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

M/T Spinanger Updated Dec. 14-2010

To Spinanger on the "Ships starting with S" page.

Source: Roger W. Jordan collection.

Manager: Westfal-Larsen & Co. A/S, Bergen
Tonnage: 7429 gt

Delivered in Dec.-1927 from F. Schickau, Danzig, 7429 gt, 11 070 tdwt, 440' x 57.2' x 33.11', diesel engine, 3200 bhp, 11 knots.

Captain: Jørgen Eikanger.

Related item on this website:
Guestbook message from a relative of one of the casualties, Nicolai Lindtner Olsen.

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 Apr.-1940 to March-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).

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 links provided for more convoy information; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

Spinanger rescued survivors from the British Arlington Court in 1939. This ship had been sunk by U-43 on Nov. 16, Convoy SL 7A - ref. external link provided further down on this page for more details on this attack.

From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that she was in Aruba when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. Having made a voyage to Kingston, she headed to Gibraltar, joining Convoy HGF 29 from there on May 4, bound for Brest, where she arrived May 11, continuing to Cardiff 3 days later, remaining ther for about a month. In June she's listed, along with Charles Racine and Lise, in Convoy OB 168, which left Liverpool on June 15 and joined up with Convoy OA 168 from Southend 2 days later, the combined convoy forming Convoy OG 34F*, which arrived Gibraltar on June 24. Spinanger, however, arrived St. Vincent on June 27, proceeding to Table Bay that same day, then on to Abadan, with arrival Aug. 6 - she had started out from Milford Haven on June 16. Ref. external link in the Voyage Record above. (It'll be noticed, when clicking on the second link provided, that another section of the site has also included Finnanger in the OB convoy, while A. Hague has this ship in a later convoy, OB 170). In addition to Charles Racine and Lise already mentioned, Avance I (returned) and Nea are named in OG 34F (having joined from the OA convoy).

Skipping now to March-1941, when we find her with a cargo of fuel oil for Liverpool in station 62 of the slow Convoy SC 27, which left Halifax on March 30 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 18 (Favorit was sunk - follow the link for more details). The escort's report is also available for this convoy (Spinanger had been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 26, from which Helle and several others were sunk - follow the links for details). About a week later she's listed, together with Fanefjeld, Henrik Ibsen, Inga I, Marit, Nueva Granada, Snar and Varangberg, in Convoy OG 60*, departing Liverpool on Apr. 26, arriving Gibraltar May 10; Spinanger, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived May 15; according to A. Hague she had been detached from the convoy on May 2 in order to proceed to that destination. It now looks like she spent quite a long time in New York (see Page 1) before returning to the U.K. in July in Convoy HX 138 from Halifax, bound for Clyde with Admiralty fuel. She went back across the Atlantic the following month with Convoy ON 5, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 6, dispersed on the 14th, Spinanger arriving Baltimore on Aug. 23. A. Hague says she arrived with defects, and as will be seen when going to Page 2 of the archive documents, there's now another long gap in her voyages; departure Baltimore is given as Oct. 30.

She subsequently shows up in the slow Convoy SC 54 from Sydney, C.B. on Nov. 10. Eglantine and Montbretia are named among the escorts. Spinanger's destination is given as Rosyth, and she arrived there (via Loch Ewe) on Dec. 2. The second external website that I've linked to below later has her, together with the Norwegian Bur, Chr. Th. Boe, Thorsholm and L. A. Christensen, in Convoy OS 14, departing Liverpool Dec. 13 (Estrella and Sveve are also mentioned, but did not sail). Spinanger's voyage information is given as Oban to Port Fortin in ballast, but note that she's also listed, with destination Trinidad, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 45*, departing Liverpool on Dec. 9, dispersed on the 16th, and she could not have been in both. According to Page 2 she arrived New York on Dec. 31, having sailed from Methil Roads Dec. 6; Trinidad is not mentioned for this time period. A. Hague says she now went into drydock. Heimgar, Novasli and Veni are also named in ON 45, though Veni returned to port.

