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M/T Solfonn To Solfonn on the "Ships starting with S" page. Owner: Skibs-A/S Dalfonn Built by Deutsche Werft AG, Betrieb Finkenwärder, Hamburg, Germany in 1939. ("Nortraships flåte" says she was built in 1919, printing error?). Captain: Severin Waage.
Solfonn is listed among the ships in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 46 in May-1940, bound for Milford Haven with fuel oil - several Norwegian ships took part. The following month she's listed as bound for Aruba in Convoy OB 172, which left Liverpool on June 22 and dispersed on the 26th, returning to the U.K. in July in Convoy HX 60 with a cargo of fuel and diesel oil for Clyde, again joining from Bermuda. She's also listed as bound for Aruba from Liverpool in station 53 of Convoy OB 221, which left Liverpool on Sept. 29-1940 (Gallia and Torvanger are also included - see external links below). She later joined Convoy HX 84 (Bermuda portion), escorted by the well known Jervis Bay, captain Fegen. This convoy, which had left Halifax on Oct. 28, was attacked by Admiral Scheer (Krancke) on Nov. 5-1940 - the battle is described at the link to Jervis Bay below. Jervis Bay ordered the convoy to disperse, and Solfonn made it to safety, as did the other Norwegian ships, Hjalmar Wessel, D/S Varøy and D/S Cetus. Solfonn and Hjalmar Wessel had both seen an unknown motor vessel passing in front of the convoy from the south to the north earlier that day; this turned out to be the British Mopan which sailed independently, and which encountered Admiral Sheer and was sunk before she could send a radio warning to the convoy about the imminent danger. ("Nortraships flåte" claims that Sommerstad was also in Convoy HX 84, however, she's not listed in this convoy, as can be seen by following the link above. See also this message in my Guestbook).
Towards the end of Nov.-1940 Solfonn was scheduled for Convoy OB 246 (left Liverpool on Nov. 20), bound for Aruba, but did not sail, and shows up again in Convoy OB 249, which left Liverpool on Nov. 24 and dispersed on the 28th. Again, see the external links at the end of this page. In the spring of 1941 she's listed in Convoy SL 67, departing Freetown on March 1, arriving Liverpool on the 26th. She subsequently shows up in Convoy OB 310, departing Liverpool on Apr. 13, dispersed on the 18th. Her destination is again given as Aruba. She returned to the U.K. in May in Convoy HX 127, joining with the Bermuda section of the convoy, which had quite a few Norwegian ships. Solfonn was bound for Scapa with fuel oil. The following month she's listed as bound for New York in Convoy OB 331, which left Liverpool on June 8, dispersed June 19. Again, ref external links provided below for more on these OB convoys (as well as the SL convoys). In July that same year she shows up in Convoy HX 138, bound for Mersey, returning across the ocean the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 5; her destination was again New York. She subsequently went back to the U.K. in Sept. with Convoy HX 150 (station 44) along with the Norwegian Fenris (83), Heina (64), Havkong (84), Garonne (62), Thorshavet (33), Topdalsfjord (34), Varanger (66?) and Braganza (66?). Some of these ships, including Solfonn, then joined the westbound Convoy ON 24* in Oct. (left Liverpool Oct. 8, dispersed 15th), and the following month she joined Convoy HX 161, together with the Norwegian Havprins, Havkong, Vav, Nueva Andalucia, an unnamed freighter, and 3 unnamed tankers. Christmas that year was celebrated while in the westbound Convoy ON 48*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 19, dispersed on the 31st; Solfonn's destination is given as Houston on that occasion. In Jan.-1942 Solfonn is listed among the ships leaving Halifax to form Convoy HX 172. There's a notation on the form saying "leaves convoy north of tower"; this could possibly mean she did not sail? Towards the end of Febr.-1942 she's listed, with destination Aruba, in the westbound Convoy ON 71*, which departed Liverpool on Febr. 26, dispersed March 8. In Apr. that year I have her in Convoy HX 183, and in May she's listed, again with destination Aruba, in the westbound Convoy ON 93*, departing Liverpool on May 8, dispersed May 17. That summer she sailed in Convoy SL 114, which departed Freetown on June 25-1942 and arrived Liverpool on July 17. Solfonn had station 83, cargo of diesel oil, bound for Belfast. The Norwegian Belnor, Norholm, Vanja and Villanger also took part in SL 114, as did Norbris (Panamanian flag). Sveve was scheduled but did not join (sailed in the next convoy). More details on this convoy are available at one of the external links at the end of this page. Solfonn subsequently returned to Aruba just a few days later, having joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 115*, which left Liverpool on July 24-1942. There's now a big gap in my voyage information for Solfonn, but by following the instructions at the first external link below, some of these gaps will be filled with a few 1942 and 1943 voyages. Towards the end of Febr.-1944 I have her in Convoy HX 280 from New York, diesel oil for Clyde, returning across the ocean in March with the westbound Convoy ON 228* (departure Liverpool March 15, arrival New York Apr. 1 - Solfonn's destination is not given). In Apr. that year she's listed as bound for Clyde in Convoy HX 286, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 234* later that month (left Liverpool Apr. 26, arrived New York May 12). She was scheduled for Convoy HX 292 in May, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 293, returning in June with the westbound Convoy ON 241*, which departed Liverpool on June 18 and arrived New York on July 2. Later that month she joined Convoy HX 299, and early in Aug. we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 248F* (left Liverpool on Aug. 6, arrived New York on the 20th). She headed back to the U.K. towards the end of that month with Convoy HX 305, joining the westbound Convoy ON 255* in Sept. (departure Liverpool Sept. 22, arrival New York Oct. 9), and in the middle of Oct. she went back to the U.K. in HX 314, bound for Swansea and Avonmouth. Early in Nov.-1944 she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 264*, which left Southend on Nov. 3 and arrived New York on the 21st, then in Dec. she joined Convoy HX 326, bound for Clyde. Solfonn wasted no time; already at the beginning of Jan.-1945 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 276*, which departed Southend on Jan. 2 and arrived New York on the 18th, returning to the U.K. later that month with the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 334, bound for Southampton and Swansea. Towards the end of Febr.-1945 she headed in the other direction again with Convoy ON 287* (left Febr. 25, arrived New York March 14), and must have gone back to the U.K.**, because early in Apr.-1945 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 295* (left Liverpool Apr. 7, arrived New York on the 26th), and again must have headed back to the U.K.**, because in May that year she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 304*, which departed on May 21-1945, arrival New York June 5.
Sold in 1951, renamed Bardal. Sold in 1956 to Lovisa Angfartygs A/B, Lovisa, Finland, renamed Angela. Sold to Japanese breakers and on Dec. 11-1963 sailed from Yokohama for Yokosuka to be broken up. Related external links: See also this chronological list of HMS Jervis Bay Caithness Archives, HX 84 SL / SL/MKS convoys - Convoy SL 67 and SL 114 are included (this site is the same as the first OB Convoys site above). Back to Solfonn on the "Ships starting with S" page.
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