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M/T Belinda To Belinda on the "Ships starting with B" page. Owner: Rederi A/S Mascot Built by Götaverken A/B, Gothenburg, Sweden in 1939. Captain: Lorentz Christensen Related items on this website:
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. The links in the "Convoy" column go to convoys that are available on my own site, and these also have the Commodore's comments and/or reports in most cases. Going to this external page and clicking on "Ship Search", typing "Belinda" in the search field, will provide direct links to each convoy that is noted as external in the last column below. (Please be aware that some of them may be incomplete - compare A. Hague's numbers to TDS numbers. TDS = number of ships according to Trade Division Signal). Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing. Compare Arnold Hague's records with these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Belinda is listed as sailing in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HXF 14 at the end of Dec.-1939. Her destination is given as Liverpool, and she was the only Norwegian ship in the convoy, as can be seen when following the link. HXF 14, which had left Halifax on Dec. 27, arrived Liverpool on Jan. 8-1940. Later that month we find her in station 91 of Convoy OB 75, which left Liverpool on Jan. 19 and joined up with Convoy OA 75 on Jan. 21, the combined convoy forming the Gibraltar bound convoy OG 15, which arrived Gibraltar on the 27th. Belinda's destination, however, was Abadan. More info on the OB convoys is available via the external links provided in the above table. Ships in Convoy OG 15 (including Belinda) are named on my page listing ships in all OG convoys In March-1940 she was in the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HG 22, bound for Manchester, station 64 (the Norwegian Teneriffa is also listed). At the end of that month she shows up in Convoy OB 119, departing Liverpool on March 29, dispersed Apr 1 (Buesten is also included). Belinda's destination is given as Curacao, station 42 - according to Page 1 she arrived Trinidad on Apr. 15, having sailed from Eastham on March 29. On May 4, she shows up in Convoy HX 40 from Halifax; from the archive document we learn that she arrived Avonmouth on May 17. She was scheduled for Convoy OB 154 (external link), departing Liverpool on May 24, but she did not sail (her destination was Corpus Christi). Note, however, that she's listed in Convoy OG 31 (again, see the link in the above paragraph to "ships in all OG convoys" - the Norwegian Novasli and Nyland are included). She had started out from the U.K. with Convoy OA 155, which left Southend on May 26, joined up with Convoy OB 155 on the 28th, the combined convoy forming OG 31, which arrived Gibraltar on June 3. Her destination was still Corpus Christi, so she left this convoy around May 31 to proceed to her destination, where she arrived independently on June 15 (she had started out from Plymouth on May 27). In July that year she joined the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 59 (having previously been cancelled from HX 54 at the end of June), cargo of gasolene for Clyde, station 52. Towards the end of that year she's listed in Convoy OB 259, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 14 and dispersed on the 17th. Her destination is given as Abadan / Cape - again, see the external links to the OB convoys in the above table for the names of other ships in this convoy; Dalfonn, Erviken, Helgøy, Hørda, Høyanger, Idefjord, Leiesten, Taranger and Thorshavet are among them. On Dec. 29 she rescued the crew of 29 from D/S Risanger, the last Norwegian ship to be torpedoed in the Atlantic in 1940 (Dec. 27), and landed them in Capetown. According to her Voyage Record, she arrived there on Jan. 10-1941, having started out from Milford Haven on Dec. 13. In Febr.-1941 she can be found in Convoy SL 65, which left Freetown on Febr. 10 and arrived Liverpool on March 8. Belinda proceeded to Manchester, with arrival March 9 (Page 1). The website about the SL convoys that I've linked to within the Voyage Record has more details; the Norwegian Belita, Bur, Fernlane, Morgenen, Ørnefjell and Polartank are also included. Together with Evanger, Havsten, Malmanger and Strinda, Belinda subsequently joined Convoy OB 298, which left Liverpool on March 16 and dispersed on the 20th, Belinda arriving Curacao independently on Apr. 4. She returned to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HX 121 from Halifax, bound for Clyde, station 84 (the Norwegian Caledonia was sunk). In May she shows up, with destination Curacao, in Convoy OB 322, originating in Liverpool on May 12, dispersed May 20, Belinda arriving Curacao on May 31 (again, see