So you're sitting at a platform on your local station and the tannoy goes . "The next train will not be stopping at this station." And a goods train trundles by and you look up and some of the containers are marked Maersk 
The A. P. Moller-Maersk Group (Danish: A.P. Møller-Mærsk Gruppen) is an international business conglomerate more commonly known simply as Maersk and its been around since 1904
On 8 April 1940, A.P. Møller issues Permanent Special Instruction One to the 36 Mærsk ships on the high seas. Should Denmark become involved in war, all ships were to report directly to the New York office and follow its instructions.
No orders from Copenhagen were to be followed if not approved by the New York office.
On the next morning, 9 April 1940, Germany invades Denmark and Norway, and Denmark surrenders the same day
On the next morning, 9 April 1940, Germany invades Denmark and Norway, and Denmark surrenders the same day
the Maersk fleet was made up of 46 ships, 36 of which were outside of Danish waters and ultimately requisitioned by allied forces. Those that remained in Danish waters were primarily used to carry German coal and coke to Denmark.
A total of 25 Maersk ships were wrecked during the war, and 150 seafarers lost their lives.
Eleonora Maersk
The largest ship of the Mærsk fleet; the largest single-screw motorship in the world.
Ministry of War Transport : operated by the Athel Line after the German occupation of Denmark in 1940.
1941 Bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Suda Bay, Crete, on May 17th.
The largest ship of the Mærsk fleet; the largest single-screw motorship in the world.
Ministry of War Transport : operated by the Athel Line after the German occupation of Denmark in 1940.
1941 Bombed and sunk by German aircraft in Suda Bay, Crete, on May 17th.
Seven of her crew were killed.
1951 Salvaged, repaired in Germany; Renamed ROLAND; Registered Hamburg.
1960 scrapped
1951 Salvaged, repaired in Germany; Renamed ROLAND; Registered Hamburg.
1960 scrapped
Maersk Losses
AGNETE MAERSK Great Britain 2104grt
Put into Foynes 10 April 1940 and surrendered herself to UK control in Irish Sea off Dublin on 11 Feb 1941
On the 24th March 1941 AGNETE MAERSK was torpedoed by Italian submarine Veniero
AGNETE MAERSK Great Britain 2104grt
Put into Foynes 10 April 1940 and surrendered herself to UK control in Irish Sea off Dublin on 11 Feb 1941
On the 24th March 1941 AGNETE MAERSK was torpedoed by Italian submarine Veniero
on March 24th, 1941, in mid-North Atlantic while on a voyage from Ardrossan to St. John, New Brunswick. All the 28 crew were lost.
ANGLO MAERSK Great Britain 7705grt
At 17.40 hours on 26 Oct 1942 U-509 (Witte) attacked a straggler from convoy SL-125 west of the Canary Islands, in position 27°50N/22°15W and observed a hit after 1 minute 33 seconds on the Anglo Mærsk with
At 17.40 hours on 26 Oct 1942 U-509 (Witte) attacked a straggler from convoy SL-125 west of the Canary Islands, in position 27°50N/22°15W and observed a hit after 1 minute 33 seconds on the Anglo Mærsk with
no significant effect. The tanker was straggling due to machinery troubles.
At 21.06 hours on 27 Oct 1942 the damaged tanker was sunk by three coups de grâce by U-604 behind convoy. The master, 32 crew members and two gunners landed at Hierro Island, Canary Islands on 27 October
At 21.06 hours on 27 Oct 1942 the damaged tanker was sunk by three coups de grâce by U-604 behind convoy. The master, 32 crew members and two gunners landed at Hierro Island, Canary Islands on 27 October
ANNA MAERSK Denmark 6556grt Collided with a wreck and sank 12th Dec 1944.
ARNOLD MAERSK Germany 1966grt. Wrecked on Grune-aux-Dardes, Jersey, May 22nd, 1943
CHASTINE MAERSK Denmark 5177grt Torpedoed by U-25; 13th Feb 1940.
At 07.16 hours on 13 Feb 1940, U-25 fired a shot across the bow of the neutral Chastine Mærsk, but it took two more shots until she stopped. The Germans then ordered the crew to abandon ship in 10 minutes
At 07.16 hours on 13 Feb 1940, U-25 fired a shot across the bow of the neutral Chastine Mærsk, but it took two more shots until she stopped. The Germans then ordered the crew to abandon ship in 10 minutes
and shelled and sank the ship from 08.36 to 08.45 hours. The survivors were picked up by the Norwegian steam merchant Hilda.
U-25 had spotted the ship at 16.30 hours the day before and fired a stern torpedo that missed at 20.10 hours. 19 minutes later Schütze fired
U-25 had spotted the ship at 16.30 hours the day before and fired a stern torpedo that missed at 20.10 hours. 19 minutes later Schütze fired
his last torpedo and observed a hit aft without effect, but the torpedo probably detonated prematurely without damaging the ship. The U-boat then chased the ship on the surface during the night and attacked with the deck gun at dawn.
