M/T Athos
Updated Dec. 18-2012

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


Source: Historical Department, MAN B&W Diesel, Copenhagen - (see their museum website, external link).
They also sent me this picture, as well as this one.

(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for further details; the Commodore's notes are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

According to Page 1 of the archive documents, Athos was at Salinas when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940, leaving that day for Port Stanley. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document (it'll be noticed that she had quite a long stay in Buenos Aires at the beginning of that year). The Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway (link at the end of this page) says that Captain Sofus Fischer Pedersen died at sea on May 30-1941 following an illness. From the archive document, we learn that Athos was on her way from Montevideo to Pernambuco on that date. Her 1941 voyages continue on Page 2 (which shows a long stay in New York that fall).

In Nov.-1941, A. Hague has included her in Convoy HX 161, which left Halifax on Nov. 21 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 6. Athos proceeded to Manchester, where she arrived Dec. 10, subsequently returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 48*, which departed Liverpool on Dec. 19 and dispersed on the 31st, Athos arriving Galveston on Jan. 10-1942. The Norwegian Buenos Aires, Chr. Th. Boe, Grena, Havkong, Havprins, Heranger, Høegh Scout, Kollskegg, Nueva Andalucia, Solfonn, Solstad (returned) and Sveve are also listed in this convoy.

In Febr.-1942, we find her in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 174, together with James Hawson, Høegh Giant, Fernwood, Vanja, Thorsholm, Beth and Anderson (lost - follow link for details), as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). Acanthus and Rose are named among the escorts. Later that month she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 71* in order to travel to Aruba, where she arrived March 19 (convoy originated in Liverpool Febr. 26, dispersed March 8). Other Norwegian ships, some of which were also bound for Aruba, were Fagerfjell, Fjordaas, Gallia, Garonne, Høegh Giant, John Bakke, Malmanger, Skaraas, Solfonn and Velma, as well as the Panamanian Norvik (Norwegian managers). Athos headed back to the U.K. on Apr. 8 in Convoy HX 184 from Halifax, arriving Liverpool on Apr. 20, continuing to Stanlow and Manchester (again, see Page 2). She may have joined the westbound Convoy ON 91*, which left Liverpool on May 1 and dispersed on the 15th - I say "may", because A. Hague has attached a note saying "not listed but dates coincide". Note, however, that she's also listed, with destination Curacao, in Convoy OS 27 on May 2, and if she was in this convoy, she could not have been in ON 91, unless she joined but returned. (ON 91 also had quite a few Norwegian ships, namely Bello, Geisha, Heranger, Kronprinsen, Laurits Swenson, Rio Novo, Salamis and Skaraas). Going back to the archive document, we see that Athos left Liverpool May 2 and arrived Trinidad May 23.

From Trinidad, A. Hague now has her in Convoy TO 2 (left Trinidad May 27-1942, arrived Curacao May 30), as well as in the Curacao-Trinidad Convoy OT 5 (departure Curacao June 1), Athos arriving Puerto la Cruz on June 3. He also lists her as bound for Freetown in Convoy OT 7, which left Curacao on June 9 and dispersed on the 12th, Athos arriving her destination on June 25. At the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she's mentioned in Convoy SL 115, which left Freetown for Liverpool on July 5, but she did not sail. According to A. Hague, she made an independent voyage from Freetown to Trinidad in this time period, then joined Convoy TAW 7, leaving Trinidad on July 21. This convoy arrived Key West on the 28th, but Athos was bound for Puerto la Cruz, with arrival there on the 22nd. The following month we find her in Convoy TAW 11C, which left Curacao on Aug. 5 and arrived Key West on the 16th - it'll be noticed, when going back to Page 2, that her arrival Key West is given as Aug. 13. (Direct links to all these convoys have been provided in the table above).

In Sept.-1942 she sailed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 206, having been cancelled from HX 205 (she had previously arrived Halifax in Convoy BX 35B on Aug. 30, together with Bello, Brimanger, Brush, Emma Bakke, Ferncourt, Kosmos II, Molda, Norheim, Polarsol, Polartank, Sandanger and Thorshov). Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. She later returned with Convoy ON 133*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 25 and arrived New York, her destination at the time, on Oct. 11 (Athos remained there for several weeks). She had again been in the company of many other Norwegian ships, namely Anna Knudsen, Bello, Brimanger, Emma Bakke, Garonne, Grey County, Kosmos II, Minerva, Molda, Noreg, Nueva Granada, Petter II (returned), Polarsol, Polartank, Sandanger, Skandinavia, Thorshavet, Thorshov, and the Panamanian Norbris (Norwegian managers). Several of these ships went back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 216, which departed New York on Nov. 19, and Athos is also included in the Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy, but when a gale was encountered, she returned to New York with engine trouble, subsequently joining Convoy HX 218 on Dec. 5.

