Dutch tanker Phobos (the later German Thann) stranded according to the Dutch newspaper Limburger Koerier dated 21 March 1940

An item reported that the board of the N.V. Nederlandsch Indische Tankstoomboot Maatschappij announced that on Westerday morning the motor tanker Phobos of 10,564 tons hit a mine shortly after 08.00 o’clock. She was underway from the Dutch East Indies towards the Netherlands with a cargo of crude oil. Her crew managed to keep her floating until three British tugs towed her to the coast where she was deliberately grounded. Her first mate G.H. Bruin from Flushing and six Chinese crewmembers were killed. Thirteen European and 39 Chinese (of which 7 wounded) crew members arrived at Ramsgate. Two other wounded Chinese crewmembers arrived Wednesday evening with the Greek steamship Tassia at Flushing and were there taken from board by a navy tug. Although both just speak Chinese they made clear with gestures that there were two explosions. The seven men which were killed were lying on their beds.(1)

Note

1. She was built in 1926 by the shipyard of the Nederlandsche Scheepsbouw Maatschappij at Amsterdam building nr. 181. The newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad dated 1 June 1926 reported that her launching was planned for Saturday 5 June at the shipyard located at the Conradstraat. She was steel-built. According to the website http://museumschiphudson.com/Tentoonstelling/Koopvaardijschepen%20die%20zijn%20vergaan%20voor%20de%202e%20WO/Koopvaardijschepen/m.s.%20Phobos/index.htm arrived she on 11 April with temporarily repairs at Flushing and from there she went to Rotterdam. On 26 August still lying on the yard of Wilton-Fijenoord at Schiedam and handed over to the Kriegsmarine. On 29 September sunk in the Baltic near Daseror due to hitting a mine. According to the website http://www.helderline.nl/tanker/783/phobos/ was she in German service called Thann.