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M/T G. C. Brøvig To G. C. Brøvig on the "Ships starting with G" page. Manager: Th. Brøvig, Farsund Delivered from A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg, Sweden (437) in Oct.-1930 as G. C. Brøvig to Th. Brøvig, Farsund. 9718gt, 5860 net, 14 660 tdwt, 475.6' x 64.2' x 37.8', two 8 cyl. 4T single acting DM (builders). Captain (in 1945): Gunnar Gauslaa. Barton Mentz Olsen served on this ship from Apr. 10-1943 to July 24-1945, 6 months of which as 2nd mate, the rest as 3rd mate. He had also served on Taurus (awarded the MBE for his part in taking Taurus out from Gothenburg in 1941) and on Romulus. Related item on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(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 are missing.
As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, G. C. Brøvig was on her way from Curacao to Buenos Aires when Norway was invaded by the Germans on Apr. 9-1940. The following month, she's listed among the ships in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 46, cargo of fuel oil. With Arosa, Gudrun, Snar and Varanger, she later joined Convoy OB 190, which originated in Liverpool on July 27 and dispersed on the 31st, G. C.Brøvig arriving Capetown on Aug. 27. Later that year, we find her in Convoy SL 55, which left Freetown on Nov. 12 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 2, but G. C. Brøvig stopped at Gibraltar on Nov. 27, later proceeding to Curacao. The Norwegian Orwell and Vav are also listed in SL 55 (ref. link within the table above and at the end of this page). In Jan.-1941, she can be found in Convoy BHX 104 from Bermuda to the U.K., and the following month she was in Convoy OB 289, which was attacked in the early morning hours of Febr. 24 with the loss of 3 British ships (British Gunner, Jonathan Holt and Mansepool). Idefjord, Geisha and Sveve are also listed in this convoy, which had originated in Liverpool on Febr. 20. G. C. Brøvig was struck by a torpedo from U-97 (Heilmann) in 61 04N 14 24W and damaged, but made it in to Stornoway where she was temporarily repaired, then proceeded to Falmouth, remaining there for 3 months while being repaired. In July that year, she joined Convoy OS 1, originating in Liverpool on July 24-1941, arriving Freetown Aug. 10. G. C. Brøvig, however, was bound for Curacao, where she arrived Aug. 11, having detached from the convoy on Aug. 1. From Curacao, she sailed to Halifax a couple of days later, and from there she joined Convoy HX 147 on Aug. 29, along with the Norwegian Nueva Granada (station 104), Bello (114), Solør (54), Sandanger (103, which means she was the 3rd ship in the 10th column, right behind Bralanta and in front of Nueva Granada), Slemmestad (95), Strinda (63), Bralanta (102) and O. A. Knudsen (112). G. C. Brøvig arrived Bowling on Sept. 12, according to Page 2, and a week later, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 18, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 19. Her destination is given as Halifax, but as can be seen when going back to the archive document, as well as Hague's Voyage Record, she arrived Curacao on Oct. 12, the convoy having been dispersed Oct. 2. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. with Convoy HX 165 from Halifax on Dec. 15, but did not sail. She was also cancelled from the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 61, but eventually got away with Convoy HX 168 on Jan. 2-1942 and arrived Reykjavik on Jan. 14, proceeding to Hvalfjord that same day. From Iceland, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 65* (convoy had sailed from Liverpool on Febr. 8), and arrived Trinidad on March 3, the convoy having been dispersed on Febr. 19. She was scheduled for Convoy SC 75 from Halifax on March 18, as well as for SC 76 on the 24th, but joined SC 77 on March 30, arriving Hvalfjord on Apr. 14, Reykjavik the next day. At the end of that month, I have her in Convoy RU 21 from Reykjavik to the U.K., together with Bollsta and Vinga. She now shows up in station 76 of Convoy OS 29, which originated in Liverpool on May 22-1942 and arrived Freetown June 11. G. C. Brøvig, however, was on a voyage from Clyde to Port of Spain and Curacao in ballast. Several Norwegian ships took part. She returned to the U.K. the following month with Convoy SL 116, leaving Freetown on July 15, arriving Liverpool on Aug. 4; G. C. Brøvig stopped at Loch Ewe that day, then proceeded to Scapa Flow. She had a cargo of fuel oil. The Norwegian Astrell is also listed - again, see the links provided in the Voyage Record and at the end of this page for more on these convoys. A month later, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 127; her destination is given as New York, where she arrived Sept. 21. Several Norwegian ships were torpedoed, namely Hindanger, Sveve, Daghild, Marit II and Fjordaas - follow the links for more details. G. C. Brøvig had arrived New York from Guantanamo on Oct. 24-1942. She's mentioned in connection with Convoy HX 213 (New York-U.K.) on Oct. 26, but is crossed out with a notation saying "not for U.K.". She was one of the many Norwegian ships taking part in the Torch operations, carrying about 14 000 tons oil for the war ships (Athos has a list of Norwegian ships taking part in these operations). Instead of sailing to the U.K. in HX 213, she joined Convoy UGS 2, which left Hampton Roads on Nov. 13-1942 and arrived Casablanca on Dec. 1; G. C. Brøvig arrived Oran Dec. 3 - see also Page 2 and Page 3 (it'll be noticed, when going to Page 2, that even this document indicates she was originally intended for the U.K., because following her voyage from Guantanamo to New York on Oct. 15/Oct. 24, there's a handwritten note saying "for N.Y. & U.K.", then the next entry says she was in port at Oran on Dec. 4). She subsequently shows up in a convoy referred to by A. Hague as Convoy MKS 3Y, voyage Oran-Gibraltar - see the second table on my page for Convoy MKS 3. Other Norwegian ships in this portion were Bosphorus (just released from internment in Algiers), Brisk and Kong Sverre, while Troubadour and Selvik are listed in what is referred to as MKS 3X. G. C. Brøvig now headed back to the U.S. again. In May-1943, she can be found in Convoy HX 237 from New York to the U.K. (see also Sandanger and Brand), returning in June with the westbound Convoy ON 188*, which originated in Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 26th. She headed back to the U.K. a few days later with Convoy HX 246, bound for Scapa with Admiralty fuel, station 23, and in July we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 194*, bound for New York, where she arrived Aug. 7, having sailed from Loch Ewe on July 24. Skipping now to May-1944, when she's listed in Convoy MKS 51*, voyage Port Said to Bizerta (see also Page 4).
