"Norwegian Sailors Buried in Eston Cemetery"
by Vince Smith for a Display in Our 2022 Exhibition

THE U-BOAT ATTACK ON THE SS MATTI

   This is the story of how three merchant seamen, two Norwegians and a Dane came to be laid to rest in Eston Cemetery. Norway was a neutral country in World War I (as was Denmark) but from 1914 to 1918 more than 800 Norwegian Merchant ships were sunk due to the Germans U-boat campaign.
   The SS MATTI of Tvedestrand, Norway was damaged by a torpedo fired by German U-boat UC-71 on the 22nd September 1917 some 4 nautical miles off Flamborough Head, whilst enroute from Rouen, France to the River Tyne in ballast. Out of the crew of 21 onboard, 3 men sadly perished. The ship did not sink however and was towed to Smiths Dockyard at South Bank for assessment and repair.

   Shortly afterwards on the 1st of October, a naval declaration was held at the consulate in Newcastle upon Tyne to discuss the attack on the SS Matti, a ship of 2,139 gross and 1,306.28 net tonnage. The business was managed by Consul S.0. Salvesen, Theodor C. Nielsen, a former master of Bergen and Capt. Lars S. Jensen, of SS Carlotta of Kristiania.
   Staff Captain, Ingolf Brekke, a resident of Tvedestrand and the driver of the SS Matti presented the ship’s journal:

   "Departed from Rouen on 19/9 at 4.30 Greenwich time.
   On 21/9, anchored at The Downs (just North of Dover) to wait for the Pilot and sailing direction.
   10:10 a.m. 21/9 took off and continued under the pilot’s command.
   7.10 pm. 21/9 anchored on Yarmouth Roads.
   5 a.m. The pilot landed and the journey was quickly guided by various courses of buoy.
   5.50 pm 22/9 passed Flamborough Head.
   At 7.10pm The 2nd mate Johannes Andreassen was on the bridge, Sailor Aksel Lindberg at the helm and light sailor Albin Brodin on the lookout. The Captain explained that immediately after he had gone down from the bridge to arrange customs papers. at 7.10pm, the explosion occurred. All lights (electric) went out. He immediately ran on deck and found the crew lowering the remaining lifeboat overboard, the other had been damaged in the explosion. lst machinist Johan Gundersen Brekke, 2nd machinist Peter Ingvald Kværnberg, and fireman Waldemar Andersen (Danish) were missing. He checked the machinists’ booths and shouted into the engine room but found no sign of life. He then ran to the captain’s cabin to find the ship’s papers, but found only a few as it was very dark on board due to the electric light having been stopped by the explosion. The lifeboat was now set off and rowed for some lights as seen, and the crew lit blue distress flares.
   The ship had now disappeared in the dark. It was impossible to stay by the ship as the lifeboat lay low in the water, and 2 men, 1st helmsman Sverre Nilsen and Donkeyman Sigfred Torsell were badly burned, and he was also sure that the ship would go to the bottom or get a new torpedo in it. The course was now salted towards land and immediately afterwards Flamborough Head lighthouse was seen and the lifeboat was steered for this.
   At approx 1.30am on the 23/9 they landed at the lighthouse, the guard at the lighthouse was present when we landed. We were brought up to the guardhouse where the helmsman and donkey man were treated. They crew were all then taken to the village nearby. From here, the Helmsman and Donkeyman were sent to the hospital in Bridlington, whilst the remaining crew were sent by train to Hull.
   That same evening the Captain was informed by the Air Admiralty that the ship had remained afloat and was brought into Smiths Dock, South Bank near Middlesbrough by an English tramp boat. There was approx 20 square feet of damage to the ship but it will be repaired and the vessel will be set in motion again.
   On 24/9, the Captain and the 2nd mate stepped up to take care of the ship’s interests. When the captain came to Middlesbrough he could not go on board without charge from the customs house, nor could he have control over the ship whilst it was in the hands of the customs man. The 3 missing crew, 1st machinist Johan G. Brekke, the 2nd machinist Peter Ingvald Kværnberg and fireman Waldemar Andersen were found dead in the engine room quite shattered by the explosion and from the doctor’s statement killed instantly. On Saturday the 29th, they were buried in Normanby Churchyard.
   Since then, Sailor Aksel Lindberg has been taken to hospital for swelling in his legs, which he probably got during the journey from sea to land."

