D/S Brott
Updated Aug. 12-2008

To Brott on the "Ships starting with B" page.


Picture received from Ron Beaupre, taken by George Deno of Ogdensburg N.Y. in 1939. The ship is near Cardinal, Ontario.

Some of her voyages are listed on this original document received from the National Archives of Norway.

WW II:

Arnold Hague has included Brott in Convoy HN 8 from Norway to the U.K. in Jan.-1940. This convoy arrived Methil on Jan. 22, having left Norway on the 19th. Follow the link for more details; several Norwegian ships took part. According to A. Hague, she was at Blyth on Febr. 7, departing that day for Southend in Convoy FS 90, arriving Southend on Febr. 9. As will be seen when following the external link to this convoy provided below, the Norwegian Botne is also listed.

Brott was bombed and damaged by German aircraft near Humber on March 1-1940 (Norway still neutral). 7 died, 2 rescued. She was on a voyage from Sunderland to Bordeaux, having left Sunderland on Febr. 29 in Convoy FS 9 (also referred to as FS 109, ref. link below - the Norwegian Avance I and Hjalmar Wessel are also included). According to information received from a visitor to my website she sent an SOS on March 1 when she was 8 miles off Whitby and the trawler Acuba and drifter Silver Line put to sea. An east coast lifeboat (RNLI) escorted Brott to Bridlington Bay that same day, with damage to bridge, steering gear and compass. She left Bridlington Bay on March 2 in tow of tug Queens Cross, arriving Hull on the 3rd. Anchored at Southend on March 17, arrived Bordeaux on March 26 (this agrees with the archive document, which adds that she left Bordeaux again for Dakar on Apr. 13).

The following men are commmemorated at the Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway (link below):
Chief Engineer Karl Møbius Bredesen, Finn Friberg, Ordinary Seaman Einar Hamsdokka, Seaman Angelo Larsen, Messboy Ole-Jacob Løvsjø, and Seaman Edvin Arthur Måløy. Also, Billy McGee, England has told me that a pilot, Robert George Young, Trinity House Service, is commemorated at Tower Hill, Panel 122; further details on him can be found on this external page. The date is given as Febr. 28-1940.

Related external links:
Convoy FS 90 - The site also has FS 109 (or FS 9/Phase 2).

Stavern Memorial commemorations - 6 are commemorated. The Norwegian text for Brott says that 7 died; this probably includes the British pilot, mentioned above (Norwegians only are commemorated at this memorial). The site also says that they were shot in the lifeboats(?)

Interned - 1940:

Brott was one of the 26 Norwegian ships interned in North Africa. A French visitor to my website has given me some details from his records as follows:
She sailed from Le Verdon in Convoy 49 XS under French escort on Apr. 15-1940, arrived Casablanca on Apr. 21* (external link - Skrim is also named). Seized in Safi on July 4-1940. Under French flag from July 4-1941 as Ste Monique. From Safi to Casablanca? Sailed from Casablanca on July 7-1941 in convoy. At Oran July 10.

*Compare the above information with the archive document, which shows some of her movements prior to being interned.

Although all my sources agree she was renamed Ste Monique after having been requisitioned, they operate with different dates. "Nortraships flåte" (J. R. Hegland) says she was interned on June 22-1940, requisitioned on July 4-1941. Sunk in 1943. "Skip og Menn" (Birger Dannevig) adds she was handed over to German service, sunk in Tunisia May 13-1943. R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939" agrees she was seized in Safi (giving the date as July 7-1941), sunk in Bizerta as blockship in May-1943. "Sjømann - Lang Vak" (Guri Hjeltnes) also says she was interned in Safi, Morocco, adding she had a crew of 18, 7 of whom were Norwegian, 5 went home to Norway.

Back to Brott on the "Ships starting with B" page.

Other ships by this name: In 1947, Norway (Jacobsen & Salvesen, Oslo) had another ship by this name, ex Liberty Ship A. Frank Lever, built 1943, 7198 gt, changed managers in 1948 (Dagfin Hendriksen, Oslo), renamed Finnborg in 1951 (Jørgen Krag, Oslo). Liberian Archanax from 1954 (G.M. Livanos, New York), then Mistral from 1967 (Scio Shipping Inc., New York). Broken up in Taiwan in 1968. Also, another Brott is shown on this external page, built in 1959.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939", Roger W. Jordan, partial Voyage Record received from D. Kindell (based on the late Arnold Hague's database), an E-mail from Jean Lassaque, France, E-mail from Tony Cooper, England (re the bombing in March-1940), and misc. others as named within the above text. - ref. My Sources.