D/S Freidig
Updated Aug. 20-2011

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

Crew List


This picture shows the ship when named Melsomvik. Received from Leif M. Bjørkelund.

Voyage Record From March-1940 to Febr.-1944:

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (it'll be noticed that some listings are incomplete). Where the "Convoy" column is left blank, it means that convoy is not known.

Errors do exixst. This, in turn, could mean that she may not have sailed in all the convoys noted, even though she's listed in them. Also, some voyages are missing.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1940	March 30	Norwegian Waters	–	–	HN 23A	Detached Apr. 1 Missing voyages, Page 1
	May 21	Downs	Tyne	May 24	FN 177	With bomb damage. Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	June 7	Tyne	Downs	June 9	FS 190	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	June 9	Downs	Belfast	–	–	Missing movements, Page 1
	Aug. 12	Clyde	Methil	Aug. 15	WN 7	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Aug. 17	Methil	Blyth	Aug. 17	MT 143	Convoy available at MT 143 (external link - incomplete listing)
	Sept. 7	Blyth	Tyne	Sept. 7	–	–
	Sept. 12	Tyne	Methil*	Sept. 13	FN 278	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *Compare w/Page 1 (also, missing voyages)
	Sept. 28	Tyne(?)	Southend	Sept. 30	FS 294	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Oct. 13	Southend	Methil*	Oct. 16	FN 307	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *Compare w/Page 1
	Nov. 1	Methil	Southend	Nov. 3	FS 325	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Again, see also Page 1
	Nov. 17	Southend	Methil	Nov. 19	FN 336	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 20	Methil Roads	Dundee	Nov. 21	–	–
	Nov. 28	Dundee	Methil Roads	Nov. 29	–	–
	Dec. 4	Methil	Southend	Dec. 8	FS 353	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 1
	Dec. 14	Southend	Methil	Dec. 16	FN 359	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Dec. 21	Methil	Southend	Dec. 24	FS 367	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 2
1941	Jan. 4	Southend	Methil	Jan. 7	FN 375	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Jan. 15	Methil	Southend	Jan. 17	FS 389	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Jan. 25	Southend	Methil	Jan. 27	FN 391	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Febr. 3	Methil	Southend	Febr. 5	FS 403	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 2
	Febr. 11	Southend	Methil	Febr. 13	FN 405	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Febr. 20	Methil	Southend	Febr. 22	FS 417A	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Febr. 28	Southend	Methil	March 2	FN 419	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	March 10	Methil	Southend	March 12	FS 433	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Again, see Page 2
	March 24	Southend	Methil	March 26	FN 441	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 2
	Apr. 7	Methil	Southend	Apr. 9	FS 457	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Apr. 19	Southend	Methil Roads	Apr. 21	EC 9	Convoy available at EC convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 2. See also Page 3
	May 10	Methil	Blyth	May 11	FS 486	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	May 11	Blyth	Oban	May 14	EC 18	Convoy available at EC convoys (external link)
	May 15	Oban	Belfast Lough	May 15	Independent	–
	May 18	Belfast Lough	Swansea	May 19	BB 22	Convoy available at BB convoys (external link)
	May 23	Swansea	Cardiff	May 23	Independent	–
	May 26	Cardiff	Milford Haven	May 26	Independent	–
	May 27	Milford Haven	Holyhead	May 29	Independent	Compare w/Page 3 (also, missing voyages)
	May 29	Holyhead	Liverpool	May 29	Independent	–
	June 10	Liverpool	Clyde	June 11	Independent	–
	June 13	Clyde	Methil	June 17	WN 140	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	June 19	Methil	Southend	June 21	FS 520	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Again, see also Page 3
	June 29	Southend	Methil	June 30	FN 486	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 3 (also, missing movements)
