D/S Carrier - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

D/S Carrier
Updated June 3-2011

To Carrier on the "Ships starting with C" page.

Crew List

Lillesand Sjømannsforeing has a picture of this ship (click in it to make it larger), along with pictures of several other Norwegian ships (external links).

Owner: D/S A/S Anglo
Manager: Valdemar Skogland A/S, Haugesund
Tonnage: 3105 gt, 1664 net, 4700 tdwt.
Call Sign: LJHE.

Delivered in 1921 from Atliers d.Ch., Le Trait, France as Capitaine Bonelli for Soc. Anon. d. Nav., Le Havre. 3105 gt, 1664 net, 4700 tdwt, 313.6' x 46.3' x 20.2', triple expansion 226 nhp (A. At. Ch.). Purchased by D/S A/S Anglo (Valdemar Skogland) in Nov.-1936, renamed Carrier. (Jan-Olof, Sweden has told me that "Lloyd's War Losses, Vol. 1" gives this ship 3036 gt).

Captain: Knut Berntsen

Gunnar Jakobsen served as gunner on this ship for a while; he had previously escaped from Norway with Hornfjell.

Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record
From Aug.-1941 to Jan.-1945:

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

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (note that some of them are incomplete). Where the "Convoy" column is left blank, it means that convoy is not known.

