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D/S Astrid To Astrid on the "Ships starting with A" page. Manager: Nortraship Captain: D/S Ringulv's captain Thorvald Messel joined Astrid after his daring escape in a canvas boat from Morocco to Gibraltar. (Ringulv is the ship my father was on when he was sent to the labor camps). See Captain Messel's Diary and my page about Nyhorn, as well as Ringulv. Ingolf Valvatne, who was also from the Ringulv, and who took part in the escape, also joined Astrid.
Built by William Gray & Co., Ltd.,West Hartlepool (1126), launched on Nov. 20-1941, completed in Jan.-1942 and delivered as Empire Pilgrim to the Ministry of War Transport, London (Wing Line, Cardiff). Scandinavian type cargo ship ("Scandinavian" design ships were general cargo carriers. Wm. Gray & Company constructed 25 of these ships between 1941 and 1944. This was a single-deck ship, with high bulwarks in the wells, enabling deck cargoes, especially timber, to be carried without obstruction. All lifting and handling gear was placed on the three islands. Some of these ships were adapted and became crane ships, and were equipped with larger derricks. Many of these were used in the Russian convoys). Poop length 33 ft., bridge 82 ft and forecastle 34 ft. Hull length 327.9 ft (oa), 315.5 ft (bp) and breadth 46.5 ft. Engines: T3cyl (10 knots). This source gives tonnage as 2858 gt. Ashore in a blizzard on Jan. 25-1942, 14 miles north of Aberdeen. Holed and flooded; abandoned. Salvage commenced on Febr. 5-1942, refloated on Febr. 16 and towed to Aberdeen. Towed to Blyth by tug Empire Larch on March 25, repaired. She was one of 19 ships transferred to Nortraship in 1942, and was taken over at Blyth on July 13. See Empire Ships on my page "Ship Statistics & Misc." for names of the other 18. Most of the "Empire"-named ships that were transferred from the British to the Norwegian flag during the war years were given the prefix "Nor", while some were named for members of the exiled Norwegian royal family, as in the case of Astrid.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. Compare Arnold Hague's records with these original images from the Norwegian National Archives.
As mentioned under "Ship's History" above, Astrid was taken over at Blyth on July 13-1942. Already on July 19 we find her, with destination Sydney, C.B., in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 114*, which was dispersed on Aug. 4 and also included the Norwegian Berto, Bonneville, Ingertre, Marga, Marie Bakke, Norhauk, Titanian and Torfinn Jarl. Astrid returned to the U.K. at the beginning of Sept. in the slow Convoy SC 99, along with several other Norwegian ships, then headed back across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 136*, bound for New York (departure Liverpool Oct. 3, arrival New York Oct. 26. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Fana, Glarona, Iron Baron, Lisbeth, Novasli, and Ravnefjell). Arnold Hague now has her returning to the U.K. in Convoy SC 109, which left New York on Nov. 9-1942 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th - this convoy is not available on my own site, but see the external link within the above table. Again, several Norwegian ships took part, namely Atlantic, Grado, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, James Hawson, Mathilda, Norse Lady, Ragnhild, Ravnefjell, Thalatta and Veni). The following month we find her in station 11 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 156, which left Liverpool on Christmas Eve, and from which the Norwegian Ingerfem was sunk. The Norwegian Mathilda is also included. Astrid's destination is given as Port Royal / Jamaica. In Febr./March-1943 she sailed in the slow New York-U.K. Convoy SC 121 (in which Bonneville and several others were sunk). She headed back across the ocean with the westbound Convoy ONS 2*, which left Liverpool on March 28 and arrived Halifax on Apr. 19 (and from which Ingerfire was sunk. Askepot, Harpefjell, Norhauk, Ravnefjell, and Suderøy are also listed). In June that year she joined Convoy SC 134 from Halifax, cargo of sugar for Liverpool, subsequently returning with the westbound Convoy ONS 13*, leaving Liverpool on July 14, arriving Halifax on the 29th; Astrid, however, was bound for Bathurst, N.B., general cargo. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Geisha, Harpefjell, Hiram, Maud, Norlom, Para, Rena, and Sandviken. In Aug.-1943 Astrid shows up in Convoy SC 140, and the following month we find her, with destination Sydney, C.B., in the westbound Convoy ONS 19*, together with Acasta, Bernhard, Hiram, Norse Lady, Novasli, Rena, and Titanian (departure Liverpool Sept. 26, arrival Halifax Oct. 14). In Nov.-1943, she's listed in the Sydney, C.B. portion of Convoy SC 146, cargo of lumber for Sharpness, where she arrived on Nov. 25. The following month she's listed in the KMS portion of Convoy OS 63 / KMS 37, voyaging from Milford to Naples with vehicles and coal in station 32. This convoy departed Liverpool on Dec. 25-1943; the Gibraltar bound ships arrived there on Jan. 7-1944, but Astrid was still present when KMS 37* sailed on from Gibraltar. The convoy was attacked by 30 torpedo aircraft on Jan. 10-1944. 2 ships were hit in the attack, namely the American Daniel Webster and the British Ocean Hunter, no casualties on either. The Norwegian Norvarg (bound for Philippeville) and Sirehei (for Oran) were also in the convoy at the time. According to "Nortraships flåte", 6 aircraft were shot down during the attack. (KMS 37 arrived Port Said on Jan. 20, but Astrid was bound for Augusta, where she arrived on the 15th). Astrid is also listed in Convoy GUS 30 the following month (Febr.