was formerly the Santa Cruz, belonging to Oldenburg-Portugiesischen Dampfschiffs-Reederei. Built in 1938, 3862 gt, top speed 17 knots. Thor started her raids in June of 1940, at first captained by Otto Kähler, later by Günther Gumprich, who from 1943 also commanded the Michel, which was sunk by the American submarine Tarpon on Oct. 17-1943. Thor was destroyed in Yokohama on Nov. 30-1942 by an explosion in a tanker tied up alongside.
Armament:
|
6
|
5.9 inch
|
|
1
|
60 mm
|
|
1
|
twin 37 mm
|
|
4
|
20 mm
|
|
2
|
twin 21 inch torpedo tubes
|
|
1
|
Arado 196 aircraft
|
|
Ships sunk or taken by Thor (in chronological order):
|
1st Cruise
|
|
|
|
|
June 6-1940/Apr. 30-1941 (returned to Germany):
|
|
|
|
Kertosono
|
|
|
|
Delambre
|
|
|
|
Bruges
|
|
|
|
Gracefield
|
|
|
|
Wendover
|
|
|
|
Tela
|
|
|
|
Kosmos
|
|
|
|
Natia
|
|
|
|
Trollenholm
|
|
|
|
Britannia
|
|
|
|
HMS AMC Voltaire
|
|
|
|
Sir Ernest Cassel
|
|
2nd Cruise
|
|
|
|
|
Nov. 20-1941/Oct. 10-1942 (put into Yokohama):
|
|
|
|
Pagasitikos
|
|
|
|
Wellpark
|
|
|
|
Willesden
|
|
|
|
Aust
|
|
|
|
Kirkpool
|
|
|
|
Nankin
|
|
|
|
Olivia
|
|
|
|
Herborg
|
|
|
|
Madrono
|
|
|
|
Indus
|
|
Thor stopped at Yokohama on Oct. 10 to be refurbished for another cruise and unloaded her prisoners. By Nov. 30 most of the work was done and Thor was tied up alongside the supply ship Uckermark. Chinese coolies were cleaning Uckermark's tanks, and though the cause of the explosion was never explained the assumption was that the workers had perhaps been careless when chipping rust, or had maybe even been smoking nearby inadequately cleaned tanks. 13 of Thor's men were killed in the explosion which could be heard from miles away. 53 from Uckermark died as well as an unknown number of Chinese and Japanese. Also lost were the prize Nankin (renamed Leuthen by the Germans), the Japanese Unkai Maru 3 and some harbour boats. Gumprich himself had just left Thor in his launch to go over to the Nankin.
Information obtained from:
http://www.warsailors.com/raidervictims/thor.html
|
