Human losses on S/S Ardeal

[Miroslav Morozov]

Does somebody know how many people were killed or injured on June 11, 1942 when the soviet submarine A-5 torpedoed and damaged SS Ardeal? I didn't find this figures in any German KTBs and in Romanian books.

Thank you in advance,
Miroslav

[Petre]

It is quite possible they were no victims. I found just a small relation :

On 11 June, at 14.15, the cargo vessel "Ardeal", sailing to Constanta in convoy, in northern Black Sea, estimated position 46°31' N and 30° 53' E was hit by a torpedo which exploded at hold no.2. Holds 2, 3 and 1 were flooded, the vessel angled and bowing. Noticing that in the engine room is not water and the rest were dry holds, were taken to put the ship asore, which happened at 14.40 near the the village of Fontanca. In August "Ardeal" was taken to Nikolaev, for repair.

[Miroslav Morozov]

Thank you, Petre. This is very interesting.
I found in German documents, that she was raised on August 2nd and was towed to Odessa, from where after the emergency repair on August 22nd was towed to Nikolajev. She was repaired there by November 6th and on November 18th sailed to Odessa.
Do you know what kind of cargo she carried at the moment of the attack? I presumed that she was in a ballast.

[Miroslav Morozov]

BTW, this was the miracle that nobody perished by the torpedo hit and during rescue action. One of the rafts capsized by the ships' screw. Are you sure that nobody were killed?

[Petre]

No more other info's. I am not shure they were no victims. "Ardeal" was sailing for germans.
October 20, 1941, Romania (Serviciul Maritim Roman) as owner and Germany (Marinegruppenkommando Süd) as chartered ended Lease No.11011 : Romania rent a total of eight vessels including "Ardeal", "Peleş" and "Suceava" only for the Black Sea ports, including Istanbul.

[Miroslav Morozov]

Thanks

[Victor]

Same here. No casualty is mentioned in the description of the incident in Koslinski& Stanescu.

Given the fact that the ship was returning to Odessa from Ochakov (is this the correct Russian spelling?)/Ochakiv, where it probably had carried supplies for the ongoing Axis offensive in the Southern USSR, it is likely that it did not have any cargo on board.

[guina]

Ocheakiv- ukr. ,Ochakov- rus.

[Petre]

Admiral, Black sea. War Diary (american text):

10 June 1942
10.00 : Steamships "Ardeal", "Tzar-Ferdinand" and "Oituz" escorted by minesweepers FR 2, 4, 7, 8 and 10 and MPFs (ferry barges) 133 and 134 sailed from Otchakov for the south.
14.32 : Radiogram : 14.10 Steamship "Ardeal" torpedoed, now beached.

Kriegsmarine : In the Bay of Odessa an enemy submarine torpedoed the steamship "Ardeal" (5,695 brt) which was sailing in our southbound convoy. The steamship had to be beached.

Naval Construction Inspectorate, Odessa immediately examinined steamship "Ardeal" and discovered a large leak 4x3 meters at the water-line, close to hatch 2 on the port side. The bulkhead is holding.
Divers will examine the ship on 12 June. The Salvage Group of Odessa has been instructed to make preparations for salvaging the steamship.
Observations clearly prove that steamship "Ardeal" was torpedoed by a submarine, which also fired 2 torpedoes without success. Unfortunately our fear that the enemy's success against the steamship "Sulina" (see War Diary 30 April) would encourage them to more attacks has proved correct. Anti-submarine measures at this particularly dangerous spot in Odessa Bay must therefore be taken immediately.

11 June 1942
18.00 : Romanian tugs "Elena" and "Oltul" put in to Odessa from Bugaz. They are to be used in attempts at salvaging steamship "Ardeal". The measures ordered following the torpedoing of steamship "Ardeal" are now in force. MFPs 133 and 134 are guarding the steamship against submarine attack...

19 June 1942
Naval Construction Inspectorate Odessa reported that it will take about 6 weeks to get "Ardeal" afloat again (she is aground at present). A condition is that they succeed in making her watertight and pumping her empty.

10 July 1942
It is expected that the grounded steamship "Ardeal" will be ready for towing within 3 weeks once the deck has been made watertight

4 Aug. 1942
The steamship "Ardeal", which had been beached after being torpedoed off Odessa on 12 June, has been towed into port.

This post has been edited by Petre on April 07, 2016 06:52 pm