M/S Tamerlane - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

M/S Tamerlane
Updated March 24-2009

To Tamerlane on the "Ships starting with T" page.

Source: Tony Cooper's collection.

The above picture of what looks like a wall hanging (made of silk) was received from Bernard Matson, Australia, who acquired the hand worked piece from an uncle about 60 years ago. He says it appears to be something of a "Friendship gathering means from the Japanese Government of the day to the Norwegian Shipping of the year 1940". The text on it says "Hilsen fra Japan til Norge" (Greeting from Japan to Norway), "M.S. Tamerlane 1940, Ansgar Bjune" (this is a name, possibly the captain?).

Launched Jan. 10-1936 by Kockums Mekaniska Verkstads A/B, Malmö (Yard No. 188), completed May 28-1936. 6778 gt, 4140 net, 10 750 tdwt, 479.1' x 62.3' x 29.0', 8 cyl. 2 scda oil engine of 9600 ihp by the shipbuilders. Service speed 16. 25 knots. 840 cu. ft. of refrigerated cargo space, 12 passengers. First ship on the Barber West African Line.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5

On June 30-1942, Tamerlane rescued 16 survivors from the British Willimantic, which had been sunk by U-156 on June 24. The survivors were landed in Rio de Janeiro, where she arrived on July 10, according to Page 3. Later that year, she rescued survivors (20?) from the British Medon, which had been sunk by the Italian submarine Reginaldo Giuliani on Aug. 10-1942.

In the spring of 1943, she's listed, together with the Norwegian Hai Lee, in Convoy TS 36, departing Takoradi on Apr. 22, arriving Freetown on the 27th. From there, she subsequently headed to New York.

About a year later, we find her in Convoy RS 17, which left Gibraltar on May 14-1944 and arrived Freetown on the 21st; Tamerlane had joined from Dakar, having left on May 19, according to Page 4. She now joined Convoy STL 23, departing Freetown on May 22. This convoy had Lagos as its destination, where it arrived May 27. The archive document mentioned above states she was bound for Matadi, but arrival there is not given; she's said to have sailed from Congo River on June 3, arriving Takoradi June 7, later proceeding to New York and from there back to Dakar. From Dakar, she's subsequently joined Convoy OS 84. This convoy had started out in Liverpool as the combined convoy OS 84/KMS 58 on July 21-1944 and split up on Aug. 1, the KMS convoy arriving Gibraltar on Aug. 2, while the OS convoy procceded to Freetown, with arrival there Aug. 10. Note that Tamerlane was not present from the U.K., but joined the convoy from Dakar, as mentioned, having sailed from there on Aug. 7. She left Freetown again on Aug. 12, joining Convoy STL 28, which arrived Lagos on Aug. 17; Tamerlane arrived Takoradi on the 16th, proceeding to Lagos later that month.

All the convoys mentioned here are available via the external links provided below.

Sold on June 1-1962 to Conpac Schiffahrts GmbH (Helmut Bastian, manager), West Germany and renamed Alisios. Sold in Dec. 1963 to Ulises Maritime Co. S.A., Panama. Sold in 1967 to Naviera Maritima Fluvial S.A., Peru. Handed over at Shanghai to Chinese shipbreakers on Dec. 20-1971.

Convoy TS 36 - The site (based on Arnold Hague's database) also has information on RS 17, STL 23, OS 84 and STL 28. (Another section of the site has information on the combined convoy OS 84/KMS 58).

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Wilh. Wilhelmsen fleet list, and misc.