Manager: Wallem & Co., Bergen
Tonnage: 5704 gt

Built in Newcastle in 1919. Previous names: War Donjon, Waikawa, until 1935, Tower Ensign until 1937, Huntress until 1939, then Ronin.

Launched as War Donjon, completed as Waikawa (Union Steam Ship Company, New Zealand) until 1935, Tower Ensign (Tower Steamship Co., London) until 1937, Huntress (Hunter Shipping Co, London, later Alfred G. Hunter, Kingston, Jamaica) until 1939, Greek Ronin (M.V.Vassiliades, Panama, Pan. flag) 1939, Iran from 1941, owned by Iran Steamship Co. and managed by Wallem & Co.

Voyage Record From July-1942 to Febr.-1944:

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Errors may exist, and the record is incomplete.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1942	July 10	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
	Sept. 8	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
	Nov. 7	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
1943	Jan. 2	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
	Febr. 28	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
	May 8	Bombay	Aden	May 16	BA 43	Convoy available at BA 43 (external link)
	Aug. 2	Bombay	Suez	–	Independent	–
	Nov. 2	Aden	Bombay	Nov. 10	AB 19	Convoy available at AB 19 (external link)
	Nov. 22	Bombay	Aden	Dec. 1	BA 55S	Convoy available at BA 55S (external link)
1944	Febr. 20	Bombay	Aden	Febr. 28	BA 62	Convoy available at BA 62 (external link)

Some Convoy Voyages:

According to Arnold Hague, she was in Convoy BA 43, departing Bombay on May 8-1943, arriving Aden on May 16. He also has her, together with the Norwegian Sønnavind and Troja, in Convoy AB 19, which left Aden on Nov. 2-1943 and arrived Bombay on Nov. 10. Later that month, she shows up in Convoy BA 55S, departing Bombay on Nov. 22, arriving Aden Dec. 1.

In Febr.-1944, she's listed in Convoy BA 62, which left Bombay on Febr. 20 and arrived Aden on the 28th (Tanafjord is also included).

Final Fate - 1944:

Iran was one of several ships damaged in Bombay on April 14-1944 when the British cargo ship Fort Stikine started burning and exploded. There's more about this on my page about M/S Belray. 1st mate Arne Hartmark was awarded Lloyds silver medal for meritorious services for his actions that day. After the crew had gotten safely off the ship, he swam back and boarded her again when she started drifting towards another burning ship, extinguished the resulting fire and threw her ammunition and other explosives overboard, continuing his efforts to save the ship until he was ordered by the authorities to abandon it. Unfortunately, a new fire broke out overnight and she burnt out completely (wreck was later broken up). Hartmark was also mentioned in the Bombay newspaper for saving an injured seaman who had been clinging to some wreckage for 20 hours with a broken thigh. ("Skip og menn", Birger Dannevig).

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

Iran SS Co. also had a ship named Iran after the war, originally launched as HMS Rattray Head for Royal Navy in 1945, delivered in 1946 as Iran, 7273 gt. Later names: Mabel Ryan 1948, Master Elias 1967, broken up in 1972.