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M/T Garonne
Updated Sept. 5-2011

To Garonne on the "Ships starting with G" page.

Manager: Fearnley & Eger, Oslo
Tonnage:
7113 gt

Built in Copenhagen in 1931.


Source: Roger W. Jordan collection.

The next 2 pictures were kindly provided by Historical Department, MAN B&W Diesel, Copenhagen. Their representative says that their museum (external link) has models of some ships.



Captain: Fridtjof Thorsen.

From Dec.-1943 until Nov.-1944 Garonne had a female radio operator, namely the Canadian Betty (Lake) Ottersen, who later served on T/T Kirkenes. My page about Mosdale has a list of several other Canadian girls serving as R.O.'s on Norwegian ships. See also YL Radio, an external website about the Canadian female RO's on Norwegian ships.

Garonne's voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6


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

Voyage Record
From Oct.-1939 to Febr.-1946:

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

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (it'll be noticed that some of the external listings are incomplete).

Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing.

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
1939 Oct. 23 Curacao Kirkwall Nov. 14 Independent For contraband control
Nov. 20 Kirkwall Norwegian port Independent
Dec. 23 Sandefjord Constanza Jan. 18-1940 Independent
1940 Jan. 24 Constanza Gibraltar Febr. 2 Independent
Febr. 6 Gibraltar Liverpool Febr. 15 HG 18F
Febr. 24 Liverpool OB 98 With OA 98, formed OG 20F, Febr. 27.
Febr. 27 Formed at sea Passed Gibraltar March 4 OG 20F For Constanza.
Convoy will be added.
See ships in OG convoys
March 4 Passed Gibraltar Constanza March 12 Independent
March 18 Constanza Gibraltar March 27 Independent See also Page 1
March 28 Gibraltar Liverpool Apr. 7 HG 24 Missing movements, Page 1 above
Apr. 20 Liverpool OB 133 With OA 133, formed OG 27F, Apr. 22.
Convoy available at OB 133
(external link)
Apr. 22 Formed at sea Gibraltar Apr. 28 OG 27F Convoy will be added.
See ships in OG convoys
May 4 Gibraltar Port Said May 10 Independent
May 11 Port Said Haifa May 12 Independent
May 14 Haifa Gibraltar May 23 Independent
May 23 Gibraltar Milford Haven May 31 HG 31
June 1 Milford Haven Swansea June 2 Independent
June 12 Swansea Milford Haven June 13 Independent
June 14 Milford Haven OB 167 For Aruba.
Dispersed June 17.
Convoy available at OB 167
(external link)
June 17 Dispersed from OB 167 Aruba June 30 Independent
July 1 Aruba Bermuda July 6 Independent
July 9 Bermuda Halifax July 13 Independent See also narrative below
Aug. 4 Halifax Clyde Aug. 19 HX 63
Aug. 24 Clyde Ardrossan Aug. 25 Independent See also Page 1
Aug. 28 Ardrossan Clyde Aug. 28 Independent
Nov. 9 Clyde Swansea Nov. 14 Independent
Dec. 20 Swansea Milford Haven Dec. 20 Independent
Dec. 21 Milford Haven OB 263 A. Hague says:
Via Clyde, for Aruba.
Dispersed Dec. 27
(see also Page 1).
Convoy available at OB 263
(external link)
Dec. 27 Dispersed from OB 263 Aruba Jan. 14-1941 Independent
1941 Jan. 15 Aruba Bermuda Jan. 23 Independent See also narrative below
Jan. 28 Bermuda BHX 106 See link to HX 106
Febr. 2 Bermuda portion joined main convoy Loch Ewe Febr. 17 HX 106
Febr. 17 Loch Ewe Methil Febr. 19 WN 86 Convoy available at WN convoys
(external link)
Febr. 22 Methil Southend Febr. 24 FS 418 Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
See also narrative below, Page 1 & Page 2
March 7 Southend Southend March 7 FN 426 Put back.
Convoy available at FN convoys
(external link)
March 9 Southend Methil March 12 FN 428 Convoy available at link above
March 17 Methil Loch Ewe March 19 EN 86A Convoy available at EN convoys
(external link)
March 21 Loch Ewe OB 299 For Curacao.
Dispersed March 25.
Convoy available at OB 299
(external link)
March 25 Dispersed from OB 299 Curacao Apr. 10 Independent
Apr. 25 Curacao Halifax May 4 Independent
May 6 Halifax Liverpool May 23 HX 125A Missing movements, Page 2
May 31 Liverpool OB 329 For NYC.
Dispersed 51 48N 20 48W, June 5.
Convoy available at OB 329
(external link)
June 5 Dispersed from OB 329 New York City June 17 Independent
July 5 New York City Halifax July 8 Independent
July 11 Halifax Belfast Lough July 27 HX 138 See also narrative below
July 28 Belfast Lough Milford Haven July 30 BB 54 Convoy available at BB convoys
(external link)
July 30 Milford Haven Southampton Aug. 3 WP 12 Via Falmouth & Dartmouth
(Page 2).
Convoy available at WP convoys
(external link)
Left Southampton Aug. 5
(Page 2)
