D/S Star
(Updated Dec. 25-2007)

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

Misc. War Voyages:

NOTE: By going to this external site and clicking on "Ship Search", using "Star" as keyword, several convoys will come up. However, you'll have to sift through a lot of other ships that have the letters STAR in the name and, therefore, in order to help you locate and access the ones in which Star sailed more quickly, I've linked directly to them in my text on this page (usually, no destination is given for Star when in these convoys).

Links to convoys that are available on my own site are in bold text, links going to the external site mentioned above are in regular text.

1940:

Star is listed in Convoy HN 17 from Norway to the U.K. in March-1940, bound for Bristol with general cargo. Strangely, at the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she shows up in Convoy SL 25 towards the end of that month (this convoy left Freetown on March 22-1940 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 8), but since she was in HN 17 in Norwegian waters, I believe this must be an error - it looks like it should be the Norwegian Snar (see text at the link). In fact, she also appears in the U.K. to Norway Convoy ON 25, which left Methil on Apr. 5-1940. Due to the German invasion of Norway on Apr. 9, 17 ships in this convoy turned back for Kirkwall, and Star must have been one of them, since she sailed under Allied control for the rest of the war. The following month she's included in Convoy FS 160, leaving Tyne on May 1-1940, to Southend May 3.

About a month later she's listed, together with the Norwegian Mammy, in Convoy 63 X, departing Verdon on June 6-1940, arriving Casablanca June 13. A French visitor to my site has told me that she sailed from Gibraltar on June 14-1940 in an un-numbered convoy (ships had been evacuated in emergency from Brest) under French escort, and was at Oran on June 15. A little over a week later she joined the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HG Z, which left Gibraltar on June 24-1940. Her destination on that occasion is given as Sydney, C.B., so she must have left this convoy at some point in order to proceed to that destination. She headed back to the U.K. at the end of July in Convoy HX 62, joining from Sydney, C.B. The final destination of this convoy was Liverpool, but it looks like Star left before it arrived there (Aug. 15), because she's listed in Convoy FS 256 from Tyne on Aug. 18-1940, to Southend Aug. 20. The following month she's included in Convoy OA 220, which left Methil on Sept. 26, dispersed Sept. 28; no voyage information is provided, but she must have gone back across the Atlantic, because Star, with a cargo of lumber for London, 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. It looks like she stopped at Clyde (while the main convoy arrived Liverpool on Nov. 26), because on Nov. 27 she shows up in Convoy WN 45 from there, which arrived Methil on Dec. 1. She's also listed in Convoy EN 49 from Methil on Dec. 30-1940, to Oban Jan. 3-1941.

1941:

She must have headed back to Halifax again, because towards the end of Febr.-1941 we find her, with a cargo of lumber for Belfast, in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 24. In Apr. she's listed in Convoy OG 58*, from Liverpool Apr. 6-1941, to Gibraltar Apr. 21. Her destination is given as Halifax, so she must have left this Gibraltar bound convoy at some point in order to proceed across the North Atlantic. She returned to the U.K. the following month in the slow Convoy SC 31, lumber for London, and again it looks like she stopped at Clyde (main convoy arrived Liverpool May 30), because on May 29 she appears in Convoy WN 134 from Clyde, which arrived Methil on June 2. About a month later she shows up, with destination Montreal, in Convoy OB 343, leaving Liverpool on July 6-1941, dispersed July 21, returning to the U.K. with Convoy SC 39, which left Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 1-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 19th. However, it looks like Star stopped at Oban first, because she's listed in Convoy WN 168 from there on Aug. 16, arrival Methil on the 18th; having said that, she may not have sailed (or returned to port), because she shows up again in the next convoy, WN 169, leaving Oban on Aug. 17, arriving Methil on the 21st. Later that month she's listed in Convoy EC 66, from Southend Aug. 28-1941, to Clyde Sept. 2. She subsequently joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 12, which had departed Liverpool on Sept. 1, heading back to the U.K. early the following month in the slow Sydney, C.B.-U.K. Convoy SC 48 in which the Norwegian Erviken, Ila, Rym and Barfonn were sunk. Star's destination is given as Glasgow, cargo of flour, station 63, and as will be seen by going to the cruising order for SC 48, the ship on either side of her was torpedoed, as were 2 ships behind her, but she escaped harm. On Nov. 5 that year she's listed in Convoy WN 202 from Oban, to Methil Nov. 8.

1942 - 1943:

Again, a reminder that the links in bold text go to pages on my own site, while the others go to the external site mentioned under "NOTE" above.

