M/T Dalfonn
Updated June 29-2011

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


Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.

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 further info; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

Dalfonn, with destination Le Havre, is listed as sailing in the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HGF 22 in March-1940. When war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9 she was on her way from Le Havre to Trinidad - see Page 1. In May that year she was in Convoy HX 41 from Halifax (having been cancelled from the previous convoy on May 4, HX 40), together with the Norwegian Sveve and Rym. Dalfonn's destination is given as Le Havre on the A 1 form, cargo of fuel oil, while the Advance Sailing Telegram says she was bound for Brest for orders. She had arrived Curacao on Apr. 23, left again on the 25th for Trinidad with arrival there on the 27th, then proceeded to Halifax to join this convoy (arrived May 5), which left for the U.K. on May 8 (it'll be noticed that this voyage to Trinidad is not mentioned in the Voyage Record, nor on the archive document - both say she made a voyage to Trinidad prior to the Curacao voyage). Dalfonn arrived Brest on May 23. According to A. Hague, she made an independent voyage from France to Trinidad in June (though he says she did sail in a convoy for a few days at the beginning of the voyage, 63X - ref. link provided in the table above), heading back across the Atlantic on July 22 with a cargo of Admiralty fuel in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 60, bound for Liverpool, where she arrived on Aug. 7 (she had been cancelled from the Bermuda portion of the previous convoy on July 18, HX 59).

Together with the Norwegian Belinda, Erviken (returned), Helgøy, Hørda, Idefjord, Leiesten, Taranger and Thorshavet, A. Hague later has her in Convoy OB 259, which left Liverpool on Dec. 14-1940. Dalfonn arrived Cape Town independently on Jan. 19-1941. She may very well have saved the Dutch tanker Pendrecht from being shelled and sunk by U-96, which according to "Nortraships flåte" had just attacked the Dutch ship with her last torpedo when Dalfonn appeared on the scene (Dec. 18), having herself previously lost the convoy in bad weather. When Dalfonn's people spotted the U-boat, which until then had been hidden by the tanker, they suspected the stricken vessel was a decoy, possibly a supply ship, and quickly removed themselves, while at the same time sending out radio signals about the situation and firing the guns. 7 shots were fired, but none hit. A few miles away they now observed a British cargo ship which had also spotted the U-boat and fired at it, whereupon the boat disappeared. The Dutch seamen were then able to take their ship to port. As will be seen, when following the link provided in the table above, Pendrecht is also included in OB 259, which had been dispersed on Dec. 17. (She was torpedoed and sunk by U-48 on June 8 the following year - the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page has more details on both these attacks).

The rest of Dalfonn's 1941 voyages are shown on Page 1, which also has her 1942 voyages. Her 1943 voyages are listed on Page 2, as are most of her 1944 movements (convoy information for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record above).

In June-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 297 from New York (Commodore in Brimanger), returning to New York with Convoy ON 246*, which originated in Liverpool on July 25, arrived New York Aug. 9, and also included the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Dageid, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Petter, Skotaas, Strinda, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell, Velox and Ørnefjell. Just 2 days later, Dalfonn started on her return voyage in Convoy HX 303 with 16 other Norwegian ships, namely Tanafjord, Romulus, Noravind, Atlantic, Sommerstad, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Thorhild, Petter, Stirlingville, Rena, Para, Titanian, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady.

The following month she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 253*, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 13, arriving New York on the 28th (Dalfonn arrived Philadelphia Sept. 29, having started out from Loch Ewe on the 13th - again, see Page 2). Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Fosna, Kronprinsessen, Marit II and Tanafjord. Dalfonn subsequently joined Convoy HX 312, departing New York on Oct. 5. Her destination is given as Clyde, where she arrived on the 19th. About a week later she joined the westbound Convoy ON 262*, together with Anna Knudsen, Fosna, Norma, Skotaas, Somerville and Spinanger. The convoy arrived New York on Nov. 10, and already on Nov. 14 she was ready to return to the U.K. with Convoy HX 320, bound for Southampton, with arrival there on Dec. 3. The only other Norwegian ships listed in this convoy are Anna Knudsen and Gefion. Her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy ON 271*, with Fjordaas and Villanger (Commodore Vessel) in company. Dalfonn arrived Baltimore on Dec. 29, remaining there for quite some time. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3.

In the middle of Febr.-1945, she's listed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 339, arriving Liverpool on March 3, returning across the Atlantic a few days later with Convoy ON 289*, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Brasil, Havprins, Høyanger, John Bakke, Molda and Polarsol, as well as the Panamanian Norlys and Norvinn, both listed under the N's on this website because they had Norwegian managers. This convoy arrived New York on March 25, and on the 29th Dalfonn headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 347*, which also had Brasil, Buenos Aires, Fenris, Lektor Garbo, Marit II, Roald Amundsen, Sophocles (Commodore Vessel), Sverre Helmersen, Thorsholm and the Panamnian Norlys in its ranks. On Apr. 22, Dalfonn left Liverpool in order to return to New York, joining Convoy ON 298*, arriving New York on May 7. Fenris, Marit II, Morgenen, Reinholt (Commodore Vessel) and Thorsholm are also named in this convoy, as is Norlys. Dalfonn's last convoy voyage took place in May, when she sailed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 356*, departing New York on May 13. Emma Bakke, Fenris, Lista (Vice Commodore), Sørvard and Norvinn are also listed.

As can be seen in the above Voyage Record, Dalfonn usually served as Escort Oiler for these convoys, also carrying extra depth charges.

The rest of her voyages are listed on Page 3 and Page 4 (to Apr.-1946).

* All the ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. The entire HX series will also be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, please see ships in all HX convoys.

POST WAR:

Arrived Barry Docks on Oct. 31-45 for docking (Page 3). Overhauled by Harland & Wolff at Southampton, sold in 1949 to Mosvold Shipping, Farsund, renamed Mostun. Sailed from Southampton on June 6-1949 for Curaçao (she had arrived Southampton on May 6-1949 from Stanlow). Sold in 1950 to Thomas Entz Tanker GmbH, Germany, and renamed Elizabeth Entz. Sold to Japanese breakers in 1960 and left Tokuyama on Sept. 16-1960 for Hirao to be broken up.

Related external link:
The attack(s) on Pendrecht

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

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, E-mails from R. W. Jordan, and misc. (ref. My sources).