Norwegian casualties on foreign ships - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Norwegians on British Reg. Ships & 1 Swedish Ship
Commemorated at Tower Hill
or otherwise mentioned at the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. Website

(This list gratefully received from Billy McGee, England).

These men can be found by entering each name in the relevant search field on The Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website. Those who are mentioned on that site, but who are NOT commemorated at Tower Hill have been marked with an *. As will be seen, some of these men are also commemorated at the Stavern Memorial (both these links are external).

SS Sourabaya - Panel 99

AAS, Oskar – Second Engineer Officer, S.S. Sourabaya (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th October 1942. Age 43. Son of Olaus and Dorthea Aas; husband of Gudrun Aas, of Presteroa, Tønsberg, Norway.

See also the 3 men who are commemorated at the Stavern Memorial. Oskar Arnold Dalen is said to have died in an accident in Liverpool in Nov.-1940. In addition to Oskar Aas, Donkeyman Petter Hugo Pettersen is also listed, no details on when or where he died.

I also found Oskar Aas at a Memorial near Valløy Church in Norway (scroll down quite a ways on the page until you see a picture of a church, he's the lst person on the list).

SS Uniwaleco - Panel 113

ANDERSEN, Søren – Third Engineer Officer, S.S. Uniwaleco (Durban). Merchant Navy. 7th March 1942. Age 62. Son of Anders Mathias Sørensen and Martine Sørensen; husband of Nilla Elise Andersen, of Anholt, Stokke, Norway.

This man (last name Andresen) + 2 more Norwegians are also commemorated at Stavern Memorial. The ship's name is given as Uniwalco, former whale factory. The other 2 are Olaf Gerhard Larsen (below) and Captain Karsten Wang.

Olaf Larsen is not commemorated at Tower Hill, but can be found mentioned at the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website, with details as follows (Captain Wang is not listed):

* LARSEN, Olaf Gerhard - Donkeyman, S.S. Uniwaleco (Durban). Merchant Navy. 7th March 1942. Age 42. Son of Olaus and Anne Gurine Larsen; husband of Clare Marie Larsen, of Stathelle, Norway. Stathelle Cemetery, Norway.

SS Benalder - Panel 16

BAKER, Herbert – Fireman and Trimmer, S.S. Benalder (Leith). Merchant Navy. 8th November 1942. Age 32. Husband of Emily Baker, of Arendal, Norway

SS Svend Foyn - Panel 105

BEKKEN, Anders Nilsen – Chief Engineer Officer, O B E, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 50. Son of Karinius and Giertine Bekken; husband of Maren Bekken, of Holtan, Stokke, Vestfold, Norway. Awarded Lloyd's War Medal.

GJELSTAD, Sigurd – Junior Engineer Officer, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 38. Son of Marit Gjelstad; husband of Gjertrud Gjelstad, of Sandefjord, Norway.

GJERSENGEN, Einar – Greaser, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 49.

HANSEN, Conrad Dagfinn – Second Engineer Officer, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 41. Son of Karl and Dina Hansen; husband of Helga Hansen, of Bergan, Nøtterøy, Tønsberg, Norway.

HANSEN, Paul Arnulf Oldemar – First Radio Officer, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 38. Son of Olaus and Petra Amalie Hansen, of Nøtterøy, Tønsberg, Norway.

KRISTENSEN, Karsten – Chief Steward, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 33.

KRISTIANSEN, Arthur – Junior Engineer Officer, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 40. Son of P. A. and Mathilde Kristiansen; husband of Jenny Kristiansen, of Ramnes, Norway.

These men + Philip (one l) Solberg are also commemorated at the Stavern Memorial. The latter is not commemorated at Tower Hill, but can be found listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website with the following details:

* SOLBERG, Phillip - Third Engineer Officer, S.S. Svend Foyn (London). Merchant Navy. 21st March 1943. Age 57. Husband of Inga Mathilde Solberg. Tønsberg Cemetery, Norway.

SS Bullmouth - Panel 21

BJERKAN, Ingolf J. – Fifth Engineer Officer, S.S. Bullmouth (London). Merchant Navy. 29th October 1942. Age 22. Son of Johan Bjerkan and Inga Stene, of Kristiansund, Norway.

Engineer Bjerkan is also commemorated at the Stavern Memorial; date of loss of S/S Bullmouth is given as Oct. 12-1942. According to "The World's Merchant Fleets" this ship was torpedoed and damaged by U-409 while in Convoy SL 125 on Oct. 29, dropped behind convoy, torpedoed and sunk by U-659 - 50 died, 5 survived.

SS Ruperra - Panel 89

BRUSTAD, Hans Kristian Erling – Carpenter, S.S. Ruperra (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 19th October 1940. Age 49. Son of Jacob and Walborg Brustad, of Oslo, Norway; husband of Olive Gwendoline Brustad, of Newport, Monmouthshire.

SS Salvestria - Panel 91

HAREHAUGEN, Ivar – Dayman, S.S. Salvestria (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th July 1940. Age 34. Son of Ole and Josephine Harehaugen; husband of Harriet Harehaugen, of Sandefjord.