Errors may exist, and several voyages are missing.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1941	Aug. 8	Hampton Roads	Sydney, C.B.	Aug. 14	Independent	A. Hague says: Previously traded Caribbean & Pacific. Earlier voyages: Page 1 & Page 2
	Aug. 24	Sydney, C.B.	Sydney, C.B.	Aug. 30	SC 41	Convoy will be added. See ships in SC convoys
	Sept. 11	Sydney, C.B.	Liverpool	Sept. 30	SC 44	Convoy will be added. See link above. Missing voyages, Page 2
	Nov. 9	Liverpool*	Liverpool	Nov. 10	ON 35	Returned *From Garston (Page 2).
	Dec. 27	Liverpool	Clyde	Dec. 28	ON 51	Returned. Convoy will be added. See ships in ON convoys
1942	Jan. 3	Clyde	Clyde	Jan. 20	ON 53	Returned. Convoy will be added. See link above
	Febr. 20	Clyde	–	–	ON 68	For Charleston. Dispersed March 9. Convoy will be added. See link above
	March 9	Dispersed from ON 68	Halifax	March 10	Independent	–
	March 14	Halifax	New York City	March 17	Independent	–
	March 18	New York City	Charleston, S.C.	March 21	Independent	–
	March 26	Charleston, S.C.	New Orleans	Apr. 2	Independent	–
	May 16	New Orleans	Mississippi River	May 17	Independent	Put back
	May 19	Mississippi River	Tampa	May 22	Independent	–
	May 27	Tampa	Key West	May 28	Independent	–
	June 8	Key West	New York City	June 17	KN 108	Convoy available at KN convoys (external link)
	July 2	Buzzards Bay	Halifax	July 4	BX 27	To Sydney C.B. Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	July 7	Halifax	Sydney, C.B.	July 9	HS 22	Convoy available at HS convoys (external link)
	July 10	Sydney, C.B.	Sydney, C.B.	July 11	SC 91	Returned
	July 17	Sydney, C.B.	Liverpool*	July 31	SC 92	Arrived Garston, on to Liverpool Aug. 5 (Page 3*).
	Aug. 29	Liverpool	–	–	ON 126	See also narrative below
	Sept. 7	Straggled from ON 126	Halifax	Sept. 15	Independent	–
	Oct. 27	Halifax	Loch Ewe	Nov. 10	SC 107	Convoy will be added. See ships in SC convoys
	Nov. 12	Loch Ewe	Methil	Nov. 14	WN 360	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 16	Methil	Tyne	Nov. 17	FS 962	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Nov. 26	Tyne	Methil	Nov. 27	FN 875	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 29	Methil Roads	Loch Ewe	Dec. 1	–	–
	Dec. 1	Loch Ewe	St. John's, N.F.	Dec. 22	ON 150	Convoy will be added. See ships in ON convoys
1943	Jan. 22	St. John's, N.F.	Halifax	Jan. 26	JH 31	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	March 17	Halifax	Loch Ewe	Apr. 2	SC 123	Convoy will be added. See ships in SC convoys
	Apr. 2	Loch Ewe	Methil	Apr. 4	WN 410	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 6	Methil	Immingham	Apr. 8	FS 1082	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Left Immingham Apr. 23 (Page 3).
	Apr. 25	Spurn	Methil	Apr. 26	FN 1003	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 26	Methil	Oban	Apr. 29	EN 221	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 30	Oban	Halifax	May 17	ONS 6	Convoy will be added. See ships in ONS convoys
	May 22	Halifax	Cape Cod Canal	May 24	XB 54	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	May 24	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	May 25	Independent	–
	June 3	New York City	Philadelphia	June 4	Independent	–
	June 9	Philadelphia	New York City	June 10	Independent	Left NYC June 11 (Page 4).
	June 12	Boston	Halifax	June 14	BX 57	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link) See also narrative below
	Aug. 3	Halifax	Newport, R.I.	Aug. 6	XB 67	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Aug. 12	Newport, R.I.	Halifax	Aug. 16	Independent	–
	Aug. 22	Halifax	Sydney, C.B.	Aug. 24	HS 103	Convoy available at HS convoys (external link)
	Aug. 26	Sydney, C.B.	Argentia	Aug. 27	BW 55	Convoy available at BW convoys (external link)
	Sept. 2	Argentia	St. John's, N.F.	–	Independent	For Botwood (Page 4).
	Sept. 10	St. John's, N.F.	Sydney, C.B.	Sept. 12	WB 52	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Sept. 14	Sydney, C.B.	Halifax	Sept. 15	SH 102A	Convoy available at SH convoys (external link)
	Sept. 18	Halifax	Cape Cod Canal	Sept. 20	XB 74A	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Sept. 20	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Sept. 21	Independent	–
	Sept. 25	New York City	Hampton Roads	Sept. 26	Independent	–
	Sept. 28	Hampton Roads	New York City	Oct. 2	Independent	–
