D/S Hjalmar Wessel - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945 (original) (raw)

D/S Hjalmar Wessel Updated Oct. 23-2011

Manager: A/S Borregaard, Sarpsborg Tonnage: 1742 gt Built for the company at Framnes mek. Verksted, Sandefjord in 1935.
Both pictures received from the webmaster of the Riversea International website.

Another picture is available at this external website.
See also this external page (click in the picture to make it larger).

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
(unfortunately, Page 2 has some information missing in the margin)
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9 | Page 10

Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record
From Febr.-1940 to June-1945:

(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each (where the "Convoy" column is left blank, it means that convoy is not known).

Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing.

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the Norwegian archives and A. Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them; several Norwegian ships took part.

A. Hague has included Hjalmar Wessel in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 11 in Febr.-1940. Later that month, he has her in Convoy HN 14 from Norway to the U.K., saying she returned to Norway early in March with Convoy ON 18. On March 22, she's listed in the original Advance Sailing Telegram for Convoy HN 21, bound for Blyth in ballast, and according to A. Hague, she joined Convoy ON 25 on Apr. 5. From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that she had started out from Blyth on Apr. 1 and was bound for Sarpsborg, Norway, but due to the German invasion on Apr. 9, this convoy was ordered to turn around before arrival Norway, Hjalmar Wessel arriving Kirkwall on Apr. 9 - follow the link to ON 25 for more details.

Together with Balder, A. Hague later has her in Convoy OA 141, which departed Southend on May 3-1940 and dispersed on the 6th. Her destination is given as Bayonne; going back to the archive document mentioned above we see that she she arrived Weymouth Bay on May 8. In July, she's listed as bound for Halifax in ballast in Convoy OA 190, which also included Bonde, Galatea, Jernland, Kul, Siak and Tai Ping Yang. The convoy left Methil on July 26 and dispersed on the 29th, Hjalmar Wessel arriving Halifax on Aug. 10. She headed back to the U.K. on Aug. 20 in Convoy HX 67 from Halifax, later joining Convoy OA 221, departing Methil Sept. 28, dispersed Oct. 2, Hjalmar Wessel arriving Sydney, C.B. Oct. 12 (Para is also listed). See the external links provided within the table above for more on these OA convoys.

With a cargo of lumber for Great Yarmouth, she joined Convoy HX 84 from Halifax on Oct. 28, escorted by the well known Jervis Bay, captain Fegen. Follow the link for more info on HX 84, which was ordered by Jervis Bay to disperse following an attack by Admiral Scheer (Krancke) on Nov. 5. Hjalmar Wessel made it to safety, as did the other Norwegian ships, M/T Solfonn, D/S Varøy and D/S Cetus. The events are described in detail under the link "Jervis Bay" at the end of this page. Solfonn and Hjalmar Wessel had both seen an unknown motor vessel passing in front of the convoy from the south to the north earlier that day; this turned out to be the British M/S Mopan which sailed independently, and which encountered Admiral Sheer but was sunk before she could send a radio warning to the convoy about the imminent danger. See also San Demetrio's report.

The following month, we find her, with destination Freetown, in Convoy OB 263, originating in Liverpool on Dec. 23, dispersed on the 27th - again, ref. external link provided in the Voyage Record; Brasil, Garonne, Leikanger and Primero are also named. Page 2 of the archive documents states she arrived Freetown on Jan. 12-1941, having started out from Oban. The next day, she proceeded to Takoradi then on to Lagos, and from there back to Freetown, where she joined Convoy SL 66 to the U.K. on Febr. 18 (link in voyage record - Marita, O. A. Knudsen, Petter, Salamis and Ørnefjell are also listed).

She's also listed in the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 59, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 15-1941 and arrived Gibraltar on the 28th; Hjalmar Wessel left the convoy that day and arrived Seville on May 3, having started out from Oban Apr. 17. This convoy will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section, but for now, the ships sailing in it are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys. She headed back to the U.K. again on May 14 with Convoy HG 62 from Gibraltar (escort's report is also available for this convoy). She was bound for Runcorn with minerals, arriving there June 1, and later that month she's listed, along with Ingertre and Velma, in Convoy OB 333, departing Liverpool on June 10, dispersed June 21, Hjalmar Wessel arriving St. John, N.B. on June 29. On July 6, she joined Convoy HX 137 from Halifax, but lost touch in fog and put back to Sydney, C.B. on July 13, later joining Convoy HX 139 from there - the Commodore's narrative is also available. She had a cargo of pulp for Glasgow, where she arrived on July 31. The following month, we find her in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 6, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 11 and dispersed Aug. 24. Hjalmar Wessel started out from Clyde on the 12th and arrived Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 26, proceeding to Pugwash that same day (Page 2). A. Hague has also included her in Convoy SC 44*, in which the Norwegian Barbro was sunk; follow link for details. This convoy departed Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 11 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th - Hjalmar Wessel stopped at Loch Ewe on the 27th. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 3, convoy info for some of them can be found in the table above.

