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

D/S Lisbeth Updated Dec. 19-2011

To Lisbeth on the "Ships starting with L" page.

Apicture of Lisbeth is available on this external page (click in it it to make it larger).

The above picture was received from Jackie and Peter Allen, Cardiff (see also this Guestbook message).
Stoker

Sigurd Stensen is commemorated at the Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway, as is Lisbeth's Erling Vik, both died on Jan. 2-1941. They had paid off Lisbeth and resided at the Seamen's Home in Cardiff, which was subject to a heavy bombing raid on that date (alll 3 links are external). The memorial also mentions Abraham Abrahamsen, who served as engineer on Lisbeth until he became ill in March-1943 and was admitted to Stobhill hospital in Glasgow where he died June 21-1943 - buried in Sandefjord, Norway ("Våre falne" - Book I).
See also my page about Senta.

Manager: Knut Knutsen O. A. S., Haugesund
Tonnage: 2732 gt, 1636 net, 4450 tdwt.

Delivered in Jan.-1922 from Bergens mek. Verksted, Bergen as Lisbeth to D/S A/S Lisbeth (O. A. Knutsen), Haugesund. 314.8' x 47.2' x 20.8', triple exp. (BMV). Managed by Knut Knutsen O.A.S. from March-1938.

Please note: A Crew list for Lisbeth can be found at the external website mentioned below.

Related item on this website: A posting to one of my forums from Bruce Bolinger re Lisbeth's radio operator from Sept.-1942, Ambrose J. Tai - see also my crew list for Karmt. Bruce was researching the experiences of Tom Applewhite, an American airman shot down in 1943, who reached Gibraltar on 11 Jan. 1944 after being hidden (together with 4 other airmen) for three days in the propeller compartment of a Norwegian ship that sailed from Seville to Gibraltar. As it turned out, this ship was Lisbeth. Since then he has found a lot more information which has been posted to this external page about Lisbeth, including a crew list. In addition to Ambrose J. Tai, the list also names the Norwegian Radio Operator Arvid Kragstad from Hønefoss and the British Bill Bettinson, who is still with us. Here's an interview with him. Bruce also learned that the captain of Lisbeth at the time was Einar Apeland, who's mentioned several times on this website (see Kongshaug, Nesttun and Lysaker V). Bruce would very much like to get in touch with any surviving crew members or their family. If anyone can help, I can provide his E-mail address; my contact address is at the bottom of this page.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8 | Page 9

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

Voyage Record
From June-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 discussed 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 on them - other Norwegian ships also took part.

With a cargo of logs and pulp for Portland, Lisbeth was in the Halifax-U.K Convoy HX 52 in June/July-1940. Together with Havørn and Kolsdal, we later find her in Convoy OB 196, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 10 and dispersed on the 15th - ref. external link provided within the Voyage Record. Her destination is given as Herring Cove, N.S. where she arrived, via Halifax, on Aug. 27, having started out from Milford Haven on the 10th - see Page 1. According to A. Hague, she had become a straggler from the convoy on the 13th. It'll be noticed (on the archive document) that she later spent a long time in Halifax, where she had arrived from Herring Cove on Sept. 14. Departure is given as Oct. 27, when she proceeded to Sydney, C.B., joining Convoy SC 11 from there on Nov. 9, cargo of lumber for Swansea. Several ships were sunk, including Bruse and Salonica (follow links for more details), but Lisbeth escaped harm, as did all the other Norwegian ships in this convoy. Lisbeth arrived her destination, via Belfast Lough, on Nov. 30.

On Jan. 2-1941, 2 former crew members were killed, namely Stoker Sigurd Stensen and Motorman Erling Vik. They had paid off Lisbeth (possibly in Swansea?) and resided at the Seamen's home in Cardiff, which was subject to a heavy bombing raid on that date - ref. the external link to the Stavern Memorial at the end of this page. A few days later, Lisbeth is listed, together Skiensfjord and Troubadour, in Convoy OB 271, originating in Liverpool on Jan. 8, dispersed on the 12th (link in Voyage Record). Her destination is not given, but when going back to Page 1, we learn that she arrived Freetown on Febr. 5, having started out from Milford Haven Jan. 8. The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page also has her in station 14 of Convoy SL 70, which left Freetown for the U.K. on March 29. However, it looks like she did not sail, because she's also included in the next convoy, SL 71, departing Freetown on Apr. 8. Dagfred, Gudvin, Lise, Ravnefjell and Thorshov are also named (link in table above). Lisbeth, cargo of cocoa, arrived Oban on May 3, later continuing to Methil and Hull.

