M/S Sørvard
Updated Dec. 7-2010

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

Source: Historical Department, MAN B&W Diesel, Copenhagen, who also sent me this picture from her launching.

Source: Kaare S. Sidselrud, Norway (see Lidvard).
Another picture is available on this external page (click in it to enlarge).

Judging from the information found on Page 1 of the archive documents, Sørvard was in Calcutta when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. She had arrived there from Rangoon on Apr. 6 and departure is given as Apr. 19.

She was 1 of the 26 Norwegian ships interned in North and West Africa - the names of all of them are available at Interned Ships. According to "Nortraships flåte" she was interned in Dakar on June 22-1940 (as will be seen when going back to the archive document, she had arrived Dakar from Bathurst that same day).

"Sjømann - Lang Vakt" by Guri Hjeltnes says she had a crew of 26, 25 of whom were Norwegian, 18 escaped, 1 went home (Engineer Einar Eide, who contracted malaria, was sent to Marseilles, then to Norway where he died in Apr.-1947).

Sørvard was returned to Nortraship's register on March 20-1943 (freed because of the allied invasion of North and West Africa in Nov.-1942 - Operation Torch), and according to Page 1, she left Dakar for Freetown the following day. From Freetown, she travelled to Lagos and Takoradi, then returned to Freetown (convoy information can be found within the Voyage Record above). She subsequently headed to the U.K., having joined Convoy SL 130, together with Bosphorus, Hai Lee, Jenny, San Andres and Tanafjord. This convoy left Freetown on May 30-1943 and joined up with Convoy MKS 14* off Gibraltar on June 11, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on June 21 (Topdalsfjord had joined with the MKS convoy). Sørvard's cargo is given as W. A. produce and mails, voyage Takoradi-Mersey - ref. external link provided in the table above.

It'll be noticed, when going back to Page 1, that she now spent a long time in Liverpool - my guess is she required an overhaul after the long time in internment. Departure is given as Dec. 1, when she proceeded to Halifax, having joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 214*, together with Geisha, Kristianiafjord, Montevideo, Morgenen and Thorhild. The convoy arrived New York City on Dec. 20; Sørvard arrived her destination on Dec. 18.

She headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 277 from New York on Jan. 28-1944, cargo of steel and lumber for Southampton, where she arrived (via Milford Haven) on Febr. 16. A month later she's listed, with Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke, Fernwood, Herbrand, Laurits Swenson (Commodore Vessel), Solfonn and Somerville, in Convoy ON 228*, which originated in Liverpool on March 15 and arrived New York on Apr. 1. Sørvard joined from Belfast Lough - her voyages in this period are shown on Page 2. In May we find her, with a cargo of sugar for Hull, in Convoy HX 292 from New York, and in July she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 243*, which originated in Liverpool on July 3 and arrived New York on the 18th. Sørvard, however, was bound for St. John, N.B., where she arrived on July 17, having started out from Loch Ewe on July 3. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Geisha, Grey County, Kaia Knudsen, Mosli, Norden, Noreg, Norse Lady, Reinholt (Commodore Vessel), Rutenfjell, Skaraas, Sommerstad and Velma.

In Aug.-1944 she sailed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 305, for which Abraham Lincoln served as Commodore Vessel. Sørvard, bound for Cardiff with a cargo of lumber, joined this convoy with the Halifax portion and arrived her destination on Sept. 10 (Page 2). With Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Egerø, Fagerfjell, Ferncourt, Katy, Montevideo, Norsktank, Olaf Bergh and Thorsholm, she later returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 256*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 28 and arrived New York Oct. 12. The following month, she shows up in Convoy HX 318 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo, and her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made with Convoy ON 269*, departing Liverpool on Nov. 29, arriving New York on Dec. 15. Fernwood, Heranger, Orwell, Polartank, Skaraas, Slemmestad and Thorhild are also listed.

With a cargo of sugar she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 332 from New York on Jan. 13-1945 (Solør was torpedoed, follow the link for details - Commodore was again in Abraham Lincoln), and with Kronprinsessen, Montevideo, Skaraas and Thorsholm, she later joined the westbound Convoy ON 285*, which left Southend on Febr. 16 and arrived New York on March 5 (Sørvard had joined this convoy from Clyde). Acanthus and Buttercup are named among the escorts (see ON convoy escorts). Sørvard now remained in New York for several weeks (Page 3).

According to Arnold Hague, she later went back across the Atlantic in Convoy HX 356*, which left New York on May 13 and arrived Liverpool on the 26th. He has also included Dalfonn, Emma Bakke, Fenris, Lista (Vice Commodore) and the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers).

Further voyages are listed on Page 3; as will be seen, she got to go home to Norway in Aug.-1945 and it looks like she remained there for quite a long time. The document shows her voyages to Jan.-1946.

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