During late November 1941, Herstein was one of several ships that unsuccessfully searched for survivors from HMAS Sydney (D48) sunk November 19.

On December 6, 1941 departs Adelaide boubd for Melbourne arriving two days later. On December 10, 1941 departs Melbourne and the next day arrives at Sydney.

On December 27, 1941 departs Sydney Harbor loaded with war cargo under charter to the Australian Government as part of convoy ZK.5 with RMS Aquitania and SS Sarpedon with an escort of four cruisers bound for Port Moresby. On January 4, 1942 arrives at Fairfax Harbor near Port Moresby.

On January 10, 1942 departs Port Moresby bound for Rabaul. On January 14, 1942 arrives Simpson Harbor off Rabaul and began unloading war cargo for the Australian garrison including six Bren Gun Carriers, 80 Thompson submachine guns, roughly 2,000 aerial bombs and 3,000 drums of aviation fuel. While being unloaded, RAN Lt. Hugh A. Mackenzie requested the vessel get underway as soon as possible to avoid being caught during a Japanese air raid. By January 18, 1942 her 1,200 tons of military cargo was unloaded.

On January 19, 1942 moved to the Burns, Philp & Company wharf to begin loading copra from the Burns, Philp & Company wharf. Australian civilian Harol Page attempted to get Australian civilians aboard Herstein to be evacuated from Rabaul, but they were denied in favor of loading more copra.

Sinking History
On January 20, 1942 approximately 2,000 tons of copra had been loaded was still anchored at the Burns, Philp & Company wharf in Simpson Harbor near Rabaul. During the Japanese air raid against Rabaul, Herstein was targeted by Japanese carrier aircraft including D3A1 Vals from Akagi and hit by three bomb amidship, one exploding in the engine room and causing a fire that quickly spread. Meanwhile, her two 7.7mm machine guns fired at attacking aircraft until a second bomb hit the bridge area, disabling both guns. Other sources claim the ship was hit by a total of six bombs.

Fates of the Crew
Aboard, steward Karl Thorsell (Swedish) was killed and three crew were wounded including 1st Engineer Peter Brandal, Boatswain Gerhard Olsen and Cook Arthur Landhaug. Four other crew sustained minor burns. The rest of the crew jumped overboard and swam ashore to Rabaul.

Shipwreck
After the crew abandoned ship, Herstein burned and drifted across Simpson Harbor. The next morning, on January 21, 1942 Herstein was still burning and declared a total loss. The ship drifted until it eventually grounded off Matupit Island. Postwar, the ship towed to Japan and scrapped.

Fates of the Crew
Afterwards, the three wounded crewmen were admitted to the hospital. The remainder of the crew were accommodated at a hotel in Rabaul and that afternoon were given some money and advised to leave before any other air raids or the Japanese landed.

During air raid, captain Gundersen was ashore at the Burns, Philp & Company office and was separated from the crew. Gundersen joined retreating Australian forces that departed Rabaul and reached Eber Bay then Adler Bay. They managed to board a boat with Australians and were rescued and transported to Port Moresby then sent to Sydney arriving April 26, 1942. Hearings were held in Sydney about the incident on August 13, 1942.

The rest of the crew that remaind at Rabaul were captured on January 23, 1942 by the Japanese when they occupied Rabaul and became Prisoners Of War (POWs). On June 22, 1942 they were loaded aboard the Montevideo Maru and departed bound for Hainan Island. Instead, they died at sea July 1, 1942 when torpedoed off the west coast of Luzon.

Memorials
Twenty-seven Norwegian crew are memorialized at the Minnehallen (Memorial for Seamen) in Stavern, Norway.

Kaare Fagervik - Maskinist|
Arthur Ringshaug - Sjømann
Einar Finn Thoresen - Lettmatros
Hans Teien - Motormann
Gerhard Johan Storhaug - Båtsmann
Magnus Skaug - Motormann
Egil Kristian Pettersen - Tømmermann
Arthur Olaf Olausen - Matros
John Arthur Nicolaisen - Telegrafist
Bjarne Møller - 1.styrmann
Reidar Thorbjørn Myhre - 2. maskinist
Knut Mostad - 3. styrmann
Ivar Martin Lie - Smører
Kåre Johan Køllersen - Maskinass
Arthur Marius Landhaug - Sjømann
Kristian Marthin Kristiansen - Motormann
Gunnar Alexander Knudsen - Matros
Alf Jemtland - 3. maskinist
Olav Hansen - Elektriker
Reidar E. Grytnes - Matros
Gunnar Egil Edvardsen - Motormann
Kåre H. Brekkestø - Byssegutt
Peter Cornelius Brandal - Maskinsjef
Benn Bolt - 2.styrmann
Viktor Hugo Andersen - Sjømann
Olvar Andersen - Matros

Australian Saloon Boy James Tynan also died aboard the Montevideo Maru on July 1, 1942. Tynan is memorialized at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) on the commemorative roll.

On April 25 2012 on ANZAC day, one of the Norwegian relatives of the crew attended the 70th anniversary rememberances for the sinking of the Montevideo Maru at Rabaul.

References
Pacific Islands Monthly (PIM) March 1942 account describes the "American Eric Howard" who was Herstein's gunner who remained at his post, with fire surrounding him, shooting in defiance at the attacking Japanese aircraft. Rather the individual is believed to be Eric Howitt, skipper of Leander a 40 ton vessel owned by the Australian Administration who with Ernie Vider, skipper of disabled Eros also an Administration vessel escaped Rabaul on January 22, 1942 aboard schooner Leander and sailed via Wide Bay, Pal Mal Mal and Caturp Plantation where they used the vessel's radio to contact Port Moresby to arrange rescue by two Short Empire Flyingboats.
Pacific Islands Monthly (PIM) October 1945 lists American [sic Danish] Jack Hansen officer on ship Herstein as missing.
WarSailors.com - Norwegian Merchant Marine Prisoners of the Japanese
WarSailors.com - M/S Herstein
RabaulNurses.com.au - Norwegian Ship MS Herstein Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS)
AWM - Commemorative Roll - James Tynan
Minnehallen.no - DS. Herstein
Shorter Convy Series - Convoy ZK.5
When Radio Was the Cat's Whiskers pages 300-301
Rabaul Nurses - Norwegian Ship MS Herstein Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship (DEMS)
Darkest Hour: The True Story of Lark Force at Rabaul - Australia's Worst pages 70, 76-77, 79, 88, 90, 119, 143
Thanks to David Flynn for additional information

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Last Updated
February 11, 2025