	Aug. 1	Methil	Southend	Aug. 3	FS 557	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Aug. 10	Southend	Methil Roads	Aug. 12	EC 58	Convoy available at EC convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 3
	Aug. 23	Methil Roads	Belfast Lough	Aug. 26	EC 63	Convoy available at link above
	Aug. 29	Belfast	Clyde	Aug. 30	Independent	–
	Sept. 5	Clyde	Oban	Sept. 6	Independent	–
	Sept. 8	Oban	Methil	Sept. 11	WN 178	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Sept. 12	Methil	Southend	Sept. 14	FS 593	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 4
	Sept. 26	Southend	Dundee	Sept. 29	EC 78	Convoy available at EC convoys (external link)
	Oct. 3	Dundee	Methil Roads	Oct. 3	–	–
	Oct. 10	Methil Roads	Belfast Lough	Oct. 14	EC 83	Convoy available at link above
	Oct. 19	Belfast Lough	Clyde	Oct. 20	Independent	–
	Oct. 27	Clyde	Oban	Oct. 28	Independent	–
	Nov. 2	Oban	Methil	Nov. 5	WN 200	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 7	Methil	Southend	Nov. 9	FS 641	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Again, see Page 4
	Nov. 21	Southend	Methil	Nov. 23	FN 558	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 4 (also, missing movements)
	Dec. 3	Methil	Southend	Dec. 5	FS 663	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 4
	Dec. 16	Southend	Methil	Dec. 18	FN 580	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 4
	Dec. 26	Methil Roads	Dundee	Dec. 26	–	–
	Dec. 29	Dundee	Methil Roads	Dec. 30	–	–
1942	Jan. 1	Methil	Southend	Jan. 3	FS 688	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 4
	Jan. 12	Southend	Aberdeen	Jan. 14	FN 603	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Jan. 27	Aberdeen	Leith	Jan. 28	–	See also Page 5
	Febr. 2	Methil	Southend	Febr. 4	FS 716	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 5
	Febr. 14	Southend	Methil*	Febr. 16	FN 631	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *Compare w/Page 5
	March 30	Methil	Londonderry	Apr. 3	EN 65	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 8	Londonderry	Clyde	Apr. 9	–	–
*	Apr. 14	Clyde	Loch Ewe	Apr. 17	Independent	–
	*Voyage inserted from below and date corrected (see also Page 5).
	Apr. 17	Loch Ewe	Methil	Apr. 19	WN 271	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 20	Methil	Southend	Apr. 22	FS 782	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 5
	Apr. 30	Southend	Methil*	May 2	FN 695	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *Compare w/Page 5
	May 9	Methil	Belfast Lough	May 12	EN 82	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
*	May 14	Clyde	Loch Ewe	Apr. 17	Independent	–
	*Departure should be Apr. 14, and voyage belongs further up in the record (inserted there).
	May 17	Belfast Lough	Loch Ewe	–	Independent	–
	May 19	Loch Ewe	Methil	May 21	WN 285	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing movements, Page 5
	May 30	Methil	Belfast Lough	June 2*	EN 91	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) *June 5? (Page 5)
	June 5	Belfast Lough	Liverpool	June 6	Independent	Missing voyages, Page 6
	June 14	Loch Ewe	Methil	June 16	WN 296	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	June 17	Methil	Ipswich	June 19	FS 831	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	June 23	Ipswich	Southend	June 24	FS 836	Convoy available at link above (see also Page 6)
	June 27	Southend	Methil	June 29	FN 745	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 6
	July 10	Methil	Loch Ewe(?)	July 12	EN 109	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	July 17	Belfast Lough	Newport	July 19	BB 199	Via Swansea (Page 6). Convoy available at BB convoys (external link)
	July 22	Newport	Milford Haven	July 24	Independent	–
	July 24	Milford Haven	Liverpool	July 25	Independent	–
	July 28	Liverpool	Holyhead	July 28	Independent	–
	July 30	Holyhead	Mumbles	July 31	BB 204	Convoy available at link above
	July 31	Swansea Bay	Milford Haven	Aug. 1	Independent	Compare w/Page 6
	Aug. 2	Milford Haven	Clyde	Aug. 4	Independent	–
	Aug. 13	Loch Ewe	Methil	Aug. 15	WN 322	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Aug. 16	Methil	Southend	Aug. 18	FS 883	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 6
	Aug. 26	Southend	Methil	Aug. 28	FN 797	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 6
