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M/S Stirlingville To Stirlingville on the "Ships starting with S" page. Manager: A. F. Klaveness & Co. A/S, Oslo Built in Sunderland in 1935 (W. Doxford & Sons Ltd.). Previous name: Stirling until 1936 (B. J. Sutherland & Co. Ltd., Newcastle). Captains: ? Ulriksen, later Karl Johan Løvik, who had previously been the captain of Granville, Roseville and Fernglen. His story is available in Norwegian at Lillesand Sjømannsforening's website (external link). Related items on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. Errors may exist, and several voyages are missing.
From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that Stirlingville was on her way from New York to Buenos Aires when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940, remaining there for over 3 weeks, before proceeding to Montevideo, then on to Freetown. She's subsequently listed in Convoy SL 35, which left Freetown on June 8 and arrived Liverpool on the 26th; Stirlingville, cargo of grain, stopped at Weymouth Bay on June 25. The Norwegian Eli and Para are also included. The following month, she appears, together with Athene, Cetus and Dux, in Convoy OA 118, departing Methil on July 22, dispersed July 23, Stirlingville arriving Tampa on Aug. 12. Ref. links to these convoys provided within the Voyage Record. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 1 and Page 2 of the archive documents. It'll be noticed that she spent quite a long time in San Francisco at the end of 1941. She had arrived there from Vancouver on Dec. 5 and departure is given as Jan 17-1942, when she proceeded to Portland, Oregon. In the fall of 1942, she's listed in Convoy SL 121, which left Freetown on Sept. 3 and arrived Liverpool on the 21st. Stirlingville, cargo of grain, stopped at Loch Ewe that day. The company's Corneville is also listed. The following month we find her, together with Brush (from Halifax), Corneville, Haakon Hauan (returned), Hallanger, Harpefjell (from Halifax), Norjerv and Solsten, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 140*, originating in Liverpool on Oct. 17, arriving New York Nov. 7. Her voyages in this period are listed on Page 3 - convoy information for some of her subsequent voyages can be found in the table above. As can be seen, she occasionally had long stays in port. Skipping now to July-1943, when she made a voyage from Tripoli to Bizerta, where she arrived on July 20, having sailed in Convoy MKS 18. She left Bizerta again 2 days later, (possibly) joining Convoy MKS 19 to Gibraltar, and from there, she joined Convoy MKS 20 on July 31, bound for Swansea with scrap, arriving there on Aug. 11. A month later, we find her in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 18, which joined up with Convoy ON 202 and lost several ships, including Oregon Express and Skjelbred. Stirlingville was bound for New York again, where she arrived on Oct. 2. Please follow the links for much more information on this convoy battle, including the Commodore's report and several other reports. Stirlingville subsequently remained in New York for several weeks (Page 3), before proceeding to Boston and on to Halifax, and with a general cargo for London, she headed back across the Atlantic again on Nov. 19 in the slow Convoy SC 147. Early in the new year, she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 27*, which originated in Liverpool on Jan. 13-1944 and arrived Halifax on the 31st. Stirlingville, however, was bound for Baltimore, where she arrived (via New York) on Febr. 5, having started out from Oban on Jan. 14. Ferncliff, Fjordheim, Iron Baron (returned), Maud, Norse Lady, Orwell, Petter II, Suderøy (Commodore Vessel - returned) and Vinland are also listed - Buttercup, which later came under the Norwegian flag following the loss of Tunsberg Castle, is named among the escorts (see ONS convoy ecorts). With a general cargo for Manchester, she's later listed among the ships leaving Halifax with Convoy SC 154 on Febr. 28, and arrived her destination on March 16/17, according to Page 4. Together with Alaska, Chr. Th. Boe, Fjordheim, Minerva, Ragnhild, Tropic Star and Tungsha, she subsequently went back in the other direction in Convoy ONS 32*, departing Liverpool on March 28, arriving Halifax Apr. 18; Stirlingville was again bound for New York, arriving there on Apr. 20. Some of these ships, including Stirlingville, headed back to the U.K. on May 10 in Convoy HX 291 from New York, for which Høyanger served as the Vice Commodore's ship. Stirlingville was bound for Manchester with a general cargo, with arrival May 29/30, remaining there for 3 weeks. She later returned to New York with Convoy ON 242*, which left Liverpool on June 25-1944 and arrived New York July 11, and also included Ferncliff, Fernmoor, Fjordheim, Havkong, Marit II, Molda, Peik, Samuel Bakke (Vice Commodore), Skiensfjord, Solstad, Solsten, Tercero, Thorshov and Vera. Having made a voyage to Philadelphia, Stirlingville returned to New York (Page 4) and on Aug. 11, we find her in the large Convoy HX 303 with 16 other Norwegian ships, namely Tanafjord, Dalfonn, Noravind, Atlantic, Sommerstad, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Thorhild, Petter, Romulus, Rena, Para, Titanian, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady. She was again bound for Manchester with general cargo, where she arrived on Aug. 28, according to Page 5. Some of these ships, including Stirlingville, subsquently returned with Convoy ON 254*, which departed Liverpool on Sept. 16 and arrived New York Oct. 5. Brasil, Emma Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Ferncliff, James Hawson, Norefjord, Norse Lady and Sommerstad are also listed. Captain from Oct. 9-1944 was Karl Johan Løvik. Captain Løvik's story, which includes some of Stirlingville's voyages after he had joined her, can be found in Norwegian via the external link provided at the end of this page. He says he relieved her previous captain by the last name of Ulriksen, who then took command of Vadsø. They (Stirlingville) took on bord a cargo in New York, departing on Oct. 21-1944 for Boston (according to Page 5 above, they arrived Boston the next day). In addition to her general cargo, she had 3000 tons ammunition as well as 7 tanks on deck. She subsequently joined a convoy for Halifax (BX 131), where she joined a Trans-Atlantic convoy for the U.K. at the end of that month (see * below), in heavy fog and snow. 17 additional ships joined from Sydney, C.B. Stirlingville's final destination was London, so from Loch Ewe she joined a coastal convoy to Methil (see WN 654 - external link), where she joined another convoy for London (FS 1641 - also external, incomplete listing), arriving the latter late in the evening of Nov. 27. In his account Captain Løvik also mentions Steward Nilsen, Mate Tallaksen, Mate Ask Terkelsen, and 2nd Mate Heffermehl, and adds that a V 2 bomb exploded not far away that evening, causing the entire ship to shake, and the whole time they were there, V1 and V2 bombs exploded all over London (one of my father's letters also mentions these bombs, Letter No. 4, which can be reached from this page).