   The first witness was Johannes Andreassen, 28 years old and a resident of Tvedestrand, the 2nd mate on board the SS Matti. After being reminded of the importance of the oath, he explained that he had been on guard at the bridge on the evening of the 22nd of September. when the explosion occurred. At 7.10 GMT the witness saw a strip of light in the water , midship on the starboard side come right at the ship and immediately after that the explosion occurred. The Starboard lifeboat shattered and the other lifeboat was put out, and in this went the whole crew with the exception of the 1st and the 2nd engineer and a fireman who were missing. With the vessel expected to sink at any moment, it was abandoned and immediately disappeared into the darkness. Lights were seen, and they rowed to Flamborough Head where they landed at 1.30am. The witness has no doubt that the ship was hit by a torpedo. The vessel was later brought to Middlesbrough where it is now to be repaired. The bodies of the Engineers and firemen Andersen were found in the engine room. They were all killed by the explosion. The Torpedo made a large hole in the Starboard side.

   Albin Roden appeared as the 2nd witness. 20 years old and resident in Sundsvall, light sailor on board the Matti. After being told the meaning of the oath, he explained that he was on lookout on the evening of the 22nd of September. The witness saw a light stripe in the water on the starboard side coming towards the ship and immediately the explosion occurred which knocked the witness over. The witness went to the starboard lifeboat, which was missing, and then went in the other lifeboat together with the rest of the crew. Candles were found and burned from the lifeboat, but no assistance arrived. We continued rowing and landed at Flamborough Head. The vessel was expected to sink at any moment when it was abandoned. The captain got up again from the boat to search for the 3 missing men but they could not be located.

   The statements were then read out and adopted and the business was closed.

THE VICTIMS OF THE TORPEDO ATTACK

   On the 22 September 1917 the SS "Matti" was off the coast of England when a torpedo hit the engine room killing three men.
   The "Matti" did not sink but was towed in to Smiths Dock at South Bank.

   All three casualties (Johan, Peter and Waldemar) were then buried at Eston Cemetery - Carl Bech & Co the ship’s owners paid for the memorial.

   Johan Gunderson Brekke

   Aged 39 yrs. The 1st Machinist (engineer) onboard the "Matti" was born on 7th January 1878 at Arendal, Norway. He came to Rygene Tremassefabrikk to gain an apprenticeship. He met his future wife Elise Eriksen and they married in 1906 and lived in Brekka. They had a daughter who died at birth and eventually two sons: Gunnar born in 1911; and Karsten Johan born in 1915.

Following Johan’s death the shipping company returned
his wedding ring to Elise his widow attached to a packaging label
and to this day it remains like this
and has been passed down in the family.

   Peter Ingvald Kværnberg
   Aged 26 yrs. The 2nd Machinist on the "Matti" was born in Kristiania, Norway on 2nd December 1891. Peter had only married Anna Dorthea Martinsen 25th January 1917, and his daughter Aase was born 15th October 1917 less than a month after his death.

   Waldemar Andersen
   Aged 27 yrs. Fyrester (Fireman) on the "Matti" born 1st May 1890 in Kjosenhaven (Copenhagen) Denmark.

THE HISTORY OF THE SS "MATTI"

   1907 built by A.Vuijk & Sons at Capelle aan den Ijssel
            in The Netherlands for Joh. Otten and Son, Rotterdam.
            The original name of the ship was the SS "Carl Lehnkering".
   1911 sold to Van Nievelt, Goudriaan & Co , Rotterdam and
            the ships name changed to "Poolster"
   1914 bought by Svenson & Jesperson of Copenhagen in Denmark and
            renamed SS "Matti"
   1916 purchased by Carl Bech & Co of Tvedestrand, Norway.
   1917 after the torpedo attack, the ship was declared a constructive loss but was later repaired.
   1926 purchased by Yamamoto Shoji in Amagasaki, Japan.
   On the 7th July 1929 the ship was wrecked when it ran aground near the tiny uninhabitated Takeshima Island.

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