Early in the new year we find Star in Convoy WN 230, departing Oban on Jan. 11-1942, to Methil Jan. 14. The following month she's listed in Convoy EN 41, from Methil Febr. 3, to Oban Febr. 5. She now appears in Convoy BB 134, from Belfast Lough Febr. 7-1942, to Milford Haven Febr. 9, and about a month later in Convoy BB 145, from Belfast Lough March 6, to Milford Haven the next day. Later that month we find her in Convoy BB 152, from Belfast Lough March 23, to Milford Haven the next day.

Towards the end of Apr.-1942 she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 88*, departing Liverpool Apr. 21-1942. Her destination was Halifax, and she returned to the U.K. at the end of May in Convoy SC 85 from Sydney, C.B., cargo of lumber for Liverpool, then went back to Sydney, C.B. with the westbound Convoy ON 108*, which left Liverpool on June 30-1942. In the middle of the following month she's listed in the Halifax-Sydney, C.B. Convoy HS 30, departing July 17-1942, arriving July 19, and on the 24th she's said to have joined Convoy SQ 22 from Sydney, C.B., to Father Point July 27. On Aug. 22-1942 (Star had arrived Halifax from Sydney, C.B. that same day with Convoy SH 36), she's listed in station 33 of Convoy SC 97 from Halifax to the U.K., in which the Norwegian Bronxville was sunk. On Sept. 25 she appears in Convoy BB 223 from Belfast Lough, to Milford Haven the next day. About a month later she's listed, with no voyage information, in Convoy KX 4A, from Clyde Oct. 22-1942, to Gibraltar Nov. 4.

In Dec.-1942 the Allies established a firm grip on the military situation in North Africa. The Germans were well aware of the importance of the allied convoys to the area, and they were the subject of intense attacks (see Albert L. Ellsworth and M/T Minister Wedel). U-boats gathered off Gibraltar, while the ports in North Africa were constantly attacked from the air, Bone bearing the brunt of these attacks. Many ships were sunk in the harbour, while others went down on the way there, or on their return voyages. On Jan. 2-1943, 10 Ju 87's approached the harbour. 2 British merchant ships* and a war ship were destroyed, and among the vessels damaged was D/S Star, with a cargo of ammunition. Her engine was damaged from the detonations nearby, and she was close to a British tanker that had caught on fire, but with the help of a tug the captain was able to move Star away from the flames. See also D/S Selvik. (D/S Akabahra was also affected by the situation in this area in Jan.-1943).

* This was probably Empire Metal and St. Merriel - ref. my Notes for Convoy KMS 5.

George Monk, England has told me that Captain Begby received the British "HonMBE(Civ)" (=Member of the British Empire) - his source: Seedies List of awards to the British Merchant Navy which includes awards to Allied merchant seamen.

Star is mentioned in connection with Convoy KMS 10, which had left Clyde for Gibraltar and North Africa on Febr. 26-1943. Note that she was not present in the convoy from the U.K., but is said to have joined on March 11, together with Bjørkhaug (see narrative for that date on my page about KMS 10).

Going back to the external site at the end of this page, Star can be found in Convoy SL 133 / MKS 18 in July/Aug.-1943, joining from Gibraltar with the MKS portion on July 26-1943, voyage Algiers/Gibraltar-Belfast with general cargo, station 52 (the Gibraltar portion is also available on my own site at MKS 18). This convoy arrived Liverpool on Aug. 5-1943. The same site has her as going in the other direction with Convoy OS 56 / KMS 29* in Oct.-1943 (left Liverpool on Oct. 7, split up on Oct. 18), Star voyaging from Liverpool to Seville with general cargo in station 27. The KMS portion, in which Star and a couple of other Norwegian ships sailed, arrived Gibraltar on Oct. 20 (while the rest of the convoy continued to Freetown, with arrival there on Oct. 29). Follow the link provided for further convoy details. She subsequently appears in Convoy UGS 23, which had originated in Hampton Roads on Nov. 4-1943 (arrived Port Said Dec. 1), however, Star joined this convoy from Bone and was bound for Augusta. Later that month she's listed, with no voyage information, in Convoy VN 10A, which left Augusta on Nov. 28-1943 and arrived Naples on Nov. 30. The following month she's listed as bound from Bizerta to Bone only in Convoy GUS 24 (convoy had left Port Said on Dec. 6-1943, with fnal destination Hampton Roads, arriving there on Jan. 3-1944). She subsequently made a voyage from Bone to Augusta in Convoy KMS 35* (from Gibraltar Dec. 22-1943, to Port Said Jan. 1-1944).

