Built: 1917
Tonnage: 6,029 / 9,430 tons
Cargo: 6,719 tons of general cargo including cotton balls.
Route: Table Bay - Freetown
Sunk: 30 MAY 41 by U-38 on pos. 06º 52’N 15º 14’W.
13 Dead
18 Survivors
Launched as Norwegian Sjoa for Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Oslo. Requisitioned by Britain and completed in December 1917 as Appelby for Norfolk & North American Steam Shipping Co Ltd (Furness, Withy & Co Ltd), Liverpool. In June 1920 returned to the Norwegian owner and renamed Rinda.
On 00.24 hours on 31 May, 1941, the unescorted Rinda (Master Niels Olsen) was hit by two torpedoes from U-38 off Liberia. The torpedoes struck at hatch #4 and #5 and blew off the funnel and the entire after deck. Four men on deck and the master and another seaman on the bridge were killed. The survivors attempted to lower the lifeboats but the ship sank before they were free and the men were pulled down by the suction, drowning some of them. Only one lifeboat with one man hanging on to it and four rafts floated free.
A few survivors rightened the boat and picked up others during the night in the light of burning cotton. Finally, it contained 18 survivors (four of them badly burnt) and set sail for Freetown. On 1 June, they were picked up by HMS Pict (FY 132 after being located by aircraft and taken to Freetown, where the wounded men were taken to a hospital ship.
Bernt Gustavsen, who had been seriously burnt stayed in the hospital for 11 months after the sinking. He then joined the Norwegian Navy and died when HNoMS Montbretia (K 208) was torpedoed and sunk by U-262 (Franke) on 18 Nov, 1942. Among the survivors of Rinda was also the cat, that was found swimming in the ocean by the lifeboat during the night. She remained on board of the armed trawler that rescued the survivors and was renamed Rinda.
By Rinda (Norwegian Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net