D/S Spurt

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

Built in Michigan in 1918. Previous name: Craincreek until 1929.

Misc. War Details:

Spurt, with a cargo of pit props for Tyne, was one of several Norwegian ships in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 11 in Nov.-1940, in which Bruse and Salonica were sunk, among others. Spurt rescued the entire crew from the British Alma Dawson (from SC 11) which struck a British mine and sank 55 32N 04 44W on Nov. 24-1940 (Firth of Clyde area).

George Monk, England has told me that a Captain Olaf Pedersen of Spurt received a British "Commendation", possibly for the above rescue? - his source: Seedies List of awards to the British Merchant Navy which includes awards to Allied merchant seamen.

In Sept.-1942 she's listed among the ships in Convoy SC 100 from Halifax. However, she must have returned to port, because she also shows up in the next convoy, SC 101.

Spurt is also listed in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 7 in May-1943 along with several other Norwegian ships, then returned to the U.K. with Convoy SC 134 on June 16 (as will be seen by following the links, many of the other ships in ONS 7 also returned with the latter convoy).

The following month, in July-1943, she made a voyage from Milford to Lisbon with coal in Convoy OS 52/KMS 21, station 16. Ref. the first external website that I've linked to below - several other Norwegian ships are included (see also my own page for KMS 21). The same website also has her in Convoy SL 135/MKS 22, bound for Barrow with iron ore. SL 135 had departed Freetown on Aug. 14-1943, joined up with MKS 22 from Gibraltar on the 26th and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 6. Spurt joined with the MKS convoy from Gibraltar, which is also available on my own site at MKS 22. In Oct. that same year I have her, with a general cargo for Preston, in Convoy MKS 28 (see Hallfried). The following month we find her in Convoy OS 59/KMS 33, voyage Liverpool-Seville with general cargo in station 14, returning to the U.K. in Dec. with Convoy SL 142/MKS 33, cargo of bitter oranges - see also my own page for Convoy MKS 33 (KMS 33 will also be added).

In Apr.-1944 Spurt shows up in the Iceland-U.K. Convoy RU 117, bound for Sharpness with U.S. Government stores.

Related external links:
OS and OS/KMS Convoys - The site also has a section on the SL/MKS Convoys, going in the other direction. As can be seen, Spurt is listed in Convoy OS 52/KMS 21, SL 135/MKS 22, OS 59/KMS 33 and SL 142/MKS 33.

S/S Spurt - Technical info and picture of funnel (Darren Dypevåg's site).

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

Other ships by this name: This company had another Spurt post war. This was the ex Liberty Ship Henry Watterson, built 1943, 7225 gt, which became Spurt in Aug.-1947. Came under Lebanese flag as Spartan for Cia. Mar. Angelikana S. A., Panama in 1961. Ran aground in fog at Pasa Buenavista, Cuba on Dec. 13-1961 on voyage Gdansk-Cienfuegos with cargo of cement. Refloated on May 29-1962 and towed to Havana, but declared total loss and scrapped. Norway had previously had another steamship by this name, built Sunderland 1885, 1089 gt, and had the name Primula (Hj. Siegwarth, Kristiania) from 1898 till 1903. She was owned by A/S Spurt (N. A. P. Staubo), Kristiania in 1915 so it's reasonable to think that's when she was renamed Spurt. Aground near Whitby in Febr.-1918.