Aug. 9 Yarmouth Roads Milford Haven Aug. 12 PW 17 Convoy available at PW 17
(external link)
Also, missing voyages, Page 2.
Aug. 12 Milford Haven OS 3 Via Belfast Lough
(Page 2).
Detached 48 12n 22 05W, Aug. 18.
Convoy available at OS 3
(external link)
Aug. 18 Detached from OS 3 Curacao Aug. 31 Independent
Sept. 3 Curacao Halifax Sept. 12 Independent
Sept. 16 Halifax Belfast Lough Sept. 29 HX 150
Sept. 30 Belfast Lough Liverpool Oct. 1 Independent Missing movements, Page 2
Oct. 14 Liverpool ON 26 For Halifax.
Dispersed Oct. 29.
Oct. 29 Dispersed from ON 26 Halifax Oct. 31 Independent
Nov. 3 Halifax Belfast Lough Nov. 18 HX 158
Nov. 19 Belfast Lough Milford Haven Nov. 20 BB 102 Convoy available at BB convoys
(external link)
Nov. 21 Milford Haven Solent Nov. 23 WP 69 Convoy available at WP convoys
(external link)
See also Page 3
Dec. 1 Solent Milford Haven Dec. 3 PW 74 Convoy available at PW 74
(external link)
Dec. 6 Milford Haven ON 44 Via Belfast Lough
(Page 3).
For Galveston.
Dispersed Dec. 15
Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
Dec. 15 Dispersed from ON 44 Galveston Jan. 3-1942 Independent
1942 Jan. 15 Galveston Houston Jan. 15 Independent
Jan. 17 Houston Halifax Jan. 27 Independent
* Jan. 24 Barry Milford Haven Jan. 24 Independent
*This voyage is in the wrong place (incorrect dates); it belongs further down in the record and has been inserted there. See also Page 3
Febr. 1 Halifax Belfast Lough Febr. 13 HX 173
Febr. 14 Belfast Lough Barry Febr. 15 BB 137 Convoy available at BB convoys
(external link)
* Febr. 24 Barry Milford Haven Febr. 24 Independent
*Voyage has been taken from above and dates corrected
Febr. 25 Milford Haven ON 71 Via Belfast Lough
(Page 3).
A. Hgue says:
For Baytown.
Dispersed March 8.
Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
March 8 Dispersed from ON 71 Galveston March 22 Independent
March 24 Galveston Houston March 24 Independent
March 27 Houston Galveston March 27 Independent
March 29 Galveston Halifax Apr. 7 Independent
* Apr. 11 Methil Oban Apr. 14 EN 70
This entry should probably be deleted (if she was in Halifax on Apr. 7, she could not have been in Convoy EN 70 on the 11th).
Apr. 14 Halifax Belfast Lough Apr. 27 HX 185 Collision Manchester Division Apr. 19
(see also narrative).
May 2 Belfast Lough Swansea May 3 BB 169 Convoy available at BB convoys
(external link)
June 23 Swansea Milford Haven June 24 Independent Again, see also Page 3
June 25 Milford Haven ON 107 Via Belfast Lough
(Page 3).
For NYC.
Dispersed July 6 (July 9?).
Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
July 6 (9?) Dispersed from ON 107 New York City July 10 Independent
July 13 New York City Hampton Roads Independent
July 17 Hampton Roads Key West July 22 KS 521 Convoy available at KS convoys
(external link)
July 25 Key West Curacao Aug. 2 WAT 9 Key West to Curacao.
Convoy available at WAT convoys
(external link)
Aug. 9 Curacao Key West Aug. 16 TAW 12C Joined from Curacao.
Convoy available at TAW convoys
(external link)
Aug. 17 Key West New York City Aug. 23 KN 131 Convoy available at KN convoys
(external link)
Aug. 25 New York City Cape Cod Bay Independent
Aug. 30 Cape Cod Bay Halifax Sept. 1 BX 35C Convoy available at BX convoys
(external link)
Sept. 6 Halifax Clyde Sept. 17 HX 206 See also Page 4
Sept. 25 Clyde New York City Oct. 11 ON 133 Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
Dec. 2 New York City Gitmo Dec. 9 NG 326 For Curacao.
Convoy available at NG convoys
(external link)
* Dec. 6 Loch Ewe Methil Dec. 8 WN 369
*Another voyage that should probably be deleted - if she was in New York on Dec. 2 and Guantanamo on Dec. 9, she could not have joined Convoy WN 369 on the 6th.
Dec. 9 Gitmo Curacao Dec. 12 GAT 28 Gitmo to Curacao.
Convoy available at GAT convoys
(external link)
Dec. 18 Curacao Gitmo Dec. 20 TAG 29 Curacao to Gitmo.
Convoy available at TAG convoys
(external link)
Dec. 20 Gitmo New York City Dec. 26 GN 29 Convoy available at GN convoys
(external link)
Dec. 29 New York City Loch Ewe Jan. 13-1943 HX 221 For Scapa Flow
1943 Jan. 14 Loch Ewe Scapa Flow Jan. 14
Jan. 21 Lyness Loch Ewe Jan. 22 EN 187 A. Hague says:
Arrived with engine defects.
Convoy available at EN convoys
(external link)
Febr. 1 Loch Ewe New York City Febr. 19 ON 164 See also narrative below
March 4 New York City Oran March 22 UGS 6 A. Hague says:
Torpedoed by aircraft at Oran March 26.
Date disagreement - see narrative below.
Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
July 30 Oran Gibraltar July 31 MKS 19Y Oran to Gibraltar.
