M/T Skaraas - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

1940-1941:

When Norway was invaded on Apr. 9-1940 this ship was routed to Townsville, Queensland, which was the nearest British port (see my page Nortraship). After a few days she continued to Singapore where she took on a cargo of 15 000 tons aviation fuel for the U.K. (This does not quite match up with the details found on Page 1 of the archive documents; it's possible that her later destination of Newcastle, N.S.W. has been misunderstood as being Newcastle, U.K.? - she did not go to the U.K. until Sept.-1940).

According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she sailed in Convoy SL 47, which departed Freetown on Sept. 10-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 28th. Skaraas was bound for Clyde, station 43 (the Norwegian Thode Fagelund also took part). The following month she shows up in Convoy OB 231, which left Liverpool on Oct. 19 and dispersed on the 23rd. Her destination is given as Aruba, station 32; according to the archive document mentioned above, she arrived Trinidad on Nov. 7. The Norwegian Idefjord, Norefjord and Rena are also listed. Follow the links provided for more convoy information. Later that month Skaraas, bound for Manchester, joined the Bermuda portion of the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 91, sailing in station 63 of the convoy.

In Febr.-1941, she appears in Convoy OB 291, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 27 and dispersed on March 3. Her destination is given as New York, and there's a note indicating she had been damaged by a bomb on March 2 - again, see the external link at the end of this page. (Note also that the company's Storaas was damaged in this convoy). Skaraas arrived New York on March 15, having started out from Clyde Febr. 28. As can be seen when going back to Page 1, she appears to have spent 2 months in New York; perhaps some repairs were necessary? In May she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 128 from Halifax. Skaraas had station 62, cargo of gasoline for Liverpool. She subsequently joined Convoy OB 335, leaving Liverpool on June 16, however, she's said to have been involved in a collision with the British City of Auckland on June 17 and returned to port, then shows up again, with destination New York, in OB 338, which originated in Liverpool on June 21 and dispersed July 3, Skaraas arriving New York on July 7, according to Page 2. Again, see the external links at the end of this page.

Skaraas went back to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 146 (in station 74), together with the Norwegian Strix, Høegh Scout (possibly station 63?), Gallia (73), Anna Knudsen (35), and Fernmoor (station 52, carrying 3 bombers and crated aircraft). This convoy departed Halifax on Aug. 21-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 6. Skaraas, with destination New York, subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 18, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 19-1941, and on Oct. 22, we find her in the the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 156. She subsequently returned across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 38*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 19 and dispersed on the 30th. Her destination is again given as New York, where she arrived Dec. 8, having started out from Milford Haven Nov. 18.

1942-1943:

In Febr.-1942 she's listed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 173, and later that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 71*, originating in Liverpool on Febr. 26, dispersed March 8. Skaraas was bound for Aruba on that occasion, arriving there on March 18, returning to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 184 from Halifax. At the beginning of May we find her listed as bound for Galveston in the westbound Convoy ON 91* (departure Liverpool May 1, dispersed May 15). She arrived Galveston, via New York and Hampton Roads, on June 3 - see Page 2. In Aug.-1942, she sailed in Convoy HX 202, kerosene for Manchester, subsequently returning to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 125 at the end of that month, arriving New York on Sept. 12. From there, she now made a voyage to Aruba and back - see Page 3; convoy information for these voyages can be obtained by following the instructions provided at the external link below.

In Oct.-1942 we find her in station 113 of the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 212, in which Kosmos II was sunk - see also the Commodore's report. She returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 145 in Nov.-1942, and arrived Halifax on Nov. 22 (convoy will be updated - see also a message in my Guestbook). The Norwegian Thorhild, Mosli and Brant County were also in this convoy, which according to "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague left Liverpool on Nov. 9-1942 with 35 ships and arrived New York City on Nov. 25. Empire Sailor was sunk, while British Renown and British Promise were damaged, all by U-518.

Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 220, which originated in New York on Dec. 21-1942, but Skaraas joined from Halifax. She arrived Liverpool on Jan. 11-1943, and later that month she headed to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 162. According to Arnold Hague, Skaraas subsequently went back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 227, which left New York on Febr. 18-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 6. Skaraas had a cargo of aviation gas, and sailed in station 112. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own site, but I've linked directly to Hague's listing at the end of this page. Acanthus and Eglantine are named among the escorts.

According to the voyage record for B. P. Newton, that ship is said to have been involved in a collision with Skaraas on March 23-1943 - I have no further details on this, but it may have taken place when both ships were in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 173*. This convoy departed Liverpool on March 13-1943 and arrived Halifax on the 29th - both ships were bound for New York - again, see Page 3.

