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M/T President de Vogue To President de Vogue on the "Ships starting with P" page. Manager: Sigvald Bergesen d.y. & Co., Stavanger Launched on Febr. 23-1935 by Odense Staalskibsværft (A. P. Møller), Odense (Yard No. 55) as President de Vogue for Sigvald Bergesen & Co., Stavanger. Completed on May 13-1935, owner: Skibsaktieselskapet Snefonn (Sig. Bergesen). Fitted in 1943 with over the stern refuelling machinery and racks for unarmed depth charges, sailed as escort oiler in convoys. Later deck fittings were also added enabling an extra cargo of aeroplanes and gliders to be carried. Related item on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing.
As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, President de Vogue was on her way from River Plate to Curacao when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940; she put into Trinidad on Apr. 20, later proceeding to Talara. It looks like she spent quite a long time in Trinidad that summer, having arrived there from Fort de France on June 25; departure is given as Aug. 3, when she headed to Aruba, then on to Bermuda, with arrival Aug. 14. She was scheduled for the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 66 on Aug. 15, but has been crossed out on the convoy form (the Norwegian Norne was sunk - follow the link for details). She was also cancelled from the Bermuda portion of the next convoy, HX 67, with a note saying "To be sent to Halifax to await orders" and it'll be noticed, when going back to the archive document, that she sailed from Bermuda on Aug. 17 and arrived Halifax on the 21st, remaining there for a long time. She does not show up again until Convoy HX 86 from Halifax on Nov. 10, bound for Mersey with fuel oil in station 62 - she arrived Avonmouth on Nov. 29. At the beginning of the new year she's listed, along with Beduin, Buesten, Kristianiafjord, Madrono, Norefjord and Solsten, in Convoy OB 279, which originated in Liverpool on Jan. 28-1941 and dispersed on Febr. 2. Her destination is given as Curacao on that occasion, and she arrived there on Febr. 19, proceeding to Bermuda on the 28th, returning to the U.K. in March in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 114, fuel oil for Clyde (the Norwegian Hidlefjord was sunk, Kaia Knudsen damaged - follow the links for details; see also Lincoln Ellsworth). She's also listed in the U.K.-Gibraltar Convoy OG 59, which left Liverpool on Apr. 15 (see ships in all OG convoys). No destination is given for her, but going back to Page 1, we see that she arrived Curacao on May 6, having started out from Clyde on Apr. 17. According to A. Hague, she had detached from the convoy on Apr. 22. Bjørkhaug, Fernlane, Hjalmar Wessel, Ila and Solsten are also listed. From Curacao, she sailed to Bermuda 2 days later and with Admiralty fuel for Scapa, she headed back across the Atlantic on May 14 in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 127. She arriving Scapa Flow, via Oban, on June 4 and later that month we find her, together with Bur, Chr. Th. Boe, Morgenen, Nova, Petter, Stigstad and Vardefjell, in Convoy OB 334, which originated in Liverpool on June 11 and arrived Halifax on the 25th - President de Vogue, however, was bound for Curacao again, arriving there on July 4, having started out from Loch Ewe on June 13. She headed back to the U.K. on July 16 in Convoy HX 139 from Halifax, carrying crude oil for Clyde - the Commodore's report is also available for this convoy. The following month she's listed as bound for Trinidad in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 5, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 6. President de Vogue joined from Clyde and arrived her destination on Aug. 26, the convoy having been dispersed on the 14th. According to A. Hague, she later joined Convoy HX 149 from Halifax on Sept. 10 and in Oct.-1941 she can be found in station 53 of the westbound Convoy ON 26, bound for Curacao, where she arrived Nov. 6, the convoy having been dispersed on Oct. 29. Page 2 shows her subsequent voyages; convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record. Skipping now to Aug.-1942 when she's listed in the slow Convoy SC 97 from Halifax to the U.K., for which Bonneville served as the Vice Commodore Vessel (and in which Bronxville was sunk - follow the link for more info). With Corneville, Iris (joined from Halifax), Norholm, Norsol, Stiklestad, Tai Shan, Velma and the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers), she later joined Convoy ON 137*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 9 and arrived New York on the 29th. Having made another voyage to Curacao and back to New York (Page 2), she joined Convoy HX 218 on Dec. 5, bound for Clyde, station 22. Meanwhile, the North Africa landings had taken place, and only a few days after arrival Clyde, we find her in Convoy KMS 6, in which Akabahra was sunk. According to Page 3, President de Vogue arrived Gibraltar on Jan. 8-1943, having sailed from Clyde on Christmas Eve.Having spent a month in Gibraltar, she returned to the U.K. in Febr.