D/S Snar
Updated July 7-2012

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


This was received from John McCreadie, who has also posted this message to my Guestbook, naming other Norwegian seamen (the gravestones are at Cardonald Cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland).
Checking with "Våre falne", a series of 4 books listing Norwegians who died during the war, I find that Boatswain Peder Gunerius Pettersen was admitted to a hospital in Glasgow on Apr. 15-1941 an died there on Apr. 27. He had served on Snar (see also Page 1).
Oscar Caspersen served as engineer on a whale catcher - ship not known, died of a heart attack in Glasgow on the date given.
Emil K. Simonsen is not included in these books, but for information on Einar Johannessen, please see Marit.

Pictures of Snar are available on this external page (click in them to enlarge).

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

Please follow the convoy links provided for more details. The Commodore's notes are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part. For information on voyages made in between those discussed here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above.

The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page lists Snar as scheduled for Convoy OB 88 from Liverpool in Febr.-1940, but she did not sail; her destination is given as Freetown. The following month she's listed, with a cargo of groundnuts, in Convoy SL 25, which had originated in Freetown on March 22 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 8; Snar, however, joined this convoy from Dakar, where she had previously arrived from Bathurst on March 14. Page 1 of the archive documents gives her voyage information as "Bathurst for Hull", and she arrived her destination on Apr. 17 (having sailed from Dakar on March 24). The Norwegian Polartank is also listed in this convoy. With the Norwegian Grey County, Lynghaug, Nueva Granada and Torborg, Snar later appears in Convoy OA 139, departing Southend on May 1, dispersed May 4, Snar arriving Pugwash on June 4 (see links provided in the Voyage Record for more on these 2 convoys). According to Arnold Hague, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 49, leaving Halifax on June 9, arriving Liverpool on the 24th. As will be seen when following the link to my page about this convoy, she's not included in the original documents for HX 49, from which the Norwegian Eli Knudsen and Randsfjord were sunk (follow the links for details). The information does, however, agree with what can be found on the archive document. From Liverpool, she continued to Garston, with arrival June 25, remaining there for almost a month.

We subsequently find her, together with Arosa, G. C. Brøvig, Gudrun and Varanger, in Convoy OB 190, which departed Liverpool on July 27 and dispersed on the 31st, Snar arriving Digby, N.S. on Aug. 12. She headed back to the U.K. again on Sept. 9 in Convoy HX 72 from Halifax, in which Simla and several others were sunk - follow the links for more info. Going back to Page 1, we learn that Snar later spent quite a long time at Leith, before proceeding to Methil Roads, then Oban, and is now listed in Convoy OB 245, which originated in Liverpool on Nov 18-1940 and dispersed 4 days later. Her destination is given as Sydney, C.B., where she arrived on Dec. 5, having sailed from Oban on Nov. 18. Bra-Kar and Teneriffa are also included (again, see the external links provided in the table above).

Snar returned to the U.K. in Jan.-1941 in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 19, bound for West Hartlepool with steel and pit props in station 63. As will be seen when clicking on the link, several ships from this convoy were sunk; also, Snar receives positive comments from the Commodore (see also Ruth I, as well as the Analysis of attacks). It looks like Snar had a little mishap on arrival - there's a handwritten note on Page 1 saying she was beached at Rothesay on Febr. 2 after grounding. There's quite a gap in her voyages at this point - perhaps repairs were necessary. She later joined Convoy OG 60, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 26-1941 and arrived Gibraltar May 10; Snar, however, was bound for Tampa on that occasion, so left the convoy in order to proceed to that destination, where she arrived on May 22, having started out from Clyde on Apr. 27. This convoy will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section; but for now, please see my page listing ships in all OG convoys.

The following month, she's listed, with a cargo of phosphates for Ipswich, in Convoy SC 34, departing Sydney, C.B. on June 10. Snar arrived Ipswich, via Loch Ewe and Methil, on July 5. Having spent a month at Tyne, she later joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 10, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 27. Snar sailed from Loch Ewe on Aug. 29 and arrived Wabana on Sept. 13, the convoy having been dispersed on the 11th. According to A. Hague, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy SC 45*, originating in Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 18, arriving Liverpool on Oct. 4; Snar, however, joined this convoy from Wabana, cargo of iron ore, station 46, stopping at Belfast Lough on Oct. 3, later proceeding to Swansea and Port Talbot - see Page 2. Bjerka, Libra, Nea, Orania, Rio Verde, Solhavn, Trolla and Varanger also took part in this convoy. In Nov.-1941, we find her in station 23 of the westbound Convoy ON 33, bound for St. John's, N.F., arriving Nov. 22, heading back to the U.K. on Dec. 16 with Convoy SC 60 from Sydney, C.B., bound for Middlesbrough, cargo of iron ore. She arrived that destination, via Loch Ewe and Methil Roads, on Jan. 4-1942.

