Friedrich Carow
Swedish ore transported from Luleå was vital for the German arms industry. German ships carrying ore were therefore a priority target for Russian submarines. Friedrich Carow was part of a convoy escorted northwards by a small icebreaker from Norrköping armed with a few guns. The convoy’s ships became increasingly dispersed as they travelled further north, making it difficult for the escort ship to maintain control of the convoy.
Friedrich Carow was positioned at the end of the convoy and several precautions had been taken on board. One of these included swinging out the lifeboats from the side of the hull to facilitate a quick launch if needed. The entire convoy was well into Swedish territorial waters when a submarine periscope was detected in the distance. Before the escort vessel could react, a white foamy line had appeared in the water.
The torpedo, which was fired from the Russian submarine Vepr, struck Friedrich Carow a bit aft of the engine room and tore open a large hole in the hull’s side. Water rushed in through the hole and the ship began to sink stern first. The ship was listing, which meant that only one lifeboat could be used. The ship sank quickly and no personal belongings could be saved. The fifteen crew members, including the pilot, quickly boarded the only lifeboat that could be launched.
Friedrich Carow sjönk 4 minuter efter att torpeden träffade fartyget. Männen i livbåten rodde därefter i fyra timmar innan de kunde ta sig iland vid Gåsören, just utanför Skelleftehamn.
Friedrich Carow sank four minutes after the torpedo hit the ship. The men in the lifeboat then rowed for four hours before they were able to land at Gåsören, just outside Skelleftehamn.
Sailor Paul Carow also survived the second encounter with Vepr and its commander, which violated Swedish territory on several occasions.
Facts
Deep
18 metres
Build
1903
Length
63,4 metres
Width
9,8 metres
Shipwreck
1917
Ship type
Lastångfartyg