Aug. 8 Gibraltar New York City Aug. 25 GUS 11 Gibraltar to USA to repair torpedo damage.
Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
Dec. 15 New York City Milford Haven Dec. 29 HX 271 Escort Oiler.
Convoy will be added.
See ships in HX convoys
Dec. 30 Milford Haven Portsmouth Jan. 2-1944 WP SP 15 Convoy available at WP convoys
(external link)
Left Portsmouth Jan. 5
(Page 4).
1944 Jan. 6 Solent Milford Haven Jan. 7 PW 457 Convoy available at PW 457
(external link - incomplete)
Jan. 7 Milford Haven New York City Jan. 27 ON 219 Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
Febr. 10 New York City Hampton Roads Febr. 11 Independent
Febr. 13 Hampton Roads Fayal Febr. 26 UGS 33 For Fayal.
Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
March 7 Fayal St. Michaels March 8 Independent
March 11 St. Michaels Angra March 11 Independent
March 12 Angra New York City March 23 GUS 32 Azores to USA.
Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
March 28 New York City Clyde Apr. 11 HX 285 Escort Oiler
Missing movements, Page 4
Apr. 27 Clyde New York City May 11 ON 234 Convoy will be added.
See ships in ON convoys
May 13 New York City Hampton Roads May 14 Independent
May 23 Hampton Roads Oran June 10 UGS 43 For Oran.
Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
June 24 Oran Port Said July 3 KMS 54 Oran to Port Said
(arrived Suez, same day - Page 5).
Convoy will be added.
See ships in KMS convoys
July 5 Suez Aden July 10 Independent
July 10 Aden Shatt-el-Arab Anchorage July 18 Independent
July 21 Abadan Aden Aug. 1 Independent
Aug. 2 Aden Suez Aug. 8 Independent On to Port Said same day
(Page 5).
Aug. 13 Port Said Malta Aug. 20 GUS 49 Port Said to Malta.
Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
Aug. 23 Malta Augusta Aug. 24 Escorted
Aug. 25 Augusta Bari?* Aug. 27 AH 63 *Probably Taranto - see Page 5.
Convoy available at AH convoys
(external link)
Aug. 31 Taranto Augusta Sept. 2 HA 64 Convoy available at HA convoys
(external link)
Sept. 2 Augusta Malta Sept. 3
Sept. 9 Malta Port Said Sept. 14 KMS 61 Malta to Port Said.
Convoy will be added.
See ships in KMS convoys
Sept. 14 Port Said Haifa Sept. 15 Independent
Sept. 20 Haifa Port Said Sept. 21 Independent
Sept. 22 Port Said Alexandria Sept. 23 Independent
Sept. 25 Alexandria Port Said Sept. 26 Independent
Sept. 28 Port Said Haifa Sept. 29 Independent
Oct. 1 Haifa Port Said Oct. 2 Independent
Oct. 2 Port Said Alexandria Oct. 3 Independent
Oct. 7 Alexandria Gibraltar Oct. 18 MKS 64 Convoy will be added.
See ships in MKS convoys
Oct. 22 Gibraltar GUS 55 Gibraltar, joined GUS 55B, Oct. 24.
Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
Oct. 24 Joined from GUS 55 Boston Nov. 7 GUS 55B Joining date estimated.
Convoy available at link above
Dec. 24 Boston New York City Dec. 25 Independent
Dec. 28 New York City Oran Jan. 16-1945 UGS 65 Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
1945 Jan. 19 Oran Haifa Jan. 26 Independent
Jan. 28 Haifa Alexandria Jan. 29 Independent
Febr. 3 Alexandria Port Said Febr. 4 Independent See also Page 5
Febr. 5 Suez Aden Independent
Febr. 10 Aden Abadan Febr. 18 Independent Again, see Page 5 above
Febr. 25 Abadan Bombay March 4 Independent
March 8 Bombay Abadan Independent Missing stops, Page 5
March 17 Abadan Aden Independent
March 26 Aden Suez Independent See also Page 5
Apr. 3 Port Said Augusta Apr. 7 Independent
Apr. 8 Augusta Marseilles Apr. 11 Independent
Apr. 14 Port de Bouc Oran Apr. 17 Independent
Apr. 17 Oran Hampton Roads May 5 GUS 84 Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
May 9 Hampton Roads New York City May 10 Independent
May 11 New York City Boston May 11 Independent
May 12 Boston Halifax May 14 BX 162 Convoy available at BX convoys
(external link)
May 16 Halifax Clyde May 29 SC 176 Convoy will be added.
See ships in SC convoys
June 1 Clyde Baltimore June 16 Independent
July 15 Baltimore Bermuda July 18 Independent
July 20 Bermuda Naples Aug. 6 Independent
Aug. 10 Naples Port Said Aug. 15 Independent To Suez same day
(Page 6).
Aug. 16 Suez Abadan Aug. 29 Independent
Aug. 31 Abadan Bombay Sept. 7 Independent
Sept. 11 Bombay Abadan Sept. 17 Independent
Sept. 20 Abadan Cochin Sept. 28 Independent
Sept. 30* Cochin Abadan Oct. 13 Independent *A. Hague says:
Notional sailing date
(Page 6 gives Oct. 6)
Oct. 15 Abadan Mombasa Oct. 27 Independent
Oct. 30 Mombasa Abadan Nov. 10 Independent
Nov. 11 Abadan Auckland Dec. 17 Independent
Dec. 22 Auckland Madras Roads Febr. 9-1946 Independent A. Hague says:
Probably via Abadan.
Subsequent voyages, Page 6