JOHANSEN, Alf – Greaser, S.S. Salvestria (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th July 1940. Age 41. Husband of Dagmar L. Johansen, of Sandefjord, Norway.

JOHANSEN, Karl – Baker, S.S. Salvestria (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th July 1940. Age 58. Son of Johan and Anne Kristoffersen; Husband of Margit Johansen.

NORBECK, Karl – Boilermaker, S.S. Salvestria (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th July 1940. Age 41. Husband of Jenny Norbeck, of Tønsberg, Norway.

SOLHEIM, Einar Karsten – Greaser, S.S. Salvestria (Jersey). Merchant Navy. 27th July 1940. Age 28. Son of Engebret and Anne Solheim; husband of Thora Solheim, of Asker, Norway.

All these men + 2 more, Emanuel Fredrik Dahl and Simon Kolbjørn J. Dahl are commemorated at the Stavern Memorial. Emanuel Dahl is also commemorated at Tower Hill, and so is Simon Dahl.

SS Toward - Panel 109

GUNDERSEN, Anders – Second Engineer Officer, S.S. Toward (Glasgow). Merchant Navy. 7th February 1943. Age 41. Son of Olaf and Sigrid Gundersen; husband of Gerd Gundersen, of Nøtterøy, Tønsberg, Norway. See my text under M/S Norbryn.

Engineer Gundersen can also be found at the Stavern Memorial; however, the ship's name is (erroneously) given as Towers.

SS Hektoria - Panel 56

HANSEN, Kristian – Fourth Engineer Officer, S.S. Hektoria (London). Merchant Navy. 11th September 1942. Age 56. Husband of Helene G. Hansen, of Larvik, Norway.

The following 2 men are not commemorated at Tower Hill, but are mentioned on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website as follows:

* HOEL, Osvald B. - Able Seaman, S.S. Hektoria (London). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1941. Age 35. Of Norway. Sec. 3. N.C. Coll. Grave 995. Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Lancashire, United Kingdom

* EKEBERG, Haakon - Electrician, S.S. Hektoria (London). Merchant Navy. 13th March 1941. Age 36. Of Norway. Sec. 3. N.C. Coll. Grave 995. Liverpool (Anfield) Cemetery, Lancashire, United Kingdom.

Hektoria was torpedoed and sunk on Sept 11-1942 while in Convoy ON 127. According to R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets" only 1 died. I'm not sure what happened to the above 2 men on March 13 the year before. Engineer Hansen and Osvald Hoel can also be found at the Stavern Memorial. Haakon Ekeberg is not listed.

SS Southern Empress - Panel 99

HANSEN, Olaf Kr. – Master, S.S. Southern Empress (Leith). Merchant Navy. 13th October 1942. Age 42. Son of Jori Jørgensen and Gunda Hansen, of Tønsberg, Norway.

Captain Hansen can also be found at the Stavern Memorial. Additionally, Helge Dahl is listed (also, scroll down to Helge Dahl on this page).

SS Baron Carnegie - Panel 14

JOHANSEN, Sigurd – Fireman and Trimmer, S.S. Baron Carnegie (Ardrossan). Merchant Navy. 11th June 1941. Age 60. Native of Norway.

There's a Stoker Sigurd Johansen listed on this page, but I'm not sure if this is the same man. There's also a stoker by this name commemorated in Stavern (also from the Trøndelag area, this might be the one listed on my page above), but the ship's name is given as D/S Asgerd, besides, he's much younger than 60. Baron Carnegie is not mentioned on the Stavern site.

SS Halland - Panel 54

NILSEN, Einar K. – Able Seaman, S.S. Halland (London). Merchant Navy. 15th September 1940. Age 30. Son of Nikolaie and Oleane Nilsen. Of Norway.

Einar Nilsen was from Trondheim and is also listed under the N's on Page 3.

OLAUSSEN, Cato Angel – Sailor, S.S. Halland (London). Merchant Navy. 15th September 1940. Age 36. Son of Peder and Anna Olaussen; husband of Dagny Marie Olaussen, of Mosjøen, Norway.

These 2 men + 4 more Norwegian casualties can also be found at the Stavern Memorial, which says 6 Norwegians were killed. The other 4 are: Able Seaman Sverre Dahl Andersen, Able Seaman Karl Håkon Julius Mikalsen, 2nd engineer Birger Johannes Smevik, and Chief Engineer Sigurd Sverre Kr. Warenius. The ship's nationality is given as Danish, which in a sense could be correct; many Danish ships were taken over by the Ministry of War Transport.

SS Asian - Panel 11

OLIEGREEN, Oscar Emil – Chief Engineer Officer, S.S. Asian (Hong Kong). Merchant Navy. 26th December 1943. Age 51. Son of Theodore and Omine Oliegreen; husband of Nelly Sofie Oliegreen, of Kristiansund, Norway.

Chief Engineer Oliegreen is also commemorated at Stavern Memorial.