Having spent over a month in New York, Spinanger proceeded to Halifax, and on Febr. 10-1942 she can be found in the slow Convoy SC 69, bound for Londonderry, station 42, arriving there Febr. 26. Going back to the external website again, she's mentioned in Convoy OS 22 the following month, scheduled to sail in station 45 from Belfast (convoy originated in Liverpool March 13), but did not sail. In fact, A. Hague instead has her in Convoy ON 77*, departing Liverpool on March 17, dispersed on the 28th. From Page 2 we learn that she arrived New York on Apr. 1, having started out from Belfast March 18. Haakon Hauan, Helgøy, Norsktank (returned), Nortind, Salamis and Vinland are also named in this convoy. Later that month she joined Convoy SC 80 from Halifax (having been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 79), as did the company's Hallanger. Spinanger was again bound for Londonderry, arriving May 2. They are both listed in Convoy OS 28, originating in Liverpool on May 12, Spinanger voyaging from Belfast to Pointe a Pierre in ballast, station 35. Shearrived Trinidad on June 1, having sailed from Londonderry on May 13. (Hallanger returned to port and shows up again in the next convoy. A. Hague has also included Astrell, Santos and Toronto - the external site below says that Fernbank was scheduled but did not sail and has also added Leiv Eiriksson - however, this ship shows up again in OS 30).

Spinanger's subsequent voyages are shown on Page 2; convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record.

On Sept. 5-1942 we find her in Convoy SC 99 from Halifax (having been cancelled from the previous convoy on Aug. 29, SC 98). She arrived Londonderry on Sept. 19, continuing to Liverpool a few days later, remaining there for a month. According to A. Hague, she ran aground the following month (Oct. 29) - I have no further details on this, but as can be seen when going back to Page 2, she later had another long stay in Liverpool, where she (according to A. Hague) had arrived in tow on Oct. 30. Departure is given as Apr. 4-1943, when she proceeded to Londonderry, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 177* (departure Liverpool Apr. 6, arrival New York Apr. 23; Spinanger joined from Londonderry). A. Hague says she served as Escort Oiler for this convoy. Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Norefjord and Norholm are also listed. In May she can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 237 from New York (Sandanger and Brand were sunk; follow the links for details. According to A. Hague, Spinanger again served as Escort Oiler).

By June she was back in New York, having arrived on June 7 with Convoy ON 186* (Escort Oiler - convoy originated in Liverpool May 24). She had again been in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely B. P. Newton, Herbrand, Meline, Norholm and Trondheim. Spinanger subsequently joined Convoy HX 244 on June 15 (Escort Oiler - Vice Commodore in Samuel Bakke), bound for Clyde, station 92, arriving Clyde on June 29. Just a few days later she appears, together with Heranger, Kronprinsessen, Molda, Oregon Express, Salamis and the Panamanian Norbris (Norwegian managers), in Convoy ON 191*, which originated in Liverpool July 1 and arrived New York on the 15th (Escort Oiler), returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 249, leaving New York on July 23 (Escort Oiler - destination Scapa). Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3.

With Cypria, Haakon Hauan (returned), Høyanger, Kaldfonn, Kronprinsessen, Molda, Norma, Solsten and Stiklestad, she headed back across the Atlantic on Aug. 27 with Convoy ON 199*, and arrived Philadelphia on Sept. 10. According to Arnold Hague, she then served as Escort Oiler for Convoy HX 257*, which departed New York on Sept. 16 and also included Kaldfonn, Marit II, Nueva Granada, Skiensfjord and Stiklestad, with Rose and Potentilla among the escorts for a while (see HX convoy escorts). Spinanger arrived Scapa Flow, via Loch Ewe, on Oct. 2 and just a few days later we find her, along with Abraham Lincoln (whose captain acted as Vice Commodore), Ferncourt, Fernwood, Kaldfonn, Orwell and Skotaas, in Convoy ON 205* (Escort Oiler - convoy originated in Liverpool Oct. 5, arrived New York Oct. 23), returning in Convoy HX 264*, which left New York on Oct. 31 (Escort Oiler). Dageid, Fagerfjell, Kaldfonn, Lista, Montevideo, Samuel Bakke (Vice Commodore_), Skaraas_ and Tungsha are also listed. Spinanger arrived Londonderry on Nov. 17 and already on the 20th she left to join Convoy ON 212, and arrived Hampton Roads Dec. 5 (Escort Oiler), Baltimore the next day. The only other Norwegian ships in this convoy, except for the escorting corvettes Eglantine, Rose and Potentilla, were Vav, Fjordaas and Villanger. Spinanger spent the last day of 1943 at sea, en route to Heysham with Convoy HX 273 from New York (Escort Oiler), arriving her destination Jan. 16-1944.

