M/T Strinda
Updated Aug. 1-2012

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

Pictures of Strinda are available on this external page (click in them to enlarge).


This picture was received from John McCreadie, who has also posted this message to my Guestbook, naming other Norwegian seamen (the gravestones are at Cardonald Cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland).
Checking with "Våre falne", a series of 4 books listing Norwegians who died during the war, I find that Paul Otto Pedersen died at a hospital in Glasgow on the date given, serving on Strinda at the time. According to Page 3 of the archive documents, Strinda was in Guantanamo Bay on that date, having arrived from Liverpool (she had been detached from Convoy ON 159).
Joakim Wilhelm Sulen died in an accident in Glasgow - see Egda.

Misc. Convoy Voyages – 1940-1945:

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Please follow the links provided for further convoy information; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative of voyage are also available for most of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Strinda was on her way from Curacao to Buenos Aires when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940.

With a cargo of fuel oil, she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 49 to the U.K. in June that year, in which Eli Knudsen and Randsfjord were sunk - follow the links for details. Strinda had joined with the Bermuda portion.

She was in convoy OB 191 when she was hit amidships by a torpedo from U-99 (Kretschmer), 55 10N 17 16W, about 300 n. miles west of Northern Ireland. ("Nortraships flåte" by J. R Hegland gives the time of attack as 01:20 on Aug. 2-1940). Not long afterwards, U-99 also hit and damaged 2 British tankers from the same convoy (Lucerna and Alexia), but all 3 managed to get to Milford Haven without assistance. (The British Jersey City, also listed in OB 191, had been sunk by the same U-boat on July 31). According to a visitor to my website, Admiralty records state that Strinda was torpedoed at 23:55 (BST) on Aug. 1 in No. 9 port wing tank and port bunker oil tank. The port lifeboat was lost in the explosion. The crew abandoned ship in the remaining boats and stood by. At 04:00 on Aug. 2 the captain and a party reboarded her, the rest rejoining later. The remainder of the boats were hoisted on board at 07:00 whereupon she continued and arrived at Tail of the Bank, Gourock on Aug. 4. OB 191 had originated in Liverpool on July 30, dispersed Aug. 2 (ref. link provided within the Voyage Record - see also the external link at the end of this page). Astra, Loke (returned) and Octavian are also named. Judging from the info found on Page 1 of the archive documents, Strinda had joined from Clyde, and was bound for Abadan at the time. She later arrived Cardiff for repairs on Oct. 21 and did not leave until March 8-1941, when she proceeded to Swansea.

For info, U-99 was later responsible for the attacks on Lotos, Snefjeld, Samnanger, Beduin and Ferm - follow the links for details.

On March 10-1941, after having been repaired in Cardiff, Strinda was outside Milford Haven waiting to join Convoy OB 297, when it was attacked by German aircraft; this according to "Nortraships flåte", which adds that the aircraft spotted the convoy at 21:30, the attack lasting for 3 hours, but Strinda escaped unharmed on this occasion. OB 297 left Liverpool on March 12 and dispersed on the 17th, and according to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, Strinda did sail in this convoy (destination is given as Capetown/Alexandria), but Arnold Hague instead has her, along with Belinda, Evanger, Havsten and Malmanger, in the next convoy, OB 298, which originated in Liverpool on March 16 and dispersed on the 20th, Strinda arriving Curacao on Apr. 4 - again, see link in the table above (it'll be noticed that there's mention of a few ships being sunk or damaged by aircraft, and I'm wondering if it was this convoy that was attacked and not OB 297?). Going back to Page 1, we see that Strinda had left Swansea on March 10. Arrival Milford Haven is not given, but she left for River Clyde Anchorage on March 11, with arrival March 13, departing River Clyde March 16, arriving Curacao Apr. 4, as already mentioned.

Several Norwegian ships were the victims of air attacks in British waters in this period (from Jan.-1941), D/T Thorøy, D/S Polyana, D/S Ask, D/S Eikhaug, M/S Teneriffa, D/S Libra, D/S Nurgis, D/S Knoll, D/S Svint just to mention a few. Many others struck mines in the same period.

