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D/S Sitona
Updated Febr. 23-2010

To Sitona on the "Ships starting with S" page.

Crew List

Owner: Skibs-A/S Sitona
Manager: K. Andersen & Co. A/S, Fredrikstad
Tonnage:
1143 gt, 672 net, 1825 tdwt
Signal Letters: LEUU (LBRN?)

Sitona was a steel hulled steamship registered in Fredrikstad. She had dimensions measuring: 69.01m length, an 11.10m beam and a draught of 4.80-metres. Built by A/S Moss Værft in 1920 (Yard No 35), launched in March-1921 as Imacos for Bechs Rederi A/S, Tvedestrand, Norway (C. Bech & Co. managers). Her single, probably iron screw propeller was powered by a 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine that developed 97nhp using one boiler. Her cylinder diameters measured: 16in., 25in. & 42in with a 30-inch stroke, (40.64cm, 63.50cm & 106.68cm with a 66.20cm-stroke). A/S Moss Værft built her machinery. She was fitted with electric lights, had one deck, water ballast, a 41-ton poop and 75-ton hatches. Purchased by A/S Sitona in 1931 and renamed Sitona.

Captain: Albert Torleif Arntzen

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3


Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record
From Jan.-1940 to May-1941:

(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 several voyages are missing.

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
1940 Jan. 19 Norwegian Waters Methil Jan. 22 HN 8
Febr. 23 Methil Norwegian Waters Febr. 27 ON 15
March 18 Norwegian Waters Methil March 22 HN 20
March 24 Tyne Southend March 26 FS 128 Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
Missing movements, Page 1
May 7 Southend Tyne May 9 FN 165 Convoy available at FN convoys
(external link)
Again, see also Page 1 above
(missing movements)
June 14 Southend Methil* June 16 FN 195A *Arrived Burntisland, June 16
(Page 1).
Convoy available at link above.
Missing movements, Page 1.
June 24 Southend Methil* June 26 FN 204 *Burntisland.
Convoy available at link above
July 1 Tyne Southend July 2 FS 209 Compare w/Page 1
Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
July 11 Southend Methil* July 13 FN 219 *Arrived Leith, July 13
(Page 1).
Convoy available at FN convoys
(external link)
July 18 Methil Southend July 19 FS 225 Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
Missing movements, Page 1
July 31 Methil Southend Aug. 2 FS 238 Convoy available at link above
Aug. 11 Southend Blyth Aug. 13 FN 249 Convoy available at FN convoys
(external link)
Missing movements:
Page 1 & Page 2
Sept. 3 Methil Southend Sept. 5 FS 271 Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
Sept. 13 Southend Tyne Sept. 15 FN 279 Convoy available at FN convoys
(external link)
Missing movements, Page 2
Nov. 18 Clyde Methil Nov. 22 WN 41 Convoy available at WN convoys
(external link)
Nov. 26 Methil Southend Nov. 28 FS 346 Convoy available at FS convoys
(external link)
Missing movements, Page 2
Dec. 17 Blyth Southend Dec. 19 FS 363 Convoy available at link above
On to Shields Dec. 27
(Page 2).
1941 Jan. 4 Tyne Southend* Jan. 6 FS 379 *Returned to Shields
(Page 2).
Convoy available at link above
Missing movements, Page 2.
Jan. 23 Middlesbrough Southend Jan. 26 FS 395 *Compare w/Page 2.
Convoy available at link above
Missing movements:
Page 2 & Page 3
May 2 Methil* FS 479 *Left Blyth May 2
(Page 3).
Sunk - See "Final Fate" below.
Convoy available at link above


 Some Convoy Voyages: 

A. Hague has included Sitona in Convoy HN 8 from Norway to the U.K. in Jan.-1940. The following month he has her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 15, and in March we find her in the original Advance Sailing Telegram for Convoy HN 20 from Norway to the U.K., general cargo for London. All these convoys had several Norwegian ships, as will be seen when following the links.

She was subsequently in service around the U.K. - See the archive documents and Voyage Record above; Page 1 and Page 2 show her 1940 movements. Her 1941 movements also start on the latter document, while Page 3 has the rest.

