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M/S Anatina
Updated Nov. 25-2012

To Anatina on the "Ships starting with A" page.

Some pictures of crew members have been added to Anatina - Page 2


Source: Gunnar Skiold's photo archive.


Post war picture of Anatina - received from Richard Naess, who served on her in 1960/'61.
Another picture is available on this external page (click in the last thumbnail to enlarge).

The Australian War Memorial also has a picture of this ship, taken in Fremantle in 1941 (external links).

Manager: M. Chr. Stray, Kristiansand
Tonnage:
4986 gt ("Våre Motorskip" lists the tonnage as 5052 gt - see below).

Delivered Jan. 10-1939 from Öresundsvarvet A/B, Landskrona, Sweden as Anatina to Skibs-A/S Anatina (M. Chr. Stray), Kristiansand. 5052 gt, 9500 tdwt, 430.6' x 57.2' x 22.5 ' (loa), 4 x 6 cyl. 2 tev Atlas Diesel, 4400 bhp (geared to 1 propeller), - 14 knots.

Captain: Anstein Dvergsnes.

Related items on this website:
Tormod Gjertsen's story - Norwegian text (sadly, he died in Dec.-2007, not long after I had had the opportunity to visit him in Norway). Tormod was ordinary seaman on board from Jan.-1940 to Nov.-1940. He also served on Hallanger (on board when she was sunk), Karsten Wang, Ivaran and Chr. Th. Boe, all listed on this website.
A posting to my forum from the daughter of someone who served on this ship, Wilfried Wintersteiner "Johnny Walker", searching for shipmate Kenneth Eddy Gray.
Guestbook message re Wear, with which Anatina was in collision.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Please note - it looks like there's a document missing, showing her 1940 voyages and some of her 1941 voyages. I believe Page 1 starts with July-1941, ending with June-1942.
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4


Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

 Voyage Record
From Dec.-1941 to Sept.-1945:
 
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on them

Departure
From
To
Arrival
Convoy
Remarks
Please see the narrative further down on this page for details on some earlier voyages, translated from Tormod Gjertsen's story.