EMILIE MAERSK Denmark 2212grt Went aground 14th Jan 1941, near Borkum and foundered off Borkum Island. Only a life raft was recovered.
JESSIE MAERSK Great Britain 1972grt On a voyage from London to Blyth, torpedoed and sunk by a German motor torpedo boat on 7th Oct 1942, off Sheringham. The ship sank in two minutes with the loss of 16 of her crew and four gunners.
In 1940, the Leise Maersk was transferred to the Ministry of War Transport and participated in North Atlantic convoys. In 1940 she sailed out from Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada carrying 4500 tons of grain and general cargo to Sharpness as part of convoy SC 11.
On 23 November, she was torpedoed by the Kriegsmarine submarine U-100 and sunk west of the Outer Hebrides.[3][11][12] Seventeen of her 24-man crew were lost, with the survivors being rescued by a Dutch salvage tug and taken to Campbeltown.
MARIE MAERSK Great Britain 8271grt In Eastern Mediterranean, Italian Air attack, torpedoed, damaged 24th March 1943; Reached Piraeus, but was bombed on 12 April 1943.
MARTIN MAERSK Great Britain 8271grt Bombed; 12th Apr 1941
The Danish cargo Nicoline Maersk was seized by the Vichy Government in 1940 and renamed St. Felix and then captured again by the Kriegsmarine and renamed Nicoline Maersk in 1941.
Intercepted by destroyer FS LE FANTASQUE in the Western Mediterranean and was run aground by her crew near Tortosa, Spain; 24th Dec 1943
OLAF MAERSK Denmark 1950grt Bombed by RAF; 30th Nov 1941.
PETER MAERSK Great Britain 5476grt Torpedoed by U-185; 7th Dec 1942.
Ministry of War Transport .
At 03.40 hours on 7 Dec 1942 the unescorted Peter Mærsk (Master Otto Aggerholm), detached from station #103 in convoy ON-149 on
Ministry of War Transport .
At 03.40 hours on 7 Dec 1942 the unescorted Peter Mærsk (Master Otto Aggerholm), detached from station #103 in convoy ON-149 on
5 December, was hit by two torpedoes from U-185 about 460 miles west of the Azores. At 04.52 hours, the ship was struck by a coup de grâce after a first missed at 04.30 hours. At 05.31 hours, the U-boat fired another coup de grâce after the ship settled by
the bow with a list and did not sink, but missed again due to heavy seas. Maus decided to dive and reload the torpedo tubes, assuming that the ship will sink in the worsening weather. At 08.30 hours, the Germans heard sinking noises and only found wreckage
when surfacing two hours later. The crew had managed to send a distress signal with the name of the vessel and its position before abandoning ship in the lifeboats, but the survivors were never found and probably perished in a storm that raged in the area
the following days. The master, 47 crew members, eight gunners and eleven passengers were lost
SALLY MAERSK Great Britain 3252grt
At 07.28 hours on 10 Sep 1941, U-81 fired two torpedoes at convoy SC-42 east-northeast of Cape Farewell and observed a ship sinking after two hits. At 07.29 hours, another spread of two torpedoes was fired and two detonations were
At 07.28 hours on 10 Sep 1941, U-81 fired two torpedoes at convoy SC-42 east-northeast of Cape Farewell and observed a ship sinking after two hits. At 07.29 hours, another spread of two torpedoes was fired and two detonations were
heard, but at the time visibility was bad. At 07.53 hours, the stern torpedo was fired that hit but was probably a dud. Guggenberger reported one ship certain and two others probably sunk, but from Allied reports only the sinking of Sally Mærsk (Master J.K. Lindberg) is
confirmed. The master, 28 crew members and five gunners were picked up by HMCS Kenogami (K 125) (LtCdr R. Jackson, RCNVR) and landed at Reykjavik.
SUSAN MAERSK
At 01.22 hours on 12 June 1941, U-553 fired one torpedo at an unescorted freighter about 370 miles north-northeast of the Azores and observed how the ship sank within 90 seconds after being hit underneath the bridge. The U-boat had spotted the ship about five
At 01.22 hours on 12 June 1941, U-553 fired one torpedo at an unescorted freighter about 370 miles north-northeast of the Azores and observed how the ship sank within 90 seconds after being hit underneath the bridge. The U-boat had spotted the ship about five
hours earlier and missed with a stern torpedo at 01.05 hours. The target must have been the Susan Mærsk (Master Kaj Bjørn Thomsen) which was reported missing after being detached from convoy OG-64. The master, 22 crew members and one gunner were lost.
GUDRUN MAERSK
One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA as an Armaments Stores Issuing Ship
22 December 1941 sailed Scapa Flow with RN units and
One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA as an Armaments Stores Issuing Ship
22 December 1941 sailed Scapa Flow with RN units and
RFA's BLACK RANGER and GRAY RANGER to take part in Operation Anklet - a raid on the Lofoten Islands
The Maersk ships taken over by the Uzs were renamed
Anna Maersk became Lookout
wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?901
Anna Maersk became Lookout
wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?901
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