SS Sauternes was a steamship built in 1922. It was known as the Jólaskipið (the Christmas Ship) in the Faroe Islands. It sank in a storm in the firth Fugloyarfjørður within the Faroe Islands on 7 December 1941; all 25 passengers and crew were lost. The bodies of five of the service personnel who died are buried in Klaksvík old cemetery.
In addition to general cargo for the British garrison in the Faroes, Sauternes was also carrying 22,500 Danish kroner minted in the United Kingdom for use by the Faroese, since Denmark had been occupied by the Germans and was not sending any currency.
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Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1941
Shipwrecks
2 Dec: Virsaitis 6 Dec: HMS Perseus 7 Dec: USS Arizona , USS California , USS Cassin , Cynthia Olson USS Downes , Ha-19 M-16 M-18 M-20 M-22 USS Nevada , USS Oglala , USS Oklahoma , Sauternes USS Shaw , U-208 USS Utah , USS West Virginia , HMCS Windflower 8 Dec: SS Capillo , Nisqually USS Penguin , HMS Peterel , Ravnaas 10 Dec: HMS Banka , USS Bittern , I-70 HMS Prince of Wales , HMS Repulse , Takao Maru No. 10 YP-16 11 Dec: Hayate Kisaragi HMS Lady Shirley 12 Dec: Awazisan Maru HMS Moth , HMS Tamar 13 Dec: Alberico da Barbiano Alberto di Giussano 14 Dec: HMS Galatea 15 Dec: Empire Barracuda HNLMS O 16 , U-127 16 Dec: U-557 17 Dec: Corregidor Ro-66 Shinonome U-131 18 Dec: U-434 19 Dec: HMS Neptune , HNLMS O 20 , HMS Stanley , U-574 20 Dec: Emidio HMS Kandahar 21 Dec: HMS Audacity , HMS Cicala , HNLMS K XVII , U-451 U-567 23 Dec: Hayataka Maru Montebello Patrol Boat No. 32 Patrol Boat No. 33 Shuntien U-79 24 Dec: Absaroka HNLMS K XVI , USS Rochester , Sagiri HMS Salvia 25 Dec: Empire Dragon USS Sealion , HMS Thracian 26 Dec: Unyo Maru No. 2 27 Dec: Arayat Canlaon 28 Dec: Banahao DCH-1 U-75 Volo SS Connecticut 29 Dec: BRP Banahaw Ro-60 Unknown date: HMS H31 , USS Nereus , HMS Triumph , Vizcaya Other incidents
