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M/S Samuel Bakke To Samuel Bakke on the "Ships starting with S" page.
Manager: Knut Knutsen O. A. S., Haugesund. Liner, delivered in July-1929 from A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg as Samuel Bakke to Skibs-A/S Samuel Bakke, (Knut Knutsen O. A. S.), Haugesund. Captain: J. Olsen.
Convoy ON 89 (Apr.-1942), ON 107 (June-1942), ON 141 (Oct.-1942), ON 184 (May-1943), ON 193 (July-1943), ON 215 (Dec.-1943), ON 234 (Apr.-1944), ON 242 (June-1944), ON 250 (Aug.-1944), ON 263 (Oct.-1944), ON 274 (Dec.-1944), ON 293 (March-1945) and ON 305 (May-1945). According to a story in the Norwegian magazine "Krigsseileren", No. 2 for 1971, Samuel Bakke rescued survivors from the French Picardie, ex Norwegian Kollgrim early in 1940. It's written by someone who was on board Samuel Bakke at this time, Roll Smith, who says they had departed Kopervik, Norway on Jan. 17-1940 heading for Panama in ballast, but due to a persistent storm which increased in intensity as they approached the U.S. east coast, they turned towards the Azores. When they were about 24 hrs away from the Azores they saw a light in the horizon and decided to investigate. As they came closer they could see it was half a ship, the after part of a tanker. They signalled to the vessel, asking how long she could stay afloat, but all they got was "SOS, Wait". They circled around the wreck all day the following day, encouraging the survivors to jump overboard and swim towards the lines they had thrown out, but nobody dared, and the seas were too heavy at the time to launch a lifeboat. Samuel Bakke's 2nd mate knew a little French and was able to establish that 12 men were missing, both lifeboats were gone and the ship had been drifting for a week. When the wind calmed down somewhat that night the 2nd mate and 6 seamen from Samuel Bakke launched a large lifeboat and disappeared in the dark, then about one and a half hour later they signalled that they were on their way back. 14 men were taken on board Samuel Bakke before the boat headed bak to the French vessel and another 14 men were rescued; by 4 in the morning the rescue operation was over. Samuel Bakke stopped in Guadelope in French West India for fresh water and landed the shipwrecked men there (no date mentioned); there's an indication they were later taken to Halifax on a French cargo ship. Samuel Bakke eventually reached Panama, the voyage having taken 30 days altogether, then she headed for Vancouver and 49 days after they had left Norway they could finally get some leave and go ashore. (Picardie, ex Kollgrim became the Norwegian Sirefjell in 1949; my text under Kollgrim has more info). In Apr. that year she can be found in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 36, bound for Glasgow with general cargo (station 13, the Norwegian Mosfruit and Titanian sailing beside her). That summer she shows up in Convoy OB 160, leaving Liverpool on June 2-1940. Her destination is not given, but she had station 32 of the convoy. (The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page has more info on the OB convoys). Towards the end of Aug. that same year we find her in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 68, bound for Manchester with a cargo of lead and lumber. The Norwegian Abraham Lincoln and Kongsgaard are also listed. In Oct. she shows up in Convoy OB 226, which left Liverpool on Oct. 9-1940. Her destination on that occasion was Panama, station 71. Again, refer to the first external link below for more on the latter convoy. She sailed in Convoy HX 101 in Jan.-1941, bound for Liverpool with lumber, lead and general cargo, and at the end of Febr. she was Commodore Ship for Convoy OB 290 which was attacked by U-47 (Prien) as well as by aircraft. Commodore was R. A. Hornell. Samuel Bakke, in station 41, had some very close calls during the attack by FW 200's on Febr. 26, especially when a bomb hit her deck, but it ricocheted and detonated in the sea. Hornell's report indicates that the gunners hit one of the aircraft, and due to their excellent performance she escaped total destruction. I've added the abstract of Samuel Bakke's log describing the attacks, as well as Admiral Hornell's report to my Convoys section - follow the link to OB 290 (ships sunk/damaged are also listed). She's also listed in Convoy HX 130 in June 1941 along with a number of other Norwegian ships. She was bound for Liverpool with general cargo and joined the convoy from Bermuda. In Oct.