M/V Catherine - Panel 24

RYDNINGEN, Ingvard – Able Seaman, M.V. Catherine (Grangemouth). Merchant Navy. 18th June 1941. Age 39. Son of Ole and Kristine Rydningen, of Haugesund, Norway.

Able Seaman Rydningen is also commemorated at the Stavern Memorial - however, the text says he died following and illness on July 19-1941. The ship's name is spelt Catharine. Strangely, he's also listed in connection with a ship spelt Cathrine, and the text here says he died in a lifeboat between July 17 and July 19-1941 (the ship having sunk on June 17).

SS Deslock - Panel 35

STEEN, Andreas H. O. – Master, S.S. Deslock (Shanghai). Merchant Navy. 2nd March 1945. Age 64. Husband of Laura Steen, of Bergen, Norway.

(Arrested and taken to a jail in Yokohama on Dec. 8-1941. Transferred on Dec. 29 to Sasaji outside Yokohama. See Norwegians on Foreign Ships on my POW's page).

Captain Hagerup Steen can also be found at the Stavern Memorial.

SS Federlock

* JOSEFSEN, Carl Ferdinand - Master, S.S. Federlock (Shanghai). Merchant Navy. 6th April 1946. Age 71. Son of Julius Ferdinand and Marie Karoline Josefsen; husband of Sigrid Josefsen, of Tønsberg, Norway. Buried at Nøtterøy Churchyard.

(Not commemorated at Tower Hill, but can be found at the War Graves Comm. website with the above details). See the link under Captain Steen above to "Norwegians serving on foreign ships" for more details on Captain Josefsen's war experiences. He's not mentioned at Stavern, probably because he died after the war.

SS Phenix - Panel 81

TEFFRE, Lauritz Andreas – Master, S.S. Phenix (Aden). Merchant Navy. 24th December 1941. Age 52. Husband of Olga Augusta Teffre, of Bergen, Norway.

Captain Teffre had previously commanded the Norwegian M/T Orkanger.

Captain Teffre can also be found commemorated on the Stavern Memorial. The ship's name is (erroneously) spelt Phoenix and the Norwegian text says she was French, sailing under the British flag - struck a mine on Dec. 24-1941. Captain Teffre died a few hours later at a hospital in Haifa. More details can be found in my text for M/T Vilja.

SS Empire Heritage - Panel 42

TVEITAN, Johan Olsen – Pumpman, S.S. Empire Heritage (Cardiff). Merchant Navy. 8th September 1944. Age 50. Son of Knut Olsen Tveitan and Gudrun Johanne Olsen Tveitan, of Sandefjord, Norway; husband of Gerda Olsen Tveitan.

J. O. Tveitan is also commemorated at the Stavern Memorial.

SS Milos - Panel 70

WANGBERG, Victor Frederick – Third Officer, S.S. Milos (Sweden). Merchant Navy. 11th March 1943. Age 38. Son of Audun H. L. and Elvine Wangberg, of Trondheim, Norway.

(Can also be found under the W's on this page).

Victor Wangberg + Steward Alf Henrik Mathisen and Cook Eilert Reichelt from the Swedish Milos are commemorated at the Stavern Memorial.

SS Eastlea - Panel 36

WESTDAHL, Rudolf Anker – Cook, S.S. Eastlea (Newcastle-on-Tyne). Merchant Navy. 30th March 1941. Son of Anders and Lauritz Westdahl; husband of Astrid Westdahl, of Sandefjord, Norway.

Eastlea's cook is also commemorated in Stavern.

Possible Norwegian
(These men could also be Danish: I cannot find them listed at the Stavern Memorial)

KNUDSEN, Egdin – Ordinary Seaman, S.S. Skagerak (London - originally Danish, sailing for MOWT). Merchant Navy. 24th August 1941. Age 18. Panel 98.

KNUDSEN, Harry – Fireman and Trimmer, S.S. Lifland (London). Merchant Navy. 28th September 1942. Age 45. Panel 64.

KNUDSEN, Helmuth – Ordinary Seaman, M.V. Boringia (Glasgow). Merchant Navy. 8th October 1942. Age 17. Panel 18.

(There's an Able Seaman Trygve Hansen listed as being killed on this date at Stavern Memorial. The ship Boringia is said to be Danish - may have been taken over by MoWT. Torpedoed off Cape Horn. Helmuth Knudsen is not listed - may have been Danish? Note that Trygve Hansen is also commemorated at Tower Hill, Panel 17 - see this page).

KNUDSEN, Juul Walther – Cook, S.S. Mano (London). Merchant Navy. 22nd August 1944. Age 28. Panel 68.

KNUDSEN, Knud Christopher Johannus – Steward, S.S. Tennessee (London). Merchant Navy. 22nd September 1942. Age 43. Panel 106.

Other Norwegians on Foreign Ships Commemorated at Stavern Memorial
(all links are external - ships' names may not all be correct)

Salvestria | HMS Sotra (British minesweeper, Norwegian crew, bombed and sunk off Tobruk on Jan. 29-1942, according to a note on my Ship Forum) | Sourabaya |

MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED AS TIME ALLOWS.