M/T Jaspis
Updated Nov. 16-2011

To Jaspis on the "Ships starting with J" page.

A picture is available on this external page (see also this list of other Anders Jahre ships, here's the main page. The site also has pictures and information on a post war Jaspis, built in 1946, purchased by Anders Jahre in 1955).

Her voyages are listed on this original document received from the National Archives of Norway.

Interned:

Jaspis was one of the 26 ships interned in North and West Africa 1940- '42. This page has the names of all 26.

From the document that I've linked to above we learn that she was in Casablanca when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940, having arrived there the day before. The voyage had started out in Aruba on March 21 and she was bound for Teneriffe, where she later arrived on May 17.

As usual there's some disagreement between my various sources (compare some of what follows to the dates and info found in the document received from the Norwegian archives).

"Nortraships flåte" says she was interned on June 22-1940* and requistioned Febr. 9-1941. R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939" says she was in Casablanca at the time and adds that she came under German control that same year, bombed by allied aircraft Febr. 28-1945 and badly damaged, in Kiel May-1945, repaired, and then sailed under the Panamanian flag. Birger Dannevig's "Skip og menn" agrees she was handed over to German service in the fall of 1940, but says she was blown up by a mine in Skagerak in the spring of 1945, badly damaged and towed to Kiel, repaired.

*According to the archive document, she arrived Casablanca from Curacao, via Fort de France, on June 27-1940.

Guri Hjeltnes' "Sjømann - Lang vakt" states she had a crew of 33, all Norwegian, 27 escaped, 6 went home. This source also says she was requisitioned on February 9-1941 (in Casablanca). The crew ended up in Lisbon with the crew from M/S Gabon (follow the link for details) in March of 1941. Used by the Germans from March 4-1941 and through the rest of the war.

A French visitor to my website has told me that according to his records Jaspis was seized on Apr. 13-1940 in mid-Atlantic by the French cruiser Primauguet westbound to Martinique (as mentioned, Norway had been invaded on Apr. 9). Taken over by French sloop D'Iberville eastbound to Casablanca. Sailed from Casablanca Febr. 19-1941 in convoy. At Bordeaux late Febr.-1941. The archive document gives departure Casablanca as Febr. 25-1941; still in Bordeaux in Apr.-1941.

The external website that I've linked to at the top of this page also says that she was requisitioned by the French in Casablanca on Febr. 9-1941, then departed Casablanca for Bordeaux under the French flag on Febr. 23, still under the name Jaspis. Taken over by the Kriegsmarine on Apr. 21-1941 and used at Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven (no name change). Struck a mine on Febr. 28-1945 off Gedser, which destroyed her after part, beached to prevent her from sinking. Later raised that same year and towed to Kiel for repairs.

This message in my Guestbook states the following:
'A new French book (Jean-Yves Brouard, Guy Mercier, Marc Saibène, La Marine Marchande Francaise 1939 - 1945) says "Jaspis" was stopped by the French cruiser "Primauguet" near Teneriffa 03.04.40 (that is, as they write themselves, while Norway was still neutral) and brought to Casablanca. Might be the seizure was for trading with the enemy, because "Jaspis" has transferred her cargo of whaleoil in January at Las Palmas to the German tanker "Gedania" (according to Hans Jürgen Witthöft, Die deutsche Handelsflotte 1939 - 1945). She was taken over by the French at Casablanca 22.05.40 and managed by Cie. Auxiliaire de Navigation until 08.08.40. Laid up at Casa until 31.01.41. Then got a French crew (again?) (manager Cie. Auxiliare de Navigation) and departed Casa 23.02.41 for Bordeaux, where it was delivered to the Germans 04.03.41. The delivery to the Germans at a time when no other Norwegian ship was returned to it's owners (or delivered directly to the Germans) is - in my opinion - a point showing that "Jaspis" was a special case not comparable with the other Norwegian ships in French waters at the time of the armistice'.

POST WAR:

Taken over by insurers in 1946 as Jaspis for Anders Jahres Rederi A/S (Anders Jahre & Co.), Sandefjord, then entered service in Nov. the following year, having become 6109 gt, 3621 net, 9600 tdwt, sailing under Panamanian flag. In 1948 the managers were renamed Anders Jahre & Co. A/S, Sandefjord. Transferred in 1950 to A/S Kosmos (Anders Jahre & Co. A/S), Sandefjord, and in Oct.-1951 to Jasmin Operating Co. SA, Panama (Anders Jahre & Co. A/S, Sandefjord). From Apr.-1954 she was owned by A/S Kosmos (Anders Jahre & Co. A/S), Sandefjord. Sold in Apr.-1955 to breakers in England.

Back to Jaspis on the "Ships starting with J" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Sources as named within the above text, including the website that I've linked to at the top of this page.