M/T Hilda Knudsen
Updated Oct. 21-2011

To Hilda Knudsen on the "Ships starting with H" page.

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Misc. Convoy Voyages:

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the Norwegian archives and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more details; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

According to Page 1 of the archive documents, Hilda Knudsen was on her way from Covenas to Verdon when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. In May, she made a voyage to Houston, having started out in Convoy 56 XS from Verdon on May 8, according to A. Hague, who has also included Ferm in this convoy (see link provided within the Voyage Record). Hilda Knudsen arrived Houston on May 28, later proceeeding to Hampton Roads then on to Bermuda, and on June 12, she's listed as bound for Brest in the original Advance Sailing Telegram for the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 50, but returned to Bermuda on June 24. She subsequently remained there for over a month before departing for Aruba on Aug. 3, with arrival Aug. 11. From there, she headed to Curacao on Aug. 19, then on to Halifax 2 days later, arriving Aug. 30. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 70 from Halifax to the U.K. on Sept. 1, but did not sail (Hird was sunk - follow the link for details). She does not show up again until Convoy HX 76 on Sept. 26, bound for Clyde, where she arrived Oct. 10.

The following month, she's listed as bound for New York in ballast in Convoy OB 250, station 53. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Nov. 26 and was dispersed on the 29th. Hilda Knudsen arrived New York on Dec. 26, according to the archive document (she had joined from Clyde) - again, see the external link provided within the Voyage Record; Kaia Knudsen and Rinda are also named. Hilda Knudsen had shelled and sunk the wreck of the Greek Eugena Cambanis, 300 n. miles east of St. John's on Dec. 19, when it proved impossible to take her in tow because of bad weather (the Greek ship had foundered on Nov. 28, Convoy SC 13).

Having made a voyage from New York to Curacao and on to Bermuda, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy BHX 104 from Bermuda on Jan. 21-1941, cargo of fuel oil for Clyde, where she arrived Febr. 8. A. Hague now has her, together with Caledonia, Grena, Hardanger, Laurits Swenson, Skaraas (bombed and damaged) and Storaas (also bombed) as well as the the Panamanian Norvik (Norwegian managers), in Convoy OB 291, originating in Liverpool on Febr. 27, dispersed March 3 (link in the table above). Going back to Page 1, we learn that she arrived Curacao on March 21, having started out from Clyde on Febr. 28. From Curacao, she proceeded to Halifax a few days later and was scheduled for Convoy HX 119 on Apr. 6, but did not sail. She was also cancelled from the next convoy, HX 120, but eventually got away with HX 121 on Apr. 16, again bound for Clyde, station 43, arriving her destination on May 1. Crusing order/Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy - the Norwegian Caledonia was sunk. Later that month, A. Hague has included Hilda Knudsen in Convoy OB 328, which originated in Liverpool on May 29 and dispersed June 2, Hilda Knudsen arriving Curacao on June 18 (she had started out from Belfast Lough on May 28). Frontenac and Vav are also listed (again, see link in the table above).

From Curacao, she headed to New York on June 21 (according to Page 1), arriving June 27, and did not leave again until Sept. 15, when she returned to Curacao, then on to Halifax in order to join Convoy HX 154 back to the U.K. on Oct. 10. Kaia Knudsen, Ranja, Tai Shan, Samuel Bakke, Emma Bakke, Polarsol, Skiensfjord, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso, Toronto, Noreg and Svenør are also listed. Some of these ships, including Hilda Knudsen, subsequently returned with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 32 the following month. Hilda Knudsen's destination is again given as Curacao (arrival Nov. 23 - see Page 2) and she had station 63 of this convoy. Her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy HX 164 from Halifax on Dec. 8, together with Polarsol, Norsktank, Gallia, Kaia Knudsen and Leiesten.

In Jan.-1942, she's listed in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 59*; again bound for Curacao. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Jan. 23 and dispersed Febr. 6, Hilda Knudsen arriving Curacao on the 14th (having joined from Loch Ewe).

The rest of her 1942 voyages are shown on Page 2, which also has some early 1943 voyages. Further 1943 voyages are listed on Page 3, while her 1944 voyages start on Page 4 and continue on Page 5 and Page 6. The latter document also lists some 1945 voyages. Convoy information for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record above.

In April-1945, she's listed in Convoy SC 174*, departing Halifax on Apr. 28, arriving Liverpool May 14. According to Page 6, she arrived Milford Haven on May 15, returning across the ocean later that month in the last ON convoy of the war, namely ON 305*, which left Southend on May 26, Hilda Knudsen arriving New York on June 11. The Commodore for this convoy was in Samuel Bakke.

Page 7 lists her voyages to Febr.-1946.

* The ON convoys 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 (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. The entire SC series will also be updated and completed, but for now, please see ships in all SC convoys. Escorts for them are named on this page.

For more information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

The ship and company (presumably Skibs-A/S Hilda Knudsen) transferred to Christian Haaland, Haugesund in July-1947 (this transfer may have something to do with the fact that Knut Knutsen died in 1946 and Chr. Haaland, his son in law, inherited some of Knutsen's companies and ships). Laid up at Bøvågen from June-1953 till Jan. 27-1955. Sold in Jan.-1955 to British Iron & Steel Corp. for breaking up. Made a round trip Persian Gulf-Europe, and after unloading of cargo in Rotterdam she was handed over to breakers in Blyth on April 14.

Back to Hilda Knudsen on the "Ships starting with H" page.

Other ships by this name: Haugesund later had 3 more ships by this name, one is spelt Knutsen with a t. M/T Hilda Knudsen (2) was delivered in Apr.-1956, 19 178 gt. Sold to Piræus (Panamanian flag) in Febr.-1973 and renamed Elias. Exploded in the harbour of Fort Miffin, Pa. on Apr. 9-1974 while unloading cargo, 20 men died. T/T Hilda Knudsen (3) was delivered in Apr.-1976, 203 966 gt. Sold in July-1984, renamed Hilda. Sold again in Sept. that year, renamed Buyuk Selcuklu (Istanbul). Sold to Oslo in 1986, renamed Happy Sailor, later Vendela of Stavanger 1989. Sold in 1991 to Saudi Arabia, Mira Star. Hilda Knutsen was delivered in Dec.-1989, 11 425 gt, became 11 424 in 1992.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc. - (ref. My sources).