 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 Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more information; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative are also available for most of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

In Febr.-1940, Garonne is listed, together with Temeraire and Bruse Jarl, in the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HG 18F - note that she's also mentioned several times in the Commodore's narrative on that page. Later that month, she can be found going in the other direction with Convoy OB 98. Her destination is given as Constanza and she had station 73 of the convoy, which on Febr. 27 joined up with an OA convoy of the same number to form the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 20F (arrived Gibraltar on March 4). According to A. Hague, Garonne arrived Constanza on March 12, and on March 28, we find her in station 74 of Convoy HG 24 from Gibraltar; her destination is given as Manchester on that occasion, and it looks like she was the only Norwegian ship. According to Page 1 of the archive documents, she arrived Stanlow on Apr. 7. With Polarsol, she subsequently joined Convoy OB 133, which left Liverpool on Apr. 20 and joined up with the OA convoy of the same number on Apr. 22 to form Convoy OG 27F, arriving Gibraltar Apr. 28. In addition to Garonne and Polarsol, the Norwegian John Knudsen and Leikanger are also listed in the OG convoy (they had come from OA 133). Having made voyages to Port Said and Haifa, Garonne returned to Gibraltar in order to join Convoy HG 31 back to the U.K. on May 23. She was bound for Swansea, cargo of benzine, station 32, arriving her destination on June 2. Later that month she's listed, with Bjørkhaug, Polarsol, Ruth I, South America and Vav, in Convoy OB 167, which originated in Liverpool on June 13 and dispersed on the 17th, Garonne arriving Aruba June 30. Direct links to the OB convoys mentioned here have been provided within the Voyage Record above - the OG convoys will be added to my Convoys section in due course, but for now, please see the page listing ships in all OG convoys.

