M/T Dageid
Updated Aug. 18-2008

To Dageid on the "Ships starting with D" page.


Received from Sverre Johansen, Norway (w/permission from the Maritime Museum in Oslo).


Source: A book in my own collection about Akers mek. Verksted, 1931
(this probably means that building started before 1932).

Cargo Problems - 1940:

(As can be seen, some of the dates in this report are different from those found in the Voyage Record and on Page 1 of the documents received from the Norwegian National Archives - I've chosen to leave them "as is". The source for this report is given at the end of this page).

Dageid had an unlucky start with many delays. When Norway was invaded on Apr. 9-1940 she was in the middle of the Atlantic, en route from Antwerp to Aruba to pick up a cargo, and was ordered by Clarcton & Co., London as well as Standard Oil Co., New York (I assume this has something to with the contract she was on at the time) to go to Trinidad for further orders, arriving there on Apr. 19, and didn't depart for Aruba until May 6. While still in Trinidad she had been taken over by Nortraship (Apr. 23) and was told by them to unload the cargo from Aruba at Marseilles or St. Louis du Rhone instead of Vado, which was the original order, so on May 10 she proceeded for Marseilles via Gibraltar for further travelling instructions, arriving Marseilles on June 1. While waiting for a pilot, German aircraft started to bomb the harbour, returning that night and again the next day. Her cargo consisted of petrol, so authorities found it rather risky for her to remain and ordered her out to sea again, without the unloading even having started because no barges could be obtained to transport the cargo on to Switzerland, nor could tanks be obtained in which to keep the petrol on shore.

On June 5 they received orders to continue to St. Louis du Rhone arriving there that same day, but before they could go into the harbour 2000 tons of her cargo had to be unloaded into barges, because there was not enough water for her to float into the harbour itself. On June 6 about 1000 tons were transferred to 3 barges which were to return the following day to take another 1000 tons - and they did return, but carrying the same cargo they had unloaded from Dageid the day before, having received orders from French authorities to pump it back into Dageid, whereupon she was again sent out to sea to wait, keeping in contact with the signal station.

On June 10 they were ordered back into Marseilles, but when they got there they received orders from Nortraship to take the cargo to Gibraltar. By the time they were ready to leave that day, Italy had entered the war and French authorities would not let them sail without a convoy, so again they had to wait. Finally, on June 16(?) they joined a convoy to Oran and on to Gibraltar, where they stayed for about a week before proceeding in convoy to Milford Haven, then on to Clyde where they arrived July 10 (she's listed in the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HG 36, which left Gibraltar on June 28-1940). However, no decision had yet been made as to what to do with the cargo, so they waited for further orders until Oct. 17, at which time The Ministry of War Transport took over the cargo and ordered them to unload at Stanlow. This done, they went to Liverpool for docking and repairs and on Nov. 12 Anglo-Irania Oil Company (British Tankers) took over; she remained on this charter all through the war.

On departure Liverpool they received orders to go to Trinidad for degaussing and the installation of a gun platform. This then, fits in with the fact that she's listed in Convoy OB 244 (together with 11 other Norwegian ships - follow the link for their names). This convoy left Liverpool on Nov. 17-1940 and dispersed Nov. 22. Dageid proceeded to Trinidad, arriving there on Dec. 8. She was not ready to leave again until Febr. 1-1941.

Again, see also Page 1 for comparison.

1941 - 1943:

(Again, some of the dates in this report are slightly different from those found in the Voyage Record and archive documents).

From Trinidad Dageid went to Aruba in Febr.-1941 where cargo was loaded for Ango Ango (Belgian Congo) and Lobito. Sailing up the river to Ango Ango she ran aground and remained stuck for a week. In order to get refloated, about 1600 tons of petrol had to be unloaded into barges. A tug assisted her, and she was finally refloated. In the process she had gotten a lot of sand in her engines but was allowed to go to Lobito with the remainder of the cargo and then on to Cape Town for repairs, arriving there on March 25, but was not completed until June 20 (apparently the worst place to go for repairs during the war years). She subsequently headed to Bahrein for a cargo for Massowa, then made several voyages between Abadan, Suez and Haifa, as well as 2 voyages between Abadan and South Africa, though a lot of time was wasted due to continuous problems with engine parts and repairs.

