D/S Mathilda
Updated June 8-2010

To Mathilda on the "Ships starting with M" page.

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (please be aware that some of the external listings are incomplete).

In Aug.-1940 she was scheduled for the Bermuda portion of the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 63, but instead joined (B)HX 64, cargo of scrap iron for Hull. A. Hague later has her, together with Diana, Nyland and Tricolor, in Convoy OA 218, departing Methil on Sept. 22, dispersed on the 27th, Mathilda arriving Wabana on Oct. 3. The next day, she proceeded to Sydney, C.B., joining Convoy SC 8 from there on Oct. 15, cargo of iron ore for Middlesbrough, where she arrived, via various other ports, on Nov. 16. The following month, A. Hague has included her, along with Akabahra, Henrik Ibsen, Inger Elisabeth, Ledaal, Rolf Jarl, Sandanger and Selbo, in Convoy OB 256, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 8 and dispersed on the 12th, Mathilda arriving St. John, N.B. on Dec. 29 (she had started out from Oban on the 9th). See the external links provided within the Voyage Record for more details on the OA and OB convoys mentioned here - another section of the site also has Bjørkhaug and Marga in OB 256.

She headed back to the U.K. on Jan. 22-1941 with the slow Convoy SC 20 from Halifax, cargo of steel and pit props for West Hartlepool, where she arrived on Febr. 14. At the end of March, she's listed, with Astra, Brasil and O. A. Knudsen, in Convoy OB 304, which originated in Liverpool on March 30 and dispersed Apr. 4, Mathilda arriving Buenos Aires on May 8 - Page 2 shows her subsequent voyages. According to A. Hague, she returned across the Atlantic in Convoy SC 37*, departing Sydney, C.B. on July 12. Acasta, Berto, Borgholm, Ingerfem, Ingertre, Sneland I and Veni are also listed. Mathilda stopped at Belfast Lough on July 28 before continuing to Cardiff, with arrival there on July 31. The following month, we find her in station 15 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 10, which left Liverpool on Aug. 27. Her destination is given as New York, where she arrived on Sept. 17, the convoy having been dispersed on the 11th - it looks like she joined this convoy from Belfast Lough; see the archive document referred to above.

In Oct.-1941 she sailed in Convoy SC 48 in which several Norwegian ships were sunk, namely Erviken, Rym, Ila and Barfonn. Follow the links for more details. Cruising order/Commodore's notes and misc. reports are also available. The Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy gives Mathilda's destination as Manchester, where she arrived on Oct. 22, general cargo, 2 passengers. As will be seen it looks like she had originally been scheduled for the previous convoy, SC 47*. The following month we find her in station 13 of the westbound Convoy ON 37, which left Liverpool on Nov. 15. Mathilda and 2 other ships straggled in a westerly gale on the night of Nov. 20/21 in approx. position 59 10N 19 30W, according to the Commodore. See also the Commodore's narrative. Mathilda arrived Mobile on Dec. 27; A. Hague says she had a broken shaft off Nuevitas and had been towed to Mobile. She remained there for quite a long time; Page 2 gives departure as Febr. 27-1942.

With a cargo of sulphur for Hull, she's listed among the ships leaving Halifax in Convoy SC 76 on March 24-1942, station 42. She arrived her destination, via Loch Ewe and Methil, on Apr. 18. In May she made a voyage to New York, having joined the westbound Convoy ON 94*, which sailed from Liverpool on May 12 and arrived Halifax on the 25th; Mathilda arrived New York on May 27, having started out from Loch Ewe on the 12th. Carmelfjell (returned), Dux, Evanger, Ingertre, Jan, Norelg (also returned) and Torfinn Jarl are also listed. She now made some voyages around the U.S. before proceeding to Halifax, and from there, she joined Convoy SC 95 on Aug. 4, again with a cargo of sulphur for Hull, where she arrived on Aug. 23 - see Page 3.

She was scheduled to return with the westbound Convoy ON 128 (left Liverpool on Sept. 5-1942), but did not sail. According to "Nortraships flåte" Mathilda had an encounter with a U-boat on Sept. 20 that year, after having lost the westbound convoy she was in due to thick fog. The boat came straight at them, and the gunners were ordered to open fire when the distance was about 4500 meters, at which time the U-boat submerged. This must have taken place while in Convoy ON 130*, in which she's listed, together with Acasta, Don, James Hawson, Lago and Marathon. This convoy left Liverpool on Sept. 12 and arrived New York on the 30th; Mathilda, however, started out from Loch Ewe; her destination was Father Point, but she put in at St. John's, N.F. on Sept. 25. According to A. Hague she arrived with a fire in her bunkers. From St. John's she later proceeded to Sydney, C.B., then on to Halifax, joining Convoy ON 134* from there, arriving New York on Oct. 17, continuing to Boston that same day. This convoy had originated in Liverpool on Sept. 26 and also included the Norwegian Askeladden, Bonneville, Glarona, Grado, Granfoss, Hallfried, Hjalmar Wessel, Loke, Maud, Sir James Clark Ross and Veni, as well as the Panamanian Nortun, which had Norwegian managers and is, therefore, listed under the N's on this website.