From Aruba, she proceeded to Bermua on July 1 (Page 1) and is now mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 57 on July 10, with a note saying "To be sent to Halifax to await orders". As can be seen in the Voyage Record above, A. Hague says she made this voyage from Bermuda to Halifax independently. She later headed back to the U.K. again on Aug. 4 in Convoy HX 63, bound for Clyde with a cargo of gasoline. Judging from her Voyage Record (and the archive document), she spent quite a long time at Clyde later on, from arriving there from Ardrossan on Aug. 28 to departing again for Swansea on Nov. 9, where she also stayed for over a month (reason not known). She's subsequently listed, along with Brasil, Hjalmar Wessel, Leikanger and Primero, in Convoy OB 263, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 23 and dispersed on the 27th (link in the table above), Garonne arriving Aruba Jan. 14-1941, proceeding to Bermuda the next day.

She was scheduled for Convoy BHX 104 from Bermuda on Jan. 21-1941, but instead joined the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 106 on Jan. 28 (it'll be noticed when going back to Page 1, that she had not arrived Bermuda from Aruba until Jan. 23). Her destination is given as Loch Ewe, where she arrived Febr. 17, continuing to Methil Roads that same day (cargo of gasoline). She left Methil Roads again for Isle of Grain on Febr. 22, but the next day, she ran aground at the inlet to the Thames (A. Hague has her in Convoy FS 418 on this date - ref. link in Voyage Record; incomplete listing). The destroyer Woolston stayed nearby, but due to the danger of German air attack she was also given aircraft protection the next morning while a tug was working to get her refloated, and she continued up the Thames on Febr. 25; according to the archive document, she arrived Sheerness that day (see also Page 2). The following month, she's listed as bound for Curacao in Convoy OB 299, which originated in Liverpool on March 19 and dispersed on the 25th, Garonne arriving Curacao Apr. 10 (having sailed from Loch Ewe March 21). Emma Bakke, Morgenen and Sveve are also named in this convoy, while Einar Jarl and Taurus were scheduled but did not sail (again, see the link provided in the table above).

