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D/T Marit II To Marit II on the "Ships starting with M" page. Manager: Jørgen P. Jensen, Arendal Built by Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth & Co. Ltd., Newcastle upon Tyne in 1922. Previous name: Scottish Strath until 1937. Captain: Herman Williamson. Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
According to Arnold Hague, Marit II took part in Convoy SC 47, which departed Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 29-1941 and arrived Liverpool Oct. 20; Marit II stopped at Belfast Lough Oct. 18 (according to Page 2) - ref. external link provided below. She's also said to have taken part in Convoy OS 12 which left Liverpool on Nov. 18-1941 and arrived Freetown on Dec. 12. She was on a voyage Milford-Aruba in ballast and had station 96 of the convoy. However, she's also listed, with the same destination, in Convoy ON 38*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 19-1941, so it's possible she either did not join OS 12, or joined and transferred to ON 38 later; she arrived Aruba on Dec. 13, having started out from Milford Haven on Nov. 17. The Norwegian Belnor and Santos are also listed in OS 12, which is also available at the external website that I've linked to below. In Febr.-1942 she sailed in Convoy HX 176 from Halifax to the U.K., with several other Norwegian ships - follow the link for more details. The following month she's listed, with destination Aruba, in Convoy OS 23, which left Liverpool on March 24. Marit II arrived her destination on Apr. 14, having started out from Milford Haven on March 23. See also Page 3. That document also tells us that she later made a voyage from Aruba to Trinidad, then returned to the U.K. from there at the end of Apr.-1942, arriving Belfast Lough on May 21/22. The following month, she's included in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 105*, departing Liverpool June 19-1942, arriving Halifax June 30.
Related external links:
Having made voyages to Curacao, Las Piedras, then Curacao again and back to Halifax (again, see Page 3), Marit II, with a cargo of fuel oil, returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 202, which arrived on Aug. 21-1942, and on Sept. 4 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 127 in order to head back across the ocean, voyage London-New York-Curacao. This convoy, which also had several Norwegian ships (many of which had also previously arrived U.K. with HX 202), was heavily attacked and the Norwegian Hindanger and Sveve were sunk in the course of the battle, while Daghild and Fjordaas were damaged. On Sept. 11, U-404* (von Bülow) sent off two torpedoes, and at the same time U-608 (Struckmeier) also attacked. Both reported having hit Marit II, but only one torpedo had hit her. She was sailing at a speed of 8 knots on course 240° at the time, in fine weather with a calm sea and good visibility, wind southwest force 3. The captain saw the track of the torpedo just before it hit, coming 45° on the starboard quarter, but there was no time for any evasive action, and she was struck on the starboard side in tank No. 8. Her engine was stopped and the crew ordered to their lifeboat stations. Upon inspection, tanks No. 6, 7, 8, and 9 as well as the pumproom were found to be extensively damaged. The deck was broken up and the foremast and both aerials destroyed. However, there was no damage to the engine and steering gear, so the captain decided to continue at utmost speed about half an hour later, steering different courses during the night in an attempt to avoid further attacks. She caught up with the convoy on Sept. 12** and reached port on the 16th (St. John's for examination, later routed to Sydney, C.B. for orders, arriving Sept. 22). She was repaired in New York, where she had arrived (via Halifax) on Oct. 7, and subsequently continued her service in Febr.-1943 - again, Page 3 as well as Page 4 for further voyages; convoy information for some of them will be added.
According to Arnold Hague, Marit II sailed in Convoy HX 257, departing New York on Sept. 16-1943, arriving Liverpool Sept. 30. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own website, but I've linked directly to Hague's listing at the end of this page. She's also listed in Convoy ON 210*, which originated in Liverpool Nov. 6-1943 and arrived New York on the 23rd. In Jan.-1944, Marit II sailed in Convoy HX 276 from New York; destination London, returning with Convoy ON 225* (originated in Liverpool Febr. 22, arrival New York March 8) and the following month we find her in Convoy HX 287 from New York. Her destination is given as Ardrossan, where she arrived (via Clyde) on Apr. 27 (see Page 5). She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 235*, which originated in Liverpool on May 4 (Marit II joined from Clyde) and arrived New York May 18, heading back to the U.K. on May 27 with Convoy HX 293, and in June we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 242*, originating in Liverpool June 25; Marit II joined from Loch Ewe and arrived Baltimore on July 13. In Aug.-1944 she's listed in Convoy HX 305, bound for Clyde and Ardrossan, arriving the latter on Sept. 10, subsequently returning across the ocean with Convoy ON 253, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 13 and arrived New York on the 28th. In Oct.-1944 she shows up in Convoy HX 312, destination Swansea and London (Shellhaven), returning in Convoy ON 268*, with departure Southend Nov. 23, arrival New York Dec. 10 . She was scheduled to return in Convoy HX 326 on Dec. 14, but was instead sent to join the slower Convoy SC 163, transferring to this convoy at sea - see also Page 6. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 276* at the beginning of Jan.-1945 (from Southend Jan. 2, to New York Jan. 18), returning later that month in Convoy HX 334, bound for Clyde and Ardrossan, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ONS 42*, which originated in Liverpool Febr. 13 and arrived Halifax March 5. Marit II, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived on March 7, having started out from Clyde on Febr. 14. A. Hague now has her in Convoy HX 347, which left New York on March 29 and arrived Liverpool Apr. 14; Marit II arrived Southampton that same day - ref. external link at the end of this page. On VE Day she was in New York, having arrived on May 7-1945 with the westbound Convoy ON 298*, which had left Southend on Apr. 21. She later made independent voyages to places like Curacao, Port Said, Aden, Abadan etc. More details in these will be added. See also Page 6 above, as well as Page 7.
On a voyage with a cargo of oil from Curacao to New York when on September 13th, 1946, she was caught in a hurricane, broke in 2 and sank in 35 09N 73 34W. 18 survivors in a boat were picked up by the tanker Pan Amoco and another 6 by the tanker Gulfhawk, but the captain, his wife and 10 crew were lost. Related external links: 2 who died on this ship - Deckboy Reidar Hansen and Steward Mikal Isaksen are commemorated at this Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway (no details on how or when). Back to Marit II on the "Ships starting with M" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Misc. sources, including E-mail from Roger W. Jordan, England and from T. Cooper, England - and others as named within the above text.
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