MS Borgestad

MS Borgestad was a Norwegian diesel-powered cargo ship, built at Burmeister & Wain, Copenhagen in 1925. The vessel is known for having engaged the German heavy cruiser GERMAN CRUISER Admiral Hipper to protect a convoy, where many of the vessels managed to escape thanks to her actions. Borgestad was sunk in early 1941 and all 31 people on board perished. Captain Lars Grotnæss was awarded the War Cross, post mortem.

Encounter with Admiral Hipper
Borgestad's encounter in the Atlantic with GERMAN CRUISER Admiral Hipper in 30 January 1941 was reported in Norwegian newspapers as early as May 1945, including Agderposten.

The ship was travelling east across the Atlantic towards England and the convoy's destination, Liverpool. The convoy was without a military escort and Borgestad was in the front line of the convoy. Borgestad was armed with a single gun, which was manned. The ship headed straight for the German cruiser and fired relentlessly, even though they knew that the target could not be reached with a small anti-submarine gun.

Captain Lars Grotnes's maneuver gave the other ships in the convoy chance to disperse while the German cruiser turned its attention to the attacker. Agderposten characterizes this as a battle between David and Goliath, and it could not last long. After a broadside from the cruiser, Borgestad was sunk. The German cruiser sank a further five of the convoy's ships.

"... it is certain that if Borgestad's crew had not so bravely sacrificed their lives, the convoy's losses would have been far greater", writes Agderposten. "The feat was also praised as one of the most brilliant examples of Norwegian seamanship and patriotism during the war, and Borgestad's entire crew was decorated after their death"