Having spent 2 weeks in Curacao, Garonne proceeded to Halifax, and with a cargo of gasoline, she joined Convoy HX 125A on May 6, taking station 63. A cruising order/Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy. She arrived Liverpool on May 23, Stanlow the next day, and a week later, she joined convoy OB 329, leaving Liverpool on May 31. Belpareil, Bjerka, Bruse Jarl, Christian Krogh (sunk - follow link for details), Finnanger, O. A. Knudsen, Sirehei (returned) and Veni are also listed (link in Voyage Record). Garonne's destination on that occasion is given as New York, and she arrived there on June 17, the convoy having been dispersed on June 5. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 137 from Halifax on July 6, but instead joined the next convoy on July 11, HX 138, bound for Milford Haven and Southampton (again, see Page 2). She later made another voyage to Curacao, having sailed in Convoy OS 3 (link in table above ). A. Hague has also included Havsten and Vardefjell in this convoy, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 13 and arrived Freetown Sept. 1; Garonne, however, had detached from the convoy on Aug. 18, and arrived Curacao on the 31st.

On Sept. 16, we find her in station 62 of Convoy HX 150 from Halifax, along with the Norwegian Fenris, Solfonn, Havkong, Heina, Thorshavet, Topdalsfjord, Varanger (returned) and Braganza. A. Hague has also added Boreas (joining from St. John's). The following month, Garonne went in the other direction with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 26, departing Liverpool on Oct. 14. Her destination is given as Halifax, where she arrived Oct. 31, the convoy having been dispersed Oct. 29. She headed back to the U.K. already on Nov. 3 in Convoy HX 158 and her last Trans-Atlantic convoy voyage that year was made in the westbound Convoy ON 44*, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 7 and dispersed Dec. 15, Garonne arriving Galveston on Jan. 3-1942 - her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. Anna Knudsen, Belinda, Montevideo and Toledo are also listed in ON 44, as is the Panamanian Norvik (Norwegian managers and, therefore, included on this website under the N's), wile Montbretia and Rose are named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts.

Garonne headed back across the Atlantic on Febr. 1-1942 in Convoy HX 173 from Halifax, returning later that month with Convoy ON 71*, which had started out in Liverpool on Febr. 26 and dispersed March 8 and also had Athos, Fagerfjell, Fjordaas, Gallia, Høegh Giant, John Bakke, Malmanger, Skaraas, Solfonn and Velma, as well as the Panamanian Norvik in its ranks. Garonne's destination is given as Baytown; according to the archive document mentioned above, she arrived Galveston on March 22. While in Convoy HX 185, she collided with (or was run into by) the British Manchester Divison on Apr. 19. Garonne had a cargo of aviation fuel and the other ship is said to have been loaded with TNT, so the results could have been disasterous, but the point of impact was in the bow on both ships. The British ship had to proceed to New Foundland while Garonne continued to Swansea where she underwent repairs for 7 weeks. While there, she also received armament as well as 6 gunners and a gunnery officer to man it, and cabins were built for them on the boatdeck.

She's now listed as bound for New York in Convoy ON 107*, which originated in Liverpool on June 26-1942 and dispersed July 9, Garonne arriving her destination the next day. Other Norwegian ships were Fernmoor, Glittre, Havkong, Rio Novo, Polartank and Samuel Bakke. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 3, with convoy info for some of them in the Voyage Record above; see also Page 4. She did not go back to the U.K. again until Sept. 6, when she can be found in station 94 of Convoy HX 206 from Halifax, returning to New York later that month with Convoy ON 133* (originated in Liverpool Sept. 25, arrived New York Oct. 11). She had again been in the company of many other Norwegian ships, namely Anna Knudsen, Athos, Bello, Brimanger, Emma Bakke, Grey County, Kosmos II, Minerva, Molda, Noreg, Nueva Granada, Petter II (returned), Polarsol, Polartank, Sandanger, Skandinavia, Thorshavet, Thorshov and the Panamanian Norbris (Norwegian managers). New Years Eve was celebrated in Convoy HX 221, which left New York on Dec. 29 and arrived Liverpool on Jan. 14-1943; the Commodore's narrative is also available; he was in the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln. Garonne, cargo of diesel oil, station 92, stopped at Loch Ewe on Jan. 13, continuing to Scapa Flow the next day.

