Manager: Lars L. Eide, Bergen
Tonnage: 610 gt

Delivered from Kaldnes mek. Verksted, Tønsberg as Bras in May-1919 to Harald Hansens Rederi, Skien. Tonnage is given as 639 gt, 349 net, 930 tdwt, 166.5' x 28.7' x 12.6', Triple exp. 75 nhp (by yard). Sailed as Raftsund for Vesteraalen Dampskibsselskab A/S, Stokmarknes in the period 1922-1938, in generally scheduled service between eastern Norway and Finnmark. Went to Lars Eide e.a., Øystese in1938 and registered as Raftsund of Bergen.

Some War Voyages:

(More will be added)

Raftsund is listed in the Norway-U.K. Convoy HN 10 in Febr.-1940, bound for Rouen with pulp. In the middle of March we find her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 19, and the following month she joined Convoy HN 24, which arrived Methil from Norway on Apr. 7-1940; in other words, she got out of Norway just before the German invasion (Apr. 9). Several other Norwegian ships also took part in these convoys, as will be seen by following the links.

She was subsequently in service around the U.K., until June-1944, when she took part in Operation Neptune (the maritime side of the invasion of Normandy), arriving June 11-1944, leaving June 23, making 16 trips to Normandy altogether. Follow the instructions provided at the last external link below for information on some of the convoys she sailed in for these voyages (as well as several local U.K. convoy voyages).

POST WAR:

Renamed Bras in 1946. Sold in 1953 to Bartz-Johannesen, Bergen and converted to herring meal factory, before being purchased by D/S A/S Magnhild (M. Clausen), Haugesund in 1956, converted to cargo vessel and renamed Magnhild. Sold in 1959 to Wallem & Co., Hong Kong and sailed as Slusken (Panamanian flag) - deleted from Lloyd's register in 1986.

Related external links:
Normandy 1944

Misc. Convoys - Clicking on "Ship Search", typing "Raftsund" as keyword will bring up several convoys that are not mentioned in my own text.

Back to Raftsund on the "Ships starting with R" page.

Ofoten & Vesteraalens Dampskibsselskab had a very small vessel by this name in the late 1980's, only 23 gt, originally built as Doktor Rølstad for Andre Paulsen, Kjøllefjord and used as ambulance and doctor transport. Renamed Raftsund for OVDS in the fall of 1988. Sold in 1991 and renamed Inger Helene.