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The Belgian Merchant Navy 1939–1945

Ships › ALEX VAN OPSTAL

M/V ALEX VAN OPSTAL

Lost to acts of war before 10 May 1940

The Alex van Opstal, 1937. State Library of South Australia, PRG 1324/690, Public domain.
The Alex van Opstal, 1937. Photographer unknown · State Library of South Australia, PRG 1324/690 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

More photographs (2)

49crew
9wounded
57aboard
Type
Motor merchant
Tonnage
5,965 GRT
Built
1937 – Nakskov Skibsværft A/S, Nakskov
Owner
Compagnie Maritime Belge (Lloyd Royal) SA, Antwerp
Home port
Antwerp
Date
15 September 1939
Fate
Sunk by a mine laid by U-26 (Klaus Ewerth)
Attacker
U-26 (Klaus Ewerth)
Convoy
Sailed alone, unescorted
Voyage
New York → Antwerp
Cargo
4,410 tons of general cargo
Position
50.5333, -2.2667 · grid BF 3145
Including 7 passengers; one supernumerary (repatriated) counted apart from the 49 crew.
Sunk by a mine U-26 had laid five days earlier, not by a torpedo.

Position of the attack. Click the map to enable zoom.

Crew list (50 names)

The voyage

Departure
New York
Destination
Antwerp · never reached
Sunk
15 September 1939
RankNameNationalityFate
Master (Kapitein)Delgoffe VitalSurvived
1st Officer (1ste officier)Lauwereins KarelWounded
2nd Officer (2de officier)Van Geert FernandSurvived
2nd Officer jr (2de officier jr)Journeaux AndréSurvived
4th Officer (4de officier)De Boeck EvaristWounded
Radio Officer (Marconist)Gielen RogerWounded
Cadet (Kadet)Grond HenriSurvived
Cadet (Kadet)Leplat RolandSurvived
Cadet (Kadet)Querin GeorgesWounded
Cadet (Kadet)Theunen AntoonSurvived
Cadet (Kadet)Van Battel PaulSurvived
Cadet (Kadet)Van Den Bulck FernandNetherlandsSurvived
Carpenter (Timmerman)Antonsson HaakonEstoniaSurvived
Boatswain (Bootsman)Flies FelixSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Gallaey PieterSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Jans RenéSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Pattyn RichardSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Rassart RaymondSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Thys VictorSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Van Driessche AlbertSurvived
Able Seaman (A.B.)Verbraecken GabrielWounded
Ordinary Seaman (Lichtmatroos)Offenberg GérardSurvived
Chief Engineer (Hfd-werktuigk.)Proost LouisSurvived
2nd Engineer Officer (2de-werktuigk.)Demesmaeker FernandSurvived
3rd Engineer Officer (3de-werktuigk.)Celis HenriSurvived
3rd Engineer Officer jr (3de-werktuigk. jr)Breugelmans LouisSurvived
4th Engineer Officer (4de-werktuigk.)Lienaux KarelSurvived
Assistant Engineer (Assistant-werktuigk.)Stockmans JozefSurvived
Assistant Engineer (Assistant-werktuigk.)Querriau GeorgesSurvived
Assistant Engineer (Assistant-werktuigk.)Thorne AlfredSurvived
Assistant Engineer (Assistant-werktuigk.)Van Tongel JacobusNetherlandsSurvived
Assistant Engineer (Assistant-werktuigk.)Vervecken KarelSurvived
Electrician (Electricien)Leysen GustaafSurvived
Storekeeper (Magazijnier)Schwartz KarelSurvived
Cleaner (Poetser)Jennaert GustaafSurvived
Cleaner (Poetser)Ysenbaert JanSurvived
StewardGillis LouisSurvived
Messroom Steward (Messroom-steward)Van De Merlen EugeenSurvived
Messroom Steward (Messroom-steward)Verbruggen AntoineNetherlandsWounded
Assistant Steward (Assistant-steward)Beelen HenriSurvived
Assistant Steward (Assistant-steward)Biront FransWounded
Assistant Steward (Assistant-steward)Schaeps KarelSurvived
Messroom Boy (Messroom-boy)Crynen AndreSurvived
Cabin Boy (Cabin-boy)Willems LodewijkSurvived
1st Cook (1ste kok)Erpelding RenéWounded
2nd Cook and Baker (2de kok-bakker)Minne MauritsSurvived
Galley Boy (Koksjongen)Wynants JozefSurvived
Cattleman (Veeverzorger)De Clerck JorisSurvived
Cattleman (Veeverzorger)Degels FlorentSurvived
Supernumerary: Fireman (In overtal : stoker)Goidts Karel
repatriated
Wounded

Sources

Crew list from the printed source.