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M/T Fenris
Updated Aug. 4-2011

To Fenris on the "Ships starting with F" page.

Crew List

The Australian War Memorial has 2 pictures of this ship. One can be found on this page, taken in Sydney, the other is shown on this page, also in Sydney (all links are external).

Owner: A/S Lampas
Manager: N. Chr. Evensen, Oslo
Tonnage:
9804 gt, 14 700 tdwt.

Built by Götaverken A/B, Gothenburg in 1936.

Captain: August Clifton

Related items on this website:
Guestbook message - From the son of someone who served on this ship at the beginning of the war (Nils Olsen).
Another Guestbook message - See also links to more messages at crew list below.
Guestbook message - From the daughter of Llew Jenkins, who is said to have served on Fenris for a while.
Another Guestbook message - From the daughter of a crew member (still around, Febr.-2012).

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4


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

Voyage Record
From Apr.-1940 to Dec.-1945:

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

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Errors may exist, and some voyages may be missing.

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
1940 Apr. 18 Curacao Kingston Apr. 20 Independent See also Page 1
May 10 Kingston Trinidad May 14 Independent
May 15 Trinidad Curacao May 18 Independent
May 20 Curacao Bermuda May 26 Independent
May 27 Bermuda BHX 46 See link to HX 46
June 2 Bermuda portion joined main convoy Swansea June 12 HX 46
July 13 Swansea Milford Haven July 13 Independent
July 15 Milford Haven OB 184 Dispersed July 18.
Convoy available at OB 184
(external link)
July 18 Dispersed from OB 184 Capetown Aug. 11 Independent
Aug. 13 Capetown Abadan Sept. 2 Independent
Sept. 6 Abadan Trincomalee Sept. 16 Independent
Sept. 23 Trincomalee Abadan Oct. 3 Independent
Oct. 6 Abadan Singapore Oct. 20 Independent
Oct. 25 Singapore Abadan Nov. 9 Independent Via Colombo?
(See Page 1).
Nov. 14 Abadan Singapore Dec. 4 Independent
1941 Jan. 6 Singapore Colombo Jan. 12 Independent
Jan. 13 Colombo Abadan Jan. 24 Independent
Jan. 25 Abadan Capetown Febr. 25 Independent
Febr. 26 Capetown Bathurst March 21 Independent A. Hague says:
Called at Freetown March 13 to 19
(see also Page 1).
Apr. 17 Bathurst Freetown Apr. 19 Independent
Apr. 21 Freetown Curacao May 8 Independent
May 9 Curacao New York City May 19 Independent
Aug. 23 New York City New York City Aug. 26 Independent With defects
Sept. 9 New York City Halifax Sept. 12 Independent
Sept. 16 Halifax Belfast Lough Sept. 29 HX 150
Oct. 5 Belfast Lough Swansea Oct. 6 BB 84 Convoy available at BB 84
(external link)
Oct. 12 Swansea Milford Haven Oct. 12 Independent See also Page 1
Oct. 13 Milford Haven ON 26 For Curacao
(via Belfast Lough - Page 1).
Dispersed Oct. 29
Oct. 29 Dispersed From ON 26 Curacao Nov. 6 Independent
Nov. 10 Curacao Capetown Dec. 8 Independent
Dec. 10 Capetown Port Elizabeth Dec. 12 Independent
Dec. 20 Port Elizabeth Abadan Jan. 9-1942 Independent
1942 Jan. 13 Abadan Capetown Febr. 3 Independent
Febr. 9 Capetown Abadan March 2 Independent
March 7 Abadan Colombo March 16 Independent
March 20 Colombo C 11 Dispersed March 22.
Convoy available at C 11
(external link)
March 22 Detached from C 11 Adelaide Apr. 12 Independent
Apr. 13 Adelaide Sydney, N.S.W. Apr. 17 Independent
May 29 Sydney, N.S.W. Abadan June 30 Independent
July 2 Abadan Bombay July 8 Independent
July 17 Bombay Abadan Independent Page 2 gives arrival July 23
July 26 Abadan Durban Aug. 17 Independent
Aug. 24 Durban Abadan Sept. 11 Independent
Sept. 12 Abadan Durban Oct. 2 Independent
Oct. 2 Durban Capetown Oct. 5 Independent
Oct. 20 Capetown Capetown Oct. 20 Independent With engine defects
