SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 240 * - A B C
2)AFRIC STAR (RAIDER KORMORAN)
Photo. www.photoship.co.uk
Built 1926
Tonnage 11,900 / 11,940 tons
Route: Rio de Janeiro to UK via St. Vincent (Cape Verde Is.)
Cargo 5,780 tons of Argentine meat and 634 tons of butter
Sunk 29 JAN 41 by raider KORMORAN on position 08º 44’N 24º 38’ W
0 Dead
76 taken as POW
A British refrigerator ship with a cargo of 5.708 tons of Argentine meat and 634 tons of butter, had her radio signals jammed by Kormoran's operator, and after 4 minutes of gunfire stopped and surrendered. Unfortunately this fine, valuable ship was no longer any use as a prize due to the damage she had sustained.
72 members of her crew and 4 passengers, including 2 young British women, who, having been sunbathing on deck, arrived on board the raider in their bathing costumes! The women's clothing was retrieved by the raider's boarding commando before the Afric Star was sunk and they were given first class accomodation and treatment on board the Kormoran. Among the items taken from Afric Star were radio code tables that enabled the Germans to read all British signals.
Later the prisoners were transferred to supply ship Nordmark and subsequently to cargo ship Portland which landed them including survivors from other ships at Bordeaux on 14 March. The Portland had been captured by the Germans so that she had a prize crew on board when an attempt was made to take her over during the passage to Bordeaux.The attempt was a failure led by one crewmember from Afric Star when he and one passsenger were shot dead.
Above the last moments of Afric Star. Picture taken by Kormoran upon the seizure of the British vessel.
Source: Hilfskreuzer (Auxiliary Cruiser / Raider) - Kormoran (bismarck-class.dk)
