World War IIMT Alcides
MT Alcides was shipping oil from Abadan to Fremantle. At the 23rd of July in 1943 the ship was torpedoed by the Japanese U-boat I-10 under the leadership of Commander Tonozuka. The ship sunk in two minutes. Three machinists died on post. A dark chapter of the war at sea was now unfolded. The two lifeboats were struggling with saving everyone up from the water when the U-boat surfaced and aimed their cannons towards the people in the water. They ordered everyone to line up next to the submarine but this order was not followed until everyone was saved from the water. Captain Arne Karlsen, Second Helmsman Odvar Olsen and telegraphist Johan A. Johansen was brought aboard the U-boat. Just after this they heard that the U-boat and the crew atop of it fired upon the people in the water. The three prisoners had this confirmed with the crew after a while. The three survivors were imprisoned for the rest of the war and was released again the 29th of August 1945. It was upon their release that the world heard about what happened with Alcides and its crew. 12 norwegians, three britons, one chinese, one australian, one american and 31 Indian sailors perished in the sinking.
About MT Alcides
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Nationality
Norway
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Built
1930
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Wrecked
23.07.1943
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Carrier
Skaugen, I. M., Oslo
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Tonnage
11520 dvt
