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

M/S Titanian Updated Sept. 19-2012

To Titanian on the "Ships starting with T" page.

Source: Roger W. Jordan collection (sent to me for inclusion on this website).
See also this external page (click in the pictures to enlarge).

This one was received from (and painted by) Jan Goedhart, Holland.

Owner: A/S Rederiet Titanian
Manager: Hilmar Reksten, Bergen
Tonnage: 4880 gt.
Dimensions: 400.6' x 53.5' x 25.7'.

Delivered in May-1924 as Iossifoglu from Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Newcastle (1217) to S.H., London. Sold in 1925 to Ionian Marine & Land Investment Co., London. Sold in 1927 to Moorgate Investment & Agency Co., Ltd., Newcastle. Renamed Titanian in 1929 - Moorgate Investment & Agency Co. Ltd. (W.A. Souter & Co.), Newcastle. Sold in 1936 to Swan Hunter & W. Richardson (W.A. Souter & Co.), Newcastle. Sold in Dec.-1936 to A/S Rederiet Titanian (Hilmar Reksten), Bergen, no name change.

Related items on this website:
Odd's ships - My father served on this ship after the war, and was on board when she struck a mine - see Post War details below. Odd's letters - Letter No. 4 refers to the loss of Titanian. In my father's papers I've found a recommendation written by Captain Bernt Breivik, dated Rotterdam, May 3-1947. I'm wondering if he's identical to the captain who served on Hadrian, which was interned in Dakar during the war, and who took part in the incredible escape with Lidvard? Follow the links for more details. If anyone could confirm this, I would appreciate it - my contact address has been provided at the bottom of this page.
Guestbook message from someone whose father served on this ship in 1935. He also mentions a near miss with an iceberg on Apr. 23-1935.
A thread on my Ship Forum started by the daughter of Ordinary Seaman Reed. He also served on Galatea, Bur and Torvanger.

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

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

� Voyage Record
From Apr.-1940 to Jan.-1946: �

(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 may be 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 links provided for more convoy information - several Norwegian ships took part.

As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Titanian was on her way from New Orleans to Liverpool when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. She stopped in Halifax on Apr. 14, joining Convoy HX 36 to the U.K. on Apr. 18, cargo of cotton and lumber, station 33. She lost touch with the convoy the next day, but reached Liverpool safely on May 2, later joiningConvoy OB 151 (station 22), which departed Liverpool on May 19 and dispersed May 22. Her destination is given as Botwood, where she arrived June 1. Alaska, Stigstad and Fana are also listed (ref. external link provided within the Voyage Record above). In Sept.-1940, we find her in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 71, general cargo for Avonmouth. A. Hague has also included Polartank, while Gallia and Laurits Swenson joined with the Halifax portion*. The archive document gives her destination as London; she arrived Methil Roads on Sept. 23, continuing to Grangemouth a few days later, where she spent over 2 weeks, before proceeding to Leith. It'll also be noticed that she later spent a long time at Tyne, where she had arrived from Sunderland on Oct. 25. Departure is given as Dec. 4, when she proceeded to Methil Roads and Oban and from there, she subsequently joined Convoy OB 257, originating in Liverpool on Dec. 10, dispersed Dec. 13, Titanian arriving Bermuda Dec. 31 (having started out from Oban Dec. 11). Dagrun, Storaas and Topdalsfjord are also listed - again, see the external link in the table above (another section of the same site also has Suderholm in this convoy, while A. Hague has included this ship in OB 258).

Her 1941 voyages also start on Page 1 and continue on Page 2. With a cargo of lead, zinc and lumber for London, she was scheduled for the slow Convoy SC 28 from Halifax to the U.K. on Apr. 9-1941, but instead joined the next convoy on Apr. 19, SC 29. The escorts' reports are also available for this convoy. In June, she's listed in Convoy OG 65, originating in Liverpool on June 14, arriving Gibraltar June 28; her destination is not given, but from the archive document, we learn that she arrived Bathurst on July 2 (having started out from Oban June 15); accordng to A. Hague, she had been detached from the convoy on June 25 in order to proceed to that destination. OG 65 will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section in due course; in the meantime, the ships sailing in it are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys. Brasil, Kos I, Lysaker V, Selbo and Trolla are also included.