A. Hague has her returning to the U.K. in Convoy SC 109*, departing New York on Nov. 9-1942, cargo of steel and lumber. (He also says she had been involved in a collision with the American Bohemian Club at New York the day before. She had arrived there from Boston on Nov. 5 - I have no further info on this collision). Going back to Page 3, we see that she was bound for Hull again, and arrived there, via Loch Ewe and Methil, on Dec. 6. Again, several Norwegian ships had taken part, namely Astrid, Atlantic, Grado, Hjalmar Wessel, Iron Baron, James Hawson, Norse Lady, Ragnhild, Ravnefjell, Thalatta and Veni. Mathilda's last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in station 72 of the westbound Convoy ON 156, from which the Norwegian Ingerfem was sunk - follow the link for more info. Mathilda's destination is given as Boston, where she arrived on Jan. 19-1943, having sailed from Loch Ewe on Dec. 25.

According to A. Hague, she headed back across the Atlantic again on Febr. 13-1943 in Convoy SC 120* from New York, arriving Liverpool on March 5. Brand, Gausdal, Norhauk, Norsktank, Nyco and Vest are also named in this convoy. A little over a week later she's listed as bound for Halifax with the first convoy in the ONS series, Convoy ONS 1*, departing Liverpool on March 15, arriving Halifax Apr. 4. Bestik, Cetus, Gausdal, Grado, Grey County and Petter II were also in company, while Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts (see ONS escorts). On Apr. 25 she joined Convoy SC 128 from Halifax to the U.K., and in June that year she went back to Halifax in Convoy ONS 10*. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy, which originated in Liverpool on June 8, were Acasta, Cetus, Fjordheim, Grey County, James Hawson, Novasli, Ravnefjell, Sirehei and Titanian. With a cargo of steel and pulp, Mathilda returned to the U.K. in July with Convoy SC 136 from Halifax, and arrived Loch Ewe on July 23.

Together with Audun, Belinda and Kong Haakon VII , she's now listed in Convoy OS 55/KMS 27, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 17 and split up on the 28th, the OS convoy continuing to Freetown, while the KMS portion arrived Gibraltar on the 29th (ref. external link provided in the Voyage Record). Ships bound for other ports, like Mathilda, would then continue from Gibraltar, still in KMS 27*. She was bound for Oran, where she arrived on Oct. 1 (having started out from Oban on Sept. 18), later proceeding to Casablanca on the 27th, with arrival there on the 29th - see also Page 4.

According to J. R. Hegland's "Nortraships flåte", she was in Convoy SL 139/MKS 30, consisting of 66 ships and 7 escorts (the convoy had more than 7 escorts), when a 3 day battle between U-boats and escorts started on Nov. 18-1943, at the end of which 1 U-boat returned to France with damages, 3 U-boats were sunk, and one of the escort vessels had to be towed to the Azores with damage from a Zaunkönig torpedo - this was probably HMS Chanticleer - ref. external link at the end of this page). No merchant ships were lost in the U-boat attack, but Hegland says a new weapon was used for the first time on a convoy on Nov. 21. When the convoy was in position 46 46N 18 21W, 20 German bombers approached, carrying 40 "glider bombs" with them. Fortunately, most of them landed in the sea, but a straggler was hit and sunk (the British Marsa), and a ship in the convoy was damaged (British Delius). The attack on this convoy was for the most part unsuccessful. Arnold Hague says in his "The Allied Convoy System" that SL 139 of 27 ships originated in Freetown on Nov. 2 and rendezvoused on Nov. 16 with MKS 30, which had departed Gibraltar on Nov. 13, 30 ships; in other words, 57 ships total. The combined convoy arrived Liverpool on Nov. 26. Mathilda's voyage information is given as Safi for Loch Ewe, cargo of phosphates (joining with the SL portion - going back to Page 4 we see that she had left Safi on Nov. 10 and arrived Loch Ewe on the 27th, continuing to Leith that same day). The Norwegian Boreas is also listed (joining with the Gibraltar portion, MKS 30). Mathilda and Boreas both show up again in Convoy OS 62/KMS 36 the following month. This convoy left Liverpool on Dec. 15 and split up on Jan. 2-1944, the KMS portion*, in which the Norwegian ships sailed, arriving Gibraltar on Jan. 3; Mathilda arrived Lisbon that day, having started out from Oban on Dec. 16. Fernbank and Ingertre are also included (the latter returned to port) - again, see the external link in the table above.