(not included, Page 2)
Oct. 26 Capetown Bahrein Nov. 15 Independent
Nov. 15 Bahrein Abadan Nov. 17 Independent
Nov. 19 Abadan Capetown Dec. 14 Independent
1943 Jan. 23 Capetown CA 6 Dispersed Jan. 25.
Convoy available at CA 6
(external link)
Jan. 25 Dispersed from CA 6 Abadan Febr. 14 Independent
Febr. 16 Abadan Bandar Abbas Independent
Febr. 25 Bandar Abbas PB 28 Detached Febr. 28.
Convoy available at PB 28
(external link)
Febr. 28 Detached from PB 28 Adelaide March 25 Independent
March 31 Adelaide Port Pirie Apr. 1 Independent
Apr. 3 Port Pirie Los Angeles May 4 Independent
July 17 Los Angeles Brisbane Aug. 13 Independent
Aug. 16 Caloundra* Sydney, N.S.W. Aug. 18 PG 63 Convoy available at PG 63
(external link)
*See Page 2
Aug. 22 Sydney, N.S.W. Abadan Sept. 22 Independent Again, see also Page 2
Sept. 29 Abadan Bandar Abbas Independent
Oct. 2 Bandar Abbas Bombay Oct. 8 PB 58 Convoy available at PB 58
(external link)
Oct. 9 Bombay Colombo Oct. 14 BM 70 Convoy available at BM 70
(external link)
Oct. 17 Colombo Bombay Oct. 22 MB 51 Convoy available at MB 51
(external link)
Oct. 25 Bombay Bandar Abbas Oct. 30 BP 100 Convoy available at BP 100
(external link)
Oct. 30 Bandar Abbas Abadan Nov. 1 Independent (This stop at Bandar Abbas not mentioned, Page 2).
Nov. 2 Abadan Bandar Abbas Independent
Nov. 11 Bandar Abbas Bombay Nov. 17 PB 63 Convoy available at PB 63
(external link)
Nov. 19 Bombay Colombo Nov. 24 BM 75 Convoy available at BM 75
(external link)
Dec. 7 Colombo Bombay Dec. 12 MB 57 Convoy available at MB 57
(external link)
Dec. 13 Bombay Abadan Dec. 19 Independent
Dec. 24 Abadan Adelaide Jan. 23-1944 Independent
1944 Jan. 27 Adelaide Port Pirie Jan. 28 Independent
Febr. 4 Port Pirie Independent Torpedoed - see narrative below.
A. Hague says:
Proceeded Addu at 11 knots, arr. Febr. 26
March 4 Addu Colombo March 7 XC 16 With torpedo damage.
Convoy available at XC 16
(external link)
March 15 Colombo Colombo March 16 Independent Returned with defects
Apr. 8 Colombo Bombay Apr. 13 MB 72 Convoy available at MB 72
(external link)
Sept. 16 Bombay Khor Kwai Independent
Sept. 20 Khor Kwai Abadan Independent Page 3 gives arrival Sept. 22.
Sept. 24 Abadan Aden Oct. 3 Independent
Oct. 6 Aden Suez Oct. 11 Independent Left Suez same day
(Page 3).
Oct. 13 Port Said Haifa Oct. 14 Independent
Oct. 19 Haifa Port Said Oct. 20 Independent
Oct. 22 Port Said Augusta Oct. 27 GUS 56 Port Said to Augusta.
Convoy available at GUS 56
(external link)
Nov. 5 Augusta New York City Nov. 30 GUS 57 Augusta to U.S.A.
Convoy available at GUS 57
(external link)
Dec. 7 New York City Baltimore Dec. 9 Independent
1945 March 22 Baltimore New York City March 24 Independent
March 29 New York City Clyde Apr. 15 HX 347 Escort Oiler.
Missing movements, Page 3
Convoy will be added.
See ships in HX convoys
Apr. 21 Clyde Hampton Roads May 9 ON 298 On to New York May 11
(Page 3).
Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
May 13 New York City Downs May 27 HX 356 Escort Oiler.
Convoy will be added.
See ships in HX convoys
June 1 Sheerness New York City Independent
June 16 New York City Philadelphia Independent Compare w/Page 3
June 24 Philadelphia Thames Haven July 7 Independent
July 17 Downs Houston Aug. 6 Independent (Again, see Page 3)
Aug. 11 Houston London Aug. 29 Independent
Sept. 3 London Curacao Independent Page 4 gives arrival Sept. 18.
Sept. 26 Curacao Portsmouth Oct. 14 Independent
Oct. 20 Portsmouth Cardiff Oct. 22 Independent
Nov. 8 Cardiff Trinidad Nov. 22 Independent
Nov. 24 Trinidad Cape Verdes Dec. 4 Independent
Dec. 9 Cape Verdes Curacao Dec. 19 Independent Subsequent voyages, Page 4


 Some Convoy Voyages: 
For voyages made in between those discussed here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them - several Norwegian ships took part.