As will be seen, when going back to Page 2, Titanian later had a long stay in Lagos, where she had arrived from Keta on July 31-1941. Departure is given as Sept. 15, when she proceeded to Forcados. A. Hague says she had arrived Lagos with a damaged propeller, so the long stay was probably due to repairs being necessary. The following month, he has included her, together with Tortugas, in Convoy SL 91, which left Freetown on Oct. 27 - ref. external links in the table above. She arrived Liverpool on Nov. 21, remaining there for a month, before joining the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 49*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 21, dispersed Jan. 5-1942 and also included Blink, Bur, Ravnefjell and Veni. Again, no destination is given for Titanian, but she arrived Halifax on Jan. 7, according to the archive document.

With a cargo of grain for Leith, she headed back to the U.K. on Jan. 30-1942 in Convoy SC 67 from Halifax, in which the Norwegian Heina was sunk - follow the links for details. Titanian arrived Leith, via Loch Ewe and Methil Roads, on Febr. 18 (Page 2), and with Arosa, Beth, Borgfred, Elg, Sirehei, Thorsholm, Tortugas and Tungsha, she later returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 74*, originating in Liverpool on March 9, arriving Halifax March 25. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. On Apr. 11, she joined Convoy SC 79 from Halifax (having been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 78), cargo of grain for Manchester, and the following month, we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 92, arriving Halifax on May 21. As will be seen when following the link, this convoy lost several ships, but none of them were Norwegian (see also the external link further down on this page). Having made a voyage to Quebec and on to Sydney, C.B., Titanian went back to the U.K. with the slow Convoy SC 87 on June 12, bound for Barry Dock, cargo of grain and trucks.

She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 112* (from Liverpool July 13-1942), but is said to have had some sort of defect forcing her to go into Belfast Lough, and from there, she later joined Convoy ON 114*, which had originated in Liverpool on July 19 and dispersed Aug. 4; Titanian stopped at Halifax Aug. 3, proceeding to New York on Aug. 9, with arrival Aug. 12. Both these convoys had several Norwegian ships, namely Albert L. Ellsworth, Bjørkhaug, Borgholm, Bruse Jarl, Evviva, Facto, Fidelio, Gezina, Hjalmar Wessel, Ingerfem, Lisbeth, Loke, Norjerv, Ragnhild and Selvik in ON 112, while Astrid, Berto, Bonneville (Commodore Vessel), Ingertre, Marga, Marie Bakke, Norhauk and Torfinn Jarl are listed in ON 114. At the end of that month, some of these ships, including Titanian, can be found in Convoy SC 98 from Halifax. She had a cargo of steel and lumber for Milford Haven and Southampton - again, see Page 3.

Later that year we find her, along with Bencas (from Halifax), Bestik, Borgfred, Cetus, Ingertre, Minister Wedel, Norlom, Orwell and Suderøy, in Convoy ON 144*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 7-1942 and arrived New York Nov. 27; Titanian, however, was bound for St. John, N.B., where she arrived (via Halifax) on Dec. 3 (having started out from Milford Haven on Nov. 6). Eglantine, Montbretia (sunk), Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts - see ON convoy escorts. Please go to my page about Monbretia for more details on the passage of this convoy, which lost several ships (see also the external link further down on this page). According to Arnold Hague, Titanian headed back to the U.K. again on Dec. 16 in the Halifax portion of the slow convoy SC 113*, which had originated in New York on Dec. 12-1942 and arrived Liverpool Jan. 2-1943; Titanian stopped at Loch Ewe on Jan. 1, proceeding to Methil Roads and Hull the next day, with arrival Hull Jan. 8 - see Page 4. Askot (from Halifax to St. John's), Hallanger, Henrik Ibsen, Kirsten B (to St. John's only), Lisbeth, Norvarg, O. B. Sørensen, Rio Verde and Ruth I are also named in this convoy.

