M/T India - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

M/T India
Updated Sept. 13-2009

To India on the "Ships starting with I" page.

Manager: The Texas Company (Norway) A/S, Oslo
Tonnage: 9977 gt.

Delivered in Jan.-1939 as Germania from Deutsche Werft A/G, Hamburg (216) to the Texas Company (Norway) A/S, Oslo. 9977 gt, 5800 net, 14 560 tdwt, 503.8' x 67.4' x 34.3', two 8 cyl. 2T single acting DM (MAN, Augsburg), 5100 bhp.

Renamed India in 1940.

Captain: A. Holm Paulsen.

Related item on this website:
Norwegian Victims of Michel - Details on India's fate, w/crew list.

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

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

Partial Voyage Record
From March-1943 to May-1943:

(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 as can be seen, the record is incomplete.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1943	March 6	Durban	–	–	DN 22	Earlier voyages, Page 1 & Page 2 Dispersed March 8. Convoy available at DN 22 (external link - incomplete) Page 2 gives arrival Abadan March 26
	Apr. 4	Bandar Abbas	–	–	PB 34	For Sydney, N.S.W. Detached Apr. 6. Convoy available at PB 34 (external link)
	Apr. 6	Detached From PB 34	Sydney, N.S.W.*	–	Independent	Arrived Melbourne, May 2. See Page 2*
	May 3	Melbourne	Sydney, N.S.W.	May 6	OC 92	Convoy available at OC 92 (external link) Subsequent voyages, Page 2.

Notes:

From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that India was on her way from Port Arthur to Para when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document.

Unless some voyages are missing from Page 2, it looks like she spent a long time in Durban from the spring of 1942. She had arrived there from Mombasa on May 22 that year; departure Durban is given as March 6-1943, when she joined Convoy DN 22, which dispersed on the 8th. She arrived Abadan on March 26. She's also listed, together with the Norwegian Hilda Knudsen, Peik and Suderholm, in Convoy PB 34, departing Bandar Abbas on Apr. 4-1943, arriving Bombay on Apr. 10; India, however, was bound for Sydney, N.S.W. on that occasion, arriving there, via Melbourne, on May 6, having joined Convoy OC 92 from Melbourne on May 3. The Norwegian Sarpen is also listed.

Final Fate - 1943:

From Australia, India had proceeded to the U.S., then back to Australia, before heading to Talara, Peru in Aug.-1943, arriving there on Sept. 1 (again, see Page 2). She left Talara again with a cargo of oil for Sydney N.S.W. on Sept. 3 with 41 on board. No one knew until a long time after the war what had happened to her. She was shelled and set on fire by the German auxiliary cruiser Michel on Sept. 11, west of Easter Island. Further details on her fate, with crew list, are available at M/T India on my page "Norwegian victims of Michel".

Back to India on the "Ships starting with I" page.