M/S Minerva
Updated June 17-2010

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


Source: Roger W. Jordan collection.

The following pictures were received from Historical Department, MAN B&W Diesel, Copenhagen
Also, here are 2 pictures from her launching: Pic 1 and Pic 2
(size and quality of all pictures have been reduced to save space).

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for further details; the Commodore's notes are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

Minerva sailed to many different areas of the world during the war. She had a couple of trips to Japan, South Africa and India(?) in the 1940-'41 time period, but other than that she was mostly in service carrying bauxitte cargoes between the West Indies/St. Thomas - U.S.A./Canada during that same period.

According to Page 1 of the archive documents, she was at Port Alberni when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940 (it'll be noticed that she later spent over a month in New York, where she had arrived on May 4). Some of her 1941 voyages are also shown on this document and continue on Page 2 (which shows another long stay in Boston in Febr./March that year).

In the fall of 1942 she made a voyage to the U.K.; she's listed in Convoy HX 205 departing Halifax on Aug. 30, arriving Liverpool Sept. 11 (she had previously been cancelled from the slow Convoy SC 98). Acanthus, Eglantine, Montbretia and Potentilla are named among the escorts for HX 205 - see also the Commodore's suggestions for improvements of the convoy system. Together with Athos, Anna Knudsen, Bello, Brimanger, Emma Bakke, Garonne, Grey County, Kosmos II, Molda, Noreg, Nueva Granada, Petter II (returned), Polarsol, Polartank, Sandanger, Skandinavia, Thorshavet, Thorshov and the Panamanian Norbris (Norwegian managers, listed under the N's of this website), she subsequently returned with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 133*, which left Liverpool on Sept. 25 and arrived New York, her destination at the time, on Oct. 11. About a week later, she proceeded to Philadelphia, then back to New York - see Page 3. She took on board some general cargo as well as war materials for The Middle East (but whether this cargo was loaded in Philadelphia or New York is not clear), consisting of explosives, tanks, aircraft, steel, food stuffs etc., departing New York on Nov. 4 (for info, Minerva had initially been scheduled to go back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 213 on Oct. 26, but is crossed out on the form).

Most of the stores were unloaded in Abadan (via Cape Town and Cape Natal) - according to the archive document referred to above, she arrived Abadan on Febr. 8-1943, remaining there for quite a while. The aircraft, like the rest of the war materials, were earmarked for the Eastern front and were assembled and flown to Russia by Russian women. Minerva went all the way to Khorram Shahr in Iran to unload some of her cargo, then took on board over 1000 tons of tobacco there and in Basrah. In the middle of Apr.-1943 she continued to Bombay to pick up a cargo of manganese, then on to Fremantle, across the Pacific and through the Panama Canal to Norfolk where the cargo was unloaded. According to Page 4, she arrived Hampton Roads on July 9, in other words, this voyage had taken over 8 months. (Convoy information for some of her voyages in this period can be found in the Voyage Record above).

From Hampton Roads, she proceeded to New York on Aug. 12, and on Aug. 27 we find her in station 136 of Convoy HX 254, bound for Swansea with general cargo, arriving there on Sept. 12. A couple of weeks later she's listed, along with Fernmoor, Fjordaas, Montevideo, Salamis, Solør, Tungsha, Villanger and Viva, in the westbound Convoy ON 204*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 28 and arrived New York Oct. 15, then on Nov. 6, she can be found among the ships leaving Halifax for the U.K. with the slow Convoy SC 146 (Commodore in Rena). Minerva had a general cargo, bound for Glasgow, where she arrived on Nov. 23. Her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in the westbound Convoy ONS 25*, which sailed from Liverpool on Dec. 15 and arrived Halifax Jan. 3-1944; Minerva, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived Jan. 6, having started out from Clyde on Dec. 15. Other Norwegian ships were Brønnøy, Danio, Sommerstad and Veni.

Having remained in New York for a long time (Page 4), Minerva proceeded to Boston, then on to Halifax in order to join Convoy SC 154 on Febr. 28-1944, with arrival Liverpool March 15. Together with Alaska, Chr. Th. Boe, Fjordheim, Ragnhild, Stirlingville, Tropic Star and Tungsha, she subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ONS 32* to return to New York. This convoy left Liverpool on March 28 and also had Halifax as its final destination; Minerva arrived New York on Apr. 20. With a general cargo and ammunition, she headed back to the U.K. on May 10 in Convoy HX 291 from New York, for which Høyanger served as the Vice Commodore's ship (Minerva had orignally been scheduled for the previous convoy, HX 290). Convoy HX 291 arrived Liverpool on May 27; Minerva was bound for Glasgow, where she arrived May 30. In June, she's listed in Convoy ON 241*, originating in Liverpool on the 18th, arriving New York July 2. Minerva joined from Clyde and had again been in the company of a number of other Norwegian ships, namely Brasil, Drammensfjord, Egda, Evita, Fosna, Lista, Solfonn and Spinanger, as well as the Panamanian Norbris and Norlys (Norwegian managers). On July 17 we find her in the largest convoy to ever cross the ocean, Convoy HX 300 from New York. She was bound for Liverpool with general cargo, arriving Aug. 3, later returning to New York with Convoy ON 249*. Frontenac, Gylfe, Høegh Hood, Høyanger, Kaia Knudsen, Laurits Swenson, Lista, Maud, Norden, Norma (Vice Commodore's ship), Skaraas, Skiensfjord, Torborg and Velma are also named in this convoy, which left Liverpool Aug. 18 and arrived New York Sept. 2.

