M/S Toronto - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Manager: Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Tønsberg
Tonnage: 5018 gt, 2883 net, 6608 dwt.
Dimensions: 381.8' x 52.2' x 27.7'.
Machinery: 2 x 6 cyl. 4 SCSA oil engines totalling 4000 ihp by shipbuilders, driving twin screws.
Service Speed: 12.5 knots.
Passenger cap.: 10

Launched on Aug. 17-1927 by Chantier et Ateliers de St. Nazaire (Penhoët) S.A., Grand Quevilly, Rouen (Yard No. V 5). Completed Jan. 30-1928.

Captain: Karl Waarøe.
3rd Mate: Erling Nakkestad

Misc. War Voyages:

(More will be added).

In Oct.-1941 Toronto was in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 154 along with the Norwegian Hilda Knudsen (and another ? Knudsen) Ranja, Tai Shan, Samuel Bakke, Emma Bakke, Polarsol, Skiensfjord, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso, Noreg and an unnamed Norwegian tanker. Some of these ships, including Toronto, subsequently returned with the westbound Convoy ON 34, which left Liverpool on Nov. 7-1941. The following month we find her heading back to the U.K. with the eastbound Convoy HX 166. (More info on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found with the help of the alphabet index at the end of this page).

According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, Toronto was in station 52 of Convoy OS 28 in May-1942, voyaging from Milford To Capetown. Several Norwegian ships took part.

Attacked by aircraft on May 1-1943 in convoy near Benghazi, with a cargo of bombs and petrol, position 32 40N 19 50 E. Two British ships were hit (troop transport D/S Erinpura, and the tanker British Trust), but Toronto escaped with just temporary engine trouble. The convoy shut down 5 planes that day. Her cargo was unloaded in Tripoli, then for her return trip to Port Said on May 18 she took on board about 400 Italian prisoners.

After 3 weeks in Port Said being equipped for invasion, she went to Alexandria, took on board a cargo of petrol, tanks and large trucks, as well as 150 British soldiers, and was Vice Commodore ship for a convoy which departed on June 29-1943, bound for Sicily. After having unloaded at Avola for 3 days, she left with 4 other ships for Syracuse, which had just been taken by the allied forces, then 3 days later she again left (for Tripoli) with 350 Italian prisoners on board, among them the General for the Napoli divison and his staff, then a few days later back to Alexandria and Port Said, this time as Commodore ship.

Again she was fitted out for invasion, then took on a cargo in Port Said, with further loading of cargo in Beirut, where 300 Indian soldiers embarked. However, the next voyage was cancelled, whereupon the soldiers disembarked, and Toronto returned to Port Said to unload all the war materials. This turned out to be the last of her invasion duties, and she now proceeded to Haifa to take on a general cargo for the U.K. She's said to have made a voyage from Tripoli to Bizerta with Convoy MKS 26 early in Oct.-1943, later proceeding from Bizerta to Gibraltar with Convoy MKS 27 (scroll down to the second table on both pages), before cotinuing to the U.K. with the Gibraltar-U.K. portion of Convoy MKS 27, together with the Norwegian Brønnøy and Sneland I. The following month she appears to have caught on fire - ref. my note under Post War below.

Here's a Guestbook message from Eric Byron, who served as radio operator on Toronto from June-1944 till July-1945.

POST WAR:

Sold to A/S D/S Fjeld, (Anton Meidell, manager), Bergen on Oct. 3-1951, and renamed Hordnes in 1952. (My father served as radio operator from Oct.-1951 till Dec.-1951). Sank off Swinoujscie on May 22-1956 after striking the wreck of S/S Orion while on a voyage from Murmansk to Stettin with a cargo of apatite. Refloated on Sept. 21-1956 and later towed to Kiel, arriving Febr. 6-1957. Condemned and sold to Eckhardt & Co. on March 19-1957 for scrapping. Arrived Hamburg on March 23, demolition commenced Sept. 30.