She now joined Convoy ON 221*, which left Liverpool on Jan. 24-1944, but she returned to port (Belfast Lough), subsequently joining ON 222*, originating in Liverpool Jan. 30, arriving New York Febr. 16, having served as Escort Oiler. (ON 221 also had other Norwegian ships, namely Kaldfonn, Morgenen and Villanger - Acanthus is named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts). Spinanger was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 280 on Febr. 20 (she was in Philadelphia on that date - see Page 3), but instead joined the next convoy on the 27th, HX 281, which arrived Liverpool on March 15 (Escort Oiler). Acanthus is again named among the escorts, as are Eglantine and Rose. Spinanger's destination is again given as Heysham, where she arrived March 20. The following month she joined Convoy ON 231* (Escort Oiler) along with 14 other Norwegian ships, namely Bernhard, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Østhav, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger. This convoy departed Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 24th. Some of these ships, including Spinanger, went back to the U.K. in May in Convoy HX 290 (Escort Oiler). Her destination is given as Stanlow and Barton; according to Page 4, she arrived Stanlow on May 20, continuing to Manchester 2 days later. In June she's listed as going in the other direction with Convoy ON 241* (Escort Oiler - convoy originiated in Liverpool June 18, arrived New York July 2), together with Brasil, Drammensfjord, Egda, Evita, Fosna, Lista, Minerva and Solfonn, as well as the Panamanian Norbris and Norlys (both had Norwegian managers and are included under the N's of this website).

In July that year she can be found in Convoy HX 299 from New York (Escort Oiler - Commodore in Laurits Swenson, Vice Commodore in Høyanger), returning in Convoy ON 247* (Escort Oiler), originating in Liverpool Aug. 2, arriving New York Aug. 15. Belinda, Brasil, Fosna, Heranger, Høegh Scout, Slemmestad, Vanja and Vinga are also listed. Already on the 17th of that month she's listed as bound for Londonderry and Belfast Dock in Convoy HX 304 (Escort Oiler), for which Emma Bakke served as the Vice Commodore's vessel, and early in Sept.-1944 we find her in Convoy ON 252* (Escort Oiler), with Atlantic, Dageid, Fernmoor, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Kaldfonn, Petter, Skotaas, Troubadour and Vardefjell (convoy originated in Liverpool Sept. 7). Acanthus, Rose and Tunsberg Castle were among the escorts for a while, as was Buttercup, which was transferred to Norway later that year (after the loss of Tunsberg Castle). Spinanger arrived Philadelphia on Sept. 23, having sailed from Belfast Lough on the 7th. The following month she's listed in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 158 (Escort Oiler), and along with Anna Knudsen, Dalfonn, Fosna, Norma, Skotaas and Somerville, she headed in the other direction again with Convoy ON 262*, which left Liverpool on Oct. 24 and arrived New York Nov. 10; Spinanger arrived Baltimore Nov. 11, having sailed from Falmouth Oct. 26. She subsequently remained in Baltimore for several weeks (Page 4), then on Dec. 29 she joined Convoy HX 329 from New York in order to return to the U.K. (Escort Oiler) - see next paragraph.

* These convoys will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, with more information on each; in the meantime, the ships sailing in them are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys, and on the page for ships in all OG convoys. Note also that the entire HX series will be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, see ships in all HX convoys.

