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SS Erlangen (1929)

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SS Erlangen was a German cargo vessel that escaped from New Zealand at the beginning of the Second World War and travelled to Chile.

The Erlangen was built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg for North German Lloyd (NDL). She was given the construction number 484, and launched on 31 August 1929. Her maiden voyage took place on 2 November 1929. The vessel was a coal-fired steamship using a steam turbine and single screw for propulsion. Her sister ship was the Goslar.

On 28 August 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II, the Erlangen left Port Chalmers in Dunedin seeking to avoid the crew becoming prisoners. The ship was powered by a coal-fired steam engine, and was known to be low on fuel when it left the port. The Erlangen steamed south to the uninhabited Auckland Islands, entering Carnley Harbour on 30 August, and anchored in the North Arm of the harbour. Over the next five weeks, the crew cleared around 1.2 ha (3 acres) of rātā forest, aiming to collect 400 tonnes of wood to fuel the vessel. New Zealand authorities suspected that the Erlangen could be in the Auckland Islands, and sent the cruiser HMS Leander to search for Erlangen. However, severe weather prevented HMS Leander from entering Carnley Harbour and the Erlangen was not discovered. On 7 October 1939, the Erlangen left her anchorage with only an additional 240 tonnes of wood fuel, but eventually reached Chile.

During the time in Carnley Harbour, sails were fabricated using available canvas and tarpaulins from the ship's hatch covers. These sails were rigged to the masts and derricks to provide additional propulsion. On the journey to Chile, the ship travelled 1,507 nmi (2,791 km; 1,734 mi) under sails alone, and 3,319 nmi (6,147 km; 3,819 mi) under steam power.

References

  1. Brenstrum, Erick (May–June 2015). "Danger isles". New Zealand Geographic (133). Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  2. "Auckland Islands". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
  3. "The Erlangen: How she reached Chile - Wood fuel and much sailing". The Evening Post (New Zealand). Vol. CXXIX, no. 21. 25 January 1940. p. 14 – via Papers Past.
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