Pol Whale Catchers - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

NS = The ship was included in Nortraship's register.
* = the ship was sunk.

Pol I - 205 gt NS:

Built in 1926

Hired by South African Navy Oct. 7- 41 for use as a minesweeper. Renamed Randfontein in 1942.

This document received from the National Archives of Norway shows the voyages of one of the Pol whale catchers. Unfortunately, part of the name is missing, so I'm not entirely sure which one it is (possibly Pol I?).

POST WAR: Returned to Norway on April 7-1946 and renamed Pol I.

See also this thread on my Ship Forum.

Note: There's some confusion over Pol I and Pol V, I believe they were both managed by Thor Dahl, Sandefjord (Bryde & Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S), and not by Melsom & Melsom. They were both built in Tønsberg.

Pol II - 240 gt NS:

Built in 1926

Hired by Royal Navy in April-1941 for use as a minesweeper. Renamed HMS Jeløy with Norwegian crew, in 1942. Renamed HMS Levanter, with British RN crew, in Aug.-1944.

I believe this document received from the National Archives of Norway shows some of Pol II's voyages.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in Aug.-1946 and renamed Pol II. According to this external website she was sold in 1948 to A/B Rivø (Gustav Bartley), Gothenburg, and converted to cargo vessel at Fredrikshavn, with a new 250 BHP engine fitted. Sold again in 1950 to Adolf Hedberg e.a., Djupekås, Sweden and renamed Lister. Sold in 1967 to I/S Artemis (H Hermansen), Marstal, Denmark and renamed Artemis. In 1971 a new engine was installed (4-stroke/4 cylinders, cyl.dim.: 270x400mm, 300 BHP built by Aabenraa Motor Fabrik, Denmark). Sold in 2000 to Frisian Sailing, Netherlands and converted in 2001 to sailing vessel, still with the name Artemis. In 2006 owner was Tallship Artemis Netherlands. Artemis in turn is discussed and pictured on this external site.

(Pol III, also built 1926, had been requisitioned by the Norwegian Navy in 1939 and was operating as patrol boat, based in Horten. This vessel is listed in the Homefleet section - follow this link).

Pol IV - 240 gt NS:

Built in 1926

Hired by Royal Navy in April-1941. Renamed Tromøy, with Norwegian crew, in 1942. Renamed HMS Cloudburst, with British RN crew in Aug.-1944.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in 1946 and renamed Pol IV. Appears to be still around under the name Stedemaeght, and in use as "party ship", having had several different names through the years: Pool 1950 (Rederi A/B Pool - Ebert Petersson, Kalmar), Gribbe II, Kinnekule, Galeon 1957 (Rederi AB Galeon, Malmø), Vikan 1961, (J. Hansson P/R Donsø, Gothenburg), Cito 1966 (Aa Folmer Grübe Marstal, Denmark), Fabricius 1974 (P/R Hans O Fabricius, Marstal), Bent Flindt 1981, Alf 1982 (Axel Thordseen, Marstad), before being converted to a 3 masted barque in 1991 and renamed Stedemaeght. This site has her history in English.

Pol V - 221 gt NS:

Built in 1925

This document received from the National Archives of Norway shows the voyages of one of the Pol whale catchers. I believe it's Pol V.

Hired by South African Navy for use as a minesweeper in 1941. Renamed Benoni in March-1942.

See also note under Pol I, as well as this thread on my Ship Forum.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in April-1946 and renamed Pol V.

Pol VI - 254 gt NS:

Built in Oslo 1935

Delivered in Aug.-1935 from Nylands Verksted, Oslo to the whaling company Polaris A/S (Melsom & Melsom), Larvik.

WW II: Hired by Royal Norw. Navy in Oct.-1940 for use as a minesweeper. Renamed Oksøy in Aug.-1941, with Norwegian crew, operating in the Persian Gulf, stationed at Khorramshar, Iran. (See also the text under Busen 7 on my page about the Busen Whale Catchers). Transferred to the Royal Navy in Febr.-1943, renamed HMS Cyclone, with British RN crew in Aug.-1944.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway (Polaris A/S) in April-1946 and renamed Pol VI. Sold in May-1951 to Grønlands Styrelse, Copenhagen and renamed Sonja Kaligtok, used as whaler in the David Straights. Sold in 1952 to the Danish Government (The Royal Greenland Trade), Copenhagen. Sold in 1961 to V.K. Dyhr P/R, Skagen, Denmark. Sold in 1963 to A/S H. J. Hansen Odense, Denmark, scrapped.

Source: R. W. Jordan and a posting to my Ship Forum, posted by Rolf Kristensen.

Pol VII - 338 gt NS:

Built in 1936

This document received from the National Archives of Norway shows the voyages of one of the Pol whale catchers. Unfortunately, part of the name is missing, but I believe it's Pol VII.