As can be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Fenris was en route from Teneriffe to Curacao when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940.

In May that year, she's listed in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 46. She was bound for Swansea, where she arrived on June 12, having left Bermuda on May 27. In July, A. Hague has included her in Convoy OB 184, which originated in Liverpool on July 15 and dispersed on the 18th, Fenris arriving Capetown independently on Aug. 11. The Norwegian Balduin, Fana, Haakon Hauan and Polartank are also listed in this convoy, which is available via the external link provided within the Voyage Record.

Her 1941 voyages are also shown on Page 1 - it'll be noticed that he spent a long time in New York that year. She had arrived there from Curacao on May 19 and departure is given as Aug. 23, when she left for Halifax, but returned to port, leaving again on Sept. 9, arriving Halifax on the the 12th. On the 16th, she joined Convoy HX 150 to the U.K. (station 83) along with the Norwegian Heina, Solfonn, Havkong, Garonne, Thorshavet, Topdalsfjord, Varanger (returned) and Braganza. A. Hague has also included Boreas in this convoy. Fenris was again bound for Swansea, with arrival there on Oct. 6. Later that month, we find her going in the other direction with Convoy ON 26, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 14. Her destination is given as Curacao, and she had station 64 of the convoy, surrounded on almost all sides by Norwegian ships, namely Leiv Eiriksson in station 63, Meline in 73, Thorshøvdi in 74, President de Vogue in 53 and Mirlo in 83. Garonne sailed a little further in front in station 32, while Belinda had station 23 and Havkong station 34. Fenris arrived Curacao independently on Nov. 6, the convoy having been dispersed on Oct. 29.

For information on her subsequent voyages, please see Page 1 and Page 2 - convoy information for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record above.

 Torpedoed - 1944: 

Fenris had left Port Pirie on Febr. 4-1944 (Page 2). In the evening of Febr. 21, she was torpedoed amidships by U-168 (Pich), in position 08 32S 65 35E, and damaged but able to reach Bombay. According to "Nortraships flåte" the radio was damaged, but repairable so that a message could be sent. It was received by Bombay Radio which forwarded it to the high command of the British forces. It appears she was sailing as a fleet oiler, and that she was not supposed to be in that area in the first place. New orders had been sent to her a few days earlier, but obviously not received. 90' of her port side hull had been ripped away by the explosion. After she had been torpedoed she was at first ordered to Addu Atoll, but when she notified authorities that she was able to do 11 knots she continued to Bombay for repairs (comparing this to the archive document, we see that she stopped at Colombo on March 7, leaving again for Bombay on the 15th but returned to Colombo the following day. The next departure date is shown on Page 3, which says she left Colombo on Apr. 8 and arrived Bombay Apr. 13, remaining there for about 5 months - see also the Voyage Record above. (Japanese and German subs torpedoed 29 ships in the Indian Ocean in the course of the first 3 months of 1944).

Related external link:
U-168

 Some later Voyages: 

In the spring of 1945, A. Hague has included her in Convoy HX 347, departing New York on March 29. (Fenris had previously arrived the U.S. from Augusta at the end of Nov.-1944 - again, see Page 3 of the archive documents and Voyage Record above - it'll be noticed, that she had spent quite a long time in Baltimore). The Norwegian Brasil, Buenos Aires, Dalfonn, Lektor Garbo, Marit II, Roald Amundsen, Sophocles (Commodore Vessel), Sverre Helmersen and Thorsholm are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norlys, which had Norwegian managers and is included under the N's of this website. Fenris had station 44 of the convoy, and carried USN fuel as well as air craft, serving as escort oiler. She subsequently returned to the U.S. with Convoy ON 298, which left Southend on Apr. 21 and arrived New York on May 7. This convoy will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section; in the meantime, please scroll down to ON 298 on this page. Dalfonn, Marit II, Morgenen, Reinholt (Commodore Vessel) and Thorsholm also took part, as did Norlys. Fenris, which had joined from Clyde, arrived Hampton Roads on May 9, proceeding to New York 2 days later. According to A. Hague, she now headed back to the U.K. again on May 13 in Convoy HX 356, together with Dalfonn, Emma Bakke, Lista (Vice Commodore Ship), Sørvard, and the Panamanian Norvinn. Fenris, in station 53, again served as escort oiler. The 2 HX convoys mentioned here are not yet available among the HX convoys listed on my website, but will be added - see ships in all HX convoys.