	Oct. 2	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	Oct. 7	Boston	Halifax	Oct. 10	BX 77	Convoy available at BX convoys (external link)
	Oct. 11	Halifax	Sydney, C.B.	Oct. 13	HS 111	Convoy available at HS convoys (external link)
	Oct. 14	Sydney, C.B.	St. John's, N.F.	Oct. 17	BW 71	Convoy available at BW convoys (external link) See also Page 4
	Nov. 9	St. John's, N.F.	Sydney, C.B.	Nov. 12	WB 72	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Nov. 15	Sydney, C.B.	Halifax	Nov. 17	SH 112	Convoy available at SH convoys (external link)
	Nov. 20	Halifax	Cape Cod Canal	Nov. 23	XB 84	Convoy available at XB convoys (external link)
	Nov. 23	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Nov. 24	Independent	–
1944	Jan. 8	New York City	Hampton Roads	Jan. 10	Independent	–
	Jan. 12	Hampton Roads	New York City	Jan. 14	Independent	–
	Jan. 14	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	Jan. 17	Boston	Halifax	Jan. 20	Independent	–
	Febr. 3	Halifax	Cape Cod Canal	Febr. 7	XB 94B	Convoy available at link above
	Febr. 7	Cape Cod Canal	New York City	Febr. 7	Independent	–
	Febr. 12	New York City	New York City*	Febr. 14	NG 416	Returned. *Page 4 gives Hampton Roads. Convoy available at NG convoys (external link)
	Febr. 16	Lynn Haven Roads	Key West	Febr. 22	NK 596	Convoy available at NK convoys (external link)
	Febr. 23	Key West	Gitmo	Febr. 26	KG 690	Convoy available at KG convoys (external link)
	Febr. 27	Gitmo	Curacao	March 3	GAT 120	Gitmo to Curacao. Convoy available at GAT convoys (external link)
	March 3	Curacao	Trinidad	March 6	Independent	–
	March 12	Caripito	Trinidad	–	Independent	–
	March 13	Trinidad	Puerto La Cruz	March 14	Independent	–
	March 15	Puetro La Cruz	Guaira	March 16	Independent	–
	March 16	Guaira	Curacao	March 17	Independent	–
	March 21	Curacao	Gitmo	March 24	TAG 122	Curacao to Gitmo. Convoy available at TAG convoys (external link)
	March 25	Gitmo	Havana	March 30	Independent	–
	March 31	Havana	Key West	March 31	Independent	–
	Apr. 3	Key West	Baltimore	Apr. 9	KN 305	Convoy available at KN convoys (external link)
	May 8	Baltimore	Hampton Roads	May 8	Independent	–
	May 9	Norfolk, VA	New York City	May 11	Independent	–
	May 12	New York City	Boston	–	Independent	–
	May 14	Boston	Halifax	May 16	Independent	–
	May 23	Halifax	New York City	May 26	Independent	–
	June 4	New York City	Charleston, SC	June 7	NK 618	Convoy available at NK convoys (external link)
	June 14	Charleston, SC	Bermuda	–	Independent	–
	June 23	Bermuda	Barry	July 22	–	–
	July 28	Barry	Barry Roads	–	Independent	–
	July 29	Barry	Solent	July 31	EBC 56	Convoy available at EBC convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 5
	July 31	Solent	Southend	Aug. 1	FTC 53	Convoy available at FTC convoys (external link)
	Aug. 4	Southend	Tyne	Aug. 6	FN 1439	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Aug. 18	Tyne	Blyth	Aug. 18	–	–
	Aug. 24	Blyth	Southend	Aug. 25	FS 1553	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 5.
	Aug. 31	Southend	Tyne	Sept. 1	FN 1466	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Sept. 6	Tyne	Southend	Sept. 8	FS 1567	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 5
	Sept. 12	Southend	Tyne	Sept. 13	FN 1478	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 6	Tyne	Tyne	Nov. 7	FS 1628	Put back. Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Nov. 11	Tyne	Tyne	Nov. 12	FS 1633	Put back. Convoy available at link above
	Nov. 15	Tyne	Southend	Nov. 17	FS 1637	Convoy available at link above Again, see also Page 5
	Nov. 22	Southend	Blyth	Nov. 23	FN 1549	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 25	Blyth	Southend	Nov. 27	FS 1647	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 6
	Dec. 1	Southend	Tyne	Dec. 2	FN 1558	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Dec. 6	Tyne	Southend	Dec. 8	FS 1658	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 6.
	Dec. 12	Southend	Tyne	Dec. 13	FN 1569	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Dec. 22	Tyne	Southend	Dec. 24	FS 1674	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
1945	Jan. 3	Southend	Tyne	Jan. 6	FN 1591	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Jan. 13	Tyne	Southend	Jan. 15	FS 1696	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Again, see also Page 6
	Jan. 18	Southend	–	–	FN 1606	Mined - See "Final Fate" below. Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)