That summer she can be found, along with Gudvin, Kos VII, Kos X, Kos XI, Kos XII, Loke, Norse King and Ranella, in Convoy OG 64*, originating in Liverpool on June 4, arriving Gibraltar on the 18th; Lisbeth, however, was bound for Takoradi, where she arrived on July 5, having started out from Oban on June 5. According to A. Hague, she had been detached from the convoy on June 16. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 2. The following month she can be found in station 12 of Convoy SL 85, departing Freetown on Aug. 25, arriving Liverpool on Sept. 17; Lisbeth, cargo of palm kernels and 3 mails, stopped at Oban that day, again continuing to Methil and Hull. Jenny is also named in this convoy (link in Voyage Record). Together with Blink (collided, returned), Erica, Hildur I and Lago, Lisbeth later joined Convoy OG 76*, which left Milford Haven on Oct. 26 and arrived Gibraltar on Nov. 11; Lisbeth sailed from Oban on Oct. 29 and was bound for Huelva, with arrival there on Nov. 11. When returning to the U.K. a month later, she witnessed the battle for Convoy HG 76 (my page about Annavore, which was sunk, has more info, as do my page about this convoy and the external links at the end of this page). She had a cargo of 4450 tons iron ore from Huelva, and was placed in the first column on the port side of the convoy, which left Gibraltar on Dec. 14. See also HMS Vanoc's report. Lisbeth arrived Belfast Lough on Dec. 27, later proceeding to Ardrossan and Clyde.

Lisbeth left Clyde on Jan. 21-1942 and joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 58*, but the convoy returned to port due to the bad weather (Bronxville ran aground - follow link for details). Acanthus and Montbretia are named among the escorts for this convoy - see ON convoy escorts. A few days later, Lisbeth joined Convoy ON 60*, but again returned (ashore, leaking, according to Arnold Hague). As can be seen on Page 2, she spent almost 3 months in Cardiff, so it's possible some kind of repairs were undertaken there, before she joined Convoy ON 90* towards the end of Apr.-1942, but must have experienced problems yet again because she's said to have put in at Bangor Bay on Apr. 29. She finally got away in May with Convoy ON 92, arriving Halifax on May 21, having joined from Belfast Lough (several ships were sunk, as will be seen when following the link). From Halifax, she proceeded to Sydney, C.B. and Quebec then returned to Sydney, C.B., subsequently joining the slow Convoy SC 87 on June 12, cargo of steel and pulp for Liverpool, where she arrived June 26, according to Page 3.

In July that year she's listed as bound for Sydney, C.B. in Convoy ON 112* (departure Liverpool July 13). She arrived her destination, via Halifax, on July 31 and, having made another voyage to Quebec as well as Montreal and other ports, she headed back to the U.K. on Aug. 29 with Convoy SC 98 from Halifax, cargo of aluminium and pulp for Manchester, with arrival there on Sept. 14. (Lisbeth had been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 97, in which Bronxville was sunk, and for which Bonneville served as the Vice Commodore's Ship). The following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 136*, which left Liverpool Oct. 3 and arrived New York on the 26th; Lisbeth, however, stopped at Halifax on Oct. 24, later proceeding to Mulgrave, N.S. and Chatham, N.B. - again, see Page 3. (Several ships were torpedoed - ref. external link at the end of this page). According to A. Hague, she went back to the U.K. with Convoy SC 113*, which originated in New York on Dec. 12-1942 and arrived Liverpool on Jan. 2-1943, but Lisbeth, cargo of lumber, joined from Halifax and arrived Loch Ewe on Jan. 1, continuing to Methil and London the next day.

She's also mentioned in connection with the westbound Convoy ON 165 at the beginning of Febr.-1943, however, she could not have been in this convoy, unless she joined and returned? - it'll be noticed on Page 3 that she had left Loch Ewe for New York on Febr. 2 and arrived Oban the next day, later proceeding to Clyde, where she arrived Febr. 11. She left Clyde again on Febr. 22 and is listed as sailing in Convoy ON 169, for which Geisha served as Commodore Vessel. Lisbeth did not travel all the way to the U.S.; when going to Page 4, we see that she arrived Reykjavik on March 10 (according to A. Hague, she had straggled on the 6th). She now remained in Reykjavik for a long time before heading back to Loch Ewe on Apr. 14. About a month later we find her in station 122 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 8*, which originated in Liverpool on May 17. Lisbeth joined from Oban and was bound for Halifax, where she arrived on June 1, subsequently proceeding to Quebec and Rimouski. She lost another crew member in this period. Abraham Abrahamsen had served as engineer on board until he became ill in March-1943 and was admitted to Stobhill hospital in Glasgow where he died on June 21 that same year. He's buried in Sandefjord, Norway. Meanwhile, on June 28, we find Lisbeth, with a cargo of steel and lumber for Grimsby, in the Sydney, C.B. portion of Convoy SC 135. She arrived Grimsby on July 15, remaining there for over 2 months.