Further voyages are shown on Page 3 and Page 4 of the archive documents.

Crew List (at time of attack) - No casualties:
* See this Guestbook message, as well as this one and this message. Here's a more recent message.
**According to this Guestbook message, Deck Boy Ronald Glen Harnden and his friend Ron Sutton were also on board, having signed on just 3 weeks before.
*A list of Olav Grøsle's ships can be found on this external page.

Captain
August Clifton
1st Mate
Johannes Melkevik
2nd Mate
Sverre Johansen
3rd Mate
Lars Kleppe
Radio Operator
Aage Bjørvik
Carpenter
Olav Grøsle*
Boatswain
Aage Egeland
Able Seaman
Monrad Dypevåg
Able Seaman
Erling Holtan
Able Seaman
Kåre Olsen
Able Seaman
Armand Tanava
(Estonian)
Able Seaman
Olav Olsen
Able Seaman
Olav Bygnes
Able Seaman
Kåre Thingstad
Able Seaman
Ivar Ruud
Able Seaman
Børge Jørgensen
(Danish)
Able Seaman
Wilfred Gulbrandsen*
Able Seaman
Frank Mathiesen
Ordinary Seaman
Richard McDonald
(British)
Ordinary Seaman
Martin Naylor
(Australian)
Ordinary Seaman
Einar Nekola
(Finnish)
1st Engineer
Lars Dyrø
2nd Engineer
Olav Skåle
3rd Engineer
Gerdt E. Christensen
(Danish)
4th Engineer
Erling Røed
Assistant
Nils O. Johansen
Electrician
John P. Johansen
Repairman
Ole K. Olsen
Mechanic
Arvid Edvardsen
Mechanic
Jacob Hauge
Mechanic
Desmond Stock
(British)
Mechanic
Thoralf Olsen
Mechanic
Anfinn Hagebø
Mechanic
Asvald Warholm
Oiler
Unta Koskinen
(Finnish)
Steward
Einar Andersen
Cook
Paul Bang
2nd Cook
Nils Nilsen
Mess Boy
Raymond Lazarus
(South African)
Mess Boy
Kevin Twomey
(Australian)
Gunner
Rolf Hansen
Gunner
Alfred Siem
Gunner
Kjell Sæthre
+2 more? **

Back to Fenris on the "Ships starting with F" page.

Norway had previously had a small steamship by this name from 1913, originally delivered in Nov.-1884 as Ituna for London & Solway S. S. Co. Ltd., London, 457 gt. When purchased by Jacob Kielland & H. O. Warloe, Trondheim in 1897 she came from owners in Grangemouth, still Ituna. From 1898 she belonged to A/S D/S Ituna (Albr. W. Selmer), Trondheim. Purchased by Ole L. Waage, Kopervik in 1907. Aground on Jan. 8-1908 on Langeland in heavy storm with snow on a voyage Hadersleben, Germany (now Haderslev)-Rostock in ballast. Condemned, then sold in 1909 to O. A. A. Hirsch, Moss, repaired and sold in 1913 as Fenris to Johan T. Østbø, Stavanger, purchased by D/S A/S Fenris (O. Emil Lea), Haugesund in June-1915, then sold in 1916 to Erik Evanger, Fosnavåg/Ålesund. Managed by Ingv. Bjørnebos Rederi, Kristiansand in the period 1917-1919, from 1919 she belonged to Skibs-A/S Crescendo (Thor Hals), Christiania. Sold in Aug.-1920 to Malta (T. Gasan) and renamed Ituna again. Struck a mine and sank on March 26-1921 near Santa Maria on a voyage Piræus-Malta via Korfu with cargo of flour. ("Våre gamle skip").

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. - ref. My sources.

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