M/S Margrethe Bakke - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945 (original) (raw)

M/S Margrethe Bakke Updated May 25-2010

To Margrethe Bakke on the "Ships starting with B" page.


Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.
More pictures are available on this external page (click in them to enlarge).

Owner: D/S A/S Golden Gate
Manager: Knut Knutsen O.A.S., Haugesund
Tonnage: 5478 gt

Delivered in July-1938 from A/B Götaverken, Gothenburg as Margrethe Bakke to D/S A/S Golden Gate (Knut Knutsen O.A.S.), Haugesund, 5478 gt, 3280 net, 8420 tdwt, 453.2' x 58.8' x 26.0', 6-cyl. 2 tdv Götaverken B&W, 6900 bhp, 16 knots.

Related item on this website:
Guestbook message from the son of someone who was on board in 1943.

On my Memorials page, which has a section naming some Norwegians buried at Saranac Lake, there's a John Otto Svendsen. According to "Våre falne", a series of 4 books naming Norwegian WW II casualties, he served as ordinary seaman on Margrethe Bakke until he contracted tuberculosis in the winter of 1942 and was sent to a sanatorium. Died at Saranac Lake on Febr. 4-1943.

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

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

Voyage Record
From May-1940 to Dec.-1945:

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

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing.

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
1940 May 4 Halifax Liverpool May 18 HX 40 Some earlier voyages, Page 1 See also narrative below.Missing movements, Page 1
July 3 Liverpool OB 178 For Panama. Dispersed July 7. Convoy available at OB 178 (external link)
July 7 Dispersed from OB 178 Cristobal July 17 Independent
July 19 Cristobal New Orleans July 23 Independent
July 28 New Orleans Cristobal July 31 Independent
Aug. 1 Balboa Kobe Independent
Sept. 1 Kobe Mackay Sept. 13 Independent
Sept. 20 Mackay Townsville Sept. 25 Independent
Sept. 27 Townsville Balboa Oct. 20 Independent
Oct. 22 Cristobal Montreal Nov. 1 Independent
Nov. 17 Montreal New York City Nov. 22 Independent
Nov. 28 New York City Capetown Dec. 19 Independent
Dec. 20 Capetown Bombay Jan. 2-1941 Independent
1941 Jan. 7 Bombay Colombo Independent Page 1 gives arrival Jan. 10.
Jan. 10 Colombo Madras Jan. 13 Independent
Jan. 14 Madras Calcutta Jan. 17 Independent
Jan. 29 Calcutta Colombo Febr. 1 Independent
Febr. 5 Colombo Capetown Febr. 18 Independent
Febr. 18 Capetown Halifax March 10 Independent
March 15 Halifax New York City March 16 Independent
March 20 New York City Baltimore March 21 Independent
March 24 Baltimore New York City March 26 Independent
Apr. 3 New York City Trinidad Independent
Apr. 8 Trinidad Capetown Apr. 25 Independent
Apr. 29 Capetown Louren�o Marques May 3 Independent
May 6 Louren�o Marques Bombay May 16 Independent
May 23 Bombay Calcutta May 30* Independent *May 28? - See Page 2
June 21 Calcutta Colombo June 23* Independent *Page 2 gives arrival June 25.
June 26 Colombo Capetown July 10 Independent On to Trinidad, July 11(Page 2)
July 27 Capetown* New York City Aug. 2 Independent *From Trinidad, July 27(Page 2)
Aug. 6 New York City Philadelphia Aug. 7 Independent
Aug. 13 Philadelphia New York City Aug. 13 Independent
Aug. 18 New York City Trinidad Aug. 24 Independent
Aug. 26 Trinidad Capetown Sept. 11 Independent
Sept. 16 Capetown Durban Sept. 19 Independent
Sept. 28 Durban Bombay Oct. 3* Independent *Page 2 gives arrival Oct. 9.
Oct. 18 Bombay Calcutta Oct. 24 Independent
Nov. 7 Calcutta Colombo Nov. 10 Independent
Nov. 13 Colombo Capetown Nov. 28 Independent
Nov. 28 Capetown Trinidad Dec. 15 Independent
Dec. 16 Trinidad St. John, N.B. Dec. 22 Independent
Dec. 30 St. John, N.B. New York City Dec. 31 Independent
1942 Febr. 13 New York City Trinidad Febr. 20 Independent
Febr. 23 Trinidad Capetown March 12 Independent
March 13 Capetown Bombay March 26 Independent
Apr. 18 Bombay Cochin Apr. 20 Independent
Apr. 25 Cochin Capetown May 10 Independent
May 13 Capetown New York City June 2 Independent
June 28 New York City Philadelphia July 4 Independent A. Hague says: Put in damaged