I found 2 pictures of Titanian on The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich website (external link). They have an extensive collection of ships' photographs and I found several of my father's ships here. They're quite expensive and I only mention this because of the info provided in the text for each picture. The caption for the first picture of Titanian says: "1942-1943, lying at quayside on the River Tyne. Negative dated 24 Feb. 1943." The text for the second one says: "1942-1943, lying at quayside on the River Tyne. Negative dated 14 Apr. 1943. NB: The Titanian arrived on the Tyne, from Hull, on 22 Jan. 1943 and sailed on 4 Jun. 1943 for Halifax N S." This matches up with the details found on Page 4 of the archive documents. It would be interesting to know why she was at Tyne for such a long time.

She's now listed, together with Acasta, Cetus, Fjordheim, Grey County, James Hawson, Mathilda, Novasli, Ravnefjell and Sirehei, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 10*, originating in Liverpool on June 8-1943, arriving Halifax June 27. The following month, she can be found among the ships in Convoy SC 136 from Halifax; in fact, she served as Commodore Vessel on this occasion. She arrived Avonmouth, via Belfast Lough, on July 25, later joining Convoy ONS 15*, which also had Ragnhild, Veni and Vinland in its ranks (convoy originated in Liverpool Aug. 6, arrived Halifax Aug. 21 - Titanian proceeded to St. John, N.B., with arrival Aug. 24). On Sept. 3, she's listed as bound for Belfast Dock with grain and general in Convoy SC 141 - again, see Page 4. With Acasta, Astrid, Bernhard, Hiram, Norse Lady, Novasli and Rena (Commodore Vessel), she later headed in the other direction again with Convoy ONS 19*, which originated in Liverpool on Sept. 26 and arrived Halifax Oct. 14; Titanian joined from Belfast Lough and was bound for Montreal, where she arrived, via Sydney, C.B., on Oct. 16, according to A. Hague (date not visible on archive document). Having made a voyage to Quebec, she returned to Sydney, C.B. in order to join the Sydney portion of Convoy SC 146, cargo of steel and lumber for London (convoy had started out in Halifax on Nov. 6, Titanian sailed from Sydney, C.B. Nov. 7). Commodore was again in Rena. It'll be noticed, when going back to the archive document, that Titanian later spent a long time at Gravesend.

At the end of Jan.-1944, we find her in the westbound Convoy ONS 28*, originating in Liverpool an Jan. 28, arriving Halifax Febr. 15; this time she was bound for New York, where she arrived Febr. 18, having sailed from Oban Jan. 29, according to Page 5. Arosa, Solstad and Velox are also listed in this convoy. From New York, she later headed to Boston, then on to Halifax in order to join Convoy SC 155 on March 14, cargo of lumber for Milford Haven and Southampton, arriving the former on March 29, the latter on Apr. 2. In May, she went in the other direction again, having joined Convoy ON 236*, which also included Buenos Aires, Fjordaas, Montevideo, Norholm, Norvarg, Rena, Solsten, Sommerstad, Thorshov and Vera. The convoy departed Liverpool on May 11 and arrived New York May 27; Titanian joined from Belfast Lough and arrived Boston on the 26th, remaining there for a long time; the archive document gives departure as July 3.