Escaped capture by Pinguin on Jan. 14-1941 (see link to "Norwegian Victims of Pinguin" below) by quitely maneuvering away from the whale factory Ole Wegger, and heading west towards the whale factory Thorshammer to warn of the situation.

I've been told she was later hired by Royal Navy from Nov.17-1942 to July 7-1943 for use as a minesweeper. However, according to the external site that I've linked to below Pol VII was used by the U.S. Coast Guard (as YPCG 12 and WYP 382) from Febr. 25-1943 to July 7-1943. The site states that she was acquired for emergency use as a patrol craft, and adds the following:

"She was first assigned to the Northwest Sea Frontier at Seattle, Washington, on 11 January 1943 but was deemed 'useless for service in open water under severe climatic conditions.' The Coast Guard noted that she would be a 'fairly effective net tender.' She was then transferred to the Western Sea Frontier on 12 February 1943 and arrived at San Francisco, California, on 25 February 1943 where she reported to San Francisco Section Patrol on Treasure Island. She was then assigned to Morro Bay, effective as of 4 April 1943. She saw limited service as a patrol vessel before being decommissioned and returned to the War Shipping Administration on 7 July 1943. She eventually returned to her original owners in Norway. She was sold to another Norwegian whaling company in 1959."

In Apr.-1944, Arnold Hague has included her, together with Baalbek, Globe IX, Globe VIII, Ottern, Thorfinn, Thorfjell, Thorgaut, Thoris and Thorshammer, in Convoy ZG 66, departing Cristobal on Apr. 28, arriving Guantanamo May 2. From there, she joined Convoy GN 130 the following day, arriving New York on May 10. Baalbek, Globe IX, Globe VIII, Ottern, Thorfjell, Thorgaut and Thoris were again in company, as were Notos and Sevilla. Later that month, she's listed, again with Globe IX, Globe VIII, Ottern, Sevilla, Thorfinn, Thorfjell, Thorgaut and Thoris, in Convoy BX 108, departing Boston on May 17, arriving Halifax on the 19th. This corresponds with what can be found on the archive document - more info on these convoys is available via the external links provided below.

POST WAR: Sold in 1964 by Elling Aarseth & Co, Norway, to Brødrene Anda, Stavanger, for breaking up.

Related external link:
Pol 1943 - (PDF file, U.S. Coast Guard - here's a list).

Convoy ZG 66 - The site also has GN 130 and BX 108.

Pol VIII - 298 gt NS:

Built in Moss 1936

Delivered in Oct.-1936 from A/S Moss Værft & Dokk, Moss, Norway (68) as Pol VIII to Hvalfangerselskapet Polaris A/S (Melsom & Melsom), Larvik, 298 gt, 99 net, 136.6' x 25.2' x 10.6', Triple Exp. (builders), 1300 ihp.

WW II: I have a document received from the National Archives of Norway, which I believe shows some of her voyages. She arrived Rio de Janeiro on March 19-1940, and again on Apr. 19. Sailed from Rio on Nov. 8 for the whaling grounds.

Captured by Pinguin on Jan. 14-1941 and sent to France for conversion. Entered service for the Kriegsmarine in Apr.-1942 as UJ 1711 Brachvogel, and from May-1942 as NS 06 Brachvogel (auxiliary minesweeper), then V 5312 Brachvogel from July-1944.

My section on Norwegian Victims of Pinguin has crew lists for the Pol whale catchers captured by Pinguin and more information on what happened on the herding grounds on Jan. 14-1941.

POST WAR: Returned to Norwegian ownership in 1945 (Norwegian State). Purchased in 1947 by Hvalfangerselskapet Antarctic A/S (Anton von der Lippe), Tønsberg, renamed Klegg. Sold in Jan.-1958 to Sigerfjord Sildindustri (Bjarne Gundersen), Sigerfjord, renamed Sigerfjord (N 153 SO), rebuilt that same year in Trondheim, 295 gt, and a new 6 cyl. engine installed (A/S Vølund, Copenhagen), 750 bhp. Sold in 1963 to Karsten Gullvik, Sortland. Sold in July-1976 to Walter Jensen, Hareid (Ålesund) and renamed Hindarøy (M 26 HD). Condemned in March-1980 and broken up the following year by Høvding Skipsopphugning, Sandnessjøen, Norway.

Pol IX * - 354 gt NS:

Built in 1937

I have a document received from the National Archives of Norway, which I believe shows some of her voyages (part of the name is missing). She arrived Rio de Janeiro on March 19-1940, and again on Apr. 19. Sailed from Rio on Nov. 8 for the whaling grounds.

Captured by Pinguin (see link to more details above), renamed Adjutant and was used as mine layer for the German raiders in the South Atlantic and The Indian Ocean. Scuttled by Komet after engine trouble on July 1-1941 off Chatham Islands.

Pol X - 354 gt NS:

Built in 1937

Captured by Pinguin and sent to France. Became UJ 171.

POST WAR: Returned in 1945.