As can be seen in the Voyage Record, she's listed by A. Hague, with destination Basra, in Convoy OS 15 in Dec.-1941. Note, however, that this does not fit with what can be found on Page 1 of the archive documents, which states she was en route from Abadan to Cape Town on the date this convoy left the U.K. OS 15 departed Liverpool on Dec. 23 and arrived Freetown on Jan 12-1942. (Dagfred, Estrella, Fernbank and Hallanger are also listed in this convoy. L. A. Chirstensen was scheduled, but did not sail).

At the end of July (according to Page 2 this would have been in Abadan in 1942, but early in July) she loaded a cargo for East London, and after a few minor repairs there she was ordered to go to Talara, Peru via Magellan with a stop at Punta Arenas for further travelling instructions. At Talara they took on cargo for Buenaventura, Columbia and Balboa, Panama, then on to Curacao for a cargo for the U.K., but first she had to go in convoy to New York, arriving there on Nov. 24-1942, departing again in convoy on Dec. 4, with arrival Stanlow on Dec. 27. She had made this voyage with the slow New York-U.K. Convoy SC 112, together with the Norwegian Acasta, Aragon, Borgholm, Fjordheim, Garnes, Harpefjell, Heimgar, Norjerv, Primo, Sir James Clark Ross, Solitaire, and Tropic Star (returned). Ref. link provided within the table above for more on this convoy.

Again, she had some repairs and work done at Birkenhead which took almost 3 months (cabins for gunners were also added). This brings us to March 13-1943, when she left for New York in Convoy ON 173*, which also included B. P. Newton, Emma Bakke, Ferncourt, Frontenac, Haakon Hauan, Idefjord, Mosli, Pan Aruba, Skaraas, Stiklestad, Strinda and Thorshov. Going back to Page 2 above, we find that Dageid arrived New York on March 31. She returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 234 the following month, and continued between New York and the U.K. for the rest of the war.

At the beginning of May-1943 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 182*, together with Fernwood, Gallia, Germa, Hiram, Ivaran, Oregon Epress, Skiensfjord, Thorshov, Thorshøvdi, and Villanger. Dageid arrived New York on May 21, and at the end of that month she can be found in Convoy HX 242. Her destination is given as Clyde and she had station 64 of the convoy (arrived Clyde June 15). With Brajara, California Express, Fjordaas, Gefion, Høyanger, Lynghaug, Mosli, Norefjord, Norsol, Orwell, Polartank, Skiensfjord and Tarifa, she subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 190*, originating in Liverpool on June 24-1943. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 248, leaving New York on July 15-1943, but instead joined HX 249 on July 23, later heading back to New York in the westbound Convoy ON 197*, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 14. She had again been in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely Brajara, Orwell, Helgøy, Leiv Eiriksson, Pan Aruba, and Slemmestad. At the beginning of Sept. that year we find her in Convoy HX 255 from New York to the U.K., heading back to New York later that month with the westbound Convoy ON 203*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 22. California Express, Duala, Gefion, Lista, Norholm, Polartank, Skaraas, Trondheim, Vav and Vinga are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norlys, which had Norwegian managers and is included under the N's on this site. Follow the links to the HX convoys mentioned here for the names of other ships sailing in them.

According to Arnold Hague, she now joined Convoy HX 264 from New York at the end of Oct.-1943. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own website, but I've linked directly to it in the table above, and as can be seen, the Norwegian Fagerfjell, Kaldfonn, Lista, Montevideo, Samuel Bakke, Skaraas, Spinanger, and Tungsha are also listed. That year was rounded off by sailing back to the U.S. in the westbound Convoy ON 213*, originating in Liverpool on Nov. 26-1943. Skaraas and Lista were again in company, as were Bajamar and Bañaderos. Dageid arrived Philadelphia on Dec. 14.

