World War IIDS Torwood

The DS Torwood was carrying a cargo of carbide when it was blown up by a mine on 25 December 1939, approximately 90 nautical miles west of Karmøy. Using the pumps, the crew managed to keep the vessel afloat until the morning of 26 December.

The 11 crew members were forced to abandon the sinking ship in two lifeboats, one carrying four men and the other seven. The boats stayed together for a while but eventually became separated. The seven men in one lifeboat were rescued by the Bergen-registered vessel Hild and brought to Skudenes, while the remaining four were later brought ashore in Britain.