-1943 with Convoy MKS 7, and it now looks like she spent over a month in Glasgow (again, see Page 3 above). In Apr.-1943, she made another voyage to New York, serving as Escort Oiler for Convoy ON 179*, originating in Liverpool on Apr. 18, arriving New York on May 6 (President de Vogue had sailed from Londonderry Apr. 19 - as mentioned further up on this page, she was fitted with over the stern refuelling machinery and racks for unarmed depth charges in 1943, and sailed as Escort Oiler in convoys; this might explain her long stay at Glasgow/Clyde). She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Athos, Boreas (returned to port), Buenos Aires, Høyanger, Katy, Molda, Mosdale, Norheim and Tai Shan. On May 13 she headed back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 239, and arrived Londonderry May 27/28, cargo of aviation fuel, station 52. She served as Escort Oiler, but the Commodore says in his narrative that she "was unable to fuel escorts as she only had canvas hose and swell was too great for fuelling abreast". At the beginning of June we find her, with Annik, Athos, Braga, Bralanta, Elisabeth Bakke, Fagerfjell, Frontenac, Helgøy, Kronprinsen, Lista, Morgenen, Norbryn, Norefjord, O. B. Sørensen, Toledo and Vanja, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn, in the westbound Convoy ON 187* (originated in Liverpool June 1, arrived New York June 15). She now headed to another part of the world again; she's listed as bound for Algiers in Convoy UGS 11, which departed Hampton Roads on June 27-1943. President de Vogue arrived Algiers on July 21 (final destination for this convoy was Port Said, but several ships had other destinations and left the convoy en route, while others joined). The following month, she's said to have made a voyage from Alexandria to Malta with Convoy MKS 23 (scroll down to the second table on that page). She had left Alexandria on Aug. 25 and arrived Malta on the 29th. She's also listed as bound from Malta to Port Said in Convoy KMS 24* (convoy departed Gibraltar on Aug. 30, arrived Port Said Sept. 10; President de Vogue had sailed from Malta on Sept. 2, according to Page 3). She's also included in Convoy KMS 27*, voyage from Malta to Port Said (convoy left Gibraltar Sept. 29, arrived Port Said Oct. 11; President de Vogue had departed Malta on Oct. 5). She returned to the U.S. again in Nov.-1943, having joined Convoy GUS 22, President de Vogue joining from Bizerta, having sailed from there on Nov. 24; she arrived Baltimore Dec. 18. Again, see the archive document and Hague's Voyage Record above for information on voyages made in between those mentioned here. It'll also be noticed that she subsequently had a long stay in Baltimore. In March-1944 she sailed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 283, carrying 56 spare depth charges, returning the following month with Convoy ON 231* along with Bernhard, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Østhav, Solstad, Idefjord, Vav, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 24th. She's now listed as bound for Casablanca in Convoy UGS 41, which left Hampton Roads on May 3. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 4.At the beginning of 1944 German bombers were a serious threat to allied shipping in the Mediterranean. About 100 modern bombers were stationed in the South of France, and though the ships were better protected by this time (allied aircraft were on patrol day and night, several squadrons stationed in North Africa were always ready for action, in addition to other protective measures), several convoys were attacked in the first half of the year. According to J. R. Hegland's "Nortraships flåte", two convoys consisting of close to 150 ships sailed close to each other near Cape Bengut on May 30-1944, when an air attack took place. Hegland says the 3 Norwegian ships Liss, Marathon and President de Vogue (in station 103) were in Convoy KMS 51*, which received the brunt of the attack, but all escaped unharmed. Note that Liss is not listed in Convoy KMS 51, but in the previous convoy, KMS 50* - See Liss. A. Hague has also included Star, Askeladden, Facto and Norbryn in KMS 51. President de Vogue was bound for Port Said with this convoy, which left Gibraltar May 28 and arrived Port Said June 9. The British Nordeflinge (station 14?) was hit and sunk with the loss of 12 men. Later that month President de Vogue is said to have made a voyage from Augusta to Port Said in Convoy KMS 54* (departed Gibraltar June 23, arrived Port Said July 3; President de Vogue had sailed from Augusta on June 28), and after having made a voyage to Haifa and back to Port Said, she returned to Augusta with Convoy MKS 55*, arriving her destination on July 14 (convoy had left Port Said July 8). Skipping now to Oct.