Strinda headed back to the U.K. on Apr. 20-1941 in Convoy HX 122 from Halifax, bound for Clyde with fuel oil (again, see Page 1). The Cruising order/Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy. In May we find her, together with Brant County, Madrono, Para, Stiklestad and Torvanger, in Convoy OB 327, departing Liverpool on May 28, dispersed June 1, Strinda arriving Trinidad on June 14 (ref. link in Voyage Record, as well as the link at the end of this page; several ships were sunk). Later that month, she appears in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 136, bound for Clyde with Admiralty fuel, arriving Clyde July 18 (Bowling July 20). She subsequently joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 2, originating in Liverpool on July 27. Strinda arrived Curacao on Aug. 17, the convoy having been dispersed Aug. 8 - according to Page 2, she had sailed from Loch Ewe on July 30. She went back to the U.K. again on Aug. 29 in Convoy HX 147 from Halifax, along with the Norwegian Nueva Granada (station 104), Bello (114), Solør (54), Sandanger (103, which means she was the 3rd ship in the 10th column, right behind Bralanta and in front of Nueva Granada), Slemmestad (95), Bralanta (102), G. C. Brøvig (44), and O. A. Knudsen (112).

She now made another voyage to Curacao; she's listed in station 63 of the Freetown bound Convoy OS 7, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 23-1941 (arrived Freetown Oct. 14); Strinda, which had joined from Clyde, arrived her destination on Oct. 12, having been detached on Oct. 4, according to A. Hague. Again, see the external link in Voyage Record - A. Hague has also included Lynghaug and Para in this convoy, while another section of the same site has added Hallanger (but this appears to be incorrect) and says Jenny was also scheduled, but did not sail. On Nov. 3, we find Strinda in station 44 of Convoy HX 158 from Halifax, and her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made with the westbound Convoy ON 50*, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 24. She joined from Clyde and was bound for New York, where she arrived on Jan. 8-1942, the convoy having been dispersed on Jan. 3. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Charles Racine, Fagerfjell, Fernwood, Fjordheim (returned), Høegh Giant, Innerøy, Sama, Skandinavia and Taborfjell.

She's mentioned among the ships leaving Halifax to form Convoy HX 171 on Jan. 20-1942. However, she must have left port that day for other reasons than to join that convoy, because she also appears in HX 172 on Jan. 26 (in his Voyage Record for Strinda, A. Hague mentions a collision at Halifax around this time, so perhaps she had been scheduled for HX 171 but could not sail for that reason?). The following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 67*, which lost several ships. including Eidanger, Finnanger and Sama - follow the links for details (see also the external link at the end of this page). Strinda's destination is given as Key West; according to Page 2 of the archive documents, she arrived Bermuda on March 3, proceeding to New Orleans 2 days later (remaining there until Apr. 9) - A. Hague says she had been detached from the convoy on Febr. 28. (ON 67, which also included Belinda, Finnanger, Glittre, Hamlet, Idefjord, Nueva Andalucia, Skandinavia and Thorhild, had originated in Liverpool on Febr. 14 and arrived Halifax March 1; Strinda had again joined from Clyde).

Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 2 (it'll be noticed, that she had a long stay in Freetown in the spring/summer of 1942, and again in Trinidad) and Page 3; convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record. As can be seen, she did not go back to the U.K. again until Dec. 13, when we find her in Convoy HX 219 from New York, cargo of fuel oil for Liverpool, station 74, arriving Dec. 28.

On Jan. 4-1943, she went in the other direction with Convoy ON 159, for which Laurits Swenson served as Commodore Vessel. Strinda was bound for Guantanamo on that occasion, arriving there on Jan. 24. The Commodore's narrative is also available for this convoy, and Strinda is mentioned under Jan. 18, saying she was detached that day to proceed to her destination. From Guantanamo, she now made another voyage to Curacao and back to New York (convoy info in Voyage Record above), and according to Arnold Hague, she returned to the U.K. with Convoy HX 227*, departing New York on Febr. 18, arriving Liverpool March 6. Acanthus and Eglantine are named among the escorts (see HX convoy escorts), and several Norwegian ships took part, namely B. P. Newton, Belinda, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Kaldfonn, Mosli, Norholm, Pan Aruba, Polartank (collided, returned), Skaraas, Stiklestad and Thorshov.

