D/S Evviva - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Some Convoy Voyages:

(More convoy information will be added).

Evviva was in Convoy HN 19 from Norway to the U.K. in March-1940, bound for London with a cargo of pulp.

A little over 3 months later, she's listed in Convoy OA 172, leaving Southend on June 21. Her destination is given as Southampton, cargo of coal, station 72, arriving Southampton on June 22 (see Page 1 of the archive documents). This convoy was composed of 2 parts, OA 172(1) and OA 172(2), Eviva being in Part 2 as the only Norwegian ship, while the Norwegian Bonde, Trolla and Vestland were in Part 1 (A. Hague has also included Fernbank in OA 172). At the beginning of July she was scheduled for Convoy OA 177, but with a note saying "did not sail" (destination Lisbon). Note, however, that according to A. Hague, she did sail in this convoy, which departed Southend on July 1-1940, joined up with Convoy OB 177 on July 3, the combined convoy forming OG 36, which arrived Gibraltar on the 9th (going back to Page 1, we see that she arrived Gibraltar on the 17th, but she had probably been to Lisbon first). The Norwegian Octavian was also scheduled for OA 177, but did not sail. (Again, A. Hague states she did sail; he has also included the Norwegian Sevilla, but cargo is given as whale oil, so this was probably the British ship by the same name) - See the external links provided below for more on these OA convoys. OG 36 will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section in due coruse; in the meantime, the ships sailing in it (and escorts) are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys.

Later that month we find Evviva in station 53 of Convoy HG 39, leaving Gibraltar on July 21, arriving Liverpool on Aug. 5, and 10 days later she appears in Convoy OB 198, bound for Sydney, C.B., where she arrived independently on Aug. 29-1940, the convoy having been dispersed on the 18th. She returned to the U.K. the following month with the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 4, which had a large number of Norwegian ships - follow the link for more info. Evviva was bound for Blyth with a cargo of pit props, arriving there on Oct. 6 (via Clyde and Methil). Together with Berto, Eastern Star, Erica, Granfoss, Iron Baron, Regin, Stargard and Trolla, she later joined Convoy OB 240, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 8 (Evviva joined from Oban) and dispersed on the 13th, Evviva arriving Sydney, C.B. independently on Dec. 5.

She was scheduled to head back to the U.K. in the slow Convoy SC 18 and Convoy SC 19 from Halifax in Jan.-1941, but did not sail. She later joined Convoy SC 20, but returned to port, and eventually got away with SC 22 on Febr. 8, pit props for Immingham, where she arrived, via Loch Ewe and Methil, on March 5. According to A. Hague she subsequently made an independent voyage to Halifax, with arrival there (via Digby) on Apr. 17-1941 (see also Page 2), and she was scheduled to return in Convoy SC 30 at the end of that month, but instead joined SC 31 on May 9, cargo of lumber for London. (Follow the links to the SC convoys mentioned here for further dates and info on them; an analysis of attacks by a U-boat is also available for SC 19, while SC 30 has the Commodore's narrative, and SC 31 has orders for the escorts of the convoy).

A. Hague states that she made another independent voyage cross the Atlantic in July-1941. She arrived Argentia (Newfoundland) on July 23, Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 10, joining the slow Convoy SC 41 from there on Aug. 24. This convoy is not available among the SC convoys listed on my own website, but I've linked directly to it at the end of this page, and as can be seen, the Norwegian Akabahra, Astra, Audun, Balduin, Blink, Carrier (returned), Einvik (sunk - follow link for details), Fagersten, Fanefjeld, Grado, Gudrun, Heien, Hestmanden, Hildur I, Ledaal, Leka, Lom, Marga, Nesttun, Orania (returned), Reiaas, Siak and Spes are also listed. Evviva, sailing in station 124, had a cargo of lumber.

According to A. Hague, she again made an independent North Atlantic crossing in May-1942 (arrived St. John, N.B. May 8 - see Page 5), and at the end of that month I have her in Convoy SC 85 from Sydney, C.B., cargo of lumber for London. In July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 112*, together with Albert L. Ellsworth, Bjørkhaug, Borgholm, Bruse Jarl, Facto, Fidelio, Gezina, Hjalmar Wessel, Ingerfem, Lisbeth, Loke, Norjerv, Ragnhild, Selvik and Titanian. Evviva arrived Halifax on July 28, having joined from Loch Ewe (convoy originated in Liverpool July 13). In Aug.-1942 she was one of several Norwegian ships in Convoy SC 97, in which Bronxville was sunk.

She was later used as ammunition and supply ship in the Torch operations, which commenced on Nov. 8-1942, and appears to have been in the same convoy as D/S Selbo, attacked by aircraft on Nov. 28-1942. 1st Mate at the time was Jens Sperre, who with gunner Ole Jerndorf Kastor Johansen reported that one of the attacking aircraft was shot down by Evviva's Oerlikon. The gunner received the British "Mentioned in Despatches for his good services in shooting down an enemy aircraft off Bougie in November-1942". At the end of the following month she's mentioned in connection with Convoy MKS 4, making a voyage from Algiers to Oran, where she arrived on Dec. 26 (scroll down a little to my notes in the first table on that page - see also Page 6).

She's also mentioned in connection with Convoy KMS 6, going in the other direction, in Jan.-1943, voyaging from Oran to Philippeville (so must have joined this convoy at Oran; she arrived Philippeville on Jan. 8). This is the convoy in which the Norwegian Akabahra was sunk. At the beginning of Febr.-1943 she made a voyage from Algiers to Oran with Convoy MKS 7. Evviva also shows up in Convoy MKS 11 in Apr.-1943, leaving the convoy at Algiers. Torfinn Jarl and Bruse Jarl are also included in this convoy. The first external website that I've linked to below also has Evviva in Convoy SL 128/MKS 12. The SL section had originated in Freetown on Apr. 20-1943, then joined up with MKS 12* from Gibraltar on May 4, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on May 14; Evviva arrived Avonmouth that same day, having left Gibraltar on May 2 with the MKS convoy. She had a cargo of phosphates, voyage Bone-Belfast Dock. The same website has her in station 11 of Convoy OS 50/KMS 17 in June-1943, voyaging from Milford to Bone. The convoy split up on June 27, with the ships going to Gibraltar (incl. Evviva) arriving there on June 29. The Gibraltar portion is available in my own Convoys section at KMS 17, and as can be seen the Norwegian Norfalk, Kristianiafjord, Marga and Vigsnes are also listed. Some of them, including Evviva, are also included in the second table on my page about KMS 17, in other words, she continued from Gibraltar for her destination Bone on June 30, with arrival Bone on July 4. (Names of ships in the combined convoy OS 50/KMS 17 are available at the external link already mentioned).

For information on the rest of her 1943 voyages, as well as 1944 voyages, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway, starting with Page 6. Convoy information for these voyages will be added.

Skipping now to July-1944, when Evviva is listed in Convoy KMS 57*, voyaging from Augusta to Port Said, where she arrived on Aug. 4, having left Augusta on July 30.

In Apr.-1945 she sailed from Casablanca to Londonderry in Convoy MKS 94*, arriving Londonderry on Apr. 18. In July that year she got to go home to Norway, as will be seen when going to Page 9 of the archive documents.