	Oct. 3	Methil	Belfast	Oct. 7	EN 145	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Oct. 12	Belfast	Liverpool	Oct. 13	Independent	–
	Oct. 17	Liverpool	Barry	Oct. 19	Independent	–
	Oct. 22	Barry	Liverpool	Oct. 23	Independent	–
	Nov. 6	Liverpool	Barry	Nov. 8	Independent	–
	Nov. 10	Barry	Liverpool	Nov. 14	Independent	–
	Nov. 19	Liverpool	Barry	Nov. 20	Independent	–
	Nov. 22	Barry	Preston	Nov. 25	Independent	–
	Nov. 28	Preston	Cardiff	Nov. 30	Independent	–
	Dec. 3	Cardiff	Liverpool	Dec. 5	Independent	–
	Dec. 18	Liverpool	Cardiff	Dec. 20	Independent	Compare w/Page 7
	Dec. 23	Cardiff	Liverpool	Dec. 25	Independent	–
	Dec. 30	Liverpool	Cardiff	Jan. 2-1943	Independent	Compare w/Page 7
1943	Jan. 5	Cardiff	Liverpool	Jan. 7	Independent	–
	Jan. 13	Liverpool	Barry	Jan. 14	Independent	Compare w/Page 7
	March 18	Barry	Cardiff	March 18	Independent	–
	March 19	Cardiff	Solent	March 21	WP 311	Convoy available at WP convoys (external link)
	March 25	St Helens Roads	Southend	March 26	CE 163	Convoy available at CE convoys (external link) See also Page 8
	Apr. 1	Southend	Methil	Apr. 3	FN 984	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Apr. 4	Methil Roads	Clyde	Apr. 10	–	Missing movements, Page 8
	May 4	Liverpool	Methil	May 9	Independent	–
	May 10	Methil	Middlesbrough	May 11	FS 1112	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	May 13	Middlesbrough	Tyne	May 13	–	–
	May 14	Tyne	Southend	May 16	FS 1115	Convoy available at link above. Again, see also Page 8
	May 24	Southend	Methil*	May 26	FN 1029	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *Compare w/Page 8
	June 2	Methil Roads	Belfast	June 6	–	–
	June 10	Belfast Lough	Cardiff	June 11	Independent	–
	June 18	Cardiff	Newport	June 18	Independent	–
	June 23	Newport	Preston	June 25	Independent	–
	June 28	Preston	Liverpool	June 29	Independent	–
	July 3	Liverpool	–	–	Independent	Joined WN 450, July 5
	July 5	Loch Ewe(?)	Dundee	July 6	WN 450	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	July 10	Methil(?)	Tyne	July 11	FS 1164	Compare w/Page 8 Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	July 14	Tyne	Methil	July 15	FN 1072	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	July 15	Methil Roads	Belfast	July 19	–	–
	July 20	Belfast	Clyde	July 21	Independent	–
	July 28	Clyde	Methil	Aug. 1	–	–
	Aug. 2	Methil	Southend	Aug. 4	FS 1184	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 9
	Aug. 24	Southend	Dundee	Aug. 26	FN 1108	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Aug. 30	Dundee	Southend	Sept. 1	FS 1208	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) See also Page 9
	Sept. 15	Southend	Ipswich	Sept. 16	FN 1127	Via Harwich (Page 9). Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Sept. 18	Ipswich	Southend	Sept. 19	FS 1223	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Sept. 23	Southend	Methil*	Sept. 25	FN 1134	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) Compare w/Page 9
	Oct. 2	Methil	Tyne	Oct. 3	FS 1236	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) On to Blyth Oct. 9 (Page 9)
	Oct. 13	Methil*	Southend	Oct. 15	FS 1245	Convoy available at link above. *See Page 9
	Oct. 17	Southend	St. Helens Roads	Oct. 18	CW 217	Convoy available at CW convoys (external link)
	Oct. 22	Solent	Plymouth	Oct. 22	PW 419	Convoy available at PW 419 (external link - incomplete listing)
	Oct. 28	Plymouth	Falmouth	Oct. 28	Independent	–
	Oct. 29	Falmouth	Newport	Oct. 30	PW 422	Convoy available at PW 422 (external link - incomplete)
	Nov. 2	Newport	Liverpool	Nov. 4	Independent	–
	Nov. 16	Liverpool	Methil Roads	Nov. 20	–	–
	Nov. 23	Methil	Southend	Nov. 25	FS 1280	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Dec. 25	Southend	Methil*	Dec. 27	FN 1216	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link) *See also Page 10
1944	Jan. 8	Methil	Southend	Jan. 10	FS 1325	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link) Also, Page 10
	Jan. 21	Southend	Harwich	Jan. 21	FN 1243	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Jan. 22	Harwich	Methil	Jan. 24	FN 1244	Convoy available at link above. Compare w/Page 10 (also, missing voyages)
	Febr. 5	Methil(?)	–	–	EN 342	Foundered off Strathie Pt. See "Final Fate" below. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)