She returned to New York at the beginning of the following month with Convoy ON 164, arriving New York Febr. 19-1943, and was scheduled to go back to the U.K. on Febr. 28 with Convoy HX 228 (in which Brant County was sunk - follow the links for much more info), but did not sail. Instead, she headed to Oran from New York on March 4 - see her Voyage Record above, as well as Page 4 of the archive docs.

 Torpedoed - 1943: 

Shortly after midnight on March 23-1943, she was hit by a torpedo from aircraft and damaged while in Convoy KMF 11* (according to "Nortraships flåte"), just outside Oran while waiting for orders to go in; the British troop transport Windsor Castle was sunk in this attack - ref. external link at the end of this page. (Note that according to Page 4, Garonne arrived Oran on March 22). At the time, Garonne had P 38 aircraft on her decks in addition to a cargo of diesel and fuel oil from New York - as mentioned above, she had left New York on March 4. According to an article in issue No. 1 for 1996 of the Norwegian Magazine "Krigsseileren", written by Chief Engineer Eldrup Gustavsen (who had joined Garonne from Fernwood at the end of 1941), the attack took place at 01:00, and she was hit in the middle of the after side tank, causing her to list to starboard. 2nd Mate at the time was Axel Øhre, who together with the chief engineer initiated "gravity trimming" of cargo into empty tanks, and she slowly started to straighten up again. The crew, who had been ordered to the lifeboats, now went back on board. 1st Mate at that time was Per Thronsen, the steward's name was Jensen.

They were later told by shore authorities that the torpedo had come from an Italian aircraft ("Nortraships flåte" says it was German, which is probably more correct?). The result was a 45 ft long opening in her side, with her deck torn open and 2 of her aircraft destroyed, while another 2 received less serious damages. Temporary repairs were made to the ship on the spot, before she was moved to an anchorage nearby where her cargo was transferred to other tankers and barges. On April 6, she went back to Oran for docking and further repairs, then on July 30, she departed Oran for Gibraltar (Convoy MKS 19Y - scroll down to the third table on that page) in order to join a convoy back to New York** where permanent repairs were undertaken.

* She's said to have arrived from the U.S. with Convoy UGS 6 (external link), which had left Hampton Roads on March 4-1943 and arrived Oran on the 22nd. A Hague gives the date of the aircraft attack as March 26, and does not mention Garonne in Convoy KMF 11 (also external link), however, Windsor Castle, which according to "Nortraships flåte" was sunk in the same attack, is included (again, see the external link at the end of this page). See also my page about Hallanger.

** This voyage was made in Convoy GUS 11 (also external page). She arrived New York on Aug. 25 (Page 4).

After repairs were completed, Garonne joined Convoy HX 271* from New York to the U.K. on Dec.15-1943. Leiv Eiriksson and Tigre are also listed.

With Elisabeth Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Heranger, Høyanger, Ivaran, Laurits Swenson and Norholm, she went back across the Atlantic again at the beginning of 1944 in Convoy ON 219*, which originated in Liverpool on Jan. 8 and arrived New York Jan. 27. At the end of March, she's listed in Convoy HX 285 from New York, bound for Clyde, where she arrived Apr. 11, proceeding to Bowling, with arrived there Apr. 13, according to Page 4. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 234*, originating in Liverpool Apr. 26, arriving New York May 12. Abraham Lincoln, Estrella, Fagerfjell, Fernmoor, Geisha, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Lista, Molda, Petter, Romulus, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, Solfonn, Strinda and Vinland are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norlys.

