KG40 & Convoy HX.84 November 1940

[Brian]

Thanks Bruce

Having digested the input, my question remains.

Why then was the Swedish Vingaland targeted by a FW200 of KG40 (do we know the identity of the KG40 crew?)

Cheers and thanks

Brian

[Nokose]

The fact that Vingaland (2734 GRT) was in a convoy left her open to attack. The convoy was probably escorted so AAA protection. The Fw200 pilot is not going to have the option of telling if the frieghter is neutral or not coming in for a low fast attack on ships sailing in columns with a zig zag that could take place at anytime. Do we know the time of the attack? Lt Cdr Giulio Chialamberto on the Submarine Marconi claimed her as a 10000 GRT freighter on the 09Nov40 at 21:05. Maybe some one can check "Focke-Wulf Fw200 Condor" by J.C. Salgado it might have some information on it but I've read it is mostly a picture book.

[Bruce Dennis]

Originally Posted by Nokose

The fact that Vingaland (2734 GRT) was in a convoy left her open to attack....

Brian, I should have said, (but Nokose did) that a neutral sailing with a beligerent convoy or escort did not have protected status. In practice, it could get complicated if the well-paid neutrals were mixed with ships from one of the combatants, as copmpensation claims were often expensive and strained relationships. The high earnings of trans-Atlantic trade in war materials was a temptation and neutral shipping lines were often 'charmed or bullied' into this profitable trade, as were Swedish (for example) ships which ended up running iron-ore to Germany.

EDIT correcting gibberish

[Brian]

Thanks Nokose and Bruce

I am able to see things more clearly!

Cheers
Brian

[Stig Jarlevik]

Brian/All

As I said I am working on a more comprehensive answer regarding Swedish merchant fleet structures during WW2.
The MAIN point to remember is this.
When WW 2 broke out about 50% of the Swedish tonnage ended up OUTSIDE the Skagerack barrier/block. Those outside was NOT part of the so called Safe Conduct Traffic (Lejdtrafiken in Swedish). These vessels did not paint their sides as per the regulations stipulated by the Germans and they also could "do what they wanted" as long as they had
a) Their shipping line on their side
b) No hassle from the Swedish Government.

When Vingaland was sunk she was sailing for Britain with British cargo. She was on the way to Glasgow from Halifax with a load of steel and general cargo.

It was then of course natural that Vingaland sailed in the convoys arranged by Britain at the time. Vingaland had made at least one journey for Britain before that when she sailed in convoy HG-31 from Gibraltar to Liverpool 23.5.40 to 2.6.40 with a load of general cargo.
At least five other Swedish vessels were sailing for Britain inside the convoys of HG-31 and HX-84.

That means that those vessels OUTSIDE the blockade simply took their chances just like any other British/Allied vessel in the convoy.

I did not know that before and somehow it feels pretty good that we did "something" for the Allied cause, even if the main reason was money...
I don't envy those sailers sailing for any Nation during WW 2. They were a brave lot who just took their punishment face up and those who died are just remembered as statistics today. They were a brave lot....

Those Swedish vessel who negotiated a safe conduct passage were not allowed to enter any of the warring parties harbours and could not sail with any other nations vessels.

Cheers
Stig

[Brian]

Many thanks Stig

I believe that I now understand the circumstances prevailing at the time.

Cheers
Brian