Maritime History Archive Public Photo Catalogue

Home New Search

Photo Title:	"M.S. Chrobry"
Image No.:	PF-001.1-S30b
Image Location:	Box06/pf001_s0030b.jpeg
Physical Description:	1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 17 cm
Biography/Admin History:	MS "Chrobry" was a Polish passenger ship built for the Poland - South America Line to replace the aging SS Kosciuszko and the SS Pulaski. She was named in honour of the first Polish king Boleslaw I Chrobry. The ship was in the middle of its maiden passenger voyage to South America when World War II broke out. Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz was one of the passengers. During the war the ship was rebuilt in Britain to become a troop transport. The ship was used as a transport during the Norwegian Campaign, in the area around Narvik. On May 14, 1940 she sailed from Tjeldsundet transporting British troops to Bodo.[1] Just before midnight German dive bombers attacked the ship three times in the middle of the Vestfjorden, setting the ship on fire, exploding ammunition, and killing several army officers and men.[1] One of the escorts, the destroyer HMS Wolverine, took off 700 survivors from the ship, while the other escort, the sloop HMS Stork, stood on guard and drove off other German aircraft, then took off the remaining survivors.[1] Both escorts, loaded with survivors, sailed for Harstad. The abandoned Chrobry was scuttled by aircraft from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal on May 16.[1] A considerable amount of equipment went down with the ship.[1] (Article copied from Wikipedia)
Collector:	Capt. Harry Stone
Source Donor:	Donated by Capt. Harry Stone
Collection Title:	Capt. Harry Stone Collection, Part 1
Associated Material:	PF-055 and textual material in R95-42
Restrictions on Access:	Copyright held by the Maritime History Archive. No image from the fonds may be reproduced for research or publication without permission from the archivist.
Copyright:	c-mha
Notes:	Title taken from caption on front of image.
Subjects:	Chrobry (Ship).