The list of shipwrecks in August 1939 includes ships sunk, foundered, grounded, or otherwise lost during August 1939.

1 August

List of shipwrecks: 1 August 1939
Ship State Description
Illinoian  United States The cargo ship ran aground in the Cape Fear River, Wilmington, North Carolina.[1] She was refloated undamaged on 7 August.[2]

2 August

List of shipwrecks: 2 August 1939
Ship State Description
Zuid Holland  France The dredger sprang a leak and sank at Saint Nazaire, Loire-Inférieure.[3]

3 August

List of shipwrecks: 3 August 1939
Ship State Description
Hertha  United States The =fishing vessel was swamped by heavy seas breaking over her stern and sank 3 nautical miles (5.6 km; 3.5 mi) west of Cape Bartolome, Territory of Alaska (55°14′N 133°37′W / 55.233°N 133.617°W / 55.233; -133.617 (Cape Bartolome)). Her captain perished, but the fishing vessel Argus ( United States) rescued the other six members of her crew.[4]

4 August

List of shipwrecks: 4 August 1939
Ship State Description
Bornholm  Norway The cargo ship collided with Lydia M (Brazil Brazil) at Santos, Brazil. Both vessels were damaged at the bows and beached.[5]
Junyoshi Maru  Japan The cargo ship ran aground at Shiokubisaki, Hokkaido.[5] She was declared a total loss.[6]
UJ 175 Perseus  Kriegsmarine The auxiliary submarine chaser was lost on this date.

5 August

List of shipwrecks: 5 August 1939
Ship State Description
Andrea F Luckenbach  United States The cargo ship ran aground at Port Eads, Louisiana.[5] Refloated on 7 August.[2]
Bernhard  Norway The cargo ship struck a reef in the Strait of Canso and was holed. She was beached at Eddy Point, Nova Scotia, Canada.[5] She was refloated on 11 August.[7]

6 August

List of shipwrecks: 6 August 1939
Ship State Description
Depere  United States The cargo ship struck rocks in the Wrangell Narrows, Alaska and was beached.[2] She was refloated on 11 August.[7]

7 August

List of shipwrecks: 7 August 1939
Ship State Description
Fahe Canada Canada The schooner was destroyed by fire 8 nautical miles (15 km) off Coffin Island, Nova Scotia.[8]

8 August

List of shipwrecks: 8 August 1939
Ship State Description
Astree  France The cargo ship came ashore at Ouistreham, Calvados.[9] She was refloated the next day.[8]
Frank B. Baird  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground at Murray Bay, Quebec, Canada.[8] She was refloated the next day leaking, and sailed to Quebec City for drydocking.[10]
Rainbow  United States The fishing vessel was destroyed by fire on the north side of South Indian Island, Territory of Alaska (58°22′15″N 134°42′00″W / 58.37083°N 134.70000°W / 58.37083; -134.70000 (South Indian Island)). The only person on board survived.[11]
Waimea  New Zealand The coaster was scuttled in the Cook Strait off Turakirae Head, North Island as a means of disposal.[12]
Wendover  United Kingdom The cargo ship grounded in the St Lawrence River at Cape Goose, Canada.[9] She was refloated later that day.[8]

9 August

List of shipwrecks: 9 August 1939
Ship State Description
Dalblair  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground south of Gothenburg, Sweden.[13] She was refloated the next day after offloading 400 tons of cargo.[10]
Povvidenza  Italy The cargo ship ran aground at Cuxhaven, Germany.[8] Refloated the next day.[10]
Sinbad  Palestine The patrol vessel exploded and sank off Wadi Falik, south of Nathanya.[14]

11 August

List of shipwrecks: 11 August 1939
Ship State Description
Alga  Italy The cargo ship ran aground on the Meloria Bank.[6] Refloated the next day.[15]
Fernglen  Norway The cargo ship ran aground on the Quita Sueño Bank, Colombia.[7] Refloated on 23 August.[16]
Sveti Duje  Yugoslavia The cargo ship struck rocks at Point Silo and was beached in Split Bay.[7] She was refloated on 16 August and drydocked for repairs after discharging her cargo.[17]

12 August

List of shipwrecks: 12 August 1939
Ship State Description
Gerania  Sweden The cargo ship collided with Heemskerk ( Netherlands) off Vlissingen, Netherlands and was beached to prevent her sinking.[15]

13 August

List of shipwrecks: 13 August 1939
Ship State Description
Treworlas  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground in the River Thames at Poplar, London. She was later refloated.[15]

15 August

List of shipwrecks: 15 August 1939
Ship State Description
Strindheim  Norway The cargo ship struck a mine and sank in the North Sea off the mouth of the River Tyne with the loss of nine crew.[18]
Trade Wind  United Kingdom The motor yacht collided with Lapwing ( United Kingdom) in the River Thames opposite the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and sank.[19]

