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M/S Toledo To Toledo on the "Ships starting with T" page. Manager: Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Tønsberg Launched on Apr. 23-1926 by Odense Staalskibsvaerft, Odense, Denmark (Yard No. 23), completed July 31-1926. Related item 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 as can be seen, several voyages are missing.
From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that Toledo was on her way from Houston to New York when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940 - her original destination had been Oslo, Norway. As can be seen, she subsequently remained in New York for several weeks. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document (it'll be noticed that she spent over 3 weeks in Baltimore that fall). On Nov. 3-1941, she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 158 from Halifax to the U.K., returning with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 44*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 7 and dispersed on the 15th, Toledo arriving Halifax on Dec. 25. Anna Knudsen, Belinda, Garonne and Montevideo are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norvik (Norwegian managers), and Montbretia and Rose are named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts. From Halifax, Toledo later proceeded to New York, where she arrived Jan. 2-1942 and as will be seen when going to Page 2, she subsequently remained there for a long time; departure is given as March 13, when she returned to Halifax. A. Hague says she had run aground and required drydocking - not sure exactly when this happened, but she had initially left New York on Jan. 23, returning that same day, so it's possible that's when she ran aground(?). She now joined Convoy HX 181 on March 21; Acanthus, Eglantine and Potentilla are named among the escorts. Toledo arrived Belfast Lough on Apr. 1, having lost touch with the convoy on March 23 (according to A. Hague, who adds she had 7 passengers on board on this voyage). She later continued to Avonmouth, with arrival Apr. 5, spending over 3 weeks there. She now made a voyage to Cape Town, having joined Convoy OS 27, which left Liverpool on May 2-1942 (arrived Freetown May 19, see link in the table above - Athos, Belnor, Kaldfonn, Mosli and Norholm are also listed). Toledo arrived Cape Town on June 2, having started out from Milford Haven on May 1. Page 2 has her subsequent voyages (showing another long stay in New York in the fall of 1942); convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record. In the spring of 1943, she's listed in Convoy SL 128, which departed Freetown on Apr. 20 and joined up with Convoy MKS 12* on May 4, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on May 14 - also available via link in the Voyage Record; the Norwegian Kristianiafjord, Rutenfjell and Evviva are also listed. Toledo had a general cargo and also carried 2 passengers, voyage Aden for Loch Ewe, where she arrived May 15. The following month, she made another Trans-Atlantic crossing, having joined the westbound Convoy ON 187*, along with Annik, Athos, Braga, Bralanta, Elisabeth Bakke, Fagerfjell, Frontenac, Helgøy, Kronprinsen, Lista, Morgenen, Norbryn, Norefjord, O. B. Sørensen, President de Vogue and Vanja, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). The convoy originated in Liverpool on June 1-1943 and arrived New York June 15; Toledo arrived Boston that day, having sailed from Loch Ewe on June 1. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. Having spent several weeks in Boston, she proceeded to Halifax on Aug. 1, and was scheduled for the Halifax section of Convoy HX 251 on Aug. 9 (Commodore in Laurits Swenson), but instead joined the slow Convoy SC 139 that day. She arrived Avonmouth on Aug. 25, and with Chr. Th. Boe, Evita, Gallia, Heranger, Tai Shan and Velma, she later returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 201*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 9 and arrived New York on the 24th. From the U.S., she now headed to Port Said and Aden (convoy details in the table above). Her 1944 voyages also start on Page 3 and it'll be noticed that she spent a month in Durban that spring, with another long stay in Lourenço Marques later on. Skipping now to Oct.-1944, when we find her in Convoy SL 175/MKS 66, the SL portion of which departed Freetown on Oct. 28 and joined up with the MKS portion* from Gibraltar on Nov. 8, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Nov. 15. Toledo was on a voyage from Buenos Aires (had left Oct. 9) with a general cargo consisting of linseed, hides, cased meats, fertilizer, fats, bones, willow and casings. The Norwegian Heimvard and Ragnhild also took part in this convoy (again, ref. links in Voyage Record). A couple of weeks later, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 37*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 28-1944 and arrived Halifax Dec. 21; Toledo, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived on Dec. 24, having started out from Clyde on Nov. 29. Arosa, Bernhard and Norse Lady are also listed. As will be seen, when going back to Page 3, she subsequently remained in New York for a long time; departure is given as Febr. 14-1945, when she proceeded to Suan Juan. The reason for this long stay is not known. In March-1945, Arnold Hague has included her, together with Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Emma Bakke, Kaia Knudsen, Montevideo, Solfonn and Troja, in Convoy HX 345*, departing New York on March 19, arriving Liverpool Apr. 2. Toledo had a cargo of sugar, sailing in station 35. Along with Chr. Th. Boe, Heimgar, Ima and Vinga, she returned with Convoy ONS 48*, which departed Liverpool on Apr. 21 and arrived Halifax May 4 but Toledo, which served as Commodore Vessel on this occasion, was again bound for New York, arriving there on May 7. From there, she made a voyage to Macoris and Guantanamo Bay, and when she again headed to the U.K. in June, no convoy was necessary. Page 4 shows her voyages in this period and as can be seen, she went home to Norway in Oct.-1945 and got to stay there for over a month, making another voyage home before that year was over, and again in March-1946.
My father served on this ship from Apr. 1954 till June 1954. Laid up at Kongshavn, Oslo from Apr. 16-1958. Sold on Nov. 21-1958 to Einar M. Gaard A/S, Sigurd Haavik A/S and Trygve Klovning (Einar M. Gaard A/S), Haugesund and renamed Gardvik. In general tramping and seasonal lumber trade in the White Sea. Ran aground at Hjeltefjord on Sept. 14-1963, when on a voyage from Igarka, USSR to Bologne with a cargo of lumber. Refloated but badly damaged and sold in Nov.-1963 for breaking up. Arrived Hong Kong on March 7-1964 to be broken up by Leung Yau Shipbreaking Co. Ltd. Related external link: Back to Toledo on the "Ships starting with T" page. Wilh. Wilhelmsen later had another ship by this name, 1960-1979. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Wilh. Wilhelmsen fleet list, "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc. - (ref. My sources).
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