As North America it was ordered from Deutsche Werft Finkenwerder for the Panama Transport Company as in July 1940, for transatlantic shipments to Germany.

North Africa then sailed to the Kiel naval port where it took on additional crew, who were Kriegsmarine sailors.

[2] In March 1941 North Africa was renamed Egerland, left Kiel and sailed through the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal to Wilhelmshaven.

[2] Two days later on 19 March 1941, the ship sailed to the Hook of Holland while in a convoy that consisted of two whalers, one acting in the capacity as a patrol boat, the other as a submarine chaser.

[2] For the few hours while the submarine was being refuelled, the sailors were entertained on the Egerland and this included imbibing beer and cigarettes as well as watching a film.

From the diary of the Egerland it is known that the UA had apparently submerged while its exhaust was still open and sea water had ingressed and mixed with the lubricating oil.

[2] On 29 May Egerland was ordered by Kriegsmarine Western Command to rendezvous with Esso Hamburg at location 7° N, 31° W by 4 or 5 June.

[4] HMS London opened fire at 1010 hours with both forward turrets at a range of 21,000 yd (19 km), with a plan to force the Egerland crew to abandon ship as soon as possible.

A Royal Navy party boarded Egerland but assessed her as unsalvageable and it was decided to finish the scuttling.

According to the diary of HMS Brilliant the Egerland proved very difficult to sink and the gunfire on the ship had no effect.