July 13 Philadelphia Baltimore Independent Page 2 gives arrival July 14.
Oct. 4 Baltimore Durban Oct. 30 Independent
Oct. 31 Durban Bombay Nov. 13 Independent
Nov. 30 Bombay Colombo Dec. 3 Independent
Dec. 15 Colombo Capetown Dec. 30 Independent
Dec. 31 Capetown New York City Jan. 23-1943 Independent
1943 Febr. 24 New York City Cristobal March 3 Independent
March 4 Balboa Fremantle Apr. 4 Independent
Apr. 4 Fremantle Colombo Apr. 15 Independent
Apr. 22 Colombo Madras Apr. 25 Independent
Apr. 28 Madras Calcutta May 1 Independent See also Page 3
May 18 Calcutta Calcutta May 19 Independent A. Hague says: Put back, defects
May 23 Calcutta Colombo May 27 Independent
May 28 Colombo Fremantle June 6 Independent
June 7 Fremantle Balboa July 4 Independent
July 8 Cristobal New York City July 15 Independent
Aug. 8 New York City Cristobal Aug. 15 Independent
Aug. 16 Balboa Fremantle Sept. 13 Independent
Sept. 14 Fremantle Bombay Sept. 27 Independent
Oct. 17 Bombay Colombo Oct. 20 Independent
Oct. 30 Colombo Aden Nov. 7 Independent
Nov. 7 Aden Suez Nov. 11 Independent On to Port Said Nov. 15 (Page 3).
Nov. 18 Port Said Augusta Nov. 21 MKF 26 Port Said to Augusta
Nov. 27 Augusta MKF 26 (link above) A. Hague says: Augusta to detachment, Dec. 2
Dec. 2 Detached from MKF 26 New York City Dec. 12 Independent
Dec. 19 New York City Baltimore Dec. 21 Independent
Dec. 29 Baltimore Philadelphia Dec. 30 Independent
1944 Jan. 21 Philadelphia Hampton Roads Jan. 22 Independent
Jan. 25 Hampton Roads Port Said Febr. 21 UGS 31 For Port Said. Convoy available at UGS convoys (external link)On to Suez, Febr. 21 (Page 3)
Febr. 23 Suez Aden Febr. 27 Independent
March 1 Aden Karachi March 5 Independent
March 13 Karachi Bombay March 15 Independent
March 29 Bombay Cochin March 31 Independent
Apr. 11 Cochin Colombo Apr. 12 Independent
Apr. 21 Colombo Aden Apr. 27 Independent
Apr. 27 Aden Suez May 1 Independent On to Port Said, May 1 (Page 3)
May 2 Port Said Alexandria May 3 Independent
May 5 Alexandria New York City May 28 GUS 39 Alexandria to USA. Convoy available at GUS convoys (external link)
June 25 New York City Capetown July 16 Independent
July 16 Capetown Karachi July 31 Independent
Aug. 3 Karaci Bombay Aug. 5 Independent
Aug. 16 Bombay Colombo Aug. 19 Independent
Sept. 16 Colombo Cochin Sept. 17 Independent
Sept. 26 Cochin Colombo Sept. 27 Independent
Oct. 5 Colombo Aden Oct. 12 Independent
Oct. 12 Aden Suez Oct. 16 Independent On to Port Said, Oct. 18 - See Page 4
Oct. 22 Port Said Baltimore Nov. 18 GUS 56 Port Said to USA. Convoy available at GUS convoys (external link)
Dec. 21 Baltimore Gibraltar Jan. 1-1945 Independent
1945 Jan. 1 Gibraltar Port Said Jan. 7 Independent
Jan. 8 Suez Aden Jan. 12 Independent
Jan. 12 Aden Bombay Jan. 18 Independent
Jan. 30 Bombay Aden Febr. 3 Independent
Febr. 4 Aden Suez Febr. 8 Independent On to Port Said, Febr. 8 (Page 4)
Febr. 9 Port Said Oran Febr. 14 Independent
Febr. 14 Oran Gibraltar Febr. 15 Independent
Febr. 17 Gibraltar New York City Febr. 27 Independent
March 15 New York City Southend March 27 CU 62 Again, see also Page 4
Apr. 16 Southend New York City Apr. 27 UC 64A Convoy will be added. See ships in UC convoys
May 10 New York City Liverpool May 20 CU 69
May 31 Liverpool New York City June 9 Independent
June 29 New York City Liverpool July 7 Independent
July 17 Liverpool New York City July 26 Independent
Aug. 6 New York City Liverpool Aug. 15 Independent
Aug. 31 Liverpool New York City Sept. 9 Independent
Sept. 25 New York City Halifax Sept. 27 Independent
Sept. 28 Halifax Kirkwall Oct. 6 Independent
Oct. 6 Kirkwall Oslo Oct. 8 Independent
Oct. 27 Oslo Gothenburg Oct. 28 Independent
Nov. 11 Gothenburg Oslo Nov. 14 Independent
Nov. 15 Oslo Gothenburg Nov. 16 Independent
Nov. 26 Gothenburg Curacao Dec. 10 Independent
Dec. 11 Curacao Barranquilla Dec. 12 Independent
Dec. 12 Barranquilla Cristobal Dec. 13 Independent
Dec. 14 Balboa Guayaquil Dec. 19 Independent
Dec. 20 Guayaquil Callao Dec. 22 Independent
Dec. 24 Callao Arica Dec. 26 Independent See also Page 5
Dec. 27 Arica Valparaiso Dec. 29 Independent Via Tocopila. Some 1946 voyages, Page 5 above