At the beginning of Febr.-1942, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 62*, but returned to port, arriving Oban Febr. 3, subsequently joining Convoy ON 64* from there. This convoy, which also included Bruse Jarl, Frontenac and Primero, had originated in Liverpool on Febr. 7 and arrived Halifax on the 24th; Snar, however, was bound for Boston, where she arrived Febr. 26, having sailed from Oban Febr. 8. Acanthus and Rose are named among the escorts; see ON convoy escorts. On March 12 she can be found, with steel and timber for Cardiff and Southampton, in station 84 of Convoy SC 74 from Halifax. Arrival Southampton is given as Apr. 1 on Page 2, and later that month, she went back across the ocean with Convoy ON 90*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 28 and arrived Halifax May 15. This time, she was bound for Montreal, where she arrived May 18 (according to Page 3), having started out from Milford Haven on Apr. 27. Again, several Norwegian ships are listed, namely Aun, Bjørkhaug, Borgholm, Heimgar, Lido, Lisbeth, Nea, Norjerv, Norvarg, Ørnefjell, Rio Verde, Selbo, Suderøy and Velox. From Montreal, Snar made a voyage to Rimouski then on to Sydney, C.B., subsequently joining the slow Convoy SC 87 on June 12, cargo of lumber for London.

In July-1942 we find her, with Bollsta, Bur, Cetus, Ledaal and Vanja, as well as the Panamanian Norvik (which is listed under the N's on this website because she had Norwegian managers) in the westbound Convoy ON 116*, which left Liverpool on July 25. Snar sailed from Loch Ewe that day, arriving Wabana on Aug. 7. A week later, she joined the Newfoundland portion of Convoy SC 96, cargo of iron ore for Newport, with arrival there on Aug. 27. She headed back in the other direction again with Convoy ON 132*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 19, arriving New York Oct. 8, but Snar stopped at Halifax on Oct. 7, having sailed from Milford Haven on Sept. 18, Belfast Lough on the 20th (again, see Page 3). Acanthus is again named among the escorts, as are Eglantine, Montbretia and Potentilla, and Askeladden, Borgholm, Gezina, Loke, Pollux and Ravnefjell also took part.

A. Hague has now included Snar in Convoy HX 212, originating in New York on Oct. 18-1942 (arriving Liverpool on Nov. 2). Frontenac was torpedoed and damaged and Kosmos II was sunk, among others - please follow the links for more details; the Commodore's report is also available. The Norwegian Abraham Lincoln served as Vice Commodore Ship. Snar is said to have joined from Halifax and only went as far as St. John's, N.F. with this convoy, arriving there on Oct. 23. Note that she's not mentioned at all in the original convoy documents that have been used to assemble the information on my page about HX 212, but from Page 3, we learn that she did leave Halifax on Oct 19 and arrived St. John's on the 23rd, proceeding to Botwood the next day, returning to St. John's early the following month. From there, she subsequently joined the St. John's portion of Convoy SC 108* (again according to A. Hague), which had started out in New York on Nov. 1 and arrived Liverpool on the 19th; Snar, cargo of paper, had sailed from St. John's on Nov. 7. Bonneville, Brand (returned), Granfoss, Torfinn Jarl and Vanja are also listed in this convoy. From Liverpool, Snar continued to Ellesmere Port, Manchester, Partington and Eastham, and her last Trans-Atlantic convoy voyage that year was made in Convoy ON 150*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 1 and arrived New York Dec. 25, but Snar put in at St. John's, N.F. on Dec. 22 - reason not known (perhaps she had suffered some weather damage?). She had again been in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely Bernhard, Carrier, Rio Branco and Sirehei.

Snar now appears to have remained at St. John's for a long time - Page 3 gives departure as March 19-1943, when she proceeded to Halifax, then on to Boston, spending a month there before continuing to New Haven (see Page 4). On May 18 I have her in Convoy SC 131 from Halifax; escorted by Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose for a while. As can be seen in her Voyage Record, she spent a month at Tyne that summer, then proceeded to Oban, and from there, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 14*, originating in Liverpool on July 26, arriving Halifax Aug. 9; according to the archive document (Page 4), Snar arrived Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 8, having sailed from Oban on July 27. The Norwegian Acasta, Bestik, Boreas, Karmt, Marie Bakke, Norhauk, Solstad and Tercero are also listed. Having made voyages to Quebec and Rimouski, Snar returned to Sydney, C.B. in order to join the Sydney section of the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 141, cargo of steel and lumber for London. With Arosa, Bestik, Cetus, Elg, Iron Baron, Solstad, Tercero, Tropic Star and Vinland, she later returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ONS 20* (from Liverpool Oct. 9, to Halifax Oct. 26 - Snar joined from Loch Ewe). After a visit to Nelson, N.B. she proceeded to Sydney, C.B., joining the Sydney portion of Convoy SC 147 on Nov. 20. She had a cargo of steel and lumber for Grimsby, where she arrived, via Loch Ewe and Methil, on Dec. 9. This was her last North Atlantic voyage for quite some time. It'll be noticed, when going to Page 5, that she later had quite a long stay in Hull.