16 August

List of shipwrecks: 16 August 1939
Ship State Description
Cabo Sardao  United Kingdom The tug capsized and sank in the Tagus whilst assisting RMS Vandyck. She was refloated some months later, repaired and returned to service.[20]

17 August

List of shipwrecks: 17 August 1939
Ship State Description
Prague  United Kingdom The passenger ferry ran aground at Harwich, Essex. She was refloated later that day.[21]
Robbie Burns  Australia The barge sank north of Kangaroo Island.[22]

18 August

List of shipwrecks: 18 August 1939
Ship State Description
O. M. Arnold  United States The motor vessel sank in a storm in Chatham Strait in the Alexander Archipelago, Territory of Alaska with the loss of three lives. There were five survivors. She was on a voyage from Chatham to Noyes Island with a cargo of 60 tons of fresh salmon.[23]
President de Vogue  Norway The tanker ran aground at Port-de-Bouc, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.[17]
Tourny  France The cargo ship ran aground at Dog Island, River Gambia, British Gambia.[24]

19 August

List of shipwrecks: 19 August 1939
Ship State Description
Herbrand  Norway The tanker ran aground at Buenos Aires, Argentina.[25] She was refloated undamaged on 22 August after discharging 7,000 tons of cargo.[26]
Løvland  Norway The cargo ship came ashore at Cape North, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and was wrecked.[25][27]

20 August

List of shipwrecks: 20 August 1939
Ship State Description
Aagot  Finland The cargo ship ran aground on Saltholm, Denmark. She was later refloated.[25]
Grace  United States The motorboat was severely damaged in a collision with the motorboat ARB 10 ( United States) between Sokolof Island (56°30′04″N 132°35′23″W / 56.5011°N 132.5897°W / 56.5011; -132.5897 (Sokolof Island)) and Vank Island ,Territory of Alaska (56°28′15″N 132°36′49″W / 56.4708°N 132.6136°W / 56.4708; -132.6136 (Vank Island)). ARB 10 towed the partially submerged wreck of Grace to the beach and anchored it there, then picked up Grace's crew of five. Grace was declared a total loss.[28]
Hans Voss  Germany The auxiliary sailing vessel collided with Bodegraven ( Netherlands) off Hamburg and sank.[25]
Kap Velaluka  United States The fishing vessel was destroyed by fire in Murder Cove at the southern tip of Admiralty Island in the Alexander Archipelago, Territory of Alaska. Her crew of five survived.[29]

21 August

List of shipwrecks: 21 August 1939
Ship State Description
Sire  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground in the Saint Lawrence River 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) upstream of the Cape Maillard Buoy.[24] She was refloated later that day.[26]
Wanda  United States With no one aboard but a mechanic who was testing her engine, the fishing vessel caught fire while tied to a dock at Dayville, Territory of Alaska, when the engine sparked and ignited gasoline in the bilge. The mechanic escaped. When people on the scene could not extinguish the fire, Wanda was towed to a beach across from a local cannery, where the fire completely destroyed her.[30]

22 August

List of shipwrecks: 22 August 1939
Ship State Description
Estella  United States The motorboat was destroyed in a small cove immediately north of Wards Cove, Territory of Alaska (55°24′30″N 131°43′30″W / 55.40833°N 131.72500°W / 55.40833; -131.72500 (Wards Cove)) after her gasoline engine backfired, causing an explosion and igniting a fire that consumed her. The two men aboard were blown clear of her cabin by the explosion and survived.[31]
Parita  Panama The passenger ship was beached at Tel Aviv, Palestine with 900 Jewish refugees on board.[26]

23 August

List of shipwrecks: 23 August 1939
Ship State Description
Constantinos Louloudis  Greece The cargo ship ran aground in the River Paraná, Argentina.[32] She was refloated on 25 August.[33]
Itacare Brazil Brazil The passenger ship capsized and sank at Ilhéus with the loss of 34 of the 66 people on board.[32][34]

24 August

List of shipwrecks: 24 August 1939
Ship State Description
Lages Brazil Brazil The cargo ship ran aground at Rosario, Argentina.[35] She was refloated on 27 August.[36]

25 August

List of shipwrecks: 25 August 1939
Ship State Description
Tyalgum  United Kingdom
Tyalgum

The cargo ship ran aground in the Tweed River at Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, and was wrecked.[33]

27 August

List of shipwrecks: 27 August 1939
Ship State Description
Tiger  Kriegsmarine The torpedo boat collided with Max Schultz ( Kriegsmarine) off Bornholm, Denmark and sank with the loss of two crewmen.[37]

28 August

List of shipwrecks: 28 August 1939
Ship State Description
Sildra  Norway The tanker came ashore at "They Roustant" whilst on a voyage from Corpus Christi, Florida, United States to Port-de-Bouc, Bouches-du-Rhône, France.[38] Refloated the next day.[36]
Tucuman  Argentina The tug capsized and sank at South Darsena with the loss of two crew whilst assisting Glasgow ( Argentina) to dock.[38]