Skipping now to July-1942, when she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 111* (Acanthus, Montbretia and Potentilla are named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts), originating in Liverpool on July 10, but she returned to port (Belfast Lough), later joining the next convoy, ON 112*. Her destination is given as St. John, N.B., where she arrived, via Halifax, on Aug. 4 - see also Page 4. With a cargo of lumber for Sharpness, she returned across the Atlantic later that month with the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 97, and arrived her destination on Sept. 8 (the Norwegian Bronxville was sunk - follow link for details. Bonneville served as Vice Commodore Ship). She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 134*, bound for Halifax with coal (convoy originated in Liverpool on Sept. 26 and arrived New York Oct. 17). Hjalmar Wessel arrived Halifax (via Belfast Lough) on Oct. 14, having sailed from Milford Haven on Sept. 25, according to Page 5. A. Hague has her returning with Convoy SC 109*, which originated in New York on Nov. 9 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th; Hjalmar Wessel is said to have joined this convoy from Halifax, taking station 85 (cargo of lumber), but going back to the archive document, we learn that she sailed from Sydney, C.B. on Nov. 13 and stopped at Belfast on the 30th.

She did not make another Trans-Atlantic voyage until the following spring, when we find her in station 91 of the westbound Convoy ONS 4*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 13-1943 and arrived Halifax May 5 (see also Page 6). Later that month, she was 1 of several Norwegian ships in Convoy SC 132 from Halifax to the U.K., returning with Convoy ONS 12*, which originated in Liverpool on July 3 and arrived Halifax on the 18th. With lumber for Ipswich, she headed back in the other direction again on Aug. 9 in Convoy SC 139 from Halifax, arriving her destination on Aug. 29/30.

In Nov.-1943, she made a voyage to Algiers; for this voyage, she's listed in Convoy OS 58/KMS 32, and arrived Algiers on Nov. 21 (KMS 32*), the convoy having split up on Nov. 18. Far, Ledaal, Ragnhild and Roald Amundsen are also named in this convoy. Follow the link in the Voyage Record for more info. On Dec. 11, she sailed from Algiers to Augusta, having joined Convoy KMS 34*, and arrived Augusta on Dec. 15. Her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 7, with convoy info for some of them in the table above.

In Febr.-1944, she made a voyage from Philippeville to Augusta, having sailed in Convoy KMS 42*. She arrived Augusta on March 2, and about a week later, we find her in Convoy GUS 33, which departed Port Said on March 5 and arrived Hampton Roads on Apr. 4, but many ships had other destinations and left the convoy, while others joined along the way. In fact, Hjalmar Wessel joined from Augusta on March 11 and parted company for Algiers on the 14th. She left Algiers again for Augusta on March 29, joining Convoy KMS 45*, and the following month, she's listed in Convoy MKS 46*, voyage Augusta to Algiers, heading back to Augusta later that month in Convoy KMS 48*. In May, she sailed from Augusta to Port Said, having joined Convoy KMS 49*, and at the end of May, she was back in Port Said, joining Convoy MKS 51* in order to sail to Augusta. In June that year, we find her in Convoy MKS 53*, voyage Augusta-Bizerta, arriving her destination on June 25. Please see the Voyage Record above and/or Page 7 and Page 8 of the archive documents for further dates for these voyages, as well as for info on other voyages made in this period.

She's also listed in Convoy UGS 45 in July-1944, as are Norholm, Norheim and Roald Amundsen. As will be seen when following the link to this convoy she's not mentioned on the A 1 form listing the ships sailing from Hampton Roads on June 12; this is because she joined the convoy at Bizerta, then left again at Augusta. She's also mentioned in connection with Convoy GUS 46, and is said to have left Bizerta for Bone on July 20, but I'm not sure if she actually joined this convoy (which had originated in Port Said on July 14). Here is A. Hague's listing for GUS 46 (external link), and as can be seen, Hjalmar Wessel is not included, but this does not necessarily mean she did not sail (Page 8 says she left Bizerta on July 19 and arrived Bone the next day). The following month, she made a voyage from Augusta to Algiers in Convoy MKS 59*, and in Nov.-1944, she's listed in Convoy KMS 67*, voyaging from Augusta to Alexandria.

As will be seen when going to Page 9 of the archive documents, she made a voyage home to Norway in Dec.-1945, and again in Jan.-1946 (Page 10).

*The ON convoys and ONS convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them, many of which were Norwegian, are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys and on the page for ships in all ONS convoys, along with escorts. Also, the entire SC series will be updated and completed - please see ships in all SC convoys. Additionally, all the KMS convoys and MKS convoys will eventually be added, but for now, see ships in all KMS convoys and ships in all MKS convoys.

For more information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

According to the Riversea International website (which I can no longer find) she was badly damaged by engine room fire on Jan 21-1962, off the north coast of the Netherlands when on a voyage Oslo-Rotterdam (still owned by Borregaard). Converted to a barge in Sweden in late 1962.

Related external links:
HMS Jervis Bay

Caithness Archives, HX 84 Casualty list - Jervis Bay

More on Admiral Scheer - on the Jervis Bay website.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. (ref. My sources).