 Final Fate - 1941: 

Sitona had departed Blyth on May 2-1941 with a cargo of about 1600 tons coal for Deadman's Dock, London, joining Convoy FS 479 (external link - incomplete listing). The following evening German aircraft attacked the convoy and Sitona was hit by a torpedo* which passed through the engine room from the port side and out through the starboard side before detonating in the sea. The torpedo left a hole on the port side, estimated to be about 1' in diameter right on the waterline, while a hole on the starboard side of about 2' in diameter was about 2' above the waterline. The engine was partly destroyed and no maneuvers could be carried out. Water penetrated into the engine room and boiler room so that the engine stopped immediately, but the people working there managed to get up on deck, while Sitona slowly started to sink.

* "Nortraships flåte" says she was hit by a bomb, but Ron Young (see sources below) has told me it was a torpedo, adding she's located at a depth of 20m, 13.69-miles NE from Blakeney Point and 14.56-miles SE from East Dudgeon bell buoy, collapsed and partially broken, covering an area of seabed measuring 58m by 18m - reference: 53 08 706N 001 14 599E.

The forward tackle of the port lifeboat had been blown away, making it impossible to lower the boat, and the raft had been destroyed. The majority of the crew were ordered to the starboard lifeboat, while the captain, the 1st mate, the 2nd engineer and Ordinary Seaman Hervik stayed on board with the intention of trying to get the ship towed out of the fairway. There was a hawser ready on board one of the Naval guardships, but Sitona sank so quickly that nothing could be done. The 4 men left the ship about an hour later and were picked up by the destroyer K 89 (? not sure which destroyer had this No.) which already had all the others on board. By that time the foredeck on the port side was already under water and Sitona had started to develop a list. An hour later (01:15, May 4) an explosion was observed on board Sitona and she sank. The crew were taken by the destroyer to 2 trawlers, one of which brought them into Grimsby on May 4.

("Nortraships flåte" simply states that an escort trawler attempted to tow Sitona out of the channel, but she was given up about an hour after midnight and sank, giving position as 53 12N 01 10E).

The inquiry was held in Newcastle-on-Tyne on May 12-1941 with the captain, the 1st engineer, the 2nd mate (officer on watch), Able Seaman Karlsen (helmsman) and Ordinary Seaman Hervik appearing. The latter was on lookout duty on the roof of the chart room when the attack occurred.

Trajan was also sunk by the German aircraft that day.

Crew List - No casualties:
The 2nd mate's other ships are named on
this external page. Following the loss of Sitona, he joined Gudrun. He's said to have died when the Egyptian Star of Suez was sunk in Dec.-1942 (also external link).

Captain
Albert Torleif Arntzen

1st Mate
Ole Jacobsen

2nd Mate
Guttorm Henry Hofsnes
Able Seaman
Leif Johansen
Able Seaman
Olaf Julius
Øksnes Karlsen
Able Seaman
Ingebreth Eik
Ordinary Seaman
Audun Magdalund
Hervik
1st Engineer
Pentz Hjalmar Pedersen
2nd Engineer
Erling Eilertsen
Donkeyman
Tollef G. Lea
Stoker
August Refsten
Stoker
Jens Westerby
Stoker
Arne Ellingsen
Trimmer
Osmund Mage
Steward
Adolf Jensen
Mess Boy
Alfred Armstrong
(British?)

Back to Sitona on the "Ships starting with S" page.

The SS Sitona was the second such vessel owned by A/S Sitona, the first being an iron 983-ton schooner rigged steamship that was built in three months in 1885 by Wigham Richardsons at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. K. Andersen of Fredrikstad also managed her. Wigham Richardsons built her 2-cylinder compound steam engine that developed 162hp using two single ended boilers, which powered the single bronze screw propeller. (Info from Ron Young). The company also had a Sitona after the war, this was the former Dux.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Norwegian Maritime Museum, Volume II - (ref. My sources). Pre war history was received from Ron Young, England, who has written several books on shipwrecks.

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