-1944). This convoy had originated in Port Said on Febr. 4 and had Hampton Roads as its final destination, but Astrid was only bound for Bizerta (from Augusta). Other Norwegian ships listed in this convoy are Belpareil (bound for Alexandria), Borgholm (destination Bizerta, from Augusta), Høegh Hood (for Augusta), Norden (for Gibraltar), Skotaas (for the U.S., from Malta), Solør (for U.S., from Casablanca) and the Panamanian Norbris (Norwegian managers and, therefore, included on this site - she was bound for the U.S., from Algiers). As will be seen when following the link provided in the above table, the majority of the other ships were British or American. I also have Astrid in Convoy GUS 33, which had originated in Port Said on March 5-1944 (follow the link for the names of other Norwegian ships taking part). This convoy was also bound for Hampton Roads, but many ships had other destinations and parted company along the way, while others joined. Astrid was not present from Port Said, but joined GUS 33 from Bone on March 13, bound for the U.K. via Gibraltar. She's said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, leaving Gibraltar again on March 22 for Barrow in Convoy MKS 43* in order to proceed to the U.K., cargo of iron ore. This convoy joined up with Convoy SL 152 from Freetown the following day, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Apr. 4 - follow the link to the website about SL/MKS Convoys provided at the end of this page, or in the above table, for more on this convoy. Later that month she was scheduled for Convoy OS 74 / KMS 48* (left Liverpool Apr. 12) but instead joined the OS portion of next convoy, OS 75 / KMS 49*, leaving Liverpool Apr. 23-1944, split up May 4, with the Gibraltar portion arriving there on May 6, the OS portion continuing to Freetown, with arrival May 14. Astrid, however, was bound for Dakar, where she arrived on May 11, cargo of coal, station 81. She later made a voyage from Dakar to Pepel in Convoy OS 76 in May. This convoy had originally started out from the U.K. on May 2 as the combined convoy OS 76 / KMS 50*, which split up on May 13, the KMS portion arriving Gibraltar on the 15th, while the OS portion continued towards Freetown - note that Astrid was not present from the U.K. Arnold Hague has also included her in Convoy SL 160 / MKS 51, which arrived Liverpool on June 21-1944. The SL portion, in which Astrid sailed, had originated in Freetown on May 31-1944, joining up with MKS 51* from Gibraltar on June 10. The following month she's listed in Convoy OS 83 / KMS 57*, which departed Liverpool on July 12-1944. Astrid was on a voyage from Belfast for Oran and Algiers with coal, sailing in station 24 of the convoy. It had split up on July 23, with the majority of the ships, the Gibraltar portion, arriving there on July 25 (Astrid and the Norwegian Novasli and Bestik are included in the KMS portion), while the rest went on to Freetown with arrival Aug. 3. Astrid arrived Algiers on July 27, and subsequently made a voyage from there to Gibraltar with Convoy MKS 57*, arriving Gibraltar on Aug. 8. Later that month we find her in the Gibraltar portion of Convoy SL 167 / MKS 58*, which arrived Liverpool on Aug. 29-1944. Further dates and info are available at the website about these convoys. For details on some of the rest of her war voyages, please go back to the Voyage Record.
Sold in Dec.-1945 to A/S Granli (Rolf Ugelstad) Oslo, and renamed Tindefjell. Sold in March-1948 to D/S A/S Ringhorn (Albert Schjelderup), Bergen, and renamed Ringhorn. Owned from Jan.-1950 by Albert Schjelderups Rederi A/S, Bergen. Sold in May-1950 to Jansens Rederi A/S (Ingvar Jansen), Bergen (renamed Ingvar Jansen?). Sold in Nov.-1958 to Pan Norse SS Co, Panama (mgr. Wallem & Co, Hong Kong) and renamed Indonor. The beneficial owner of this vessel was Tsu Yau Lin, of Hong Kong, and she was placed on a hire purchase agreement with PT Maskapai Pelayaran Sumatra, Padang, Indonesia. According to Mr. Jordan's info, she ran aground on a reef on Benkoang Island, Indonesia on Febr. 3-1960 - position given as 05 44N 110 25E. However, a message in my Guestbook says that she lies on Kemojan Island, Karimunjawa, Indonesia, Bengkoang Island being 4-5 miles from the shipwreck. She was on a voyage from Palembang to Sourabaya with a cargo of coal at the time. Slipped off and sank on Febr. 7-1960. She has since moved somewhat to the northeast, and is presently in 05 46N 110 27E. See also this message in my Guestbook re the wreck of Indonor. Related external links: Convoy SC 121 - Ships involved on all sides (from Encyclopedia of WW II Naval Battles). OS and OS/KMS Convoys - The site also has a section for the returning SL/MKS convoys, among others. As can be seen, Astrid is mentioned among the ships in OS 63/KMS 37, SL 152/MKS 43, OS 74/KMS 48, OS 75/KMS 49, and OS 83/KMS 57, as are several other Norwegian ships. OS 76 / KMS 50 is also available, but Astrid is not included in OS 76 in this particular section of the site, because she was not present from the U.K., but joined later on in the passage. The Empire Ships - On the "Mariners" website (alphabetical list). Empire Pilgrim can be found on this page. Back to Astrid on the "Ships starting with A" page. Other ships by this name: Denmark also had a ship by the name Astrid, as did Finland. The Danish one came under German control in 1940, struck a mine in Sept.-1942, but raised the following year. The Finnish Astrid was built at Stord, Norway in 1901, 603 gt (626?) and was in fact the former Norwegian D/S Saga, ex Ulven, ex Oddborg, originally delivered as Ringfond for Sigval Bergesen, Stavanger, became Astrid of Mariehamn in 1938 - struck a mine and sank on Oct. 21/22-1940 at the east end of the Gulf of Finland with the loss of 10 lives.
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