Manager: Wilh. Wilhelmsen, Tønsberg
Tonnage: 4768 gt, 2875 net, 7610 tdwt
Dimensions: 408.6' x 55.3' x 25.2'
Machinery: 7 cyl. 2 S.C.D.A. oil engine of 4800 ihp by shipbuilders
Service Speed: 13.5 knots - 12 passengers
Signal Letters: LJFA

Launched May 27-1936 by Akers Mekaniske Verksted A/S, Oslo (Yard No. 468), completed July 31.

Captain: Halfdan M. Andersen

Related items on this website:
Guestbook message from the son-in-law of one of the British gunners, William Doig. He also posted this message on my Ship Forum. Here's a more recent Guestbook message and Forum message.
Another message in my Guestbook, re. one of Tabor's casualties, Ordinary Seaman Leif Næss, the son of Oscar Julius Næss, who died when Trolla was sunk.

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

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Survivors
Captain Halfdan Andersen	1st Mate Ove Bernard Olsen	2nd Mate Johannes Backe Devold	3rd Mate Albert B. Daviknes	Radio Operator John H. Scott (Canadian)	Carpenter Hans Karlsen
Able Seaman Aage Arnesen	Able Seaman Rolf Bødtker	Able Seaman Arne Aasmundseth	Able Seaman Nilmar Justad	Able Seaman Antoni Johansen	Able Seaman Ørnulf Jacobsen
Able Seaman Paul Vindnes	Able Seaman Birger Nicolaisen	2nd Engineer Magnus Gjersøe	3rd Engineer Gustav Fr. Werner	Assistant Ole G. Tangen	Mechanic Trygve Andresen
Mechanic Henry Sørensen	Steward Leganger T. Berg	Cook Finn Tellefsen	2nd Cook Johan Berntsen	Mess Boy José Vaz (Portuguese)	Gunner William Doig (British)
Gunner Ernest Claggett (British)	Gunner John McIntosh (British)	Gunner Donald Stuart (British)	Gunner James Church (British)	Gunner Patrick Dennis (British)	+ 5 more survivors
The names of the British gunners were supplied by Walter Guthrie in this message on my Ship Forum.
Casualties
† Boatswain Torolf Torkildsen* Buried in Bredasdorp	† Ordinary Seaman Terje Refsnes* Buried in Bredasdorp	† Ordinary Seaman Leif Næss*	† 1st Engineer Harald Stavdal	† Electrician Edvard A. Edvardsen	† Mechanic Sverre Bengtsen*
† Mechanic Kjell Foss Hansen*	† Mechanic Erling Andresen* Buried in Bredasdorp	† Mechanic Ove Aronsen*	† Oiler Aubrey Dennis Peat** (British)	† Mess Boy Carolus J. Degenhart* (Dutch)	† Saloon Boy Mathew van Rensburg** (British)

* More information on the British casualties can be found on the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website. Aubrey Dennis Peat is listed on this page, date is given as March 19, the day they reached land. (His 16 year old brother, Keith Alan Peat is also commemorated; he had lost his life on Febr. 8-1943, having been a deck boy on S/S Newton Ash). Mathew van Rensburg can be found on this page, date is given as March 9, the date Tabor was torpedoed, but he's said to have been in No. 1 lifeboat. Both are commemorated at Tower Hill.

* Denotes those who died in No. 1 lifeboat, 5 of whom are said to have been taken ashore and buried. (This conflicts with the above narrative, saying 6 of the bodies were washed overboard, leaving only 4) This is a picture of a memorial at Bredasdorp Cemetery, South Africa. Torolf Torkildsen, Erling Andresen, Ove Aronsen, Terje Refsnes and Carol Degenhart are named on this stone. The picture was received from Colyn Brookes, who is involved with the MIBISA Archive Project (Military Burials In South Africa) - see this external page. It looks like he has now published a book. Here's another picture of the memorial from further away.

Received from (and taken by) Walter Guthrie on Nov. 7-2012 at Bredasdorp Cemetery about 40km from Hermanus (see his Guestbook message and Forum message).

I've received an E-mail from Walter Guthrie saying the following:

I understand that you were contacted recently by a Mr Louis Swart from South Africa to get hold of my contact details. I have now been contacted by him and he has been able to provide some additional information that adds significantly to the record of some of the survivors following the torpedoing of the Tabor.

It turns out that he was a boy of 10 at the time and was related to the fisherman (Mr Otto) who found the survivors from Lifeboat No 2 wandering around the harbour at Gansbaai (Cans Bay) on the morning of 18th March (I have since received an E-mail from Mr. Swart, saying he was not related to Mr. Otto; the Ottos' involvement was related to him by their eldest son). Mr Otto had difficulty communicating as he could not speak English. He quickly contacted a local hotel owner (Mr Herbert) who was English and he took the men to his hotel. He called a local nurse (Sister Welter) who came and tended to those suffering from burns (probably sunburn). He also took them to a local shop and supplied them with replacement clothing where required. Later that day they were taken to Hermanus and Mr Swart doesn't have any further information after that.

However during that first day the survivors were photographed and I have attached a copy of this photo. My late father-in-law (William Doig) is standing at the extreme right of the group. The figure in the background of the picture is the hotelier, Mr Herbert. The image is quite low resolution but it may be possible for surviving relatives of some of the other sailors to pick out individuals.

Mr Swart also sent me images of Gansbaai harbour with what might be the Tabor lifeboat pulled up on the shore. Also pictures of Mr Otto (and his wife) and Sister Welter.

Below are the pictures mentioned in this mail:

Aa–Al	An–Ar	As–Av	Ba	Be	Bi–Bl	Bo	Br–Bu	C	D
E	F	G	Ha	He	Hi–Hy	Hø	I	J	K
L	M	N	O	PQ	R	Sa–Sc	Se–Sj	Sk–Sn	So
Sp–St	Su–Sø	Ta–Te	Th–Ti	To	Tr–Tø	U	V	W	Ø

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