A week later, Strinda joined Convoy ON 173*, again with B. P. Newton, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Mosli, Pan Aruba, Skaraas, Stiklestad and Thorshov in company, as well as Emma Bakke, Dageid, Frontenac and Idefjord. This convoy departed Liverpool on March 13 and arrived Halifax on the 29th; Strinda, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived March 31, having served as Escort Oiler, according to A. Hague. From there, she again headed to Guantanamo and Curacao, then back to New York (convoy details in table above), and on May 1, she's listed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 237, from which Sandanger and Brand were sunk - follow the links for more information. Strinda's destination is given as Bowling, where she arrived on May 17. She had again served as Escort Oiler. The following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 188*, which left Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 26th and included Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Bajamar, Bañaderos, Belinda, Duala, Evita, G. C. Brøvig, Gylfe, Kaia Knudsen, Kaldfonn, Montevideo, Mosdale, Skandinavia, Thorhild, Vav and Velma. According to Page 3, Strinda had sailed from Clyde on June 9, from Londonderry June 11 and A. Hague says she served as Escort Oiler.

She was scheduled to return to the U.K. on June 30 with Convoy HX 246, but did not sail, and was also cancelled from the next convoy on July 7, HX 247. Please see the archive document referred to above for info on the voyages she made in this time period; again, convoy details for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record. As can be seen, she did not go to the U.K. at all at this time, but instead headed to St. Michaels and Bizerta, returning to New York again in Sept./Oct.-1943. According to Arnold Hague, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 262*, which left New York on Oct. 18, but following a collision with HMCS Chicoutimi, one of the escorts of the convoy, she returned to port the next day, and later joined Convoy HX 268* on Nov. 26, arriving Liverpool on Dec. 11. She served as Escort Oiler, and also carried 60 depth charges. Duala, John Bakke, Pan Scandia and Reinholt (Commodore Vessel) are also listed. The year was rounded off by sailing back to the U.S. in Convoy ON 218* (Escort Oiler), departing Liverpool on Dec. 31, arriving New York Jan. 18-1944. Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke and Herbrand are included in its ranks and Eglantine had again been among the escorts for a while, as had Rose (see ON convoy escorts).

Having made a voyage to Algiers and back to New York (see Page 3 and Page 4, as well as the Voyage Record above), she joined Convoy HX 285 on March 28-1944 (Escort Oiler), returning with Convoy ON 234* (Escort Oiler), which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 26 and arrived New York May 12 and included Estrella, Abraham Lincoln, Fagerfjell, Fernmoor, Garonne, Geisha, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Lista, Molda, Petter, Romulus, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, Solfonn and Vinland, as well as the Panamanian Norlys (Norwegian managers). On May 19 she headed back across the Atlantic in Convoy HX 292, and arrived Swansea June 5, subsequently joining Convoy ON 240*, originating in Liverpool on June 10 (Strinda sailed from Belfast Lough, June 11), arriving New York on the 28th. Dageid, Fagerfjell, Heranger, Høyanger (Vice Commodore), Para, Petter, Thorhild, Vanja, Villanger and Østhav are also listed. In July she sailed in Convoy HX 298 from New York to the U.K., carrying 60 depth charges, then went back to the U.S. later that month with Convoy ON 246*, together with Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Dageid, Dalfonn, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Ørnefjell, Petter, Skotaas, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell and Velox (convoy left Liverpool July 25, arrived New York Aug. 9). Strinda arrived Baltimore on Aug. 10, remaining there for several weeks.

