MS Sørland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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 Norway |
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| Name | Sørland |
| Namesake | Sørland |
| Owner | John P. Mathisen, Oslo |
| Port of registry |  MS Motosa, Tvedestrand (1920-1924) MS Randi, Langebæk (1924-1935) MS Chansen, Kristiansund (1935-1937), MS Sørland, Oslo (1937-1940) |
| Builder | Salterød Verft & Verk., Arendal |
| Launched | 1920 as MS Motosa |
| Fate | Sunk by German warships during the Battle of Drøbak Sound, April 9, 1940. |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 107 tons |
| Length | 77 |
| Beam | 21 |
| Crew | 6 |
The MS Sørland was a small Norwegian ship. It was a type of boat called a cutter. This ship became famous for a sad reason. It was the first Norwegian civilian ship sunk by German forces. This happened during World War II, on April 9, 1940. It was part of the German invasion of Norway.
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The Story of MS Sørland
The ship's skipper was named Asbjørn Martinsen. He and his crew were sailing from a town called Moss. They were carrying paper from a company called Borregaard in Fredrikstad. They also had wood wool and other goods. These were all "break bulk cargo," meaning they were separate items, not in big containers.
Caught in the Battle
It was early morning, and the sea lane was dark. There was also an air raid siren in Moss. Because of this, the cutter was delayed. Suddenly, the Sørland found itself in the middle of a big fight. This fight is known as the Battle of Drøbak Sound.
The crew saw flashes and explosions. They thought it was just a military exercise. So, the cutter kept going along the east side of the Oslofjord.
Encounter with German Warships
Around 4:30 AM, two large, dark warships appeared. These were the German cruisers Emden and Lützow. They were sailing in the opposite direction, heading out of the Oslofjord. They were in retreat after their attack.
The crew of the Sørland realized these ships were not Norwegian. But they decided to keep going. They thought a small merchant ship like theirs would not be attacked.
The Attack and Sinking
However, the German warships opened fire on the Sørland around 4:30 AM. The cutter quickly changed course, trying to get away. But the German ships kept attacking with machine guns and cannons.
A German artillery shell hit the Sørland. This caused a major fire on the ship. After the fire started, the crew tried to beach the ship. This means they tried to run it aground on the shore. But it was too late. The MS Sørland took on too much water and sank.
Sadly, two of the six crew members were killed. Their names were Boatswain Hans Oluf Frisnes, who was 31, and Ships Cook Ole Tornes, who was 22.
See also