She later took part in the Torch Operations, which had commenced in Nov.-1942. In fact, only a few days after arrival Clyde with Convoy HX 218 on Dec. 20-1942, we find her listed as bound for Gibraltar in Convoy KMS 6, in which Akabahra was sunk (follow the link for details - this ship had joined from Algiers); the Norwegian President de Vogue and Belnor are also listed in this convoy, which left Clyde on Christmas Eve. Evviva is said to have joined from Oran later.

Several Norwegian ships took part in the Torch operations as follows ("Skip og menn", Birger Dannevig):
Bergensfjord (troop transport), Akabahra, Elisabeth Bakke, Ferncliff, Kong Sverre, Prins Harald, Troubadour, Vinland (all military transports), Bralanta, Ferncourt, G. C. Brøvig, Kaia Knudsen, Noreg? (I believe this should be Norelg, the facts don't fit with Noreg's voyages), Salamis, Solør, Thorsholm, Vardefjell (all tankers), Berto, Bjørkhaug, Brisk, Evviva, Facto, Hildur I, Ingerfire, Marga, Mammy, Selvik, Selbo, Torfinn Jarl (all ammunition and supply vessels). More info on each ship can be found under the corresponding letters of the alphabet on this website.

The first Torch convoy (KMF 1) had reached the Gibraltar Straits on Nov. 5. Some slower KMS convoys had departed U.K. a little earlier and arrived around the same time. See the section naming ships in all KMS convoys and ships in all MKS convoys. All these will later be added to individual pages in my Convoys section. Convoy KMF 1 consisted of 39 ships and departed Clyde on Oct. 26-1942, arriving Oran on Nov. 8. The American transport Thomas Stone (ex President Van Buren) was torpedoed and damaged on Nov. 7 - the troops on this ship were to be landed at Algiers in the first wave of assault. She carried 24 LCA's, and the commander of the U.S. troops on board requested that the landing craft be lowered and ordered the troops to embark in an attempt to reach Algiers (140 miles) escorted by HMS Spey. The effort was unsuccessful due to heavy seas and breakdowns and all except 2 sank, so the troops were taken on board Spey and eventually reached Algiers. Thomas Stone was taken in tow by HMS Wishart and beached off Algiers, later handed over to the French Navy in 1943 and used as a hulk at Algiers (info from "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague). According to Jürgen Rohwer the ship had been hit by an airborne torpedo, position 37 31N 00 01E. He adds that U-205 missed a British troop transport in this convoy on the same date, calling the convoy KMF 1A (this simply refers to the Algiers section, while the Oran section was suffixed O). Here is A. Hague's listing for Convoy KMF 1 (external link).

"Nortraships flåte" by J. R. Hegland says the Norwegian destroyer Glaisdale (Thore Horve) was responsible for a convoy of 32 ships which left Clyde on Oct. 30 and arrived Gibraltar on Nov. 10. This must have been Convoy KX 5, in which she's included among the escorts, along with several Norwegian merchant ships (external link). Montbretia is also named among the escorts.

From Gibraltar, Athos sailed to Guantanamo on Jan. 19-1943 (Convoy GUS 3), and A. Hague later has her in Convoy GAT 44, leaving Guantanamo on Febr. 14, arriving Trinidad on the 19th; Athos, however, was bound for Curacao, where she arrived on the 17th. The Norwegian Austvangen and Ragnhild are also listed. Athos is also included in Convoy TAG 43, which arrived Guantanamo from Trinidad on Febr. 23, Athos having started out in Curacao on Febr. 20. She now appears in Convoy GN 43, which left Guantanamo on Febr. 23 and arrived New York on March 2 (ref. links in Voyage Record - see also Page 3). From New York, where she had had a long stay, she later joined Convoy HX 231 on March 25. Katy, Mosdale, Norheim, Reinholt, Scebeli, Slemmestad, Ørnefjell and the Panamanian Norvinn are also listed - see ships in all HX convoys (HX 231 will be added to an individual page, with more information). Athos stopped at Loch Ewe on Apr. 9, before continuing to Scapa Flow the next day. This convoy lost several ships - ref. link at the end of this page.