29 August

List of shipwrecks: 29 August 1939
Ship State Description
Defy  United States The fish packer struck a rock off Kaigani Point (54°45′10″N 132°39′10″W / 54.75278°N 132.65278°W / 54.75278; -132.65278 (Kaigani Point)) in Cordova Bay, Territory of Alaska, then, while trying to reach shore in a sinking condition, was stranded on another rock. Her crew of two survived. By 30 August she had slid into deeper water and begun to break up gradually and was deemed a total loss.[39]
Hilda  United Kingdom The cargo ship ran aground on the Isle of May in the Firth of Forth.[36] She was refloated later that day.[40]
Porsanger  Finland The cargo ship came ashore at Östra Torp, Sweden.[36] She was refloated the next day after jettisoning 400 tons of cargo.[40]
Rustler  United States The fishing vessel sank without loss of life 0.75 nautical miles (1.39 km; 0.86 mi) south of Port Protection Point (56°19′20″N 133°36′35″W / 56.32222°N 133.60972°W / 56.32222; -133.60972 (Port Protection Point)) in Sumner Strait in the Alexander Archipelago, Territory of Alaska. Her crew of four abandoned ship in a skiff and made it to shore, where the vessel ARB 8 ( United States) rescued them.[11]

30 August

List of shipwrecks: 30 August 1939
Ship State Description
Ållotar  Finland The cargo ship collided with Dagny ( Finland) off Smygehuk, Sweden, and sank with the loss of three of her seven crew. The survivors were rescued by Dagny.[40]
Saint Conan  United Kingdom The coaster ran aground on Sanda Island, Argyllshire, and was wrecked.[41]

References

  1. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48373. London. 2 August 1939. col C, p. 23.
  2. ^ a b c "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48378. London. 8 August 1939. col F, p. 16.
  3. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48375. London. 3 August 1939. col F, p. 3.
  4. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (H)
  5. ^ a b c d "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48377. London. 7 August 1939. col C, p. 17.
  6. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48382. London. 12 August 1939. col F, p. 6.
  7. ^ a b c d "Yugoslav Steamer Beached". The Times. No. 48382. London. 12 August 1939. col F, p. 6.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48380. London. 10 August 1939. col G, p. 21.
  9. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48379. London. 9 August 1939. col E-F, p. 17.
  10. ^ a b c "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48381. London. 11 August 1939. col G, p. 3.
  11. ^ a b alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (R)
  12. ^ "Her Last Trip". The Evening Post. No. Volume CXXVIII, issue 33. Wellington, New Zealand. 8 August 1939. p. 9.
  13. ^ "Low Rate On British Steamer". The Times. No. 48380. London. August 1939. col G.
  14. ^ "Palestine Patrol Vessel Lost". The Times. No. 48380. London. 10 August 1939. col D, p. 11.
  15. ^ a b c "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48383. London. 14 August 1939. col F, p. 17.
  16. ^ "The Fernglen Refloated". The Times. No. 48392. London. 24 August 1939. col A, p. 19.
  17. ^ a b "Low Rate On Norwegian Motor Tanker". The Times. No. 48388. London. 19 August 1939. col G, p. 19.
  18. ^ "SS Strindheim (+1939)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  19. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48384. London. 16 August 1939. col E, p. 19.
  20. ^ "Cabo Sardao". The Yard. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  21. ^ "Passenger Steamer Aground In Fog". The Times. No. 48387. London. 18 August 1939. col E, p. 7.
  22. ^ "Robbie Burns (+1939)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  23. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (O)
  24. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48390. London. 22 August 1939. col F, p. 19.
  25. ^ a b c d "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48389. London. 21 August 1939. col F, p. 17.
  26. ^ a b c "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48391. London. 23 August 1939. col G, p. 3.
  27. ^ "SS Løvland (+1939)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  28. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (G)
  29. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (K)
  30. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (W)
  31. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (E)
  32. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48392. London. 24 August 1939. col B, p. 19.
  33. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48394. London. 26 August 1939. col D, p. 19.
  34. ^ "Telegrams in Brief". The Times. No. 48396. London. 29 August 1939. col G, p. 9.
  35. ^ "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48393. London. 25 August 1939. col G, p. 3.
  36. ^ a b c d "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48397. London. 30 August 1939. col G, p. 18.
  37. ^ "TIME-LINE Merchant and Navy Ship events 1939 - 1945 (WWII)". Mareud. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  38. ^ a b "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48396. London. 29 August 1939. col G, p. 3.
  39. ^ alaskashipwreck.com Alaska Shipwrecks (D)
  40. ^ a b c "Casualty Reports". The Times. No. 48398. London. 31 August 1939. col E, p. 17.
  41. ^ "SS Saint Conan (+1939)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
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