D/S Ringen - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Manager: Birger Ekerholt, Oslo
Tonnage: 1499 gt, 2000 tdwt
Signal Letters: LERP

Built in Rotterdam in 1917. Previous names (from a website visitor): Loosedrecht, then S. E. Calvert.
According to this external page, she was delivered from N.V. Burgerhout's Machine Fabriek & Sceepswerf Rotterdam in Jan.-1917 as Loosedrecht to N.V. Stoomv. Maats De Maas (Phs. van Ommeren), Rotterdam. From Jan.-1918, The Shipping Controller (R. & J.H. Rea), London, same name. From 1919, N.V. Stoomv. Maats (N.V. Phs. van Ommeren Scheepsv. bedrif), Rotterdam, no name change. Owned from 1925 by Calvert S.S. Co. Ltd. (J.S. Calvert), Goole, renamed S. E. Calvert. Renamed Ringen for D/S A/S Ringen (E.M. Mathiesen), Tvedestrand in 1928. Owned from 1935 by Ekerholts Rederi A/S (Birger Ekerholt), Oslo, same name.

With a general cargo for Rouen, Ringen is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 16 from Norway to the U.K. in March.-1940 - follow the link for more info, several Norwegian ships took part. As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, she was on her way to Norway when the Germans invaded on Apr. 9, but put back to Kirkwall, remaining there for several weeks. It'll also be noticed that she had a long stay at Leith that summer.

In July-1940, we find her, together with the Norwegian Vestvard, in Convoy OA 191, departing Methil on July 28, dispersed Aug. 1. Her destination is not given, but going back to the archive document mentioned above, we learn that she arrived Dublin on July 31.

In the fall of 1941 she collided with an unknown ship in convoy, and interrupted her voyage on Oct. 26 to go into Hartlepool for repairs (see also Page 4 - this document also shows a long stay at Grangemouth at the end of that year).

Final Fate - 1944:

Ringen took part in Operation Neptune in June-1944, arriving Normandie on June 8 and leaving again on June 13, according to "Nortraships flåte" by J. R Hegland. He says she made one more trip between June 22 and 27, then on her 3rd trip from London, at 06:30 on July 4, she struck a mine* off Isle of Wight. She had departed Southend on July 3, and for this voyage A. Hague has included her in Convoy ETC 26 (external link). In 3 1/2 minutes, she was gone.

According to the captain's report they were just passing Buoy R 3 when the explosion occurred below midships, causing all the cargo in holds 1 and 2 as well as some cargo from hold 3 to be thrown up in the air. The 1st mate, who was on watch, was lifted up and ended up lying with his head and arms off the edge of the bridge, with pieces of debris across his back pinning him down. A British gunner was thrown overboard from the starboard side and disappeared. The lookout man, Ordinary Seaman Jacobsen, was also thrown overboard, but resurfaced and was later picked up. The 2nd mate was thrown out of his bunk, and finding the door from his cabin jammed, he had to crawl out through the porthole. As he came on deck he heard cries for help from the gunners' cabin, and with the help of a plank he managed to knock a hole in the door to free Trimmer Rodhaus, before going to the bridge where he was also able to free the 1st mate. George Monk, England has told me that 2nd Mate John Hauge later received the British HonMBE(Civ) and Lloyds Bravery Medal for his actions (his source: Seedies List of awards to the British Merchant Navy which includes awards to Allied merchant seamen).

Captain Monsen, resting on a bench in his cabin on the port side, found himself covered by his bunk, drawers and other items, but managed to get free and out on deck. Coming to the bridge he saw nothing but debris, so he proceeded aft to the lifeboats, to find that the port boat had been launched and rowed away from the ship, while 3 men remained on deck on the starboard side. The captain then attempted to get to the ship's papers in his cabin, but with everything being helter skelter there, and the ship sinking deeper and deeper he returned to the lifeboat. As he came aft the ship heeled over to port, then quickly went down by the bow, so that those who had remained on board had to lower themselves into the water where they were later picked up.

The survivors were picked up by the British destroyer HMS Fernie (L 11 - one of the escorts for Convoy ETC 26) and landed in Normandie that same afternoon. They later boarded Ascanius (for info, this British ship is listed in Convoy FTM 36 from Seine Bay on July 13-1944 - external link; she arrived Portsmouth that same day). 1 Mate Børretzen, Ordinary Seaman Jacobsen, Able Seaman Jensen and Trimmer Rodhaus were sent on board the hospital ship St. Julian.

Crew List:
There's a Donkeyman August Bø included in the crew list for Carrier - same person?

Survivors
Captain Oskar Monsen	1st Mate Ludvig Børretzen	2nd Mate John Hauge	Able Seaman Olaf Jensen	Able Seaman Frank Larsen	Able Seaman Ingemann Skjolde
Able Seaman Toralf Larsen	Able Seaman Karl Ny	Ordinary Seaman Reidar Jacobsen	1st Engineer Otto B. Andersen	2nd Engineer Sigurd Pedersen	3rd Engineer Trygve Espestøl
Donkeyman Hans Andreassen	Stoker August Bøe	Stoker Valdemar Lindeburg (Estonian)	Stoker Sveinung Sonesen	Oiler Bjarne Nordby	Oiler Magne Pedersen
Trimmer Charles Agner (British)	Trimmer ? Rodhaus (British)	Steward Kristian Bendiksen	Cook Adolf Skårnes	Galley Boy Georg Sørensen	Mess Boy Øivin Haugen
Gunner Edgar Lewis (British)	Gunner George Cliffe (British)	Gunner Daven McKinlay (British)	Gunner John Forte (British)	Gunner H. Arnold (British)
Casualty
† Gunner M. Campbell (British)