With a cargo of iron and lumber for Methil and London, she later shows up in the Halifax portion of Convoy HX 303, which had originated in New York on Aug. 11. This convoy had 16 other Norwegian ships, namely Romulus, Dalfonn, Noravind, Atlantic, Sommerstad, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Thorhild, Petter, Stirlingville, Rena, Para, Tanafjord, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady. Some of them, including Titanian, subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ONS 33*, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 29, arriving Halifax Oct. 14; Titanian joined from Loch Ewe and arrived New York Oct. 16 (Page 5). Cetus, Chr. Th. Boe, Dagrun (returned), Drammensfjord, Mui Hock, Para, Peik, Rena and Romulus are listed. Titanian's last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 161 (Nov. 17), carrying steel and lumber, destination Barry Dock, arriving Barry Dec. 5 (departure is given as Jan. 24-1945).

At the end of Jan.-1945, she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 41*, together with Atlantic, Evanger, Gausdal, Geisha, Maud, Sommerstad, Veni and Vinland (from Liverpool Jan. 29, to Halifax Febr. 20). Titanian sailed from Belfast Lough on Jan. 30 and arrived Boston on Febr. 23, according to A. Hague (date not visible on Page 6). With Askepot, Biscaya, Brush, Brønnøy, Chr. Th. Boe, Frontenac, Geisha (Commodore Vessel), Romulus and Tercero, he now has her returning to the U.K. in Convoy SC 170*, departing Halifax on March 17, arriving Liverpool March 31 - Titanian anchored off Mumbles. On VE Day she was in Belfast, according to the archive document, and the last North Atlantic convoy she took part in was ONS 51*, which left Liverpool on May 21 (Titanian sailed from Belfast Lough that day) and arrived Halifax June 4. Annik, Minerva (Vice Commodore), Vera and Vest are also listed.

From Page 6 we learn that she went home to Norway in Nov.-1945, and again in March-1946 (the document also shows some long stays in port in the course of 1945).

* The ON 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 (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys and on the page for ships in all ONS convoys. Additionally, the entire HX series and the SC series will be updated and completed (including the already existing convoys - some have already been updated), but for now, please see ships in all HX convoys and ships in all SC convoys.

More info on the other Norwegian ships mentioned here is available via the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index.

Related external links:
Ships hit from convoy ON(S) 92

On March 30-1947, when on a voyage from Antwerp to Oslo in ballast, she struck a mine in 53 35N 04 35E (40 miles west of Texel Island) and was badly damaged. According to a contemporary newspaper article, 13 men from Titanian were picked up by the fishing vessel Katwijk 5, after the tug Volharding had heard the SOS, presumably sent by my father, who was the radio operator on board when this happened. The rest of her crew must have remained on board. Titanian was later assisted by these 2 vessels as well as Blankenburg and Maas. She was listing heavily and was towed into port, arriving Nieuwe Waterweg on Apr.-1, then Rotterdam on Apr. 3. Found to be beyond economical repair. Declared a constructive total loss on Nov. 6-1947, and sold to Stavanger Skipsopphugning (breakers) in Apr.-1948 where demolition began in June-1948. For insurance purposes the loss was settled as a war loss.

My father talks about this incident in his Letter No. 4 (can be reached via Odd's letters) in which he says "For the seamen the war was not over on the 8th of May, 1945. On the M/S Titanian, which I signed on in the fall of 1946 I got proof of just that. We went straight into a magnetic mine field. The ship broke almost in two, but after 3 days we managed to get ashore, after having been picked up by a Dutch trawler. This happened on Palm Sunday, 1947".

Picture received from Jan Goedhart, Holland, who in turn obtained it from Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum, Maassluis
(used here with permission from the museum).
Lillesand Sjømannsforening also has a picture of a ship which is said to be Titanian, presumably after she hit the mine (external link).

Back to Titanian on the "Ships starting with T" page.

Hilmar Reksten later had another ship named Titanian. This ship sailed as Morgenen during the war (see the Post War details for that ship).

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, E-mails from Roger W. Jordan (author of "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939"), a Dutch newspaper article received from Jan Goedhart, Holland, "Tramp" by Dag Bakka Jr. via Jan Goedhart, and misc. - ref. My sources).