Ilse Fritzen
The Ilse Fritzen was built in France in 1922. She was a 5000gt vessel, 353x53x29 ft, originally named St Octave. She was commandeered by the Germans during WW2. In January 1945 whilst carrying a cargo of coal and mines, she was bombed in Eidefjord by aircraft from the RAF base at Banff, and sank. A 646gt Norwegian vessel, Bjergfin formerly Svanholm, carrying 15000 sacks of flour was also hit in the same raid, and sank later. She is said to lie opposite the Ilse Fritzen on the other side of the fjord, but I do not have any reports from anyone who has actually dived her. Ilse Fritzen lies on her starboard side, 45m to the shallowest part, in a general depth of 65m. Some blast damage is evident, but essentially the wreck is intact, and the rudder and propeller are still in place. Links |