For more info on the other Norwegian ships mentioned here, please see the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index

As mentioned above, Spinanger had joined Convoy HX 329 from New York on Dec. 29-1944 (for which Emma Bakke served as the Commodore Vessel). She arrived Londonderry on Jan. 13-1945, then departed without escort for Greenock on the 15th. That same day she was torpedoed, starboard side aft, by U-1172 (Kuhlmann) about 1 n mile off Clyde Light Vessel. 3 of the people in the engine room were killed, 4 were badly injured. A doctor from one of the destroyers sailing in the area came on board to see to the injured, until an RAF Rescue Launch arrived later to take them to port, where one died as a result of his burns. This man had been rescued by Gunner B. S. Thorsen, who had gone down into the oil and water filled engine room to find him and bring him up on deck.

Spinanger was taken in tow to Rothesay, repaired (again, see Page 4; some further movements are shown on Page 5). According to A. Hague, she was laid up damaged at Gareloch, where she had arrived on March 11.

The following are commemorated at the Memorial for Seamen in Stavern, Norway (ref. link at the end of this page - the site gives U-482 as the culprit, but this U-boat had been sunk the previous year; see this external page):
Engineer Lars Bø, Motorman Nicolai Lindtner Olsen (had also served on Fernhill - see this Guestbook message), Motorman Gunvald Ulriksen (previously of Octavian) and Motorman Lars Vestvik.

J. Rohwer gives the position as 55 08N 05 25W. The British Escort Carrier HMS Thane was torpedoed and damaged at the same time.

U-1172 was sunk with all hands 12 days later - ref. external link below. (See also Vigsnes).

I've received some documents from Roger Griffiths, England (see Page 2 below), one of which is a letter from the Director of Naval Construction, with the heading "HMS Thane and M.V. Spinanger", dated Febr. 2-1945 stating the following:
"On the 15th January, 1945 the above ships were damaged by underwater explosion whilst proceeding independently from Northern Ireland to the Clyde.

At 13:28 when in position 132 degrees, Clyde Light Vessel 6 cables, Thane sustained severe damage aft and at 14:05 the Norwegian Oiler Spinanger, stationed about 1 1/2 miles away, was similarly damaged. In both instances the centre of the explosion was 50-60 ft. forward of the stern post.

Can D.T.M. please supply any details of the type of weapon and charge weight etc. responsible for the damage to the above ships."

A detailed damage report, and a picture of the damaged Spinanger are available on Page 2

Sold in Nov.-1954 to Lorentzen & Co. (Lorentzen's Rederi Co., Oslo), and renamed Mary Stove. Laid up at Tønsberg Aug. 5-1957. Sold to Belgian breakers and arrived Bruges on Febr. 21-1960 ('61?) to be broken up.

Related external links:
Stavern Memorial commemorations

U-1172

Back to Spinanger on the "Ships starting with S" page.

Other ships by this name: This company later had another tanker named Spinanger, delivered in Febr.-1958 from J. L. Thompson & son, Sunderland, 12 616 gt. Sold in Jan.-1970 to John Hudson Fuel & Oil Shipping, London, renamed Hudson Trader. Sold in 1973 to Andros Trading Ltd., Piræus, renamed Konstantinos G. Chimples, renamed Pelineon in 1977. Sold in 1978 to Universal Glow Inc., Monrovia, renamed Toplou Bay. Sold to Piræus in 1978 (Love Shipping Services). Sold to Skopelos Shipping Corp., Monrovia in 1979, renamed Skopelos. Sold in 1983 to Astakos Shipping Corp. S. A. Piræus, renamed Theodosia V. In June-1977 another tanker named Spinanger was delivered to the company, built in Poland, 17 056 gt. This ship sailed as Bow Stellar for Skibs-A/S Storli, Bergen from 1990, renamed Ncc Yamamah that same year.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, Westfal-Larsen fleet list, E-mails from R. W. Jordan and misc. (ref. My sources).