Misc. WW II:

Captain Adolph M. Ringen (from 1940). Freidig sailed in Convoy HN 23A from Norway to the U.K. at the end of March-1940. She was bound for Rouen with pulp, thereby ending up in allied service. When the Germans invaded Norway on Apr. 9, she was on her way from Ardrossan to Rouen, where she arrived Apr. 10, according to Page 1 of the archive documents.

She was in the coal trade South Shields-Rouen and endured the heavy bombing of Rouen while discharging coal from the U.K. in the middle of May-1940. It was decided to try to take her out on the 19th and she was outward bound when she was attacked by German aircraft late in the evening of May 21, about 11 n. miles off Orfordness. No bombs hit, but she was damaged by the detonations in the sea close by, though the crew managed to take her to port. As can be seen in her Voyage Record above, A. Hague has her in Convoy FN 177 at this time (external link, incomplete listing). After Rouen had fallen in June (9th) Freidig entered the coal (and food) trade around the U.K.

The situation at that time:
The Germans soon won the entire continental coast from far up north to the Spanish border in the south, which enabled them to use Dutch, Belgian or French airfields as their points of origin, rather than having to use the ones in Germany. E-boats (torpedo boats) had a short distance to offensive operations against shipping on the British east coast, and the U-boats also had a shorter distance to travel to the British Atlantic inlets where ships assembled and offered good targets. From the beginning of July the German Air Force started hammering British coastal shipping and ports. When France had fallen the ports in the channel had been closed, and the transoceanic convoys were redirected north of Ireland. The ports on the west coast then became overloaded convoy terminals, while the ports on the east coast were practically empty. It was soon realized that this could not work in the long run. The overland transportation network could not handle the large amounts of supplies discharged by the convoys on the west coast, a considerable amount of which had to get to the densely populated areas in the east, like London, so ships had to be used to get the goods delivered in sufficient amounts. Therefore, traffic to the cities on the east coast was directed around Scotland, and in July it was again necessary to reestablish direct sailings between the Thames and the Bristol channel, past Dover. When the Germans intensified their air attacks on the British coastal traffic in July, Norwegian ships were in the most dangerous passage of all, the Dover passage, and several were sunk or damaged (Balder, Fjord, Kollskegg, Nina Borthen, Balzac, Stalheim, Audun to mention just a few). Improved measures for convoy defense were put to use, which reduced the losses for a while, but from Aug.-1940 German planes started swarming across the entire kingdom in their search for ships, and the number of losses again went up considerably.

Final Fate - 1944:

Captain Albert Arntzen. 20 men died when Freidig sank on Febr. 7-1944 after her cargo had shifted in a storm with heavy seas while on a voyage from Aberdeen to Liverpool with a cargo of 1624 tons rye, having departed Aberdeen at 00:30 on Febr. 6 (her voyages in this period are shown on Page 10). According to Arnold Hague, she had been in Convoy EN 342 at the time (external link). She had already been listing slightly on departure, and that afternoon her boiler sprang a leak. By 08:00 on Febr. 7 she was listing about 10° to port because her cargo had shifted, as mentioned, and at 10:00 all men were called on deck after a heavy sea had taken the icebox and carried it towards the airpipe forward of the after hold with such force that the pipe broke off near the deck. They desperately tried to plug up the hole using mattrasses, but it was impossible due to the seas constantly washing over the after deck. Her list increased and she sank deeper and deeper by the stern, resulting in the after hatch being forced open so that the hold started to flood at 11:15.

The captain ordered the lifeboats launched and the port boat with 7-8 men was successfully lowered and rowed away from the ship, but the starboard boat was taken by the seas and went away empty. 8 men were able to get on the raft on the boatdeck, while 6 got on the port raft on the after deck. SOS was sent out from 11:15 until 11:30, then the ship sank, the engine room having started to fill with water, about 15 n. miles north of Cape Wrath (in the vicinity of Strathie Point). Shortly after the men had gotten on the rafts the seas washed over the midships section so the men ended up in the water. 8 of them later managed to get onto the largest raft, 2 of whom subsequently went over to a smaller raft found drifting by. These were the only 2 who survived after having been drifting on the raft for 28 hours. They were observed by an aircraft, then picked up by a rescue vessel from Thurso. Another 2 survivors in a lifeboat were spotted near land, but the sea took them before they could be reached.

