Owner: Bryde & Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S
Manager: A/S Thor Dahl, Sandefjord
Tonnage: 313 gt

Delivered in Oct.-1934 from Kaldnes Mek. Verksted, Tønsberg (89) as whale catcher Thorfjell to Bryde & Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S (A/S Thor Dahl), Sandefjord, launched as Terminus, 129.1 (lpp) x 25.1' x 14.2', 313 gt, made of steel, Tripple expansion 1300 ihp.

Her voyages are listed on this original document received from the National Archives of Norway.

Notes:

I've been told she was catching for Thorshammer in the 1940-'41 season(?*). On hire to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1943 as patrol vessel WYP 384 Thorfjell (see external link below). Catching for Thorshammer in the 1943/'44 season, for Sir James Clark Ross in the 1944-'45 season.

* This whale catcher is not mentioned in connection with the capture of the whaling fleet by Pinguin on Jan. 14-1941.

According to Arnold Hague, she sailed in Convoy ZG 66, departing Cristobal on Apr. 28-1944, arriving Guantanamo May 2. The Norwegian Baalbek, Globe IX, Globe VIII, Ottern, Pol VII, Thorfinn, Thorgaut, Thoris and Thorshammer are also listed. From Guantanamo, most of them sailed to New York on May 3, joining Convoy GN 130, with arrival May 10. Sevilla and Notos are also listed in this convoy (I believe Thorfinn may also have taken part). A week later, we find them (except Notos, Baalbek and Thorshammer) in Convoy BX 108, which left Boston on May 17 and arrived Halifax on the 19th. All these convoys are available via the external links provided in the table above.

Later that year, Thorfjell headed to the whaling grounds, arriving South Georgia from Valparaiso on Nov. 23. Again, see the archive document.

More info on the other ships named here can be found via the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

Catching for Sir James Clark Ross in the 1945-'46 season, then for Antarctic during the 1946-'47 and 1947-'48 seasons. Owned by Thor Dahls Hvalfangerselskap A/S (A/S Thor Dahl), Sandefjord Oct.-1950. In the 1951-'52 season for Thorshammer. Sold in Dec.-1953 to Gunvald Ottesen, Sagvåg / Haugesund. Converted to freighter by Brødrene Lothe A/S Flytedokken, Haugesund, 139.1' x 25.1' x 11.9', 300 gt, 450 tdwt. Delivered in Dec.-1954 and trading as G.O. Owned by Finn & Egil Ottesen, Sagvåg / Haugesund in 1958. She was on a voyage from Bandholm to Oslo with 345 tons of rye when her cargo shifted and she capsized and sank on Nov. 25-1959 off Varberg, Sweden. Crew managed to get to Varberg, while G. O. sank at a depth of 50 meters.

Related external links:
Thorfjell 1943 - U.S. Coast Guard site, which says she was in use by them from Jan. 25-1943 till July 2-1943, stationed in San Pedro, California.

Thorfjell - Picture and information.

Østfold Hvalfangerklubb - This site has a lot of interesting Norwegian whaling history in the newsletter "Kaskelotten" for those of you who read Norwegian. Klick on "Artikler".