An item reported that on 24 March was lost the Norwegian merchant tanker Solmsim due to bombs of enemy aircraft, tonnage 8,070 tons , loaded with government stores, underway from Piraeus, Greece to Alexandria, Egypt, part of convoy yes, on the position off the south coast of Crete, Greece. All men saved.(1)
Note
1. Name misspelled must be Solheim, sunk by German Junkers Ju88 bombers.
Source
National Archive UK. CAB-66-16-1.
Vyborg or Viborg©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Part of Typ VI- or Vyborg-class built for the Soviet Union, China, France, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland. The figures differs depending on the source. Wikepedia mentioned 31 built between 1961 and 1969 while Caribia claims 34. Built by VEB Warnowwerft, Warnemünde, East Germany or German Democratic Republic in 1964. Dimensions 140.0 (between perpendiculars)-150.7 (over all) x 20.0 (moulded) x 11.6 (depth to main deck) x 0.93 (fore light)-5.46 (aft light)-3.18 (mean light)-8.91 (mean loaded ) metres. Five cargo hold with total bale capacity 15,674 M3 and grain capacity 18,268M3.
Toyokawa Maru©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
British Town-class Bristol sub-class cruser©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Homeport Hutyu. Owner in 1939 Matsowa Kisen K.K. Built by Wood Skinner&Co. Ltd., Bill Quay, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England with yard number 173 for account of A/S Bangor, Kristiania, Norway in end 1910, seized by British light cruiser HMS Bristol in the Strait of Magellan off the Chilean Juan Fernandez Islands while she was loaded with coal and provision for the German light cruiser SMS Dresden (1) on 14 March 1915, registered at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands as the British Seattle, sold to the Government of South Africa (department of Harbors and Railways, Cape Town) in 1919, sold to Japan and renamed Toyokawa Maru in 1928, requisitioned by the army and became troop transport Allotted IJA No. 224 on 7 November 1941, released and returned to owners and the same day requisitioned by the navy on 28 January 1944 and after striking an aerial mine off Shimonoseki, Japan sunk on 5 July 1945.
Gross tonnage 5,124 tons, under deck 4,737 tons, net tonnage 3,707, deadweight 8,160 tons and as dimensions 385.0 x 54.0 x 27.8 x 8 (light)-25 (loaded) feet. Reciprocating propulsion, single screw, horsepower 516 ihp, coal bunker capacity 1,150 tons, range 0,000 nautical miles/10 knots and speed 10 (normal cruising)-12 (maximum) knots.
Note
1. Part of Dresden-class preceded by König-class succeeded by Kolberg-class. Laid down as Ersatz Comet by Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany in 1906, launched on 5 October 1907, commissioned on 14 November 1908. Since the outbreak of the First World War active as commerce raider in the South American Atlantic waters, then joined the German East Asia Squadron commanded by Graf Maximum von Spee, survived as only German ship the Battle of the Falkland Islands and was finally scuttled off Robinson Crusoe Island (in the past called Más a Tierra) on 14 March 1915 after being attacked by the HMS Kent and Glasgow.
An item reported that according to reliable sources on 27 July were lying in the harbor of Genoa, Italy 9 Italian, 3 British, 2 Danish, 3 Norwegian, 4 Spanish cargo ships, 1 American and 1 Italian steam tanker.
Source
Bundesarchiv RM-40-622
Canal Gent, Belgium-Terneuzen, Netherlands 12-9-2026
Bahamas-flagged, homeport Nassau, IMO 9126912, MMSI 311001799 and call sign C6IX4. Owner Wilson Shipowning AS, manager Wilson Ship Management AS, both at Bergen, Norway. Built by Slovenske Lodenice, Komarno, Slovakia in 1996. Barbados-flagged between 2021-2026.