In Febr.-1944, we find her voyaging from Oban to Lisbon in Convoy OS 68/KMS 42. The Gibraltar portion, in which Snar sailed (KMS 42*) arrived there on Febr. 25; Snar arrived Lisbon that day (having sailed from Oban on the 13th). She returned to the U.K. the following month with Convoy SL 152/MKS 43, voyage from Aguilas to Clyde with iron ore, joining from Gibraltar with the MKS* portion, together with Astrid, Lisbeth, Cetus and Slemmestad. She's also listed in Convoy OS 76/KMS 50* in May that year, voyage Altbea-Bizerta with coal in station 34, sailing right next to Cetus in station 44. According to A. Hague, she made a voyage from Bizerta to Gibraltar in June, having joined Convoy MKS 53*, which arrived Gibraltar (from Port Said) on June 29 - Snar had sailed from Bizerta on June 25. The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page says she was scheduled for Convoy SL 163/MKS 54 in July (in the SL portion, which originated in Freetown on July 1), but there's a note saying she did not sail. However, there seems to be some disagreement on this; according to A. Hague, she did sail in this convoy, having joined the SL portion from Casablanca. SL 163 joined up with MKS 54* on July 11, proceeding to the U.K. as a combined convoy, with arrival Liverpool on July 22; Snar stopped at Loch Ewe the day before, continuing to Aberdeen the next day. Please follow the links provided in the Voyage Record above for further dates and more convoy info. See also Page 5 for comparison (this document also shows another long stay at Tyne that summer).

In Sept.-1944, she made another Trans-Atlantic voyage, having joined the westbound Convoy ON 251*, which left Liverpool on Sept. 1 and arrived New York on the 19th; Snar arrived Nelson, N.B. on Sept. 17, having sailed from Belfast Lough Sept. 1. Bernhard, Elg, Evanger, Ferncliff (returned), Fjordheim (sunk - follow link for details), Germa, Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Rutenfjell, Thorhild, Tungsha (Commodore Vessel), Veni and Vera are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norbris, which had Norwegian managers and can be found under the N's on this website. Several of these ships, including Snar, returned in Convoy SC 158, which originated in Halifax on Oct. 4, but Snar joined with the Sydney, C.B. portion. She had a cargo of lumber for Immingham, where she arrived, via Oban and Methil, on Oct. 25. The following month she's listed, with Evanger, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Marie Bakke, Minerva, Snar, Sommerstad, Tropic Star, Velox, Veni and Vinga, in the westbound Convoy ONS 36*, departing Liverpool on Nov. 13, arriving Halifax Dec. 3; Snar, however, arrived St. John, N.B. on Dec. 4, having started out from Loch Ewe - her voyages in this period are shown on Page 6 (as can be seen, she subsequently remained in St. John for a month).

In Jan.-1945, she's listed, with a cargo of flour for London, in Convoy SC 165, departing Halifax on Jan. 16, arriving Liverpool on the 31st - Snar arrived Swansea on Febr. 2.

The rest of ther 1945 voyages are shown on Page 6 and Page 7 (it'll be noticed that she occasionally had long stays in port). Convoy information for some of them can be found in A. Hague's Voyage Record. Page 7 indicates that she finally got to go home to Norway in Jan.-1946.

* The unlinked ON and ONS convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys and on the page for ships in all ONS convoys. Note also that the entire SC series and the HX series will be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, see ships in all SC convoys and ships in all HX convoys. All the KMS and MKS convoys will also eventually be added, see ships in KMS convoys and ships in MKS 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.

POST WAR:

Laid up in Haugesjøen from Jan. 21-1958, tied up to Hasseløy. Sold to Brødrene Anda, Stavanger in May-1963, converted to a barge and renamed Rans. In use as grain storage, reported broken up in 1976.

Related external links:
OB convoys - The site also has a section on the SL Convoys, and many others. As can be seen, Snar is mentioned in Convoy OB 88 and in SL 163/MKS 54, with a note saying "did not sail". She's not included in Convoy SL 25 in this particular section of the site (instead, the Norwegian Star is listed, which I believe must be an error - follow the link to Star for an explanation) - Snar is included in this convoy in the section based on A. Hague's database; see Convoy SL 25. Additionally, A. Hague has named her in SL 163/MKS 54 (in other words, according to him, she did sail in this convoy).

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

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Bachke & Co. fleet list, Finn R. Hansen - and misc. other as named within the above text.