the external link provided - other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Bollsta, Idefjord, Lista and Solitaire). In June she sailed in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 132 with gasoline for Mersey, subsequently joining Convoy OB 344 in order to head to New York (convoy left Liverpool on July 7, dispersed on the 16th - ref. external site already mentioned; Laurits Swenson, Sama and Samuel Bakke are also listed). She arrived New York on July 19, then returned to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 143 together with the Norwegian Thorshavn, Mosli, Andrea Brøvig, Katy, Ravnefjell, Carmelfjell, Salamis, Primero, Benwood and an unnamed tanker, possibly/probably Petter. This convoy left Halifax on Aug. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 20th. See also Page 2. After unloading her cargo she turned right around and went back across the Atlantic on Aug. 30 with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 11 (station 43), again bound for New York with arrival there on Sept. 15, heading back to the U.K. a week later with Convoy HX 151 from Halifax, along with the Norwegian Sama ( in station 85), San Andres (105), Meline (43), Morgenen (93), Dagrun (54), Thorshøvdi (53), Sophocles, Tigre (44), Hardanger (94), Leiv Eiriksson (24) and Laurits Swenson (it says just Swenson, but I assume it should be Laurits Swenson). This convoy left Halifax on Sept. 22 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 7. On Oct. 14, some of these ships, including Belinda, headed in the other direction again with the westbound Convoy ON 26, Belinda sailing in station 23, bound for New York, where she arrived on Nov. 1. She subsequently went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 160 from Halifax later that month, and the following month she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 44* (departed Liverpool on Dec. 7, dispersed on the 15th). Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Anna Knudsen, Garonne, Montevideo and Toledo. The Panamanian Norvik is also listed (Norwegian managers and, therefore, included on this website under the N's). The Norwegian corvettes Montbretia and Rose were among the escorts. She's also listed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 171 from Halifax on Jan. 20-1942, returning with the westbound Convoy ON 67*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 14, and in which Eidanger was sunk. The Norwegian Finnanger, Glittre, Hamlet, Idefjord, Nueva Andalucia, Sama, Skandinavia, Strinda and Thorhild are also listed. Belinda is said to have been bound for the West Indies on that occasion - according to Page 2, she arrived Texas City on March 10. On March 27 we find her in station 42 of Convoy HX 182 from Halifax, and in May that year she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 92, which lost several ships - follow the link for more details. According to A. Hague, she was bound for Corpus Christi; going back to the archive document mentioned above, we see that she arrived New York on May 23, proceeding to Hampton Roads the next day, then on to Port Arthur. Belinda helped rescue survivors from the American tanker Cities Service Toledo in the Gulf of Mexico on June 12-1942, together with the American tanker Gulfking and the steamer San Antonio. From Page 3, we find that Belinda had left Port Arthur the day before. Cities Service Toledo (on a voyage to Portland, Maine with a cargo of 84,000 barrels of crude oil) had been torpedoed that same day by U-158, 20 miles east of Trinity Shoals Gas Buoy, 29 02N, 91 59W - ref. external link at the end of this page. 11 of her complement of 36 as well as 4 of the 9 gunners died in the flames (Robert Cressman, "The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II" - see link to "Hyperwar" at the end of this page). Belinda is said to have landed 17 survivors at the Naval Base at Burwood, Louisiana - according to the archive document she arrived New Orleans on June 12. On July 6, she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 197 from Halifax, but returned to port, then joined the next convoy on July 12, HX 198. The following month she's listed as bound for Halifax in the westbound Convoy ON 119*, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 5 (Belinda sailed from Milford Haven that day), arriving New York on the 20th. This convoy also had other Norwegian ships, namely Scebeli, Sir James Clark Ross, Trondheim and Tungsha. As already mentioned, Belinda accompanied this convoy only as far as Halifax, where she arrived on Aug. 18, subsequently joining Convoy HA 4 from there the next day (together with Britamsea, Evita, Norholm, Norlys, Norvik and Stiklestad) in order to travel to Curacao, with arrival Aug. 28. With Baalbek, Brajara, Britamsea and Kronprinsessen, she later joined Convoy GAT 1, arriving Trinidad on Sept. 7 (see the links provided in the above table). For info on her subsequent voyages, please go back to Page 3 and the above record. At the end of that year she sailed in Convoy HX 218 from New York, bound for Avonmouth. This convoy arrived Liverpool on Dec. 21-1942, but Belinda stopped at Belfast Lough, later joining a BB convoy from there in order to proceed to her destination, arriving Avonmouth on Dec. 23. In Jan.