D/S Skiensfjord - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

1940 voyages:

A French visitor to my website has told me that according to his records Skiensfjord sailed from Bordeaux on Apr. 6-1940 and was seized in the Atlantic (28 20N 15 18W) by the French submarine Phoque on Apr 12 (3 days after the German invasion of Norway). Ordered to Casablanca. Released a few days later.

In Aug.-1940 she shows up in Convoy SL 44, which departed Freetown on Aug. 18 and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 9. The following month she's listed as bound for Montreal in station 51 of Convoy OB 232, which left Liverpool on Oct. 21-1940, dispersed Oct. 26. The external website that I've linked to below has more on these 2 convoys. She subsequently returned to the U.K. in Nov./Dec.-1940 with Convoy HX 91, bound for Avonmouth with general cargo, joining the convoy from Sydney, C.B.

1941 voyages:

At the beginning of 1941 we find her, with no voyage information, in Convoy OB 271, leaving Liverpool on Jan. 8 (disperesd on the 12th). The external site below now has her returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 110, leaving Halifax on Febr. 19, arriving Liverpool on March 11. As will be seen, she's not mentioned on my own page for this convoy, but only the Bermuda portion is available to me. The following month she's listed in Convoy OB 305, which left Liverpool on Apr. 2-1941 and dispersed on the 6th. Her destination is given as St. John N.B or Montreal, station 22 (again, see the external link below). She was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 126 (in which John P. Pedersen was sunk) in May, but instead joined Convoy HX 127, bound for Barry Roads with general cargo in station 123 of the convoy, in which quite a few Norwegian ships took part. The following month she's listed as bound for Montreal in Convoy OB 335 (departure Liverpool June 16), and in July that year she appears in station 97 of convoy Convoy HX 140, together with the Norwegian Madrono (112), Boreas (16), Velox (56), Velma (96), Alaska (106), Stiklestad (95), Vardefjell (84), Evita (114), Olaf Bergh (124), Thorshov (83), Ferncastle (113), Bonneville (82), Thorshavet (43) and Helgøy (77). Beth and Petter were also initially in this convoy but left due to engine problems. Some of these ships, including Skiensfjord, also show up in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 11 at the end of Aug. that year. Skiensfjord was bound for Boston, station 24. In Oct.-1941 she sailed in Convoy HX 154 together with the Norwegian Hilda Knudsen, Kaia Knudsen, Ranja, Tai Shan, Samuel Bakke, Emma Bakke, Polarsol, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso, Toronto, Noreg and Svenør. The following month she's listed in station 24 of the westbound Convoy ON 36, which left Liverpool on Nov. 13-1941. Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 166, departing Halifax on Dec. 21-1941, arriving Liverpool on Jan. 5-1942.

1942 voyages:

Skiensfjord, bound for St. John, N.B. with china clay, now returned across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 61*, which left Liverpool on Jan. 27-1942, dispersed Febr. 10. The following month she can be found among the ships leaving Halifax in Convoy HX 178 on March 3, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 85* in Apr. in order to travel to New York (departure Liverpool Apr. 10). In June that year she's listed in Convoy HX 193 from Halifax to the U.K., then headed back to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 109*, which left Liverpool on July 3. At the beginning of Aug. she was again in Halifax, sailing to the U.K. with Convoy HX 201, subsequently returning to New York at the end of that month with the westbound Convoy ON 125. The following month, in Sept.-1942, she again went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 209; in fact she acted as the Commodore vessel on that occasion. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 141*, departing Liverpool on Oct. 24, arriving New York, Skiensfjord's destination, on Nov. 10, heading back to the U.K. again later that month in Convoy HX 217. Cargo is given as "general and valuables" and she was bound for Liverpool. This convoy, which originated in New York City, was attacked and 2 ships were sunk; my page about this convoy has the details. Skiensfjord returned to New York at the end of Dec. that year with the westbound Convoy ON 157, acting as the Commodore's ship again (arrival New York Jan. 15-1943).

