http://perso.orange.fr/cdasm.56/dictionnaire/560.

pdf

PORT VICTOR
Port Line; 1942; Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson; 12,411
tons; 503-5x68-2x38-3; 2,152 n.h.p.; 16 knots; oil engines. The
motorship Port Victor, Capt. W. G. Higgs, OBE, was torpedoed
and sunk by a German submarine in the North Atlantic on April
30th, 1943. Ten of her crew, two gunners and five passengers were
lost. Capt. Higgs was among the survivors. The Port Victor was not
in convoy at the time.
I found this on 16 6 07. CJM
+
http://www.nzmaritimeindex.org.nz/ixvessel.asp?ID=80082147&name=PORT
%20VICTOR&gsn=&owner=&num=&typ=&tid=0&tix=0&pix=0&SourceID=&refid=&hit=5

Vessel Name: PORT VICTOR

Vessel ID: 1168324
Official No: 168324
Vessel Type: Cargo ship
Tonnage: 12,411 gross
Engine: Motor
Date of Fate: 30 April, 1943
Type of Fate: Destroyed by enemy action
Place of Fate: 47 49N 22 02W
Vessel Abstract: 30 April, 1943 lost 47 49N 22 02W. Cause: Submarine - Torpedoed

http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/2897.html

Port Victor
We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.

Name: Port Victor

Type: Motor merchant
Tonnage: 12.411 tons
Completed: 1942 - Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd,
Wallsend, Sunderland
Owner: Port Line Ltd, London
Homeport: London
Date of attack: 1 May, 1943 Nationality: British

Fate: Sunk by U-107 (Harald Gelhaus)

Position: 47.49N, 22.02W - Grid BE 4511
- See location on a map -
Complement: 164 (19 dead and 145 survivors).
Convoy:
Route: Buenos Aires - Montevideo (17 Apr) - Liverpool
Cargo: 7600 tons of refrigerated foodstuffs and 2000 tons of
general cargo
History:
Notes on loss: At 00.30 hours on 1 May, 1943, U-107 fired a spread of
two stern torpedoes at the unescorted Port Victor (Master
William Gordon Higgs) northeast of the Azores, which was
zig-zagging directly into a good firing position in about
1000 metres distance. The ship carried 65 passengers
(including 23 women and children), stopped after one
torpedo hit amidships and the crew made the lifeboats
ready to be launched. After a first coup de grâce hit
amidships at 00.36 hours the boats were lowered, but when
she was hit in the bow by a second coup de grâce at 00.45
hours two lifeboats were destroyed and the occupants
killed. The vessel developed a list to port but still sent
radio messages until being hit underneath the bridge by a
third coup de grâce, which broke the ship in two and
caused her to sink. Twelve crew members, two gunners and
five passengers were lost. The master, 74 crew members,
ten gunners and 60 passengers were picked up by HMS
Wren (U 28) (LtCdr R.M. Aubrey) and landed at
Liverpool.

Harald Gelhaus
Kapitänleutnant (Crew 35)

Successes
19 ships sunk for a total of 100.373 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total of 10.068 GRT

Born 24 Jul, 1915 Göttingen

Died 2 Dec, 1997

U-Boot Archiv Ranks

1 Jul, 1936 Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan, 1938 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr, 1938 Leutnant zur See
1 Oct, 1939 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr, 1942 Kapitänleutnant
 Decorations
31 Oct, 1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class
31 Dec, 1940 U-boat War Badge
24 Feb, 1941 Iron Cross 1st Class
26 Mar, 1943 Knights Cross
1 Oct, 1944 U-boat Front Clasp

Kptlt. Harald Gelhaus

U-boat Commands
U-143 31 Mar, 1941 - 30 Apr, 1941 No war patrols
U-107 1 Dec, 1941 - 6 Jun, 1943 7 patrols (341 days)

Harald Gelhaus began his naval career in April 1935. He served on the light cruiser Karlsruhe and on the
battleship Gneisenau. In October 1939 he transferred to the U-boat force. His first three patrols were as I
WO on U-103 under Korvkpt. Schütze.

He left the boat in March 1941 and took command of the Type IIB boat U-143. After four patrols he became
the commander of U-107, the already famous boat of Korvkpt. Hessler. On the next six patrols he sank 19
ships for a total of little more than 100,00 tons. In June 1943 he became a staff member of the OKM, the
High Command of the German Navy.

Beginning in February 1944, he was a training officer in the 22nd and 27th flotillas. The final months of the
war he spent in staff positions, the last one being in Naval High Command North. After the war he spent
three months in Allied captivity.

U-107
Type IXB
Laid down 6 Dec, 1939 AG Weser, Bremen

Commissioned 8 Oct, 1940 Kptlt. Günther Hessler

Commanders 8 Oct, 1940 - 1 Dec, 1941 KrvKpt. Günter Hessler (Knights Cross)

1 Dec, 1941 - 6 Jun, 1943 Kptlt. Harald Gelhaus (Knights Cross)

Jul, 1943 - Aug, 1944 Kptlt. Volker Simmermacher

Aug, 1944 - 18 Aug, 1944 Ltn. Karl-Heinz Fritz

Career 14 patrols 8 Oct, 1940 - 31 Dec, 1940 2. Flottille (training)

