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NORBURG: piroscafo costruito nel 1922 a Lubecca da Koch come HORNSUND, nel 1926 diventa PERA e nel 1931 è ribattezzato NORBURG dalla Flensburger Dampfercompagnie Harald Schuldt & Co.K.G. di Amburgo. 2392 tsl – 90,1x13 m- 1 macchina a triplice espansione – 9,5 nodi Nel settembre del 1941 si trova fuori Suda dove, secondo contrastanti fonti, sarà silurato più volte: 12.9.41: HMS TORBAY silura il pfo germanico NORBURG in porto a Heraklion. La nave si appoggia sul fondo e sarà ricuperata ma non entrerà mai più in servizio. http://uboat.net:8080/allies/warships/ship/3498.html 10.11.41: NORBURG silurato a nord di Creta dal smg greco GLAVKOS ma riesce a raggiungere la costa. (Schmelzkopf “Die italienische Handelsflotte im Zweiten Weltkrieg”) 10.11.41: RHS GLAVKOS silura e danneggia il mercantile germanico NORBURG al largo di Suda. http://uboat.net:8080/allies/warships/ship/9907.html 24.11.41: HMS TRIUMPH silura il rimorchiatore di salvataggio HERCULES ormeggiato a fianco del pfo NORBURG a cui forniva assistenza nel porto di Heraklion. http://uboat.net:8080/allies/warships/ship/3488.html Qualcuno sa come si sono svolti veramente gli attacchi?

Hello Platon, So now we have another point to clarify, the salvage vessel IRINI VERNICOS (built Odessa 1911 as the TCHERNOMORE), according to Uboat.net, was sank together with the HERCULES on Nov. 24, 1941: (http://uboat.net:808.../ship/3488.html) 24 Nov 1941 HMS Triumph (Lt. J.S. Huddart, RN) torpedoed and sank the Italian tug/salvage vessel Hercules (632 GRT, built 1910) and the tug Irini Vernikos inside Candia (Iraklion) harbour, Crete. The explosion of the torpedo caused also some damage to the German merchant Norburg (2392 GRT, built 1922), that was being salvaged at the time, and to the Arkadia (1756 GRT, built 1927) behind her. but in the following HMS TRIUMPH report there is no mention of the IRINI VERNICOS: 1141 hours - Closed Candia harbour to 3500 yards from the breakwater. In the harbour were 2 merchant ships of 3000 and 1500 tons secured to the mole. 1144 hours - Fired one torpedo against the 3000 tons merchant vessel But the torpedo was observed to hit a small vessel, thought to be an armed trawler, that was alongside the 1500 tons merchant vessel that was moored just astern of the 3000 tons vessel. The 'trawler' was seen to settle by the stern immediately. A second torpedo was now fired against the 3000 tons merchant ship but it ran to the left and exploded at the far end of the harbour. I have searched details about the sinking of the IRINI VERNICOS but without results, I would like to know what have really happened in Heraklion. The IRINI VERNICOS was a big salvage vessel of about 663 gt and, if in sunken condition, it would have been impossible to refloat her so quickly – there are several photos showing the HERCULES semi-submerged alongside the NORBURG but none with the IRINI VERNICOS, which should have been quite visible being of about the same size of the HERCULES. Moreover, according to the Lloyd’s Register, in 1939 she was renamed ATRATO under Panamanian flag. Miramar does report the change occurred in 1939 but also that in 1940 she returned under the Greek flag with the name IRINI VERNICOU. Is it possible to straighten up the above confused details? Attached a photo of the NORBURG with the IRINI VERNICOS in assistance – Peter Schenk, Historisches Marinearchiv.de