Later that month, she joined Convoy HX 311, but she did not complete her voyage to Liverpool. There's a note in the original document for this convoy saying she put in at St. John's, N.F. and this is also confirmed by the details found on Page 4, saying she arrived St. John's on Oct. 5. She shows up again in the St. John's portion of the slow Convoy SC 158 on Oct. 6, carrying a general cargo as well as planes and trucks, destination Liverpool, where she's said to have arrived on Oct. 21. This convoy had started out in Halifax on Oct. 4. The following month, she's listed, together with Evanger, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Marie Bakke, Snar, Sommerstad, Tropic Star, Velox, Veni and Vinga, in the westbound Convoy ONS 36*, departing Liverpool on Nov. 13, arriving Halifax Dec. 3. Minerva, however, was bound for New York again, and arrived there on Dec. 4 - see Page 5.

At the very beginning of Jan.-1945, she joined the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 164, bound for Liverpool with general cargo. She returned across the Atlantic the following month in Convoy ONS 42* and arrived New York March 7. The convoy had left Liverpool on Febr. 13, arrived Halifax March 5, and also had Grey County, Henrik Ibsen, Marit II, Norelg, Sandviken and Veni in its ranks. According to Arnold Hague, Minerva went back to the U.K. a month later in Convoy SC 172*. He has also included Annik, Arosa, Glarona, Maud, Norelg, Orwell, Sandviken and Solstad in this convoy, which left Halifax on Apr. 6. Minerva's last convoy voyage was made in Convoy ONS 51*, which left Liverpool on May 21 and arrived Halifax June 4; Minerva, whose captain had served as Vice Commodore on this occasion, arrived Montreal on June 8 (possibly via New York?), having sailed from Belfast Lough on May 21. Annik is again listed, as are Titanian, Vera and Vest.

Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 5 and Page 6 (to Jan. 8-1946, when she left Rotterdam for Ålesund and Trondheim, Norway).

POST WAR:

Sold to Germany (Ernst Rickertsen, Rickertsen & Co. GmbH, Hamburg) in July-1955 and renamed Solveig Rickertsen. Delivered to Japanese breakers in Aug.-1960.

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

Other ships by the name Minerva:
Haugesund had previously had 2 other ships by this name. One was a steamer, delivered in Aug.-1905 as Minerva to Johs. Bull, Tønsberg, 2413 gt (C. Hocking says 3736 gt). Later owned by And. Jacobsen, Christiania, then purchased in 1914 by A/S Fostenes D/S. Torpedoed and sunk by U-23 on May 22-1915, 35 n. miles east of Longstone when on a voyage New York-Christiania. Crew was picked up by D/S Lyra (Bergenske Dampskibsselskab). The other goes as far back as 1864, delivered in Aug. that year as Marie to Carl Wallis, Germany, 532 gt. Purchased by A/S D/S Minerva (H. M. Wrangell) in Dec.-1895 and renamed Minerva. Sunk on May 10-1917 by UC-61, 15 n. miles west of Portland Bill on a voyage Caen-Swansea in ballast. An M/S Minerva was delivered in July-1958, and yet another in Febr.-1973 (Brunita, Ronita, then Minerva).

The book "Damp - Dampskipets æra i Vestfold" lists a whale catcher named Minerva, built Oslo 1894, 66 gt, catching for an Icelandic company controlled by Chr. Salvesen & Co., then hired out to A/S Hvalen in 1910, sold in 1914 to A/S Hektor, Tønsberg. Sold to Ålesund in 1915 and renamed Sultan (fishing vessel), converted to tug for owners in Skien 1920, renamed Storegut 1925 (H. G. Hansen). Converted to cargo vessel in 1956, renamed Nils Normann - lost in the 1960's and deleted from register in 1976. There was also a Minerva II, built 1912, 155 gt.

Italy also had a steamship by this name in WW II, built 1918, 1905 gt - torpedoed and sunk by British aircraft on Dec. 3-1942 southeast of the Kerkenna Islands, Tunisia.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Våre gamle skip" and "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Sjøfolk i krig", Leif M. Bjørkelund, and misc. (ref. My sources).