1 Jan, 1941 - 18 Aug, 1944 2. Flottille (front boat)

Successes 37 ships sunk for a total of 207.375 GRT

2 auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 10.411 GRT
3 ships damaged for a total of 17.392 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged for a total of 8.246 GRT
Fate Sunk 18 Aug, 1944 in the Bay of Biscay west of La Rochelle, in position
46.46N, 03.49W, by depth charges from a British

http://www.unithistories.com/officers/RN_officersA8.html
found on 5 1 08 CJM

AUBREY, 30.03.1909 A/S.Lt. 01.05.1929 02.05.1929 - (08.1929) promotion course, RN College,

S.Lt. 12.08.1930, seniority Greenwich [HMS President]
Robert Marriott -
01.12.1929 29.12.1930 - (09.1932) HMS Oswald (submarine)
10.1990 Lt. 01.05.1931
Henley, 28.11.1933 - (07.1935) HMS Neptune (cruiser) (Home
Oxfordshire Lt.Cdr. 01.05.1939 Fleet)
Cdr. 31.12.1943 (General List 07.02.1936 - (02.1937) First Lieutenant, HMS Delight
01.01.1957) (retd > (destroyer) (China)
01.1957, < 07.1959) (02.1938) - (08.1938) no appointment listed
A/Capt. 19.07.1948?
DSC 14.09.1943 destruction 2 U- 01.08.1938 - (04.1939) RN Barracks, Chatham [HMS
boats 24.06.43 Pembroke]
27.06.1939 - (08.1939) CO HMS Blanche
(destroyer) (The Nore)
(04.1940) HMS Campbell
(destroyer) *
(02.1941) - (08.1942) CO HMS Fowey (sloop)
*
16.12.1942 - (10.1943) CO HMS Wren (sloop)
24.11.1943 - (12.1943) CO HMS Exe (frigate)
03.1944 - (06.1944) Training Commander,
HMS Canada (RN Base,
Halifax, NS)
05.03.1945 - (04.1946) CO HMCS Beacon Hill
(frigate) (on loan to
RCN)
19.07.1948 - (05.1950) CO HMS Tamar
03.03.1952 - (01.1956) HMS President (for
miscellaneous services)
* indexed, but not listed as such

Thanks for sharing the details. Added most of them to the entry.

Regards,

Hans Houterman

Christine McKenzie wrote:

Oh, Hello Hans, very good... Dad's birthdate 13 October 1911.. place Bettyhill, Sutherland. He
went to Tierra del Fuego in 1930 at age 18 and rose to sheep station manager for Argentine
owned estancias first Ea Sara and later Ea Rospentek near Puerto Natales on the mainland. He
was torpedoed in the Atlantic on the way home to join in the war effort. My recent internet
research suggests it was on the Port Victor on 30 April 1943. All his possessions went to the
bottom, the U-boat surfaced and spoke to the survivors saying they were waiting for the rescue
ship and they would torpedo it too.... Magnus was demobilised in 1946 and married my mum
Euphemia Jane Mackay on 6 Nov 1946. They had passage booked back to Argentina but instead
took up a farm management job near the Scottish borders. In 1955 they moved to Farness in
Ross-shire, as farm managers for the Vestey family and remained there until retirement in 1975.
Magnus died in 1984. Offspring one of each, Christine Jane and Thomas Alexander.More info then
you want, I know! :)I will keep on trying to trace his war record, thanks for the numbers. Right
now it is summer in NZ with a succession of visitors.. a great time of year.Best wishes Christine
MckenzieChristine & Colin McKenzie
476 Fortrose-Otara Road
RD5 Invercargill NZ 9875
Ph/Fx 0064 3 246 9526
Catlins Community website
More about The Garden House
-----Original Message-----
From: J.N. Houterman [mailto:j.n.houterman@wxs.nl]
Sent: Monday, 21 January 2008 12:35 a.m.
To: christine@fortrose.org.nz
Subject: Re: WWII unit histories enquiry

Hi,

Added these entries in the RAFVR officers' section:

Bobby Locke doesn't seem to have held officer rank, so he's not added. I don't have any details about
actual postings, I'm afraid.

Corrections / additions / portraits most welcome.

Kind regards,

Hans Houterman
www.unithistories.com

Christine McKenzie wrote:

Greetings, I have found yr website but cannot find my father on it nor two of the
people with whom he flew.Father Magnus Mackay, he trained with South African Air
Force as a navigator, ccame back to UK and flew in bombers 1943-45, one of his crew
being Bobby Locke a well-known golfing personality of the time. At the end of the war
he was stationed at Port Said in charge of cargo coming through the Canal.. His
colleague there was Ralph Howell who later became Lord Howell and served in Margaret
Thatcher's cabinet.I'd like to trace his full service history, but have no other clues,
except some unlabelled photos.Any pointers you could give me would be much
appreciated. Thank you.Christine Mckenzie

Email 6 1 2008

Hi,

He was commissioned a Pilot Officer on probation [emergency commission] (personal number

131822) in the RAF Volunteer Reserve (General Duties Branch) on 25 Nov 1944, after having first
served in the ranks (lastly as Aircraftman 2nd class with personal number 1325926). That's about all I
have. No further indication of promotions, so I think he was demobilized in 1945/46 with the rank of
Pilot Officer.

Will gladly turn it into an entry for the website, but do you perhaps have his personal detials?
When/where born/died, married/children...

With his name, rank & personal number you should be able to request his personnel file from the
Ministry of Defence. This page contains useful addresses:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.2556

Kind regards,

Hans Houteman