Site Map | Search Warsailors.com | Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home |
|
M/S Brimanger To Brimanger on the "Ships starting with B" page. Manager: Westfal-Larsen & Co., Bergen Delivered in Nov.-1929 from Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., Newacstle. Related item on this website:
Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.
According to this Guestbook message, Brimanger arrived Le Havre from San Francisco on Sept. 1-1939. When war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940, she was on her way from Punta Arenas to San Francisco - see Page 1. Her 1941 voyages start on Page 2 and continue on Page 3 (showing a long stay in Vancouver that fall), which also has a few 1942 voyages. Brimanger appears to have been scheduled for Convoy HX 168 from Halifax to the U.K. on Jan. 2-1942, but instead joined the next convoy on Jan. 8, HX 169, and arrived Liverpool on Jan. 23, remaining there for quite a long time. A. Hague suggests she may have joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 68* on Febr. 19 (Commodore in Evanger - Tyr was sunk, follow link for details), but returned to port, later joining Convoy ON 70*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 25 and dispersed March 15, Brimanger arriving Halifax that same day, proceeding to New York on the 18th. The Norwegian Benwood and Ingerto (sunk - follow link for details) are also listed. Brimanger subsequently had a long stay in New York (Page 3), before returning to Halifax in order to join Convoy HX 186 on Apr. 20, arriving Liverpool on May 2. Following another long stay in port, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 97*, departing Liverpool on May 22, arriving Halifax June 5 - Brimanger, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived June 7. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely B.P. Newton, Brant County, Cetus, Gallia, Norfjell and Nortind, as well as the Panamanian Norvik, which is listed under the N's of this website because she had Norwegian managers. Brimanger headed back to the U.K. again on June 29 in Convoy HX 196 from Halifax. According to A. Hague, she had a passenger on board on this voyage. Via Belfast Lough, she arrived Cardiff on July 12 (Page 3), and later that month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 115*, together with Emma Bakke, Herbrand, Høegh Hood, Katy, Norsktank, Solfonn, Topdalsfjord and Ørnefjell. Brimanger was bound for New York and had station 12 of the convoy, which originated in Liverpool on July 24 - several ships were torpedoed, ref. external link at the end of this page. She arrived New York on Aug. 9. On Aug. 30, she went in the other direction again, having joined Convoy HX 205 from Halifax, arriving Liverpool on Sept. 11. Acanthus, Eglantine, Montbretia and Potentilla are named among the escorts. On the 25th of that month, she left Liverpool for New York in Convoy ON 133*, which also included Anna Knudsen, Athos, Bello, 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). Brimanger's voyages in this period are shown on Page 4, and as can be seen, she remained in New York for about 3 weeks. With a general cargo for Liverpool, she headed back across the Atlantic on Nov. 3 with Convoy HX 214 from New York, arriving her destination on Nov. 18 (according to the Commodore's notes, she had problems with smoke on this voyage). She had time for one more voyage to New York before that year was over, and she left Liverpool again on Dec. 3 in Convoy ON 151*, which arrived New York on Dec. 23, and also included Atlantic, Brasil, Gefion, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Kaia Knudsen, Molda, Skandinavia, Stigstad and Thorshov. Brimanger now had another 3 weeks' stay in New York. She returned to the U.K. in Jan.-1943 in Convoy HX 223, in which Kollbjørg and Nortind were lost; follow the links for more details. Villanger, Egda, Norfalk and Brasil also took part in this convoy. Brimanger arrived Swansea on Febr. 3. She later went back to New York in Convoy ON 168*, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 21 and also had Brajara, Egda, Gallia, Heranger, Lynghaug, Maud (returned), Meline, Morgenen, Reinholt, Slemmestad and Tigre in its ranks. She subsequently joined Convoy HX 233 (departure New York Apr. 6, arrival Liverpool Apr. 21), and in May she travelled to New York again, having joined Convoy ON 183* from Liverpool on May 10, arriving New York on the 25th. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Gefion, Laurits Swenson (Commodore Vessel), Noreg, Santos, Tungsha, Vinga and Washington Express. On June 27, she can be found in the slow Convoy SC 135 from Halifax, having originally started out in the faster Convoy HX 244 from New York on June 15 (Vice Commodore in Samuel Bakke), but had lost touch in fog and put into Halifax on the 21st (again, see Page 4. Note that she's also listed as cancelled from the Halifax portion of HX 245). She had a general cargo for Glasgow, where she arrived July 10. A couple of weeks later, she headed back to New York again with Convoy ON 194*, originating in Liverpool on July 24, arriving New York on Aug. 7. This convoy had in its ranks the Norwegian Anna Odland, Belinda, Dagrun, Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Germa, Heimvard, Kaia Knudsen, Lista, Morgenen, Noreg, Norheim and Skandinavia, while Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose were among the escorts for a while (see ON convoy escorts). Brimanger now remained in New York for about a month, then in Sept.-1943 she served as the Vice Commodore's ship for Convoy HX 256 (in which Topdalsfjord was Commodore Vessel). According to the Commodore's notes, Brimanger was detached with several other ships at 15:35Z on Sept 20, forming a fast section (follow the link to my page about this convoy); she arrived Liverpool on Sept. 22 (Page 4). On Oct. 11, we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 206* from Liverpool, together with Nueva Granada, Skiensfjord (Commodore Vessel) and Stiklestad, again with Potentilla and Rose among the escorts. A. Hague says Brimanger had a general cargo as well as incendiary bombs (this seems odd on a westbound voyage?), sailing in station 102 of the convoy, which arrived New York on Oct. 27. The following month, she served as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 266*, which left New York on Nov. 13 and also included the Norwegian Fernwood, Idefjord (from Halifax), Morgenen, Mosli and Thorhild. Brimanger carried a general cargo and explosives and had station 71, arriving Milford Haven on Nov. 28. That year was rounded off by sailing back to New York in Convoy ON 217*, originating in Liverpool on Christmas Eve, arriving New York on Jan. 10-1944. Duala, Fagerfjell, John Bakke, Norheim, Pan Scandia and Reinholt are also named. Brimanger subsequently had another long stay in New York, before she on Febr. 5-1944 joined Convoy HX 278, bound for Liverpool with general cargo (see Page 5), returning to New York with Convoy ON 227*, which left Liverpool on March 8 and arrived New York on the 22nd. This time, only Elisabeth Bakke and Ivaran were in company. The following month, she shows up in Convoy HX 287, again with general cargo for Liverpool, where she arrived on Apr. 26, the convoy having departed New York on Apr. 12. With Emma Bakke, Ferncourt, Glarona, Herbrand, Laurits Swenson, Maud, Mosli, Norefjord, Noreg, Norma, Pan Scandia, Skaraas and Velma, she later joined Convoy ON 237*, departing Liverpool on May 19, arriving New York June 3. In fact, Brimanger served as Commodore Vessel again, while Laurits Swenson acted as Vice Commodore Ship. In the Norwegian magazine "Krigsseileren", No. 1 for 1985 I've found the names of 16 Norwegians who are buried at Pine Ridge Cemetery in Saranac Lake, NY. One of them was Trygve Magnussen from Brimanger, who is listed as having died in July-1945. Checking with "Våre falne", a series of 4 books listing Norwegians who died during the war, I find that he served as cook on Brimanger until he became ill and had to pay off on June 13-1944 (from Page 5, we learn that Brimanger was still in New York City on that date). He died on July 25-1945 at Gabriels Sanatorium, NY. According to a message in my Guestbook, Gabriels is a tiny town seven miles north of Saranac Lake. The sanatorium was founded and run by the Catholic "Sisters of Mercy" and was named for a Catholic leader, Bishop Gabriels. The sanatorium was for tuberculosis patients, and the building still stands. My Memorials page has the names (and pictures) of others who died at Saranac Lake, and includes links to more information on the sanatorium, as well as pictures of the gravestones. Here is Trygve Magnussen's stone. Brimanger left New York again on June 24-1944, serving as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 297, general cargo for Liverpool, w/arrival July 11. On the 25th of that month, we find her in station 71 of Convoy ON 246*, which arrived New York on Aug. 9 and included Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Dageid, Dalfonn, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Petter, Skotaas, Strinda, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell, Velox and Ørnefjell, Brimanger again serving as Commodore Vessel. With general cargo for Liverpool, she headed back across the Atlantic on Aug. 25 in Convoy HX 305 from New York, arriving her destination on Sept. 9. This time, the Commodore was in Abraham Lincoln. Brimanger left Liverpool on Sept. 22 in Convoy ON 255* in order to return to New York, arriving there on Oct. 9, having served as Commodore Vessel again. Fernwood and Ivaran had again been in company, as had Herbrand, Solfonn, Solør and Stiklestad. Brimanger now served as the Vice Commodore's ship for Convoy HX 316, departing New York on Oct. 25 (Commodore in Abraham Lincoln), and on Nov. 24 she left Liverpool in Convoy ON 268*, which arrived New York on Dec. 10 and also had Emma Bakke, Marit II, Montevideo, Strinda and Topdalsfjord in its ranks (Commodore in Brimanger). She left New York again on Christmas Eve in Convoy HX 328, again serving as Commodore Vessel, and again bound for Liverpool with general cargo, arriving there on Jan. 9-1945 (Page 5). She departed Liverpool on Febr. 1-1945 and arrived New York on Febr. 19, having sailed in Convoy ON 282*, along with Egerø, Ferncourt, Fjordaas, Frontenac, Kaldfonn and Topdalsfjord (Commodore Vessel). From New York, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 343* back to the U.K. on March 9, together with Biscaya (returned), Katy, Noreg, Skaraas, Skotaas and Tai Shan. Two more Trans-Atlantic convoy voyages were made that year, the first in Apr.-1945 when she joined the westbound Convoy ON 297*, arriving New York on May 2, the second when she returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 357*, departing New York on May 19, arriving Liverpool on June 2 (in other words, VE Day was celebrated in New York). Other Norwegian ships in the ON convoy were Abraham Lincoln, Brasil, Emma Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Fernwood, Geisha, Norsktank and Topdalsfjord. Abraham Lincoln is also listed in the HX convoy (Commodore Vessel), as are Fagerfjell, Jotunfjell, Kaldfonn, Montevideo (joining from Sydney, C.B.), Thorshavn, Tungsha (returned) and Østhav. When she again headed to New York on June 14, she could sail alone and with all lights lit. It'll be noticed, when going back to Page 5, that she subsequently remained in New York for a long time. See also Page 6 (showing voyages to Apr.-1946 and further, occasional long stays in port).
Sold in July-1959 to Olivistim Navigation Co, Panama, renamed Helen. Broken up in Yugoslavia in 1963. See also this external page. Related external links: Stavern Memorial commemoration - Cook Audun Juel is said to have died in an accident in Shoonan on Oct. 24-1944. Suspecting the reference to Brimanger in connection with his death must be an error (since Brimanger was nowhere near Shoonan on that date), I looked him up in "Våre falne", and found that he was a steward, taken prisoner by the Japanese and interned in Manila. He was freed by the Americans on Oct. 10-1944 and taken aboard a ship with almost 2000 other former prisoners who had volunteered for the American Army, but the ship was torpedoed en route to Shanghai on Oct. 24 and all but 9 of them perished. In fact, upon checking further, I find that he's included on my own Prisoner of War page, under the J's. Although the details re. volunteering for the American Army don't quite fit (and may be an error?), I suspected the ship in question might have been the Japanese Arisan Maru (external link), which left Manila on Oct. 10-1944 with 1800 on board, and was torpedoed by an American submarine on Oct. 24, with only 9 survivors. Further investigations reveal that Audun Juel is indeed listed on the roster for this ship on this page (though his name is misspelt). It's possible he had served on Brimanger at some point. Here's the main page for the roster; several other Norwegians are also named. Back to Brimanger on the "Ships starting with B" page. Other ships by this name: Another Brimanger was delivered to Westfal-Larsen in Oct.-1960 from Bergens Mek. Verksteder, Bergen, 5604 gt. Sold to Monrovia in Nov.-1973, renamed Karana Ampat. Sold to Indonesia in 1975. Condemned in 1981 following a fire. In March-1977 the company received another Brimanger, built in Poland, 17 057 gt. This ship sailed as Bow Solar for Skibs-A/S Storli, Bergen from 1990, renamed Ncc Tihamah that same year - sold for breaking up in 2004 (majority of info from Westfal-Larsen fleet list).
|