On Sept. 28-1944, she started her return voyage in Convoy HX 311, which arrived Liverpool on Oct. 14 - Strinda's destination is given as Clyde, where she arrived on the 12th, having served as Escort Oiler, also carrying spare depth charges. From there, she joined Convoy ON 260* a few days later, as so often before serving as Escort Oiler, carrying 60 depth charges. Høyanger (Commodore Vessel), Molda, Skiensfjord (returned) and Thorhild are also named, while Rose, Buttercup and Tunsberg Castle are mentioned among the escorts (again, see ON convoy escorts) - note, however, that Buttercup did not come under the Norwegian flag until after the loss of Tunsberg Castle later that year. ON 260 departed Southend on Oct. 15 and arrived Halifax Oct. 30; Strinda was bound for New York, where she arrived on Nov. 2, and already on Nov. 4 she can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 318 from New York (Escort Oiler, 60 depth charges). Later that month she joined Convoy ON 268*, along with Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Emma Bakke, Marit II, Montevideo and Topdalsfjord (from Southend Nov. 23, to New York Dec. 10; Strinda again joined from Clyde and acted as Escort Oiler). On Dec. 14, we find her in Convoy HX 326, for which Acanthus served as escort for a while (see HX convoy escorts). Strinda arrived Southampton Dec. 29, according to Page 4. She had again served as Escort Oiler and carried 53 depth charges.

Early in Jan-1945, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 276* (Escort Oiler), together with G. C. Brøvig, John Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Marit II, Noreg and Solfonn (from Southend Jan. 2, to New York Jan. 18). Strinda arrived Baltimore on Jan. 20, having sailed from Falmouth on Jan. 4. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. with Convoy HX 334 from New York on Jan. 23 (she was still in Baltimore on that date), but instead joined HX 336 on Febr. 2, acting as Escort Oiler, and also had 20 depth charges on board (Commodore in John Bakke). With Anna Knudsen, Anna Odland, Morgenen and Reinholt, she subsequently joined Convoy ON 286*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 21 and arrived New York March 9; According to A. Hague, Strinda straggled from this convoy on March 3, and arrived New York independently on the 9th. He now has her returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 346* (Escort Oiler, 60 depth charges) and has also included Dageid, G. C. Brøvig, Polartank, Reinholt (Commodore Vessel) and Thorshavn in this convoy, which departed New York on March 24 and arrived Liverpool Apr. 7. Strinda arrived Avonmouth Apr. 8, proceeding to Milford Haven the next day, and on Apr. 13, she left Milford Haven in order to join Convoy ON 296* (Escort Oiler); Dageid, G. C. Brøvig, Polartank and Thorshavn are again listed, as are Montevideo, Noreg and Tai Shan. ON 296 originated in Liverpool on Apr. 12 and arrived New York on the 30th; Strinda, however, stopped at Halifax on Apr. 28, according to Page 5.

VE Day was celebrated at sea, while in Convoy HX 354*, which started out in New York on May 3 and arrived Liverpool May 18, but Strinda joined this convoy from Halifax, having sailed from there on May 6 (Escort Oiler, 60 depth charges). Carl Oftedal, G. C. Brøvig, Noreg, Salamis and Washington Express also took part. When she again headed back to the U.S. at the end of that month, no convoy was required.

From Page 5 we learn that she went home to Norway in Oct.-1945 (but didn't get to stay very long). The document also shows some early 1946 voyages, as does Page 6.

* The ON convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. The entire HX series will also be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, see ships in all HX convoys.

More details on the other Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found with the help of the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

Owned from 1951 by A/S Aurlandsfaldene (A/S J. Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi), Bergen, then from 1952 by A/S Aurland, same managers. Sold in 1955 to San Juan Carriers Ltd., Monrovia, renamed San Juan Trader, converted to bulk carrier - 6451 gt, 3252 net, 15 221 tdwt. Arrived Split on Oct. 28-1962 for breaking up at Brodospas.

Related external links:
U-99 | Otto Kretschmer | Ships hit from OB 191

OB convoys - As can be seen, Strinda is listed in OB 297 (as mentioned, A. Hague has instead included her in OB 298).

Ships hit from convoy OB 327

Ships hit from convoy ON(S) 67

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

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. (ref. My sources).