Other voyages are also missing from this record

1941
Dec. 9
Port Said
Haifa
Dec. 10
Independent
A. Hague says:
Previously traded Pacific and Indian Ocean
*Some earlier 1941 voyages:
Page 1
*Again, I believe the listing on Page 1 starts with July-1941, in other words, a document showing her 1940 voyages and earlier 1941 voyages appears to be missing. It'll also be noticed that the sailing dates have been cut off on the scan.
Dec. 21
Haifa
Port Said
Dec. 22
Independent
On to Suez and Kosseir
(Page 1)
1942
Jan. 4
Kosseir
Aden
Jan. 9
Independent
Jan. 9
Aden
Fremantle
Jan. 31
Independent
Febr. 1
Fremantle
Geelong
Febr. 8
Independent
Febr. 10
Geelong
Melbourne
Independent
Page 1 gives arrival Febr. 11
March 4
Melbourne
Whyalla
March 7
Independent
March 8
Whyalla
Port Kembla
March 12
Independent
March 14
Port Kembla
Sydney, N.S.W.*
March 14
Independent
*Arrived Newcastle N.S.W.,
on to Sydney
(Page 1)
March 31
Sydney, N.S.W.
Fremantle
Apr. 9
Independent
Apr. 17
Fremantle
Geraldton
Apr. 19
Independent
Apr. 29
Geraldton
Aden
May 18
Independent
May 21
Aden
Suez
May 25
Independent
Later Port Said May 26
(Page 1)
May 26
Port Said
Iskenderun
May 29
Independent
Notional sailing date
June 10
Iskenderun
Port Said
Independent
Missing movements, Page 1
June 22
Kosseir
Aden
June 25
Independent
June 25
Aden
Fremantle
July 15
Independent
July 16
Fremantle
Port Lincoln
July 22
Independent
July 23
Port Lincoln
Adelaide
July 24
Independent
July 28
Adelaide
Wallaroo
July 29
Independent
July 30
Wallaroo
Whyalla
July 31
Independent
July 31
Whyalla
Melbourne
Aug. 3
Independent
Aug. 5
Melbourne
Port Kembla
Aug. 9
OC 15
Convoy available at OC 15
(external link)
Aug. 10
Port Kembla
Newcastle, N.S.W.
Aug. 11
Independent
Aug. 12
Newcastle, N.S.W.
CO 18
Convoy available at CO 18
(external link)
Aug. 16
Dispersed from CO 18
Adelaide
Aug. 17
Independent
Aug. 23
Adelaide
Whyalla
Aug. 24
Independent
Aug. 24
Whyalla
Melbourne
Aug. 27
Independent
Aug. 29
Melbourne
Port Kembla
Sept. 1
OC 22
Convoy available at OC 22
(external link)
Sept. 3
Port Kembla
Newcastle, N.S.W.
Sept. 4
Independent
Sept. 6
Newcastle, N.S.W.
CO 25
Convoy available at CO 25
(external link)
Sept. 10
Dispersed from CO 25
Adelaide
Sept. 11
Independent
Sept. 14
Adelaide
Whyalla
Sept. 15
Independent
Sept. 16
Whyalla
Melbourne
Sept. 19
Independent
Sept. 19
Melbourne
Port Kembla
Sept. 22
OC 28
Convoy available at OC 28
(external link)
Sept. 24
Port Kembla
Newcastle, N.S.W.
Sept. 24
Independent
Sept. 28
Newcastle, N.S.W.
Sydney, N.S.W.
Sept. 29
Independent
Oct. 1
Sydney, N.S.W.
Suva
Oct. 8
Independent
Dec. 2
Suva
Vancouver
Independent
Page 2 gives arrival Dec. 21
1943
Jan. 11
Vancouver
San Francisco
Jan. 14
Independent
Febr. 1
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Febr. 3
Independent
March 8*
Los Angeles
Melbourne
Independent
*Should be Febr. 8, arrived Melbourne March 8
(Page 2)
March 25
Melbourne
Fremantle
Independent
Page 2 gives arrival Apr. 1
Apr. 8
Fremantle
Whyalla
Apr. 13
Independent
Apr. 18
Whyalla
Port Kembla
Apr. 23
Independent
Apr. 28
Port Kembla
Sydney, N.S.W.*
Apr. 30
Independent
A. Hague says:
Notional sailing date.
Page 2 gives Apr. 30,
*arrived Newcastle N.S.W.
May 9
Sydney, N.S.W.*
Antofagasta
June 1
Independent
*From Newcastle, N.S.W.
(Page 2)
June 12
Antofagasta
Tocopilla
June 12
Independent
June 19
Tocopilla
Wellington
July 13
Independent
July 13
Wellington
Melbourne
July 19
Independent
Aug. 1
Melbourne
Fremantle
Aug. 8
Independent
Left Fremantle for Aden, Aug. 19
(Page 2).
Sept. 8
Aden
Suez
Sept. 28*
Independent
*A. Hague says:
Arrival date confusing.
Page 3 gives Sept. 14
(also, missing voyages)
Oct. 12
Kosseir
Aden
Oct. 16
Independent
Oct. 18
Aden
AB 17
Convoy available at AB 17
(external link)
Oct. 27
Detached from AB 17
Port Lincoln
Independent
Nov. 19
Port Lincoln
Wallaroo
Nov. 19
Independent
Nov. 25
Wallaroo
Adelaide
Nov. 26
Independent
Dec. 18
Adelaide
Aden
Jan. 12-1944
Independent
1944
Jan. 12
Aden
Suez
Jan. 17
Independent
Left Suez Jan. 27
(Page 3).
Jan. 31
Kosseir
Aden
Independent
Febr. 7
Aden
AB 30
Convoy available at AB 30
(external link)
Febr. 15
Detached from AB 30
Melbourne
March 8
Independent
Missing movements, Page 3
Apr. 7
Melbourne
Fremantle
Apr. 14
Independent
Apr. 16
Fremantle
Aden
May 7
Independent
May 7
Aden
Suez
Independent
See also Page 3
May 14
Port Said
Augusta
May 19
GUS 40
Convoy available at GUS 40
(external link)
May 22
Augusta
Naples
May 23
VN 41
Convoy available at VN 41
(external link)
Again, see also Page 3
(and narrative below)
June 16
Naples
Augusta
June 17
NV 46
Convoy available at NV 46
(external link)
June 18
Augusta
Bone
June 21
GUS 43
Convoy available at GUS 43
(external link)
June 26
Bone
Port Said
July 3
KMS 54
Convoy will be added
See ships in KMS convoys
July 4
Suez
Aden
July 10
Independent
July 11
Aden
Fremantle
Aug. 5
Independent
Aug. 22
Fremantle
Whyalla
Independent
Page 3 gives arrival Aug. 27
Aug. 27
Whyalla
Sydney, N.S.W.*
Sept. 2
Independent
*Arrived Newcastle, N.S.W.
Sept. 10*
Sydney, N.S.W.*
Melbourne
Sept. 11
Independent
*From Newcastle, N.S.W., Sept. 6
(Page 3).
A. Hague says:
Collision with Br. Wear,
sunk Sept. 8.
See also narrative below
Nov. 22
Melbourne
Colombo
Dec. 11
Independent
Dec. 26
Colombo
Aden
Jan. 2-1945
Independent
1945
Jan. 3
Aden
Suez*
Independent
*For Kosseir
(Page 3).
Jan. 10
Kosseir
Aden
Jan. 14
Independent
Jan. 16
Aden
Fremantle
Febr. 5
Independent
Febr. 25
Fremantle
Bunbury
Febr. 26
Independent
Missing voyages?
(see Page 4).
March 7
Bunbury
Fremantle
Independent
(Had arrived Bunbury March 7)
Page 4 gives arrival Fremantle March 7
March 13
Fremantle
Geraldton
March 14
Independent
March 22
Geraldton
Sydney, N.S.W.
March 30
Independent
Apr. 15
Sydney, N.S.W.
Port Kembla
Apr. 16
Independent
Apr. 21
Port Kembla
Fremantle
Apr. 29
Independent
May 13
Fremantle
Geraldton
May 14
Independent
May 20
Geraldton
Melbourne
May 26
Independent
June 6
Melbourne
Fremantle
June 12
Independent
June 25
Fremantle
Geraldton
June 26
Independent
July 7
Geraldton
Port Lincoln
July 11
Independent
July 14
Port Lincoln
Melbourne
July 16
Independent
July 29
Melbourne
Port Pirie
July 31
Independent
Aug. 8
Port Pirie
Port Lincoln
Aug. 9
Independent
Aug. 20
Port Lincoln
Melbourne
Aug. 22
Independent
Sept. 11
Melbourne
Bunbury
Independent
Page 4 gives arrival Sept. 17.
Also shows subsequent voyages.

