World War IIMS Brattdal

The Norwegian MS Brattdal was in ballast in the port of Volo, Greece, following a voyage from Alexandria carrying armoured vehicles and 227 soldiers. On 13 April 1941, the harbour was attacked by twelve German aircraft. A bomb struck Brattdal, detonating in the bottom of the vessel. The ship listed heavily, and the crew was ordered to abandon ship. The crew later reboarded the damaged vessel, which was then beached. Most of the crew went ashore. On 17 April, the ship was bombed again and sank. All hands took to the lifeboats and rowed for two days to Chalkis, from where they boarded a train to Athens. Travelling by car, train, or on foot, the crew eventually reached Aegos. There, the Dutch galley boy died when the lifeboat he was in capsized while being transferred to the cruiser Orion. The rest of the seamen reached Alexandria safely. After the war, the ship was salvaged and returned to service. It was broken up in 1971.