-1943 we find her going in the opposite direction with the westbound Convoy ON 162, which arrived New York on Febr. 11. She returned to the U.K. with Convoy HX 227*, which left New York on Febr. 18 and arrived Liverpool on March 6; Belinda stopped at Clyde on the 5th, continuing to Bowling, where she arrived the next day. Named among the ships in this convoy (in addition to the escorting Acanthus and Eglantine) are the Norwegian B. P. Newton, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Kaldfonn, Mosli, Norholm, Pan Aruba, Polartank, Skaraas, Stiklestad, Strinda and Thorshov. Just a few days later Belinda is listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 172* (together with Fjordaas, Laurits Swenson and Thorshøvdi), which originated in Liverpool on March 9 and arrived New York on March 27. Belinda proceeded to Philadelphia, with arrival March 28, heading back to New York 2 days later. Already on Apr. 1, Arnold Hague has her returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 232*, which arrived Liverpool on Apr. 16 (California Express, Heranger, Ørnefjell, Skandinavia, Thorhild, Thorshøvdi, Tigre and Tungsha are also included). Belinda again stopped at Belfast Lough and later joined a BB convoy from there, arriving Avonmouth on Apr. 17. She shows up in another westbound convoy later that month, namely ON 180*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 24 and arrived New York on May 14 - see also Page 4. She was again in the company of several other Norwegian ships: California Express, Norsktank, Norsol, Reinholt, Skandinavia, Skjelbred, Thorhild and Velma. We now find her in station 133 of Convoy HX 240, departing New York City on May 19, arriving Liverpool on June 4. A few days later she joined the westbound Convoy ON 188*, which left Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 26th, and included the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln, Bajamar, Bañaderos, Duala, Evita, G. C. Brøvig, Gylfe, Kaia Knudsen, Kaldfonn, Montevideo, Mosdale, Skandinavia, Strinda, Thorhild, Vav and Velma. Belinda headed back to the U.K. already on June 30 with Convoy HX 246. Her destination is given as Bromborough in the original convoy document, and she had station 34. Towards the end of July-1943 Belinda is listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 194*, together with Anna Odland, Brimanger, Dagrun, Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Germa, Heimvard, Kaia Knudsen, Lista, Morgenen, Noreg, Norheim and Skandinavia. This convoy left Liverpool on July 24 and arrived New York on Aug. 7, with the Norwegian corvettes Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose among the escorts. Belinda subsequently went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 252, in which the Norwegian Santos was lost following a collision. Belinda had station 112, cargo of aviation fuel for Heysham, where she arrived, via Belfast Lough, Aug. 31. In Sept.-1943, she joined Convoy OS 55/KMS 27, voyaging from Milford to Freetown with diesel oil in station 103. Arnold Hague later has her in Convoy SL 140, which left Freetown on Nov. 12, met up with Convoy MKS 31 (from Gibraltar) on the 24th, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Dec. 7. Belinda, however, did not follow this convoy to the U.K.; she arrived Casablanca on Nov. 23 (Nov. 24?), and from there, she proceeded to Baltimore in Convoy GUS 22 on Nov. 29. Follow the external links provided for more information; other Norwegian ships are also listed in these convoys. (The KMS and MKS convoys will also be added to my own site, in the meantime, see this list of ships in all KMS convoys and the section naming ships in all MKS convoys). Belinda headed back to Casablanca again in Febr.-1944 with Convoy UGS 32, then appears, destined for Freetown, in Convoy OS 68 (KMS 42). The OS convoy arrived Freetown on March 5, the combined convoy having departed Liverpool on Febr. 12 and split up on the 23rd, but Belinda had joined from Casablanca, not from the U.K. Towards the end of Apr.