Captain Løvik says that Stirlingville remained in London until Dec. 7-1944, then left early the following morning in a convoy for Methil (A. Hague has her in Convoy FN 1565 - external link, incomplete listing) where she joined a convoy for Loch Ewe (Convoy EN 461 - external page), then a convoy bound for the U.S. (this was Convoy ONS 38*, which had originated in Liverpool on Dec. 13-1944 and arrived Halifax on Jan. 2-1945). However, due to heavy weather, and the fact that the ships from Liverpool were delayed, Stirlingville had to return to Loch Ewe, where they waited most of the day before they could go out again to join the other ships at the designated meeting place. He also mentions Brønnøy as being in this convoy, and this agrees with A. Hague's listing for ONS 38 - he has also included Norelg and Rutenfjell. Captain Løvik adds that on Christmas Day the convoy encountered heavy hail and describes how several ships lost their steering, so that the convoy was in complete chaos for a while, with many near collisions, and by the next morning, at least 8 ships had lost touch. Stirlingville was bound for Philadelphia, and arrived there on Jan. 4-1945 (this according to the captain - Page 5 gives arrival Cape Cod Canal Jan. 4, Philadelphia Jan. 6). Captain Løvik says she left Philadelphia again for Boston on Febr. 1-1945, then proceeded to Halifax to join a convoy back to the U.K., again with tanks and ammunition (including depth charges and bombs), and again encountering heavy weather and fog; this was the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 167. About 2 weeks later, on March 2, just as the convoy was about to split up, some ships heading to Liverpool, others to New Haven, the Norwegian Novasli and the British King Edgar (Captain Løvik calls her King Edward) were torpedoed - follow the link for details. Stirlingville discharged her cargo in Liverpool for about 2 weeks, then returned to the U.S. in March, this time as Commodore Vessel for the convoy. Together with Bernhard, Mui Hock and Orwell, she's listed in Convoy ONS 44*, which departed Liverpool on March 12 and arrived Halifax on the 31st. Stirlingville, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived on Apr. 2. She was ready to leave for Boston again on Apr. 21 (Page 5 gives departure as Apr. 19), then on to Halifax for a convoy to the U.K., as usual with ammunition and tanks, and while they were at sea, the news came that the war was over in Europe. According to A. Hague, this voyage was made in Convoy SC 174*, which had sailed from Halifax on Apr. 28 and also included Danio, Gausdal, Hilda Knudsen, Norse Lady, Para, Peik, Veni and Vera. The captain says they arrived Liverpool on May 14, leaving again on May 29, bound for Baltimore to load a cargo of grain and general, and this time no convoy was necessary. The grain was initially meant for Glasgow, but due to a strike there, Stirlingville was ordered to Avonmouth, arriving July 12, departing again in the evening of July 25 (the archive document gives departure as July 27) for New York, with arrival Aug. 9. Captain Løvik then paid off in order go home to Norway, while Mate Terkelsen took over as captain in his place. Stirlingville's next voyage took her to Rotterdam. Again, see Page 5, as well as Page 6. From the latter document, we also learn that she went home to Norway in Jan.-1946. Captain Løvik mentions a couple of times in his account that Stirlingville sailed for Fred. Olsen. He died in Dec.-1990. See also Fred Turner's story in my "Warsailor Stories" section.
Renamed Georgios M II. (Greek); according to Lillesand Sjømannsforening, Norway, she had been sold in 1959 to Everest Cia. Mar. SA (Loucas G. Matsas, Piraeus), Beirut, Liberia and given that name. Abandonded on Nov. 20-1968 in sinking condition following an explosion and fire in position 21 30 N 17 16 W (30 m west of Cape Blanco), when on a voyage Gdynia - N. Korea with coke. Related external link: Back to Stirlingville on the "Ships starting with S" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, Captain Løvik's account of his life at sea via Lillesand Sjømannsforening, E-mails from R. W. Jordan and misc. (ref. My sources).
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