In Sept.-1943 she made a voyage to Lisbon, having joined Convoy KMS 28*, which departed Liverpool on Sept. 26 and arrived Gibraltar Oct. 7; Lisbeth arrived Lisbon that day, having started out from Oban on Sept. 27. She later returned with Convoy SL 138/MKS 28, in which the Norwegian Hallfried was sunk (follow the link for more details). For info, the SL portion had started out in Freetown on Oct. 13 and joined up with the MKS convoy from Gibraltar on Oct. 24, then proceeded as a combined convoy to the U.K. - ref. external link in the Voyage Record. Other Norwegian ships were Kristianiafjord, Spurt and Norefjord. Lisbeth, cargo of iron ore, arrived Barrow on Nov. 6, having sailed from Almeria on Oct. 21, from Gibraltar Oct. 23 - again, see Page 4. According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she was scheduled for station 13 of Convoy OS 60/KMS 34* later that month, but instead joined the next convoy, OS 61/KMS 35*, bound for Lisbon with coal in station 45. She had left Clyde on Dec. 8 and arrived Lisbon on Dec. 22, the convoy having been split up on the 19th (the OS convoy continued to Freetown) - again, ref. external link in the Voyage Record for more convoy details - Drammensfjord is also named. From Lisbon, Lisbeth later headed to Seville, with arrival Jan. 3-1944. When she left Seville in order to return to Gibraltar on Jan. 7, she had 5 airmen hidden in her propeller shaft compartment - see this external page. Her captain at the time is said to have been Einar Apeland, who's mentioned several times on this website (see Kongshaug, Nesttun and Lysaker V).

With a cargo of oranges she now sailed back to the U.K. in Convoy SL 145/MKS 36. The SL portion of this convoy had departed Freetown on Jan. 1-1944 and joined up with the MKS convoy from Gibraltar on the 12th (in which Lisbeth took part), the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Jan. 24. Ragnhild and Topdalsfjord are also listed. The following month, she can be found in station 14 of Convoy OS 68/KMS 42*, again bound for Lisbon, where she arrived on Febr. 25 (the convoy having been split up the day before). Other Norwegian ships were Cetus, Novasli, Ragnhild and Snar. Lisbeth's voyages in this period are shown on Page 5. Together with Astrid, Cetus, Rena, Snar and Slemmestad, she headed in the other direction again in March with Convoy SL 152/MKS 43. Lisbeth had a cargo of iron ore, joining from Gibraltar with the MKS* section, and arrived Workington on Apr. 5. Direct links to all thes convoys have been provided within the Voyage Record above.

Her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 5, Page 6 and Page 7 - convoy info for some of these can be found in Hague's Voyage Record. As will be seen when going to Page 8, she got to go home to Norway in the fall of 1945. See also Page 9.

* The OG convoys mentioned here 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 are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys. The ON convoys will also be added, but for now, please see the section listing ships in all ON convoys. ONS 8 is available on this page. Additionally, the MKS and KMS convoys will be added; see ships in all MKS convoys and ships in all KMS convoys. The entire SC series will also be updated and completed (including the already existing ones); ships in all SC convoys has the names of the other ships sailing in Convoy SC 113.

More information on the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page is available via the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Sold in June-1951 to Henckel & Schander A/B, Gothenburg. From Jan.-1963 she sailed as Panaga Drysiani of Piræus. Damaged by fire on Aug. 27-1968 on a voyage Abu Dahbi-Kuwait. Broken up in Shat el Arab at the beginning of 1970.

Related external links:
SL/MKS convoys and OS/KMS Convoys - As can be seen, Lisbeth is mentioned in Convoy SL 70 and OS 60/KMS 34.

HG 76 - December 1941 - A long detailed article on the battle.
HG-76, 16 - 23 Dec 1941 - Uboat.net's account.

Ships hit from Convoy ON 136

Stavern Memorial commemorations - Stoker Sigurd Stensen and Mechanic Erling Vik are commemorated. Both are listed as having been killed in a war related incident in Cardiff on Jan. 2-1941. Checking the book "Våre falne", which lists Norwegians who died during the war, I find that the Seamen's Home in Cardiff was bombed on that date. They are buried in Cardiff. Again, see also my page about Senta.

Back to Lisbeth on the "Ships starting with L" page.

Knut Knutsen had previously had another steamer by this name in WW I, delivered in Febr.-1915, 1621 gt. Sunk by UB-23 on Apr. 1-1917 (Hocking says March 31), 22 n. miles west/northwest of Maas lightship on a voyage Rotterdam-Swansea in ballast.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Våre falne" (a series of 4 books which list Norwegian WW II casualties of all causes), and misc. (ref. My sources).