-1941 she was in Convoy HX 154 together with the Norwegian Hilda Knudsen (and another ? Knudsen vessel), Ranja, Tai Shan, Emma Bakke, Polarsol, Skiensfjord, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso, Toronto, Noreg and an unnamed Norwegian tanker. Some of these ships, including Samuel Bakke, subsequently returned with the westbound Convoy ON 34, which left Liverpool on Nov. 7-1941. She can also be found among the ships in Convoy HX 180 which departed Halifax on March 15-1942 and arrived Liverpool on the 27th. She must have gone straight back across the ocean after unloading her cargo (see the list of ON convoys further up on this page), because at the end of May that year she's listed in Convoy HX 192 from Halifax, with U.S. trucks on her deck. In July that year she was back in Halifax, ready to join Convoy HX 200 for the U.K., subsequently returning to the U.S. at the end of Aug. with the westbound Convoy ON 125, acting as Commodore's ship in station 51. The following month she went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 209, and in Nov. we find her in station 45 of Convoy HX 216, bound for Mersey with a general cargo and ammunition, returning to the U.S. at the end of Dec. with the westbound Convoy ON 155. In Jan.-1943 she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 224, bound for Manchester in station 101 (it looks like she had cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 223). She returned to the U.S. with Convoy ON 170 in March, then in Apr. she can be found in Convoy HX 234, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships. By June she was back in New York, joining Convoy HX 244 on the 15th, bound for Manchester with general cargo, station 63, acting as Vice Commodore vessel for the convoy. In Aug. she was in Convoy HX 252 (in which Santos was lost), destination Glasgow with general cargo, also carrying explosives, 8 passengers and movies, station 54. The following month she returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 202 (ONS 18) (in which Oregon Express was sunk), bound for New York. She also acted as the Vice Commodore's ship for Convoy HX 264 in Oct./Nov.-1943, but this convoy is not available in my Convoys section (Jamaica Planter was Commodore Vessel). She must have gone back to the U.S. (again, see list of ON convoys), because in Jan.-1944 she sailed in Convoy HX 275 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo. She returned to the U.S. in Convoy ON 224, which left Liverpool on Febr. 15-1944 and arrived New York on March 2. The Norwegian Fernmoor, Molda, Pan Scandia, Skaraas and Vanja are also listed. Towards the end of March Samuel Bakke went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 284, general cargo for Liverpool. In May she acted as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 293, general cargo for Liverpool. In July-1944, I have her in Convoy HX 301 from New York, bound for Manchester with general cargo (Vice Commodore's ship), and at the end of Sept.-1944 she sailed in Convoy HX 311, bound for Liverpool with general cargo. In Nov./Dec. that year she was in Convoy HX 323, again bound for Liverpool with general cargo (Commodore Vessel). In Jan./Febr.-1945 she was Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 334, and in Apr./May she served as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 353, which left New York on Apr. 29 (Commodore R. King). This means she celebrated VE day at sea, HX 353 arriving Liverpool on May 15. This convoy is not available to me. Follow the links provided for more information on these convoys; some also include the Commodore's notes and various reports. As mentioned, more details on her westbound voyages, in between the eastbound voyages discussed here, will be added (and all the ON convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course).
The ship and company (Skibs-A/S Samuel Bakke, Haugesund) were transferred to Christian Haaland, Haugesund in July-1947. (This transfer may have something to do with the fact that Knut Knutsen died in 1946 and Chr. Haaland, his son in law, inherited some of Knutsen's companies and ships). In that company's Concordia Line from 1948, as Nybakke from 1955. Taken over by D/S A/S Varøy (Vibran Shipping/Knut Knutsen), Haugesund in Jan.-1956, renamed Samuel Bakke. Sold in April-1965 to Kapechico Cia. de Navigation S.A., Piræus, and renamed John Lybe. Abandoned on Dec. 2-1965 following a fire in the engine room southwest of Cape Finisterre, on a voyage from Arkangelsk to Alexandria. Towed to Vigo, Spain on Dec. 31 and beached, later broken up by Spanish breakers. Related external links: See also this Knutsen OAS Shipping today - with a brief history of the company. To Samuel Bakke on the "Ships starting with S" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Krigsseileren", No. 2, 1971, "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn. (ref. My sources).
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