1943 voyages:

At the end of Jan.-1943 she was one of several Norwegian ships forming Convoy HX 225 from New York to the U.K. In addition to general cargo she also carried explosives, destination Swansea. This convoy arrived Liverpool on Febr. 13, and the following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 170, then returned to the U.K. with Convoy HX 233 on Apr. 6 (general cargo and explosives). In May she was back in New York, having arrived with Convoy ON 182* (departure Liverpool May 6, arrival New York May 22), and joined Convoy HX 242 on May 31. This convoy arrived Liverpool on June 15, and Skiensfjord had station 101, general cargo for Liverpool. Later that month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 190*, which left Liverpool on June 24 and arrived New York on July 9, and towards the end of that month she's listed in Convoy HX 249, leaving New York on July 23-1943. Her destination is given as Milford Haven and Southampton, general cargo, station 61. On Aug. 21 she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 198*, which arrived New York on Sept. 4, and we now have to go back to the external site below again to find her in the eastbound Convoy HX 257, leaving New York on Sept. 16-1943, arriving Liverpool on Sept. 30. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 206* (departure Liverpool Oct. 11, arrival New York on the 27th), returning to the U.K. the following month with Convoy HX 265, leaving New York on Nov. 6, arriving Liverpool on the 21st. The two HX convoys are not available on my own site, but direct links to both have been provided below. Christmas and New Years Eve were spent at sea while in the westbound Convoy ON 216*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 16-1943 and arrived New York on Jan. 3-1944.

1944 voyages:

In Jan.-1944 she sailed in Convoy HX 276 from New York, bound for Glasgow with general cargo, returning the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 225* (left Liverpool Febr. 22, arrived New York March 8), then went back to the U.K. at the end of March in Convoy HX 284, general cargo for London. Towards the end of Apr. she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 234* (departure Liverpool Apr. 26, arrival New York May 12), and at the end of May-1944 she joined Convoy HX 293, general cargo for Liverpool, returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 242*, which left Liverpool on June 25 and arrived New York on July 11. Later that month she can be found in Convoy HX 301, again bound for Glasgow with general cargo, and in Aug. she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 249* (left Liverpool Aug. 18, arrived New York Sept. 2). She headed back to the U.K. again in Sept. in Convoy HX 308, general cargo for London, and towards the end of the following month she's listed, with destination New York, in the westbound Convoy ON 261 (having started out in the previous convoy, ON 260*, but returned to port). Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 326, arriving Liverpool on Dec. 27. She was bound for Liverpool with general cargo, and had originally been scheduled for the previous Convoy HX 325 from New York.

Follow the links provided for much more information on these convoys. Note that more details on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found with the help of the alphabet index at the end of this page.

* All the ON convoys mentioned on this page 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, please go to these convoys in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. As will be seen, they all had several Norwegian ships.

Related external links:
SL Convoys - As mentioned, Skiensfjord is listed in SL 44. Among many other convoy series, the site also has a section on the OB convoys, and OB 232 and OB 305 are included. Note also that by going to this section of the same site and clicking on "Ship Search", using "Skiensfjord" as keyword, some convoys that are not mentioned in my own text will come up, including some local U.K. convoys. Here are OB 271, OB 335, HX 110, HX 257, and HX 265, all mentioned in my text above.

1945 voyages:

Early in 1945 she joined Convoy JW 64 to Murmansk, as the only Norwegian ship. The convoy departed the Clyde Anchorage on Febr. 3 with the British S/S Fort Crevecour as Commodore ship. They were attacked several times by aircraft, but the convoy's defence was able to prevent serious harm. 11 U-boats were involved in the action on Febr. 13 and the corvette Denbigh Castle was torpedoed by U-992, towed to the Kola Inlet by another corvette (Bluebell) and a Russian tug, but later became a total loss when she grounded, then capsized. The rest of the convoy reached the Kola fjord on Febr. 15 without losses, but a few mishaps in that the escorting trawler HMS Oksøy* straggled on Febr. 11, and the commodore ship collided with the American Arunah S. Abell upon arrival to the inlet. Skiensfjord, along with 3 Russian ships continued west along the coast on Febr. 25, escorted by 30 Russian and 4 Norwegian Naval vessels in addition to aircraft, arriving Kirkenes that same night where she unloaded cargo until March 13. For her return voyage she joined Convoy RA 65, leaving Kola on March 24 (23?), arriving Scapa Flow on the 31st (Apr. 1? disagreement in my sources, could be a matter of different time zones used) without having been attacked.

* I thought this was the former Norwegian whaler Pol VI but that Oksøy was renamed Cyclone in 1944, so this might be Oksøy 2, the ex HMS Kerrera?