She returned to New York later that month with Convoy ON 179*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 18-1943 and arrived New York on May 6; again several other Norwegian ships are listed, as follows: Boreas (returned to port), Buenos Aires, Høyanger, Katy, Molda, Mosdale, Norheim, President de Vogue and Tai Shan. Some of these ships, including Athos, subsequently headed back to the U.K. on May 13 in Convoy HX 239. Her destination is given as Scapa, and she had station 43 of the convoy. Page 3 gives her arrival Scapa as May 30. Already on June 1, we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 187*, which arrived New York on the 15th. Annik, Braga (from Iceland), Bralanta, Elisabeth Bakke, Fagerfjell, Frontenac, Helgøy, Kronprinsen, Lista, Morgenen, Norbryn, Norefjord, O. B. Sørensen, President de Vogue, Toledo and Vanja are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norvinn. Athos now remained in New York for about a month, before joing Convoy HX 248, which left New York on July 15 (strangely, the archive document gives her departure as July 19) - the Commodore's report is also available for this convoy. Athos' destination is given as Devonport. She returned to New York again with Convoy ON 196*, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 8, arriving New York on the 21st. Other Norwegian ships were California Express, Fjordaas, Gefion, Hardanger, Montevideo (Commodore Vessel), Mosli, Oregon Express, Roald Amundsen, Skotaas and Trondheim.

From New York, Athos subsequently joined Convoy NG 382, leaving on Aug. 26-1943, arriving Guantanamo Sept. 2, but according to A. Hague, Athos had detached from the convoy. He says she arrived Trinidad on Sept. 3, but going back to Page 3, we see that she arrived Curacao that day, leaving for Trinidad Sept. 4, arriving Sept. 6 - see Page 4. She now made a voyage to Capetown, having joined Convoy TJ 8, departing Trinidad on Sept. 13 (Brajara is also listed); Athos detached for Capetown on Oct. 4, where she (according to A. Hague) arrived independently on the 14th. Towards the end of the following month we find her (together with Beau) in the Bandar Abbas-Aden Convoy PA 62 (departure Nov. 25, arrival Aden Dec. 1). Athos detached from this convoy on Nov. 27 in order to proceed to Port Elizabeth, where she arrived Dec. 14. She's also listed in 2 other PA convoys, namely PA 66 (Jan. 14-1944), and PA 69 (Febr.-1944 - Erling Brøvig was torpedoed; follow the link for details) - again, see the external links provided in the table above; other Norwegian ships are also listed in these convoys.

In March-1944, I have her in Convoy GUS 33. This convoy, which had a number of Norwegian ships, departed Port Said on March 5 and arrived Hampton Roads on Apr. 4, but many ships had other destinations and left the convoy along the way. In fact, Athos is said to have parted company for Tunis on March 12 - going back to Page 4, we learn that she arrived Bizerta that same day, proceeding to Cagliari on the 14th - arrival there is not given. According to A. Hague, she later made a voyage from Bizerta to Port Said in Convoy UGS 35, which had originated in Hampton Roads on March 4 and arrived Port Said on the 31st; the archive document says she started out from Tunis Bay on March 25. She's also listed in Convoy AP 68, which left Aden on Apr. 11 and arrived Bandar Abbas on the 18th. The Norwegian Elise and Høegh Silverlight are also included.

The rest of her voyages are shown on Page 4 and Page 5 (to Apr.-1946) - occasional long stays in port are shown.

* The ON convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys.

More information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found via the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

This external page says she sailed as Isly for Charles Audibert, Monaco from 1955, later that year as Urquiola for Coronia Shipping Corp., Monrovia. Sold for breaking up in Italy in 1960.

Related external links:
SL / SL/MKS convoys - Athos is mentioned in SL 115 (did not sail).

Stavern Memorial commemoration - This is Captain Sofus Fischer Pedersen, who died at sea on May 30-1941 following an illness. According to Page 1, Athos was on her way from Montevideo to Pernambuco on that date.

Ships hit from Convoy HX 231

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

Norway had also had a ship by this name in WW I, built in Oslo in 1913, 1708 gt - torpedoed and sunk by the German UB-34 in the North Sea on Jan. 26-1918, voyage Rouen, France to Middlesbrough in ballast.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Skip og menn", Birger Dannevig, "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, and misc. (ref. My sources).