From the U.S., she now went back to Oran (convoy info in Voyage Record), and in June-1944, she's listed in Convoy KMS 54*, voyage from Oran to Port Said, where she arrived July 3, having left Oran on June 24. On Sept. 9, she made a voyage from Malta to Port Said, having joined Convoy KMS 61*, and the following month, we find her in Convoy MKS 64*, voyage Alexandria to Gibraltar, before again heading back to the U.S. on Oct. 22 - see also Page 5. Anatina, Gallia and President de Vogue are also named in KMS 54 (but note that their voyage information might not be the same), while Norelg is mentioned in MKS 64.

She made voyages to Abadan, as well as to Mombasa, Bombay etc. For a while she was also used as "topping-up barge" for some of the T2 tankers in that area. As already mentioned, she also went to Alexandria where she for a while refuelled the allied Mediterranean fleet. Some voyages were made to Malta, with oil as well as fresh water from Sicily. Later on she made a trip to Marseilles before heading to Boston for docking, though I'm wondering if this latter piece of information is dated wrong, as no Marseilles voyages are mentioned in her record until Apr.-1945 (Page 6). She did go to Boston shortly thereafter, but stayed for one day only, so I doubt she had been in dock at that time. However, she spent over a month in Boston from Nov. 8-1944 (Page 5), so maybe she had been in dock in that period? Having docked in Boston she's said to have continued with voyages from the east coast of the U.S. and Caribbean to British ports, but again, this sequence of voyages appears to be somewhat jumbled when compared with her Voyage Record.

The chief engineer adds that on this voyage to Boston, while in the middle of the Atlantic, a Liberty Ship ran into her taking with it the 2 lifeboats on her side, but left half of the motor lifeboat on the boatdeck, so they were able to save the motor.

 Peace At Last! 

According to the chief engineer, they were en route from Halifax to the U.K. on VE Day, May 8, having departed Halifax on May 5, but again, this appears to be a memory lapse (the story was written down around 1992, so it would be understandable if he remembered some of the dates wrong - he died in 1995). As can be seen in her Voyage Record above, as well as on Page 6 of the archive documents, she was at Hampton Roads on VE Day, having arrived there from Oran on May 5. On May 9, she proceeded to New York and Boston, then on to Halifax, and from there she joined Convoy SC 176* for the U.K. on May 16, together with Chr. Th. Boe, Dageid, Elg, Glarona, Ima, Rena and Vinga. She later returned to the U.S. for docking in Baltimore, then picked up a cargo in Bermuda before heading to Naples, then to Port Said, and was in the Suez Canal when Japan capitulated. She now made some voyages from Abadan to various ports in The Indian Ocean as well as to New Zealand, and her last voyage for Nortraship was to Cochin, where she was officially returned to owners. Another voyage was made from Abadan to Madras and Calcutta, where she took on board five Norwegian female missionaries who had been trapped in China since before the war and had suffered greatly until they had eventually managed to escape to Calcutta. Finally, on Apr. 10-1946 Garonne arrived Copenhagen, then proceeded to Sandefjord, Norway.

* The ON convoys 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 in them are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. The entire HX series and SC series will also be completed, but for now, please go to ships in all HX convoys and ships in all SC convoys. See also ships in all KMS convoys and ships in all MKS convoys, where Garonne is mentioned in KMS 54, KMS 61 and MKS 64. These will also be added to individual pages in my Convoys section.

More information on the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page is available via the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

 POST WAR: 

Sold in 1952 to African Enterprises Ltd., Monrovia, Liberia (managed from New York), and renamed African Hope. Sold in 1954 to Societe de Transports Internacionaux, Monaco, and renamed Fontvieille. Extensively damaged by fire and explosion on July 3-1954, while undergoing repairs at Bremerhaven, four workers were killed. Found to be beyond economical repair and sold for £53,000 to Eisen & Metall KG Lehr & Co. for breaking up at Bremerhaven.

Related external links:
The Great Ocean Liners has more on Windsor Castle on this page. Date of aircraft attack mentioned in my narrative is given as March 23-1943.

Astrup Fearnley - the Fearnley company today.

Back to Garonne on the "Ships starting with G" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Krigsseileren", Issue No. 1 and 2 for 1996, E-mails from R. W. Jordan and misc. (ref. My sources).

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