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 record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them. Some include the Commodore's notes and/or report, and several Norwegian ships took part.

Carrier's 1940 voyages are shown on Page 1 of the archive documents. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document and continue on Page 2. As can be seen, she appears to have spent a long time in Mobile that year. She had arrived there from Trinidad on Apr. 29-1941 and departure is given as July 22, when she proceeded to Galveston. (It'll be noticed, throughout her record, that she had similar long stays at various ports during the war).

In the fall of 1941 she's listed in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 44* in which M/T Barbro was sunk - follow the link for details. This convoy left Sydney C. B. on Sept. 11 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th, having lost 4 merchant ships (the other 3 were the British Empire Burton and T.J. Williams and the Panamanian Pink Star - the Canadian corvette HMCS Levis was also sunk). From Liverpool, she continued to Mancester, where she arrived Oct. 2. According to A. Hague, she had initially started out in the earlier Convoy SC 41*, which had left Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 24, but she had returned to port, and this agrees with the details found on Page 2. Both these convoys had several Norwegian ships, namely Akabahra, Astra, Audun (from Iceland), Balduin, Blink, Einvik (sunk - follow link for more info), Evviva, Fagersten, Fanefjeld, Grado, Gudrun, Heien, Hestmanden, Hildur I (the latter 3 from Iceland), Ledaal, Leka, Lom (from Iceland), Marga, Nesttun (from Iceland), Orania (returned), Reiaas (from Iceland), Siak and Spes in SC 41, and Ada, Bollsta, Borgfred, Cetus, Gudvin, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, Lago, Marita, Rolf Jarl, Sirehei, Sneland I, South Africa and Spero in SC 44 (in addition to Barbro already mentioned). A. Hague also says that Carrier joined the westbound Convoy ON 35 in Nov.-1941, but returned to port (as will be seen when following the link, she's not mentioned in the original convoy document), later joining Convoy ON 51*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 27, but again returned (to Clyde). Beth, Far, Fjordheim, Ingerfire and Sirehei are listed in this convoy.

At the beginning of Jan.-1942 she joined Convoy ON 53* (with Hallfried, Norse King and Torvanger), but must have had some sort of a problem in this period, because she returned yet again, then finally got away with Convoy ON 68*, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 19 and dispersed on March 9, and also included Aun, Danio, Evanger (Commodore Vessel), Ingertre, Rio Verde and Tyr (sunk - follow link for info). Carrier was bound for Charleston, where she arrived, via Halifax and New York, on March 21; again, see Page 2.

On July 10-1942 she's listed in Convoy SC 91, cargo of phosphates for Garston, but became a straggler and returned to Sydney, C.B., then joined the next convoy on July 17, SC 92, and arrived Garston on July 31. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. She was scheduled to return across the ocean with Convoy ON 124 from Liverpool on Aug. 22, but instead joined Convoy ON 126 on Aug. 29, arriving Halifax independently on Sept. 15 after having straggled from the convoy; according to the Commodore's Notes, she was last seen late in the evening of Sept. 7 in fog, 50 00N 32 10W, after the convoy had altered course to starboard. Commodore was in the Norwegian Rena. A. Hague has now included her in Convoy SC 107*, originating in New York on Oct. 24, but Carrier joined from Halifax (where she had remained since Sept. 15). She had a cargo of grain, sailing in station 21 of the convoy, which also had Geisha (Vice Commodore), Granfoss, Pollux (to Argentia only) and Vest in its ranks. Carrier's last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in the westbound Convoy ON 150*, together with Bernhard, Rio Branco, Sirehei and Snar. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Dec. 1 and arrived New York Dec. 25; Carrier, however, put in at St. John's, N.F. on Dec. 22, having sailed from Loch Ewe Dec. 1.

She subsequently stayed at St. John's for a month, before proceeding to Halifax on Jan. 22-1943, arriving Jan. 26, remaining there for quite a long time as well - again, see Page 3. Departure is given as March 17, when she joined the Halifax portion of Convoy SC 123*, which had sailed from New York on March 14. Fjordheim, Gudvor and Para are also listed. Carrier had a cargo of steel and lumber, station 95, and stopped Loch Ewe on Apr. 2, then proceeded to Methil and Immingham. At the end of that month we find her, along with Atlantic, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 6*. Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts (see ONS convoy escorts). The convoy started out in Liverpool on Apr. 29 and arrived Halifax on May 17. According to the archive document referred to above, she "put in" at Halifax that day (having sailed from Oban Apr. 30), her original destination being New York. She left Halifax again on May 22 and arrived New York on the 25th.

From New York, she procceded to Philadelhia on June 3, leaving again on June 9, arriving New York the next day - Page 3 indicates she was bound for Sharpness; in fact, with a cargo of steel and lumber for that destination, she's listed as cancelled from Convoy SC 134 from Halifax on June 16-1943. She was also cancelled from Convoy SC 135, leaving Halifax on June 27, and is also crossed out on the document for Convoy SC 136, which left Halifax on July 8 (Commodore in Titanian). According to Page 4, she had arrived Halifax from New York and Boston on June 14 and did not leave again until Aug. 3, when she proceeded to Newport, R.I., but did not make any voyages to the U.K. at all in this period. Her 1944 voyages also start on this document and continue on Page 5, which shows that she made a voyage from Bermuda to the U.K. in June/July that year (convoy not known).