1944:

At the beginning of 1944 Star is said to have joined Convoy AH 16, which left Augusta on Jan. 2 and arrived Bari on Jan. 4 - no specific voyage information is provided for Star. A few days later she shows up in Convoy HA 17, leaving Bari on Jan. 9, arriving Augusta Jan. 12 - again, no voyage information is given for Star. We now find her in the Alexandria portion of Convoy MKS 37, voyage Augusta-Bougie (scroll down to the second table on my page for this convoy), and she subsequently appears in Convoy KMS 39*, departing Gibraltar on Jan. 28-1944 (to Port Said Febr. 7) - Star's voyage: Bougie to Augusta. Convoy AH 23A departed Augusta on Febr. 9-1944, arrived Bari on the 11th, and Star is included in the list of ships, as well as among the ships in Convoy HA 25, from Bari Febr. 18, to Augusta Febr. 20. She's also included, on a voyage from Augusta to Philippeville, in Convoy MKS 41* (which had left Port Said on Febr. 19-1944, to Gibraltar March 2), and later in Convoy KMS 43* (from Gibraltar March 6, to Port Said March 16) - voyage Philippeville to Augusta, and in Convoy VN 27, from Augusta March 13, to Naples March 15. She then made a voyage from Augusta to Algiers in Convoy MKS 44* (from Port Said March 20, to Gibraltar Apr. 1), and is later said to have made a voyage from Algiers to Oran only in Convoy GUS 35, which had left Port Said on March 25-1944 (the convoy's final destination was Hampton Roads Apr. 22). She's also listed in Convoy KMS 51*, from Gibraltar May 28 (to Port Said June 9) - voyage Algiers to Malta, then shows up in Convoy AH 50, from Augusta June 20, to Bari June 22, and in Convoy HA 51, from Bari June 27, to Augusta June 29, as well as in Convoy VN 50, from Augusta July 1, to Naples next day, and in Convoy TC 25, from Tunis July 25-1944, to Cagliari July 27. (All the links in this paragraph, except Convoy MKS 37, go to external pages).

Star took part in the allied invasion of the coast between Cannes and Toulon on Aug. 15-1944. (Roald Amundsen, Elise [fleet oiler] and Audun also took part). Close to 900 ships participated in this operation.

She now appears in the following convoys, according to the external website already mentioned:
Convoy SM 6, from Naples Sept. 1-1944 (to South France), Convoy AH 69, from Augusta Sept. 24, to Bari Sept. 27, Convoy AH 72, from Augusta Oct. 9, to Brindisi Oct. 11, Convoy HA 73, from Bari Oct. 16, to Augusta Oct. 18, Convoy VN 72, from Naples Oct. 19, to Leghorn Oct. 21, and in Convoy SM 17A, from Naples Oct. 26, to Toulon Oct. 29.

1945:

In Jan.-1945 she's listed in Convoy AH 2, leaving Bari on Jan. 18, arriving Ancona the next day, and a few days later in Convoy HA 5/2, from Ancona Jan. 24, to Bari Jan. 26. The following month she's included in Convoy AH 7 (from Bari Febr. 5, to Ancona next day), and in Convoy HA 11/2, from Ancona Febr. 10, to Bari, Star's destination, the next day, as well as in Convoy AH 12 (from Bari Febr. 22, to Ancona the next day), Convoy HA 16A, from Ancona Febr. 28, to Bari March 1, Convoy AH 21 (from Barletta March 19, to Ancona next day), and Convoy HA 22/2, from Ancona March 23, dispersed off Bari next day - her destination was Brindisi for orders. A couple of months later we find her in Convoy AV 3, from Ancona June 4, to Venice next day, Convoy VA 4A, from Venice June 10, to Ancona next day. Not sure if she sailed in the latter, or perhaps she returned to Venice(?), because she's also listed in Convoy VA 5, which left Venice on June 12 and arrived Ancona the next day. (Again, all the links in this paragraph are external).

* All the ON convoys mentioned on this page are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, please go to these convoys in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. The KMS and MKS convoys will also be added; for now they can be found in the sections listing ships in all KMS convoys, and ships in all MKS convoys. Additionally, all the OG convoys will be added - see ships in all OG convoys.

POST WAR:

Sold in 1950 and renamed Süllberg. Sold in 1954 to Kyrtatis Bros & Co, Andros, Greece, and renamed Leonidas A. Kyrtatis (Greek flag). Sold in 1959 to Jugometal, Yugoslavia, and renamed Zlatibor. Sold to Brodospas, Split, where she arrived on Nov. 8-1959 to be broken up.

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

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, E-mails from Roger W. Jordan - and misc.