With a cargo of potash, Mathilda is listed in Convoy MKS 39* from Gibraltar on Febr. 11-1944. This convoy joined up with the Freetown Convoy SL 148 on Febr. 12, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Febr. 24; Mathilda arrived Newport the next day. The Norwegian Alaska, Norbryn, Norma and San Andres are also listed. In March that year, Mathilda joined Convoy OS 72/KMS 46, voyaging from Belfast to Lisbon with coal in station 12. Bosphorus, Tore Jarl and Troubadour were also in company. The convoy sailed from Liverpool on March 23 and split up on Apr. 5, with the OS portion arriving Freetown on Apr. 14 while the KMS portion arrived Gibraltar on the 6th; Mathilda had sailed from Belfast Lough March 24 and arrived Lisbon Apr. 5, according to Page 5. Having made a voyage to Gibraltar and Almeria, she returned to Gibraltar, joining Convoy MKS 46* in order to go back to the U.K. This convoy joined up with Convoy SL 155 on Apr. 23, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on May 3; Mathilda arrived Port Talbot May 2, cargo of iron ore. This time, Anna Knudsen, Lago, Norefjord and Novasli were in company. Mathilda and Lago later headed in the other direction again in Convoy OS 78/KMS 52, which originated in Liverpool on May 22 and split up on June 4, the OS convoy arriving Freetown on June 14, while KMS 52* arrived Gibraltar on the 6th. Mathilda proceeded to Algiers that same day, still in the KMS convoy, with arrival June 8 - she had again joined from Belfast Lough. She left Algiers again on June 27, joining Convoy MKS 53*, which joined up with SL 162 on June 30, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on July 12 - Mathilda, however, stopped at Loch Ewe that day. Fernbank and Gausdal are also named.

Mathilda now headed to Quebec, having joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 245*, which originated in Liverpool on July 18-1944 and arrived New York Aug. 2 and also included Bralanta, Chr. Th. Boe, Emma Bakke, Fjordaas, Gudvor, Montevideo, O. B. Sørensen, Petter II and Tanafjord. Mathilda arrived her destination on July 31, having been detached from the convoy on the 26th, according to A. Hague. She did not head back across the Atlantic again until Oct. 4, when we find her in Convoy SC 158, cargo of pulp, bound for Belfast Dock. This convoy originated in Halifax on Oct. 4, but Mathilda joined with the Sydney, C.B. portion. The following month she's listed, together with Novasli, in Convoy OS 94/KMS 68, voyage Liverpool-Gibraltar in station 34 (convoy departed Liverpool on Nov. 3, split up Nov. 7, KMS 68* arriving Gibraltar Nov. 13). On Dec. 5 she left Gibraltar with Convoy MKS 69*, which joined up with SL 178 from Freetown on the 6th, the combined convoy (SL 178/MKS 69) arriving Liverpool on Dec. 15. Voyage information is given as Aguilas-Middlesbrough, cargo of iron ore - see Page 5. She arrived her destination on Dec. 22. (The Norwegian Fernbank is also listed).

In Jan.-1945 she's included in Convoy OS 105/KMS 79, voyage Milford-Gibraltar with coal in station 13. The Norwegian Elg also took part in this convoy, which departed Liverpool on Jan. 17; Mathilda sailed from Milford Haven on the 18th and arrived Gibraltar on the 25th, continuing to Augusta that same day, then on to Taranto, with arrival there on Febr. 1. Together with Hardanger and Heimvard (returned), she later joined Convoy MKS 85* from Gibraltar on Febr. 24 and arrived Middlesbrough on March 6 - see Page 6. Later that month, she made a voyage to Casablanca, having joined Convoy OS 118/KMS 92*, which left the U.K. on March 22 and split up on the 29th, Mathilda arriving Gibraltar on March 30, continuing to Casablanca on Apr. 1. On Apr. 20, we find her in Convoy MKS 96* back to the U.K. Again, please see the external links provided in the Voyage Record for more dtails on all the OS/KMS and SL/MKS convoys mentioned on this page. The archive document referred to above shows her voyages to Apr.-1946.

*The ON and ONS convoys are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section; in the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys, and on the page for ships in all ONS convoys. All the KMS and MKS convoys will be also be added, see ships in KMS convoys and ships in MKS convoys. Note also that the entire SC series and the HX series will eventually be updated and completed, including the already existing convoys (some have already been updated); but for now, see ships in all SC convoys and ships in all HX convoys.

More details on the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page can be found with the help of the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Related external link:
The attack on HMS Chanticleer

Back to Mathilda on the "Ships starting with M" page.