Page 6 has the rest of her 1944 voyages as well as her 1945 voyages.

Final Fate - 1945:

Carrier was on a voyage in convoy from Barking to Tyne in ballast when she struck a mine on Jan. 19-1945 (off The Wash, Humber). She had left Barking in the afternoon of Jan. 17, and on the 19th the convoy encountered a full storm with heavy snow, causing some ships to lag behind - according to A. Hague, this was Convoy FN 1606 (external link, incomplete listing, Spurt is also named). Carrier had lost her steering several times, but managed to stay with what was left of the convoy. The explosion occurred in the engine room on the port side at about 14:00. The engine room was immdiately flooded, and all machinery and pumps were set out of action. Shortly afterwards they saw 3 mines and it was assumed she had struck the 4th (according to this posting to my Ship Forum the mines had been laid by S-170, S-174 and S-210).

It was decided to stay on board for as long as possible to see if she could be saved. They were able to contact a British ship for assistance with towing, but in the heavy seas the tow line broke twice and the attempt was given up. Both anchors were dropped to avoid drifting into the banks, while the other ship, which also lost its steering, stayed nearby. The Navy was notified about the incident and at 17:30 the British destroyer HMS Blencathra came alongside, but towing attempts were again unsuccesful.

By 21:00 the water in the engine room had risen and had also penetrated No. 4 hold to about 2-3' from the deck, so it was decided to abandon ship. In spite of the heavy seas both lifeboats were launched without mishaps and all 33 were picked up by the destroyer right away. Blencathra anchored up nearby Carrier in the hopes of being able to take her in tow the next morning.

On the 20th Carrier was still afloat, though her after part was under water up to No. 3 hatch. Around 11:30, after several unsuccessful attempts, the destroyer managed to get a line on board, but it broke shortly afterwards and again the attempt had to be given up. Carrier's anchor chain had been cut, and at this time she started to drift off, but 2 tugs arrived around 13:00, and with the help of crew from the destroyer they were finally able to take her in tow. However, at 14:45 the water had penetrated the foreship and she was barely afloat with only her bow above water, and towing was abandoned. Position as reported by the destroyer was 53 23 58N 00 58 54E.

At around 15:30 the destroyer left the wreck and headed for Immingham where the crew was landed at 18:30, then sent on to Grimsby.

Roger W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939" gives the position as 53 22 58N 00 58 54E, sank 0.75 m from No. 12A buoy. According to a visitor to my website, "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" gives the position as 6 miles SW of Mid Outer Dowsing Shoal, off Norfolk.

Crew List - No casualties:

Captain Knut Berntsen	1st Mate Olaf Johannessen	2nd Mate Gunvald Bjørnevik	3rd Mate Olav Nilsen	Radio Operator Ragnar Beines	Boatswain Olaf Roaldkvam
Able Seaman Thoralf Jacobsen	Able Seaman Toralf Larsen	Able Seaman Konrad Menssen	Able Seaman Dreng Hofstad	Able Seaman Peder Haraldsen	Able Seaman Thorbjørn Hansen
Ordinary Seaman Terence Shields (British)	1st Engineer Rasmus Pedersen	2nd Engineer Peder Kristiansen	3rd Engineer Rasmus Gabrielsen	Donkeyman August Bø*	Donkeyman Fritz Olsen
Stoker Waldemar Lindeburg (Estonian)	Stoker Gunnar Andreassen	Stoker Kjell Nesse	Stoker Martin Holmen	Stoker Dagfinn Knutsen	Stoker John Moore
Oiler Sigurd Halvorsen	Trimmer Erling Karlsen	Trimmer James Puntin (British)	Steward Bjarne Hansen	Cook Kjell Nylund	Galley Boy George Marshall (British)
Mess Boy George Kelly (British)	Gunner Arvid Sørensen	Gunner Alf Snekkestad

*There's a stoker by this name in the crew list for D/S Ringen - same person?