M/T Petter - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945 (original) (raw)

M/T Petter Updated Apr. 25-2012

Owner: A/S Jensens Rederi III
Manager: Jørgen P. Jensen, Arendal
Tonnage: 9109 gt

Built by Burmeister & Wains Maskin- og Skibsbyggeri A/S, Copenhagen in 1935.

Captain: Stian A. Mørland.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
(unfortunately, Page 2 is hard to read, and a couple of voyages appear to have been cut off at the bottom of the scan for Page 4)
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 Apr.-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.

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; the Commodore's notes are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

Petter was mostly in service U.S.A.-U.K. with aviation fuel. She very nearly missed being rammed by a British vessel (also carrying aviation fuel) in thick fog, about 2 days out of Ireland when on a voyage to Swansea, having lost her convoy at the time. Date of this incident and name of the British ship are not known.

As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Petter arrived Baton Rouge from Cartagena on the day of the German invasion of Norway, Apr. 9-1940. The following month, we find her in the Bermuda portion of the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 42, together with Stiklestad, Solstad, Brandanger and Brant County. The Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy states that Petter was bound for Brest for orders, cargo of crude oil - she arrived Brest on May 26/27, departing again on June 7 and according to A. Hague, she ran aground on the 10th, but was refloated a week later and arrived Falmouth leaking on June 19, where cargo was discharged. From Falmouth, she proceeded to Cardiff on July 9 and as can be seen when going back to the archive document there's now a long gap in her voyages, the next entry being for Oct. 5-1940 (so it looks like she was repaired in Cardiff). A few days later she's listed, with destination Cape Town, in Convoy OB 226, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 9, joined up with Convoy OA 226 on the 11th, then dispersed Oct. 12. Petter arrived her destination on Nov. 9, having sailed from Milford Haven on Oct. 8. More info on this convoy is available via the external link provided within the Voyage Record - Brant County, Grado, Laurits Swenson, Ruth I and Samuel Bakke are also listed (Grado and Ruth I had started out in OA 226, which also had Marita in its ranks).

Petter returned to the U.K. in Convoy SL 66, which left Freetown on Febr. 18-1941 and arrived Liverpool March 14 (the archive document gives her arrival as March 17). Hjalmar Wessel, Marita, O. A. Knudsen, Ørnefjell and Salamis are also named in this convoy. The following month we find Petter, along with Brønnøy, Chr. Th. Boe, Dagrun, Drammensfjord and Thorshavet, in Convoy OB 307, which left Liverpool on Apr. 7 and dispersed on the 13th, Petter arriving Aruba on Apr. 30 (see Page 1). From Aruba, she proceeded to Halifax on May 3 in order to join Convoy HX 127 on May 16. She was bound for Clyde with diesel oil and arrived there on June 1, later continuing to Bowling. She now appears, together with Bur, Chr. Th. Boe, Morgenen, Nova, President de Vogue, Stigstad and Vardefjell, in Convoy OB 334, originating in Liverpool on June 11; Petter's destination is again given as Aruba, where she arrived on July 5, having sailed from Clyde on June 12.

With a cargo of diesel oil, she joined Convoy HX 140 from Halifax on July 22, but had to leave the convoy due to engine problems (she's not included on the A 1 form, but see Notes on my page about this convoy), putting into Sydney, C.B. on July 27, and from there, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 143. This convoy, which also included the Norwegian Thorshavn, Belinda, Mosli, Andrea Brøvig, Ravnefjell, Katy, Carmelfjell, Primero, Benwood and Salamis, had originated in Halifax on Aug. 5. Petter sailed from Sydney, C.B. Aug. 6 and arrived Swansea, via Belfast Lough, Aug. 25, remaining there for about a month. She later joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 20 in order to sail to New York, but returned to port, then joined Convoy ON 24*, which left Liverpool on Oct. 8 and dispersed on the 15th, Petter arriving New York on Oct. 27, according to Page 2. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Abraham Lincoln, Aristophanes, Brasil, Glittre, Grey County, Herbrand, Idefjord, Innerøy, Solfonn, Thorshavet, Thorshov and Topdalsfjord, as well as the Panamanian Norvik (Norwegian managers). From New York, Petter proceeded to Halifax on Nov. 6 and it looks like she subsequently remained there for a long time; departure is given as Jan. 8-1942, when we find her in station 75 of the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 169. She arrived Swansea on Jan. 25, continuing to Falmouth a few days later, remaining there for about a month as well. It'll be noticed, when going back to Page 2 above, as well as Hague's Voyage Record, that there are several, similar gaps in her voyages for this period.

"Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig" indicates that Petter lost a crew member on March 8-1942 (should this be March 18?) when on a voyage from Falmouth to Aruba. In fact, she's listed as bound for Aruba in Convoy OS 21 in this period (convoy left Liverpool March 4 - link in the table above; Petter had sailed from Falmouth March 2, Milford Haven March 3, Belfast Lough March 5). Fana, Kollskegg and Triton are also listed (see also my narratives for Brand and Evita). According to this message in my Guestbook, there had been a U-boat attack near Aruba and the captain was keen to keep the ship underway at full speed but the cook suddenly jumped off the back of the ship. The captain then - against his better judgement - decided they would stop and try to pick him up. A boat was lowered to row out to get the man, but unfortunately, before they could reach him he was taken by sharks. It took the crew almost 48 hours to restart the engines. In addition to Captain Stian A. Mørland, these were on board at the time: 1st Mate Aage Staubo Jelmert, Able Seaman/Gunner Adelsten Pleyn, 2nd Engineer Oliver Seim, Assistant Frank Olav Akselsen and Gunner Joseph Gilham (from Lancashire, England). Also, from this Guestbook message, we learn that John Corvin was on board (I believe he might be identical to the John Corvin discussed on this external page). Going back to Page 2, we see that Petter arrived Aruba on March 30 - according to A. Hague she had detached from the convoy on March 18. From Aruba she continued to Table Bay on Apr. 4, with arrival May 9, and it looks like an inquiry was held there on May 15. I cannot find any casualties from Petter commemorated at the Stavern Memorial, so the name of the cook is not known.

She did not leave Table Bay again until July 9, when she proceeded to Walvis Bay and Freetown, then went back to the U.K. in Convoy SL 119, which left Freetown on Aug. 14-1942 and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 4 - Petter stopped at Clyde that day, continuing to Bowling. She had station 73, cargo of diesel oil (the Norwegian Maloja is also listed; again, see the link provided in the Voyage Record for more convoy information).

Page 2 now shows no voyages between Sept.-1942 and March-1943, when we find her, together with Brand, Kaldfonn, Kong Sverre, Norelg and Washington Express, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 175*, which originated in Liverpool on March 24 and arrived New York, Petter's destination, on Apr. 16. She headed back to the U.K. just 2 days later with Convoy HX 235, and in May she's listed, along with Chr. Th. Boe, Emma Bakke, Fernmoor, Idefjord, Mosli, Salamis, Samuel Bakke (Commodore vessel) and Slemmestad, in the westbound Convoy ON 184* (departure Liverpool May 15, arrival New York May 31 - Petter joined from Clyde). She left New York again on June 15, joining Convoy HX 244, bound for Swansea, with arrival there on July 1 (Vice Commodore in Samuel Bakke), subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 192*, which originated in Liverpool on July 9 and arrived New York on the 22nd and also included Anna Knudsen, Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke, Ferncourt, Ivaran, Laurits Swenson (Commodore vessel), Norholm, Reinholt, San Andres, Skaraas (returned), Tai Shan, Topdalsfjord, Vest and Villanger, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). Petter went back across the Atlantic at the end of that month with Convoy HX 250 from New York. Her destination is given as Avonmouth, and she arrived there on Aug. 14. A week later she's listed, with Ferncourt, Katy, Norsktank, Nueva Granada, Skiensfjord, Vanja and Vinga, in the westbound Convoy ON 198*, again bound for New York (departure Liverpool Aug. 21, arrival New York Sept. 4). Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3.

She now headed to another part of the world. A. Hague has included her in Convoy UGS 18, which left Hampton Roads on Sept. 15-1943 and arrived Port Said on Oct. 13 - Petter, however, was bound for Malta, where she arrived on Oct. 9 (I've received a Guestbook message from someone telling me that he has studied Convoy UGS 18 extensively using U.S., French and German records, and that U.S. convoy lists do not show Petter as part of this convoy). She also appears in Convoy GUS 20, voyage Augusta to Malta only; going back to the archive document, we learn that she left Augusta on Nov. 2 and arrived Malta the same day, departing again on Nov. 5 for Port Said, where she arrived Nov. 11 - A. Hague has her in Convoy UGS 21 for this voyage. Later that month, he has included her in the Aden to Bandar Abbas Convoy AP 53, departing Aden on Nov. 19; Petter arrived Abadan on the 28th (stop at Bandar Abbas is not mentioned on the archive document, though she did head to this port from Abadan 2 days later). The following month, she appears in Convoy MKS 35, voyage from Alexandria to Bizerta. She had left Alexandria on Dec. 22 and arrived Bizerta on the 28th.