From New York, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 298 on July 3, destination is given as Milford Haven and Devonport. At the beginning of Oct.-1944, she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 257* (originated in Liverpool Oct. 2, arrived New York Oct. 18), and was scheduled to return on Oct. 20 with Convoy HX 315, but instead joined the next convoy on Oct. 25, HX 316, for which Abraham Lincoln served as Commodore Vessel, while Brimanger acted as the Vice Commodore's ship. In the middle of the following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 266* (from Southend Nov. 12, to New York Dec. 3). She was scheduled to go back across the Atlantic with HX 324 on Dec. 4, but joined Convoy HX 325 a few days later. At the beginning of Jan.-1945, we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 276*, arriving New York Jan. 18. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. on Jan. 28 with Convoy HX 335, but did not sail. She was also cancelled from HX 336, but eventually got away with HX 337 on Febr. 7, for which Laurits Swenson served as Commodore Vessel. G. C. Brøvig arrived Bowling on Febr. 21, according to Page 5. The following month, she's listed in the westbound convoy ON 288*, together with 9 other Norwegian ships, namely Villanger, Viggo Hansteen, Tanafjord, Slemmestad, Dageid, Polartank, Heranger, Harald Torsvik and Høyanger. This convoy departed Southend on March 2-1945 and arrived New York on March 19; G. C. Brøvig joined from Clyde. The Norwegian commodore, R. G. Bruusgaard was in the British Port Fremantle. What follows are some of her subsequent voyages, some post war, from the personal diary of O. A. Henjum, received from his daughter. He joined G. C. Brøvig while she was still in New York on March 23-1945, having previously served on Thorshov (at the same time as my own father, so the 2 must have known each other). He had also served as Able Seaman on Sandar when that ship was sunk. (Please compare this with the details found in her Voyage Record above, as well as Page 5 of the archive documents). Left New York on March 24 with Convoy HX 346*, bound for Portsmouth and Plymouth, arrived Plymouth Apr. 7. Left Plymouth Apr. 14 (Convoy ON 296*), arrived New York Apr. 30, leaving again on May 3 in Convoy HX 354*, so on VE day, May 8-1945, they were en route from New York to the U.K.** She almost collided with another ship in heavy fog on this voyage. Arrived Plymouth May 18, left for Cardiff on the 22nd with arrival May 24. At a yard for repairs until Aug. 4, then departed for the Persian Gulf, passing Gibraltar in the evening of Aug. 9, and Algiers the next day, arriving Port Said on Aug. 16 (went through the Suez Canal at night, taking 12-13 hours). Passed Aden on Aug. 20 and arrived Abadan on the 30th. After having loaded a cargo there they departed for Trincomalee on Sept. 1, leaving the latter on the 14th (having arrived on the 12th). Back to Abadan to pick up a cargo for Trincomalee (arr. Abadan Sept. 25, left next day), arrived Trincomalee on Oct. 7, then left on the 10th for Abadan where they arrived on Oct. 20. After having loaded a cargo they left early in the morning of the 21st for Capetown, arriving Nov. 12, anchoring up the next morning. Armament and pill boxes were now taken ashore, aft gun platform still on board. Left Capetown on Nov. 19 - arrived Abadan on Dec. 10, then left on Dec. 12 with a cargo for Australia. While still at sea they were ordered into Fremantle for bunkers, where they arrived on Jan. 6-1946 (or, it's possible they went there in order to supply the British HMS Anson; the text here re. bunkers is a little unclear). Departed for Sydney on Jan. 8, arrived on the 17th, at which time the gunners were demobilized. Left for the Persian Gulf on Jan. 23, arriving Rasat Tanurah on Febr. 22.
Sold in 1951 to Reederei Eugen Friedrich, Hamburg, and renamed Emmy Friedrich. Arrived at Hamburg Nov. 14-1960 to be broken up by Walter Ritscher. Related external links: U-97 (this U-boat was also responsible for the loss of Hørda). Back to G. C. Brøvig on the "Ships starting with G" page. Th. Brøvig later had another tanker by this name, built in Port Glasgow in 1951. The Clydebuilt Ships website has some more details on this ship. From 1980 she sailed as Norwegian Andina, broken up in 1981. 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).
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