In Apr.-1943 she's listed in Convoy HX 233 from New York, returning to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 181 at the end of that month (station 92). The Commodore's narrative and Keppel's report are also available for this convoy. On June 23 she again headed for the U.K. with Convoy HX 245*, bound for Dingle, station 73. She then shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 192*, which left Liverpool on July 9, but is said to have returned to port, subsequently joining ON 193*, which departed Liverpool on July 16 and arrived New York on the 31st; according to Page 4, Skaraas arrived Boston July 30. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 254 from New York at the end of the following month, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 255, which left New York on Sept. 2 and arrived Liverpool on the 16th. About a week later we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 203*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 22, arriving New York on Oct. 10, and according to Arnold Hague, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 264, which left New York on Oct. 31 and arrived Liverpool on Nov. 17 (link at the end of this page). Her last westbound convoy voyage of that year was made with Convoy ON 213* (departure Liverpool Nov. 26, arrival New York Dec. 14 - Skaraas arrived Philadelphia that day).

* Note that according to the Commodore's notes for HX 245, a collision took place between the ships in stations 64 and 73 in dense fog during the night of June 27/28, in or near the 6th column. He does not mention the names of the ships, but unlesss stations had altered during passage, they were Clausina (64) and Skaraas (73). The Commodore adds that No 73 sustained damage to her port bow and lost an anchor, while 64's starboard quarter was damaged. Both ships were able to proceed at convoy speed, all damages being above the water line.

1944-1945:

In Jan.-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 276 from New York, bound for Heysham and Clyde, arriving Heysham Febr. 8, Clyde Febr. 12, returning to the U.S. with Convoy ON 224, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 15-1944 and arrived New York on March 2, Skaraas serving as escort oiler. The Norwegian Fernmoor, Molda, Pan Scandia, Samuel Bakke and Vanja are also listed. A couple of weeks later Skaraas headed back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 283, leaving New York on March 13-1944. The following month, she served as escort oiler for the westbound Convoy ON 231*, and was in company of 14 other Norwegian ships, namely Bernhard, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Østhav, Høyanger and Nordanger, some of which had also been in HX 283. ON 231 originated in Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 24th. Already on Apr. 27, Skaraas shows up in Convoy HX 289 from New York to the U.K., and the following month she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 237*, which originated in Liverpool on May 19 and arrived New York on June 3. Again, see also Page 4.

She headed back to the U.K. again a week later with Convoy HX 295, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 243*, which left Liverpool on July 3 and arrived New York on the 18th. Already on the 25th she was ready to join Convoy HX 301 from New York, and the following month she's listed in Convoy ON 249* (departure Liverpool Aug. 18, arrival New York Sept. 2). She was scheduled for Convoy HX 315 on Oct. 20, but instead joined the next convoy on Oct. 25, HX 316, returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 269*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 29 and arrived New York on Dec. 15 (Skaraas served as escort oiler). She headed back to the U.K. on Dec. 19 in Convoy HX 327. Compare these details to the voyages listed on Page 5.

In Jan.-1945, she served as escort oiler for the westbound Convoy ON 277, which arrived New York on Jan. 23, and on the 28th we find her in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 335. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 285* (again serving as escort oiler), arriving New York March 5 - Acanthus and Buttercup are named among the escorts. A few days later, A. Hague has her in Convoy HX 343, which departed New York on March 9-1945 and arrived Liverpool on the 24th. She served as escort oiler again, and also carried 60 depth charges. She now shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 293* (escort oiler), which left Southend on March 27 and arrived New York on Apr. 15, then returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 351, leaving New York on Apr. 18, arriving Liverpool on May 3 (Skaraas arrived Avonmouth that day), again serving as escort oiler, and carrying 60 depth charges, as well as aircraft. These two HX convoys are not available on my own site, but I've linked directly to Hague's listing for them below. Already on May 6, she's listed as escort oiler for the westbound Convoy ON 301*, so must have been at sea on VE day (this convoy arrived New York on May 22). When she returned to the U.K. in June, no convoy was necessary.

Here subsequent voyages are listed on Page 6; as can be seen, she got to go home to Norway already in July-1945, making another voyage home in Oct./Nov. that year.

Convoy information for voyages made in between those noted here can be obtained by following the instructions provided at the external link below - compare the results with the details found on the various archive documents.

* All the ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailingin them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. Several Norwegian ships too part in all these convoys.

More details on all the other Norwegian ships named above can be found with the help of the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Related external links:
SL Convoys - There's also a section on the OB (& OA) convoys. Skaraas is listed in Convoy SL 47 and OB 231. Note also that by going to this section of the same site (based on Arnold Hague's database) and clicking on "Ship Search", using "Skaraas" as keyword, several convoys that are not mentioned in the above narrative will come up, including some Guantanamo and Trinidad convoys. Here are OB 291, OB 335, OB 338, HX 227, HX 264, HX 343 and HX 351, all mentioned in my text.