The Sørøy Evacuation:

Upon hearing the news that the Norwegian island of Sørøy was being attacked by enemy aircraft the Flag officer of JW 64, mentioned above, detached the escorting destroyers Sioux, Zambesi, Zealous (Commander R. F. Jessel, R.N.) and Zest to have the 500 civilians brought from Sørøy to Murmansk. They were later distributed in various ships. From a visitor to my website I've received an interesting article which she found in the magazine "The Arctic Look Out" (ISBN 1960 0299 Winter 1998 edition Number 33 Page 12-13). The heading is "A response' to Sir Ludovic’s request for information, Bv P. Jones (1824) L.A. 'Taff’ Courtney 0204. &. 'Jan' Callicot, 1869", and it starts off by saying that Convoy JW 64 had reached Polyarno, Kola, on Febr. 15-1945 "after quite an awful trip from the Clyde". With regard to Sørøya the report states that the Germans were bombing the civilians who had gathered on the island, and that one of the men had managed to get across the mountains into Sweden for help. By then they were living on "squirrels, seaweed and any small animals they could catch. The Swedes radioed the Red Cross in Geneva, who radioed the Admiralty". The Admiralty in turn radioed the Flag Officer at Kola, who then despatched the 4 destroyers.

The article continues: "Our ship, Zealous, sailed at full speed - and a bit more - arriving there after about twelve hours". They hove to about100 yards from shore but couldn't immediately see anyone. Then they saw a movement on the hill, "a black dot which rapidly grew to become a man on skis. He shouted and waved. Within minutes, scores of people appeared, clothed in ragged clothes and carrying bundles of belongings.When they reached Zealous the Norwegians needed no urging to scramble aboard, whilst throwing up their pathetic bundles. One bundle caused a rapid reaction by an A.B. on the deck, when a cry emerged from the bundle he was about to catch. He caught it with great care - there was a baby in it!!". When the embarkation was complete they had over 100 civilians on board.

They were told by one of the Norwegians that there were 2 German armed trawlers in a nearby inlet, so "the Zealous zoomed away at maximum speed plus. On board, the Chief Cook worked very hard for many hours, cooking meals for the survivors, who were very hungry and suffering from varying degrees of frostbite. The galley produced corned beef, mashed potatoes, bread, and glucose for the babies. The ship’s medical officer, for some reason, ordered that all the Norwegian women must be bathed and de-loused. At this point Chief Stoker Adams became famous, when he volunteered to take charge of this delicate situation. The women, being hungry, scared, bemused and frostbitten obeyed automatically, though in a daze. The Chief Stoker sat on an up-turned bucket in the after bathroom, armed with cloths, soap and de-lousing solution. They went in two at a time (as a gesture to propriety?). The cloths were rubbed up and down, back and front, lather rinsed off with clean water. Amidst this steamy scene I was also present as the Jack Dusty, with thick woolly underclothes, socks, jumpers, gloves, blankets and dry towels. Needless to say, one of the young Norwegian women wandered, un-noticed, out of the bathroom with her blanket over one arm and survivors gear in the other hand, and not wearing a stitch. Fortunately a three badged A.B. appeared, took her arm and led her back under cover. To his credit, Stripey never even grinned, but sympathetically and without fuss, saved the day".

The article then says: "The young midshipman, Chief Cook and Chief Stoker were all mentioned in despatches for their efforts although the Chief Stoker never lived it down. What a thing to get a mentioned in despatches for!". Since the Russians themselves suffered from shortage of food, the Norwegians were distributed among the various ships bound for the U.K. in Convoy RA 64, as mentioned. Follow this link to Idefjord for more info on this. (My Norwegian Guestbook has a message from someone whose parents were among those evacuated from Sørøya).

Shortly after the above mentioned voyage to Murmansk and back, Skiensfjord made another voyage to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 295, which left Liverpool on Apr. 7-1945 and arrived New York on the 26th (ships sailing in this convoy are named at the end of this page), and in May-1945 she served as Commodore Vessel for the eastbound Convoy HX 355 (Commodore J. J. E. Barclay R.N.R.). This convoy (which is not available to me, but can be found via the external link below) left New York City on May 9, so it looks like that's where her crew had celebrated VE day.

Related external link:
Convoy HX 335

POST WAR:

This external page has excerpts from the diary of Hjalmar Holthe, who sailed on this ship after the war. It describes, in Norwegian, some of her post war voyages (he had previously sailed with Brant County, Vest and Norjerv). Skiensfjord was sold to Kam Kee Navigation Co. Ltd. in March-1957 (Jebshun Shipping Co. Ltd., managers), Hong Kong and renamed Shun Hing. Arrived at Hong Kong on March 7-1959 to be broken up by Sun Sun Enterprises.

External websites with info related to my text above:
Russian Convoys 1941-1945 | Murmansk Run Article

The Soviet Advance into Norway

Norway Heritage Project has quite a bit of information on the NAL vessels.