D/S Vestland
Updated Jan. 23-2010

To Vestland on the "Ships starting with V" page.

Historical Index of the Great Lakes has a picture (external links) and technical details of Vestland, as well as several other ships. Type Vestland in the search field for Vessel, then click on the item number that comes up.
Another picture is available on this external page (click in it to make it larger).

Some Convoy Voyages:

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. Follow the convoy links provided for more details; several Norwegian ships took part, and reports are also available for some of them.

Vestland is listed in Convoy HN 11 from Norway to the U.K. in Febr.-1940, bound for Methil in ballast. According to A. Hague, she returned to Norway later that month with Convoy ON 15, and on March 22, we find her in the original Advance Sailing Telegram for Convoy HN 21, bound for Burntisland in ballast. She left Burntisland on Apr. 2, subsequently joining Convoy ON 25 in order to head to Sarpsborg, Norway (convoy left Methil on Apr. 5), but due to the German invasion, she was diverted to Rouen. Vestland arrived Kirkwall on Apr. 9, proceeding to Rouen the following month - see Page 1.

She can later be found in Convoy OA 146, which left Southend on May 11 (Gallia is also listed). Vestland was only bound for Barry on that occasion and arrived there on the 14th, remaining for a month. She's also listed in Convoy OA 172, leaving Southend on June 21. Going back to the archive document referred to above, we see that she had departed Southampton on June 21 and arrived Barry on the 24th. This convoy was composed of 2 parts, OA 172(1) and OA 172(2), Vestland being in Part 1, as were the Norwegian Bonde and Trolla, while the Norwegian Evviva was in Part 2 (A. Hague has also included Fernbank in OA 172). A few days later, Vestland is listed as bound for Sydney, C.B. in Convoy OB 175, which was dispersed on June 30, Vestland arriving Sheet Harbour on July 11. Belita, Bra-Kar, Egda, Norma, Solstad and Sveve are also named in this convoy (see the external links provided in the Voyage Record for more info on the OA and OB convoys mentioned here).

With a cargo of pulp for Grimsby, she headed back to the U.K. on July 19 in Convoy HX 59 from Halifax, but lost touch that same night. She arrived Grimsby, via Greenock and Methil, on Aug. 14 (Page 1). Later that month, she's listed in Convoy OA 205, leaving Methil on Aug. 27, dispersed Aug. 30, Vestland arriving St. John's, N.F. on Sept. 8. On Sept. 18, she can be found in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 5, cargo of pulp wood, bound for Ridham Dock. In Nov.-1940, we find her in Convoy OB 244 (which lost several ships - follow the link for details). Her destination is given as Quebec; according to Page 2, she arrived Sydney, C.B. on Dec. 5 (having started out from Oban on Nov. 18), proceeding to Chandler, N.S. later that month.

On Jan. 12-1941, she's included in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 19, bound for London with paper pulp in station 33. As will be seen when following the link, she received positive comments from the Commodore. An analysis of attack by U-boat is also available (see also Ruth I). Going back to Page 2, we see that she had some long stays in port in this period. In May that year, we find her in the U.K.-Gibraltar Convoy OG 61, which originated in Liverpool on May 5 and arrived Gibraltar on the 19th. Vestland, however, was bound for St. John, N.B., so left this convoy on May 10 in order to proceed to her destination, where she arrived, via St. John's, N.F., on May 26 - she had sailed from Oban on May 6 (see my page listing ships in all OG convoys for the names of other ships in OG 61). The following month she's listed, with a cargo of lumber for London, in Convoy SC 34, leaving Sydney, C.B. on June 10, later returning with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 1, originating in Liverpool on July 26. This time she was bound for St. John's, N.F. and arrived there on Aug. 10, the convoy having been dispersed the day before - her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3.

At the end of that month Vestland, again with a cargo of lumber, was one of several Norwegian ships in Convoy SC 42, departing Sydney C. B. on Aug. 30. Follow the link for some details on this convoy battle and the names of ships sunk (incl. the Norwegian Stargard); see also the external link below. The captain of Vestland reported that when the British Gypsum Queen was torpedoed on Sept. 11 he didn't have the heart to ignore the men in the sea crying for help, and against orders he stopped and rescued 26, but 10 died. Among the rescued men was Adrian E. Millar, father of the maritime historian Ian Millar, who may be well known to Americans (and others) interested in maritime matters. Vestland arrived Belfast Lough on Sept. 19/20, proceeding to Bristol the next day.