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 further details; several Norwegian ships took part.

From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that she was on her way from Chile to Norway in the spring of 1940, but was diverted to the U.K. (Norway was invaded on Apr. 9, and on that date she was en route from Antofagasta to Callao). Via various other ports she headed to Halifax, and with a cargo of copper and fruit for Liverpool, she joined Convoy HX 40 from there on May 4 (having been cancelled from the previous convoy on Apr. 30, HX 39). She arrived Liverpool on May 18, Manchester the next day, later continuing to Ellesmere Port and Eastham. In July she's listed in Convoy OB 178, which left Liverpool on July 3 and dispersed on the 7th. Her destination is given as Panama, and as can be seen when following the external link provided in the Voyage Record, the Norwegian Austvard, Benjamin Franklin, Hellen, Ingerfem, Senta and Skrim are also listed in this convoy. According to the archive document, Margrethe Bakke arrived Cristobal on July 17, proceeding to New Orleans 2 days later. Her subsequent voyages are listed on the archive document already referred to; her 1941 voyages also start on that page, while the rest are shown on Page 2, which also has her 1942 voyages. It'll be noticed that she spent several weeks in New York, where she had arrived from St. John, N.B. on Dec. 31-1941. Departure date is given as Febr. 13-1942, when she proceeded to Trinidad.

On June 1-1942, she rescued the 25 survivors from the American Alcoa Shipper and landed them in New York on June 2 (7 had died). Going back to Page 2 above, we see that Margrethe Bakke was on her way from Cape Town to New York at the time. Alcoa Shipper had been sunk by U-404 on May 30 - ref. external link at the end of this page for more details on this attack. Margrethe Bakke left New York again on June 28 in order to return to Cape Town, but put in at Philadelphia on July 4 - according to A. Hague she was damaged, but further details are not available. She later proceeded to Baltimore, where she arrived July 14, and there's now another long gap in her voyages; she did not leave again until Oct. 4, with arrival Durban Oct. 30, continuing to Bombay the next day.