In Jan.-1944, she's listed in Convoy MKS 37, voyage Augusta-Oran, Jan. 15/Jan. 20 - compare with Page 3. From Oran, she headed back to the U.S. on Jan. 25, having sailed in Convoy GUS 28. She arrived Hampton Roads on Febr. 16, Baltimore that same day. It looks like the intention was to return to the Mediterranean again - there's an entry on the archive document stating that she left Hampton Roads on March 14 "For Med", but put back to New York the next day. This fits with the fact that she's said to have returned to port from Convoy UGS 36 (all the unlinked convoys mentioned here are available via the external links in the table above). Instead, she now went back to U.S.-U.K. service again, joining Convoy HX 284 from New York on March 21, for which Abraham Lincoln served as Commodore Vessel. Petter arrived Clyde on Apr. 6, later proceeding to Bowling, subsequently returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 234*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 26 and arrived New York on May 12. Estrella, Abraham Lincoln, Fagerfjell, Fernmoor, Garonne, Geisha, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Lista, Molda, Romulus, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, Solfonn, Strinda and Vinland are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norlys (Norwegian managers). On May 19 we find her (carrying 50 depth charges, according to A. Hague) in Convoy HX 292 from New York, bound for Stanlow, where she arrived June 4 (Page 4), and on June 10 she's listed in Convoy ON 240*, which arrived New York on the 28th. This convoy also had Dageid, Fagerfjell, Heranger, Høyanger (Vice Commodore), Para, Strinda, Thorhild, Vanja, Villanger and Østhav in its ranks.

In July that year she sailed in Convoy HX 298 from New York (with 60 depth charges on board), and with Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Dageid, Dalfonn, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Ørnefjell, Skotaas, Strinda, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell and Velox, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 246* later that month (departure Liverpool July 25, arrival New York Aug. 9 - Petter joined from Clyde). Just 2 days after arrival New York, she started on her return voyage in Convoy HX 303 (again carrying spare depth charges for the escorts), together with Tanafjord, Dalfonn, Noravind, Atlantic, Sommerstad, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Thorhild, Romulus, Stirlingville, Rena, Para, Titanian, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady, some of which joined with the Halifax portion, others joined from Sydney, C.B. - follow the link for more. Petter's destination is given as Milford Haven and Southampton - see also Page 4. Early the following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 252*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 7 and arrived New York on the 22nd and also included Atlantic, Dageid, Fernmoor, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Kaldfonn, Skotaas, Spinanger, Troubadour and Vardefjell, while the Norwegian corvettes Acanthus, Rose and Tunsberg Castle are named among the escorts (as is Buttercup, which was transferred to the Norwegian flag following the loss of Tunsberg Castle later that year). See ON convoy escorts.

Petter now made some voyages around the U.S., as can be seen when going to back Page 4, convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record.

Skipping now to Apr.-1945, when Arnold Hague has included Petter (with Mui Hock) in Convoy SC 173*, which left Halifax for the U.K. on Apr. 18. Acanthus and Buttercup are again named among the escorts (see SC convoy escorts); Rose had been sunk by then (as had Montbretia). However, Petter (bound for Heysham) is said to have returned to port that same day, following a collision with Empire Mackay. This ship is not listed in SC 173, but Empire Chamois is, and is also said to have been involved in a collision, so I'm wondering if that's the ship Petter collided with(?) - though it's quite possible it was Empire Mackay. According to A. Hague's listing, this ship had previously arrived Halifax on Apr. 12 in Convoy ON 293* and on Apr. 27, he has included her in Convoy HS 222 from Halifax (external page), so we do know that she was in that part of the world in this time period; she may also have returned to Halifax after the collision on Apr. 18(?). Judging from the information found on Page 4, Petter remained in Halifax for quite some time; departure is given as May 13, destination New York - unfortunately, it looks like some voyages are missing from the bottom of the scan showing her voyages in this period, but according to A. Hague's Voyage Record, she arrived New York on May 16, and also spent a long time there. When she finally did sail to the U.K. on July 5, no convoy was necessary. She arrived Bowling on July 19, see Page 5. This document also lists some early 1946 voyages.

* The ON 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 (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. Note also that the entire SC series will eventually be updated and completed, including the already existing convoys (some have already been updated); but for now, see ships in all SC convoys.

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

According to this external page she was managed from 1950 by E. Christiansen, Arendal, still as Petter. From 1958, managed by M. Wangen & O. Christiansen, Arendal. Sold to Spain for breaking up in 1961.

Back to Petter on the "Ships starting with P" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Krigsseileren", Issue No. 1, 1982, and misc. (ref. My sources).