Manager: T. Isaksen, Kristiansand
Tonnage: 1142 gt

Delivered from Trondhjems mek. Verksted in Jan.-1918 as Spes to S. O. Stray & Co., Kristiansand. "Våre gamle skip" gives tonnages as 1124 gt, 656 net, 1875 tdwt, 226.1' x 36.5' x 15.7', Triple exp. 170 nhp (by yard).
According to the external page that I've linked to above, she was owned from July-1921 by A/S Norsk Rutefart (S.O. Stray & Co. A/S), Kristiansand, and from 1926 by A/S Songvaar (T. Isaksen), Kristiansand.

Captain: Sten Bustvik.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10 | Page 11 | Page 12 | Page 13 | Page 14

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (it'll be noticed that some of the external listings are incomplete).

Errors may exist (this could also mean that she may not have sailed in all the convoys mentioned here). Also, several voyages are missing.

A. Hague has included Spes in Convoy HN 8 from Norway to the U.K. in Jan.-1940. The following month, he has her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 15. As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, she was en route from Requejada to Norway when war broke out on Apr. 9, but was diverted to Bordeaux, eventually arriving there on May 16. From France, she later made a voyage to Bone, having sailed in Convoy 59 X, together with Brasil and Granfoss (ref. external link provided within the Voyage Record).

Carrying 11 refugees to the U.K., she's said to have been the last ship to leave Sete, France during the chaotic days of June-1940 when the evacuations were taking place (not evident from the archive document). Early the following month we find her in Convoy HG 37, which left Gibraltar on July 7 and arrived Liverpool on the 16th - again, see Page 1 for details on her voyages in this period.

In Sept.-1940 she's listed, along with the Norwegian Favorit, in Convoy OA 209, departing Methil on Sept. 4, dispersed on the 9th. Her destination is not given (ref. link in table above), but from the archive document, we learn that she arrived Yarmouth, N.S. on Sept. 23, later proceeding to St. John, N.B. and Halifax, then on to Sydney, C.B. in order to join Convoy SC 10 back to the U.K. on Oct. 29. Svein Jarl and Gaston Micard are also listed. Spes had a cargo of lumber for Preston, where she arrived Nov. 14.

In the course of 1941 she mostly made voyages around the U.K. (see Page 1 and Page 2), until that summer, when she's listed as bound for Nelson, N.B. in station 23 of Convoy OB 347, which left Liverpool on July 16 and dispersed on the 31st, Spes arriving her destination on Aug. 3, according to Page 3. The Norwegian Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Bjørkhaug, Fido, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga, Maridal, Orania, Siak and Sveve are also listed in this convoy. According to A. Hague, Spes subsequently joined Convoy SC 41, departing Sydney, C.B on Aug. 24, arriving Liverpool on Sept. 11, again with Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga and Siak in company, as well as Audun, Blink, Carrier (returned), Einvik (sunk, follow link for details), Evviva, Fagersten, Fanefjeld, Grado, Heien, Hildur I, Ledaal, Lom, Nesttun, Orania (returned) and Reiaas. Going back to the archive document, we see that Spes only went as far as St. John's, N.F. on this occasion, remaining there for a month before joining Convoy SC 47. This convoy originated in Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 29 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 20; Spes, cargo of lumber, station 62, arrived Oban Oct. 17, having sailed from St. John's on Oct. 1. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Berto, Bestik, Danio, Don, Fido, Heimgar, Ingertre, Marit II, Petter II (returned), Veni and Victo. Eglantine is named among the escorts for a while, but I'm not sure if she had come under the Norwegian flag yet at that time (see SC convoy escorts).

It'll be noticed, when going to Page 9, that she appears to have spent a long time at Hartlepool in 1943/1944. She had arrived there on Sept. 15-1943, and departure is given as Febr. 15-1944 - the reason for this long stay is not known.

Spes took part in Operation Neptune, arriving Normandy on June 8-1944 with ammunition, finished unloading on the 18th, according to "Nortraships flåte".

As can be seen on Page 13, she got to go home to Norway already in June-1945, making another voyage home the following month.

For more information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Related external links:
Operation Neptune

The invasion of Normany - Operation Neptune

Normandy landings

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc.

Aa–Al	An–Ar	As–Av	Ba	Be	Bi–Bl	Bo	Br–Bu	C	D
E	F	G	Ha	He	Hi–Hy	Hø	I	J	K
L	M	N	O	PQ	R	Sa–Sc	Se–Sj	Sk–Sn	So
Sp–St	Su–Sø	Ta–Te	Th–Ti	To	Tr–Tø	U	V	W	Ø

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