 Some earlier voyages: 
Translated from Tormod Gjertsen's story.

Tormod joined Anatina in Sweden as ordinary seaman on Jan. 4-1940. He says their first voyage took them to Denmark and from there to 2 cities in Venezuela, before going to miscellaneous places on the west coast of South America. She visited Vladivostok in Russia, then crossed the Pacific, through the Panama Canal and on to Hamburg, where cargo was unloaded and new cargo loaded. Several crew members left the ship while in Hamburg.

Cargo was again loaded in Denmark, having stopped at Landskrona for repairs. She then headed back to Venezuela, on to the U.S., Japan, Bombay, Madras, Singapore and Calcutta, back to Baltimore, New Orleans and Houston, and visited several ports on the east coast of the U.S. before heading back to the Far East. From there, back to Vancouver and on to Capetown. She also stopped at Durban, travelling from there to Calcutta* and visited Bombay and Madras again. She made another voyage to Capetown before returning to Baltimore, where Tormod paid off on Nov. 9-1940.

*According to the book "Våre falne", Anatina's messboy Henrik Undheim died following an illness on Sept. 24-1940, when the ship was en route to Capetown. He was 22 years old. Tormod Gjertsen has told me he was the one who made the canvas bag in which he was lowered into the sea by him and the boatswain. He says Anstein Dvergsnes was the 2nd mate at that time (later her captain). The messboy is commemorated at the Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway - ref. external link at the end of this page.

Tormod says that Anatina was in Calcutta when the messboy got sick and he was admitted to a hospital there. After having finished loading a cargo in Calcutta they went to Madras, where the messboy came back on board, but was still not well, so he was given one of the passenger cabins to recuperate, but he died. Tormod gives the date as Febr. 21-1940, but as mentioned above, "Våre Falne" gives the date as Sept. 24-1940.

I'm assuming this is from Henrik Undheim's "funeral"

Tormod mentions one of the oilers, Odd Knutsen, who got very sick. They had a Swedish lady as passenger on board, who had been with them for several months, and she took care of him every day, while other crew members, including Tormod, nursed him during the night. He ended up in a hospital in Capetown and it turned out he suffered from Tuberculosis, but fully recovered and later settled in South Africa where he married one of the nurses and worked in the gold mine industry. Odd Knutsen died in 1995 (see also Anatina - Page 2), while Tormod died in Dec.-2007, not long after I had visited him and the other veterans in Kristiansand, Norway.