On Oct. 17-1941, she collided in convoy* with the Dutch M/S Heenvliet, which sank, but the entire crew was picked up by Vestland and taken to Barry. A visitor to my website has told me that Heenvliet (Master C. Ree) was a 346 gt coaster, completed in 1939, owned by Soetermeer & Fekkes, Rotterdam. She was on a voyage from Barry to Londonderry, when she collided in St. George's Channel with Vestland.

* See Convoy BB 89 (external link). From Page 3, we learn that Vestland had left Holyhead on Oct. 16 and arrived Barry the next day, remaining there for several weeks.

On Dec. 1 that same year, while in a convoy 28 n. miles southwest of Bardsey Island, Vestland was attacked by German aircraft. She was not hit, but a bomb detonated so close that her steering was damaged. No one was injured (as can be seen in the Voyage Recod, A. Hague gives the date as Dec. 2). The archive document mentioned above does not detail her voyages in this period, other than to say she arrived Eastham on Dec. 3, Irlam Dec. 4. The next entry shows her leaving Partington on Dec. 19; perhaps repairs had been made? A few days later, she headed to Reykjavik, with arrival Dec. 29 - convoy info in Voyage Record.

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

Related external link:
SC-42, 9 - 14 Sept 1941 - U-Boat net's detailed account of the battle.

Final Fate - 1942:

Her bad luck continued when she in a heavy storm ran aground at Hvalfjord, Iceland on Jan. 15-1942. Refloated on March 16 and towed to Reykjavik. Temporary repairs were completed on Oct. 17, and following inspections by representatives from Norske Veritas, Lloyd's and Nortraship, she was ordered by the Commander of Fleet Salvage Office to be taken in tow for River Tyne, though she was still leaking in several places. Departure date was initially set to Oct. 18 but due to stormy weather she could not sail until Oct. 21, at which time she left in tow of the tug Freebooter for Tyne for further repairs, escorted by St. Elstrand. En route, 5 of the 6 pumps broke down so that it was impossible to keep the water out, and she sank in the evening of the 24th (Page 3 gives the time as 21:30), approximate position 50 15N 11 30W. The 10 who had been on board were transferred to the escort and taken to Scotland.

An inquiry was held in London on Oct. 30-1942 with Captain Terjesen, 1st Engineer Anton Helle, Able Seaman Arne Førland, Able Seaman Gjentoft Hansen and the Icelandic Brynjulf Gunnarson attending. The latter was not part of the crew, but had been requested by the Naval Salvage Office to come along as an expert in the operation of the pumps. Others who came along from Reykjavik were Able Seaman Sigurd Langeland, Able Seaman Leif Berntsen, Cook Sigurd Mathisen and 2 British gunners.

Back to Vestland on the "Ships starting with V" page.

Other Norwegian ships named Vestland through the years:
The company had previously had another ship by this name, delivered in Febr.-1894 as Maria to J. de Poorter, Rotterdam, 2454 gt. Sailed under the Swedish flag as St. Andrew from 1897, purchased by D/S A/S Vestland (Rich. Amlie) in 1915 and renamed Vestland. Sold in 1916 and renamed Arnøy. Sailed under the Finnish flag from 1924 as Björneborg, broken up in Denmark as Maria in 1953, having been sold again in 1943.
Another Vestland was built in France in 1958 for D/S A/S Vestland, Haugesund (Rich. Amlie & Co., A/S), 5768 gt. Became Greek Niky in in 1970, Milena R of Malta in 1984, delivered for breaking up in Nov. that year.
Yet another Vestland was built in in Haugesund in 1970, also for A/S D/S Vestland, 14 400 gt. Became Westocean in 1974 (Singapore), Katerina E 1980 (Greek), Esplanade in 1987 (Malta), Maggie 1989 (Monrovia), Sheeba 1989, Platinum Kris 1994 (Panama), San Tong 1999 - various owners.
The company also had a Vestland built in 1978 (Rostock), 9291 gt, under T/C as Iboundji 1978-1982, then Vestland again, became German Allgau, reg. in Cyprus in 1982, renamed Allgaeu 1986, Panamanian Marine Brave 1989, Vietnamese Hau Giang 1994, Hotay in 2003 (Vietnamese).
Additionally, Haugesund (Trygve Klovning/Th. Joh. Kyvig) had a small Vestland in the early 1950's, formerly a German trawler built 1921 - lost following a collision near den Helder in Jan.-1956.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skip" and "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Vol II, and misc. (ref. My sources).