A visitor to my website has told me that "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" says she foundered within sight of Cape Wrath. Thurso Lifeboat found 5 dead men on a raft and recovered them, 2 were rescued from a second raft, but there was no trace of any others. He has also told me that "The Story of the Thurso Lifeboats" by Jeff Morris describes how the 2 survivors were rescued and the 5 dead taken on board the Thurso lifeboat H.C.J. on Febr. 8. A report had been received that 2 objects were drifting at Melvich Bay, 2 miles off-shore, and in spite of the extremely rough seas, northerly gale and frequent snow the boat was launched at 3:00 that afternoon, with Coxswain John McLeod in command. At 4:30 p. m., 2 rafts were spotted, one of which was only 170 yards from the rocks. 2 exhausted men were found clinging to it. At great risk to themselves the men in the lifeboat were able to get close enough to the raft to take the survivors aboard, then headed for the second raft about a mile and a half away. Once there, lifeboat-man David Thomson and Assistant Motor Mechanic William Sinclair jumped aboard the raft, only to discover they were too late; all 5 men were already dead. The bodies had to be extricated from each other as their arms and legs were entwined, having huddled together for protection. After 10 minutes the 5 bodies had been taken on board the H. C. J. The 2 survivors were landed at 7:10 p. m. and taken to a hospital; both later recovered from their ordeal. Coxswain John McLeod was awarded the Bronze Medal by the RNLI for his seamanship and courage during this incident, and was also awarded the British Empire Medal. David Thomson and William Sinclair received the Institution's Thank's on Vellum for their part in the rescue.

The maritime hearings were held in London on Febr. 22-1944 with the 2 survivors appearing.

1 of the men who died, Kristen Møller Johansen, had previously been on board M/T Storstad which was captured by the German auxiliary cruiser Pinguin. He had eventually been sent home to Norway, but managed to escape to the U.K. to rejoin allied service in 1943.

Crew List:

Survivors:
2nd Mate Anders Løvås	Stoker Oddvar Clausen
Casualties:
† Captain Albert Arntzen	† 1st Mate Peder Jansen	† Able Seaman Sverre Rasmussen	† Able Seaman Alexander Reielsen	† Able Seaman Sjur Ulvenes	† Able Seaman Kåre Thoresen
† Able Seaman/Gunner Jørgen Johansen	† Able Seaman/Gunner Kristen Johansen	† Jr. Ordinary Seaman Karl Lorentzen	† 1st Engineer Petter Ellefsen	† 2nd Engineer Håkon Storsten	† Donkeyman Reidar Ravnå
† Stoker Anton Dahl	† Stoker Ragnvald Andersen	† Trimmer Harald Søberg	† Steward Kristian Kristiansen	† Cook Oskar Ehnebom	† Mess Boy Patrick Nutt* (British)
† Gunner Alfred White* (British)	† Gunner Albert Smith* (British)

* There's a Mess Room Boy Patrick Mervyn Nutt listed as having died on the date Freidig went down on this page on the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website. No ship is mentioned, but Billy Mc.Gee, England has been able to confirm that this was Freidig's messboy. He was born on Aug. 7-1927, which made him 16 when lost, not 17 as stated. He may have been 1 of the bodies recovered by the Thurso lifeboat, because he's buried at Thurso Cemetery. I also found an Alfred Geoffrey White whom I believe to be Freidig's gunner (commemorated at Plymouth Naval Memorial). Albert Smith is listed with a ship, namely Freidig. He's commemorated at Chatham Naval Memorial.

Related external link:
Stavern Memorial commemorations - 17 Norwegians are commemorated at this memorial for seamen in Stavern, Norway.

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

Norway also had a ship by this name during WW I - originally delivered in 1882 as Lahneck (Deutsche Dampfschiffahrts-Ges. Hansa, Bremen), 726 gt. Ran aground at Borkum Dec.-24-1894, refloated, condemned, repaired in Amsterdam, sailed as Dutch Ostria from 1896, then as Freidig from 1897, R. C. Apenes & H. Jacobsen, Fredrikstad. From June-1916 for J. Ringen A/S, Sept.-1916 Jens J. Salvesen, Christiania, July-1917 Gustav Pedersen & Søn, Lillesand. Sank on Oct. 24-1918 following a collision with S/S Ariadne Alexandra (of London) off the east coast of England on a voyage in convoy Middlesbrough-Rouen with raw iron. ("Våre gamle skip").

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum) and misc. others as named in above text. (ref. My Sources)