Some of Anatina's 1941 voyages are shown on Page 1 of the archive documents, which also has a few 1942 voyages, while the rest are listed on Page 2 (it'll be noticed that she had a long stay in Suva at the end of that year, spending another 3 weeks in Vancouver later on; reason unknown). Her 1943 voyages also start on this document and continue on Page 3 (showing a long stay in Adelaide at the end of that year). Convoy information for some of them can be found in A. Hague's Voyage Record above.

 1944: 

Anatina lost another crew member at the beginning of this year - see the link to Stavern Memorial at the end of this page.

Anatina is said to have arrived Naples from Port Said via Augusta on May 26-1944 with a cargo of foodstuffs - the Voyage Record gives arrival Naples as May 23, as does Page 3 of the archive documents. While there, 6 British gunners and 5 seamen came on board to aid in her self defence before she on May 29 departed for Anzio. According to gunnery officer G. Wennberg, Anzio endured 4 air attacks on May 31, 1 on June 3 and 2 on June 7, though each time the aircraft were driven back by the land batteries before they could reach the harbour area, until just after midnight of June 10 when about 50 German aircraft attacked the harbour. In spite of several bombs being dropped no direct hits were achieved by the aircraft, which could not fly low due to the fire from the land batteries and ships. Anatina departed for Naples that same day, where the British men disembarked.

Later that month, we find her in Convoy KMS 54, voyage Bone to Port Said. This convoy, which arrived Port Said on July 3-1944, will be added to my Convoys section; in the meantime, the ships sailing in it are named in the section listing ships in all KMS convoys. Anatina had started out from Bone on June 26.

It'll be noticed, in the Voyage Record above, that A. Hague mentions a collision with the British Wear in Sept.-1944. A message in my Guestbook says the following:
Wear. Coastal steamer, 1892 tons. #129777. Built at Sunderland, England, 1911; reg. Melbourne, 3/1912. Lbd 268 x 37.9 x 17.6 ft. Sank following a collision with MV Anatina about nine miles off Montagu Island, NSW, 8 September 1944. All crew were rescued but one seaman received fatal injuries. The Wear was steaming at about ten knots in a smooth sea when she was struck amidships. Both vessels were locked together for about ten minutes but the Wear was almost cut in half and sank immediately they separated. One lifeboat was launched but some of her crew of fifty-six spent a short period in the sea before rescued by the Anatina and landed at Eden.
As will be seen, when going back to Page 3, Anatina subsequently spent a long time in Melbourne; perhaps repairs had been necessary.

The rest of her voyages (to May-1946) are listed on Page 4 (which shows occasional long stays in port).

 POST WAR: 

Anatina was sold in Sept.-1961 to Einar M. Gaard A/S and Sigurd Haavik A/S (Einar M. Gaard A/S mgr.), Haugesund and renamed Gardøy. In worldwide tramping service and seasonal lumber trade. Taken over by Einar M. Gaard A/S (alone) in the summer of 1965. Arrived Haugesund Mekaniske Verksted, Haugesund in Jan. 1967 for sale, and delivered in May-1967 as Ela to Ships Mediterranean Lines West Africa Ltd., Haifa, Israel. From June 6-1970 she sailed as Armadora for Meridional Armadora S.A., Panama. Sold in Dec.-1971 to Taiwanese breakers, renamed Viva X and arrived Kaohsiung on Febr. 29-1972.

Related external link:
Stavern Memorial commemorations - Messboy Henrik Undheim died following an illness on Sept. 24-1940, when the ship was en route to Capetown. He was 22 years old. See the narrative further up on this page. Carpenter Emil Nettum is listed as having died at sea on Jan. 15-1944 due to illness (according to Page 3, Anatina was on her way from Aden to Suez on that date).

Back to Anatina on the "Ships starting with A" page.

This company had previously had another Anatina, built 1918. This was a tanker delivered as War Hermit to the Shipping Controller, managed by Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co, London, owned by the latter from 1919. Renamed Anatina in 1921. Sold to Skibs A/S Anatina (M. Chr. Stray), Kristiansand in 1927. Renamed Mindanao in 1938 for Fernandos Hermanos, Manila, attacked by aircraft and sunk in Manila during the war - later salvaged by the Japanese and renamed Palembang Maru in 1942. Torpedoed and sunk by USS Baya on March 4-1945.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc. (ref. My sources).

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