1944 - 1945:

On Jan. 11-1944 she was in a bad collision with the Dutch tanker Erinna when in Convoy HX 274 from New York (having been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 273), and had to put in to St. Johns, N.F., then proceeded via Halifax to New York where her cargo was unloaded, whereupon she ended up in Baltimore from Febr. 24 until May 13 for repairs. About a week later she joined Convoy HX 292 for the U.K., returning in June with the westbound Convoy ON 240*, together with Fagerfjell, Heranger, Høyanger, Østhav, Para, Petter, Strinda, Thorhild, Vanja and Villanger. Dageid, in station 115, was bound for Philadelphia, where she arrived on June 28, having joined from Loch Ewe. In July she's listed in Convoy HX 298 from New York, and at the end of that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 246* in order to return to Philadelphia, where she arrived on Aug. 9. Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger, Dalfonn, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Ørnefjell, Petter, Skotaas, Strinda, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell and Velox are also listed.

On Aug. 17 we find her, with destination Heysham, in Convoy HX 304, returning to the U.S. the following month with Convoy ON 252*, which left Liverpool on Sept. 7 and also included Atlantic, Fernmoor, Geisha, Kaldfonn, Petter, Skotaas, Spinanger, Troubadour and Vardefjell, while the Norwegian corvettes Acanthus and Rose are named among the escorts (as is Buttercup, which was transferred to Norway later that year). Dageid had station 103 of this convoy and arrived New York on Sept. 22. On Sept. 28 she shows up in Convoy HX 311 back to Liverpool, where she arrived on Oct. 13, and at the end of that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 263*, in order to sail to Baltimore, with arrival there on Nov. 16. Fjordaas, Helgøy, Norheim, Samuel Bakke, and Tai Shan also took part. Dageid was scheduled to return with Convoy HX 325 from New York, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 326, so Christmas that year was celebrated while at sea.

She went back to the U.S. in Jan.-1945 with the westbound Convoy ON 279, which arrived New York on Febr. 5, and on the 12th we find her in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 338, bound for Devonport. Dageid returned the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 288*, again together with several other Norwegian ships, namely Villanger, Viggo Hansteen, Tanafjord, Slemmestad, G. C. Brøvig, Polartank, Heranger and Harald Torsvik. J. R. Hegland's "Nortraships flåte" also adds Høyanger, but A. Hague has not included this ship in ON 288. The Norwegian commodore, R. G. Bruusgaard was in the British Port Fremantle. This convoy arrived New York on March 19, and already on the 24th we find Dageid in Convoy HX 346. Again, this convoy is not included in my own Convoys section, but I've linked directly to it in the table above, and as can been the Norwegian G. C. Brøvig and Polartank are again included, as are Reinholt, Strinda and Thorshavet. The following month, Dageid, bound for Philadelphia, joined the westbound Convoy ON 296*, again with G. C. Brøvig, Polartank and Strinda, as well as Montevideo, Noreg, Tai Shan and Thorshavn.

On the first day of peace in Europe, May 8-1945, Dageid departed New York for the U.K. via Boston and Halifax, arriving Manchester on May 30, where she was docked for further repairs. She had made this voyage from Halifax with the slow Convoy SC 176, which had left Halifax on May 16, with Chr. Th. Boe, Elg, Garonne, Glarona, Ima, Rena and Vinga in its ranks. See the link provided within the Voyage Record.

Back to Dageid on the "Ships starting with D" page.

Norway (E. B. Aabye) had another Dageid in the 1920's. This was originally the D/S Fagersand, built in Holland 1906, 1021 gt for Alf Monsen, Tønsberg. Became Dageid in 1920, sold same year to Tanger, renamed Michell Mazella, then to France in 1928 and renamed Caid Mima, later Ile Saint Paul in 1937.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, "19 Oslo-skips historie under verdenskrigen, fra April 1940 til krigens slutt i 1945" ("The Story of 19 Oslo ships during the World War, from April 1940 until the End of the War in 1945") Harald Nicolaisen - based on the ship's logs and diaries, as well as the captain's report - ref. My sources.