Skipping now to Nov./Dec.-1943, when we find her in Convoy MKF 26 (this is a little confusing, because the original document that I've used for my information on the page about this convoy, which had the U.K. as its destination, makes it look like she joined from Oran). She was the only Norwegian ship - follow the link for names of others taking part. Margrethe Bakke was not bound for the U.K. on that occasion; she had started out from Port Said and according to A. Hague, she was detached from the convoy on Dec. 2. From Page 3 of the archive documents, we learn that she arrived New York on Dec. 12, having also stopped at Augusta Nov. 21/Nov. 27.

In Jan.-1944 she shows up in Convoy UGS 31, departing Hampton Roads on Jan. 25, arriving Port Said (Margrethe Bakke's destination) on Febr. 21. The Norwegian Audun, Dux, Granville, Katy, Nueva Granada, Solør and Strinda are also listed, but note that they were not all present from the U.S. In May that year she's listed as bound from Alexandria to the U.S. in Convoy GUS 39, which originated in Port Said on May 4 and arrived Hampton Roads on the 29th. (Dux, Ida Bakke, Liss, Meline, Norelg, Polarsol, Thorshavn and Tijuca are also included, but they were not all bound for the U.S., nor had they all been present from Port Said). Going back to the archive document referred to above, we see that she arrived New York on May 28, having sailed from Alexandria on May 5. In Oct.-1944 she appears in Convoy GUS 56, leaving Port Said on Oct. 22, arriving Hampton Roads on Nov. 19; Margrethe Bakke arrived Baltimore the day before, remaining there for about a month. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 4. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Buccinum, Egda, Evita, Fenris, Fernbrook, Gallia and Kong Sverre - all these convoys are available via the external links provided in the table above.

In March-1945 she sailed in the fast eastbound North Atlantic Convoy CU 62 from New York, together with Finnmark, Hegra, Karsten Wang and Martin Bakke, returning to the U.S. the following month with the westbound Convoy UC 64A*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 16 and arrived New York on the 28th. That's where VE Day was celebrated, before she headed back to the U.K. on May 10 in Convoy CU 69, arriving Liverpool on May 20.

As will be seen when going back to Page 4, she got to go home to Norway in Oct.-1945, making another voyage home the following month - see Page 5, which shows her voyages up to and including most of Apr.-1946.

* Convoy UC 64A will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section in due course; in the meantime, please see the page listing ships in all UC convoys.

More information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page can be found via the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Collided on Febr. 22-1954 with the French Capitaine St. Martin off Folkstone and was badly damaged. Caught on fire on Febr. 20-1956 while repairing at Kieler Howaldtswerke. Laid up in Haugesund Nov. 25-1969. Sold that same month to I/S Margrethe (Torvald Klaveness), Oslo as Margrethe. In the Concordia Line in 1970 as Concordia Margrethe. Sold in June-1970 to Iokasti Shipping Co. Ltd., Cyprus as Iokasti of Famagusta. Laid up at Piræus July 31-1976. Arrived Split, Yugoslavia for breaking up on March 11-1977.

Related external links: The attack on Alcoa Shipper

Stavern commemoration - This able seaman, Arnt Thorbjørnsen, is said to have died at sea on Aug. 2-1941 following illness, and is commemorated at this Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway. According to Page 2 of the archive documents, Margrethe Bakke arrived New York from Trinidad on that date.

Knutsen OAS Shipping today - Includes a brief history of the company, as well as a fleet list.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre motorskip" by Leif M. Bjørkelund and E. H. Kongshavn, and misc.

Aa–Al An–Ar As–Av Ba Be Bi–Bl Bo Br–Bu C D
E F G Ha He Hi–Hy 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