-1944 she's listed, with destination Manchester, in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 289 (having previously arrived New York from Guantanamo with Convoy GN 127 on Apr. 24, together with Britamer and Velox - again, see the external link provided in the above table). Page 5 shows her voyages in this period. A visitor to my website has told me that Belinda struck a mine east of Falmouth on June 6/7-1944, receiving damages in the pumproom (no casualties). This is also mentioned in a personal story which I've added to the Norwegian version of my "Warsailor Stories" section - text in Norwegian only. The story is told by Peder Kristoffer Langeland who had joined the ship in New York in Aug.-1943. According to him they were en route from Aruba or Curacao via New York for Portsmouth at the time, and was used to replenish the escorts on the way. He adds they had arrived outside Portsmouth together with 3 Liberty ships early in the morning of June 6 and in the chaos due to the Normandy invasion she activated the mine - he confirms that nobody was injured. He says Belinda subsequently went into Portsmouth to unload her cargo of gasoline (probably for the invasion forces?) before going to Swansea for inspection and repairs (June 14). She's said to have left Swansea for Southampton in Convoy EBM 2 on June 24 (but see * below), and Peder Langeland says they went from there to Gibraltar and Casablanca, then Nigeria to pick up palm oil for Baltimore. Having discharged at Baltimore she went to a yard in order to be fitted out to carry misc. vehicles on an extra deck, and with such on board they went to Liverpool. While there, a representative for the Norwegian Government came on board to tell them that they had all been awarded Krigsmedaljen. Note, however, that some of these facts don't quite fit in with the information found in her Voyage Record - see also Page 5. I believe that P. Langeland remembers the sequence and time frame of her voyages wrong; as can be seen, she had been to Baltimore, Casablanca, Lagos and Liverpool earlier that year.
In Aug.-1944 she shows up in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 247*, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 2 and arrived New York on the 15th, and included the Norwegian Brasil, Fosna, Heranger, Høegh Scout, Slemmestad, Spinanger, Vanja and Vinga. For information on some of her other 1944 voyages, please refer to the Voyage Record as well as Page 5 of the archive documents. Together with Egda, Fernmoor, Fosna and Gefion, Belinda had arrived the U.K. with a cargo of aviation fuel in station 62 of Convoy HX 341*, which had left New York City on Febr. 28-1945, and she had subsequently made voyages to Cherbourg and Antwerp - see Page 6. On March 28, when 5 naut. miles off Zeebrügge, she again struck a mine, with no casualties; most of the crew who had been working on the foreship where the explosion occurred had just gone down for their meal. She had left her anchorage in Antwerp in ballast for New York on March 27, anchoring up in the channel overnight. Proceeded to Terneuzen the following day to await a convoy, leaving in convoy that same day and struck the mine that afternoon (Convoy ATM 107 - see link in above table). The explosion was powerful and she initially listed heavily to starboard, starting to sink by the foreship, so the engine was stopped and 3 lifeboats launched from the port side with 4-5 men in each boat, but after a while she straightened up again and those who had taken to the boats reboarded and her engine was restarted. She was considerably damaged but managed to continue at her own power (with 2 of the lifeboats in tow) with the intention of trying to reach Flushing, escorted by a corvette. A tug later arrived from Flushing to assist, and after a while one of the Admiralty's salvage vessels also came to, at which time it was decided to continue up the Schelde River to Terneuzen where she arrived at her own power late that evening to await further orders. The next day she departed with a new pilot on board for Siberia Dock, Antwerp, escorted by the salvage vessel, arriving the same afternoon, March 29. On board at the time of the explosion, among others, were: Captain Christensen, 1st Mate Ole J. Tønnesen, Able Seaman Arthur Johnsen, Able Seaman Karnot Pettersen, 1st Engineer Arthur H. Larsen and 4th Engineer Håkon Kristiansen. She also had some British gunners at the time, and a Belgian pilot was still on board. Maritime hearings were held in Antwerp on March 30-1945 with all of the men named above appearing, except Able Seaman Pettersen. Page 6 also shows some of her 1946 voyages.
Related external links: The attack on Cities Service Toledo Hyperwar - Linked to 1942 (Robert Cressman's book mentioned in the narrative above). Back to Belinda on the "Ships starting with B" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. others for cross checking info. - ref My sources.
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