-1944, when she made a voyage from Augusta to Algiers, having joined Convoy MKS 63*, which originated in Port Said on Sept. 26 and arrived Gibraltar on Oct. 8; President de Vogue, however, sailed from Augusta on Oct. 1 and arrived Algiers on the 5th - again, see Page 4 for a listing of her voyages in this period. From Algiers she headed back to the U.S. again a few days later; for this voyage, A. Hague has her in Convoy GUS 54, which had originated in Port Said on Oct. 2 and arrived Hampton Roads on the 28th. She had departed Algiers on Oct. 10 for Baltimore, with arrival Oct. 29, remaining there for almost a month before proceeding to Philadelphia on Nov. 24, then on to New York, arriving Nov. 28. The next day I have her in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 323, for which Samuel Bakke served as Commodore Vessel, while the Vice Commodore was in Laurits Swenson (President de Vogue again served as Escort Oiler and also had 56 depth charges on board - she had been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 322). Her last convoy voyage that year was made in the westbound Convoy ON 275*, which departed Liverpool on Dec. 28-1944 and arrived New York on Jan. 13-1945; President de Vogue arrived Philadelphia on Jan. 14, having started out from Clyde on Dec. 29. Havkong and Reinholt are also named in this convoy. On Jan. 18-1945 we find her in Convoy HX 333 from New York (Escort Oiler, 60 depth charges). Her destination is given as Portsmouth, where she arrived Febr. 3, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 283* (Escort Oiler), which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 5 and arrived New York on the 27th and also had Emma Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Kaia Knudsen and Nyhorn in its ranks. Arnold Hague has now included her, along with Egerø, Havfru and Norsol, in Convoy HX 342* (Escort Oiler, 60 depth charges), which left New York on March 4 and arrived Liverpool on he 19th; President de Vogue arrived Portsmouth the next day. Just a couple of days later she joined Convoy ON 292* (departure Southend March 22, arrival New York Apr. 8) and was again in the company of several Norwegian ships, namely Egerø, Fjordaas, Fosna, Gefion, Havfru, Ivaran (Commodore Vessel), Lista and Norsol. Her last Trans-Atlantic convoy voyage of the war was made in Convoy HX 350* (Escort Oiler), leaving New York on Apr. 13, arriving Liverpool on Apr. 28; according to Page 5, President de Vogue arrived Plymouth that day. Egerø, Fosna, Gefion and Havfru are again listed, as are Haakon Hauan and Thorshov. The Warsailor Stories page that I've already mentioned states that President de Vogue was in Glasgow on May 8-1945 (having arrived there with a cargo from Abadan, according to the author of the story, but this does not match up with the info found on the archive docs), getting ready to go to Murmansk. However, since the war was now over and Norway was free, she was instead sent to Stavanger, Norway, later to Kristiansand and Fagerstrand, before heading to Aruba, where she loaded a cargo for Baltimore. In Baltimore she spent some time at a yard, with the intention of going to the Pacific, but while she was still at the yard, Japan surrendered, so after having been re-painted and all her armament had been removed, she went back to Abadan, where she took on board a cargo which was unloaded in Swansea, then back to Stavanger and the yard there (Rosenberg). Again, compare these details with the info found on Page 5.
Renamed Bergesund on March 7-1947. Sold in Nov.-1949 to Kristiansands Tankrederi A/S (Einar Rasmussen), Kristiansand and renamed Polykarp. Fitted in Jan.-1955 with 2 new 6 cyl. 2 S.C.S.A. oil engines totalling 4770 bhp (Burmeister & Wains Maskin- og Skibsbyggeri, Copenhagen). Service speed 13.5 knots. Sold to Fourseas Enterprise Company and broken up in Hong Kong, commencing June 4-1963. Related external link: Back to President de Vogue on the "Ships starting with P" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, E-mails from R. W. Jordan and misc. (ref. My sources).
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