Hammerfest, Norway 11 August 2023
Norway-flagged, homeport Sandnessjoen, IMO 9632569, MMSI 257797000 and call sign LCUL. Laid down by AS Rīgas kuģu būvētava (Riga Shipyard), Riga, Latvia with yard number 137 on 15 September 2011, launched on 28 February 2012, completed on 14 September 2012 and fitted out/completed with yard number 190 by Aas Mek. Verksted AS, Vestnes, Norway. Owner Norks Fisketransport, Kolvereid, Norway and manager DBS Consultancy, Ottersoy, Norway.
An item reported that between 19-20 August arrived at Gibraltar 1 Italian steamship, 1 Dutch steamship, 1 British destroyer, 1 British steam transport, 4 British steamships, 1 French passenger steamship, 1 Italian steam passenger ship and 1 Norwegian steamship.
Source
Bundesarchiv RM-40-622
An item reported that between 19-20 August arrived at Gibraltar 1 Italian passenger ship, 1 Norwegian steamship, 1 British steamship, 1 American passenger steamship and 1 American steamship.
Source
Bundesarchiv RM-40-622
Vyborg or Viborg©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Part of Typ VI- or Vyborg-class built for the Soviet Union, China, France, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland. The figures differs depending on the source. Wikepedia mentioned 31 built between 1961 and 1969 while Caribia claims 34. Built by VEB Warnowwerft, Warnemünde, East Germany or German Democratic Republic in 1964. Dimensions 140.0 (between perpendiculars)-150.7 (over all) x 20.0 (moulded) x 11.6 (depth to main deck) x 0.93 (fore light)-5.46 (aft light)-3.18 (mean light)-8.91 (mean loaded ) metres. Five cargo hold with total bale capacity 15,674 M3 and grain capacity 18,268M3.
©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Launched by Sir James Laing&Sons Ltd., Deptford Yard, Sunderland, England with yard number 822 on 5 September 1960 for A/S Tanktransport (Thorvald Berg), Tønsberg, Norway, delivered in February 1961, sold to Navigation Maritime Bulgare, Varna, Bulgaria and renamed Dunavy in 1963, part of Bulgarian Tanker Fleet, Bourgas, Bulgaria since 1977, handed over to the 1983 Transferred to Black Sea Anti-Pollution Office, Bourgas and refitted for slop processing in 1983, in 1986 stranded at Kara Burnu while underway towards Aliaga, Turkey to be broken up, refloated on 17 January 1987, arrived at Aliaga on 18 January and breaking op started on 28 February.
Vyborg or Viborg©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Part of Typ VI- or Vyborg-class built for the Soviet Union, China, France, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland. The figures differs depending on the source. Wikepedia mentioned 31 built between 1961 and 1969 while Caribia claims 34. Built by VEB Warnowwerft, Warnemünde, East Germany or German Democratic Republic in 1963. Delivered with yard number 431 on 5 November 1963. Of the Baltic Steamship Company. Broken up at Aliaga, Turkey since 2 August 1987. Dimensions 140.0 (between perpendiculars)-150.7 (over all) x 20.0 (moulded) x 11.6 (depth to main deck) x 0.93 (fore light)-5.46 (aft light)-3.18 (mean light)-8.91 (mean loaded ) metres. Five cargo hold with total bale capacity 15,674 M3 and grain capacity 18,268M3.
An item reported the arrival at Gibraltar on 5 August August coming from the ost of a British steam transport with hidden armament, 1 armed French passenger steamship, 2 each with 2 guns armed Italian steamships, 1 Norwegian steamship, 6 armed British steamship and 1 British steam transport with bow and stern guns.
Source
Bundesarchiv RM-40-622
Flower-class. ©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Part of the Flower-class sometimes also called Gladioulus-class after the lead ship succeeded by Castle-class. Totally were 225 of the original design under the 1939 and 1940 building programmes and 69 of the modified design since 1940built and were 5 original and 6 modified design cancelled. Partly built in Canada of which some were transferred by the British Royal Navy to the US Navy where they were commissioned as the Temptress- and Action-class patrol gunboats. The modified design was slightly larger and with an improved armament. The original design was based on that of the whaler catcher Southern Pride of Smiths Dock Company, South Bank-on-Tees, England. In the original design was the mast positioned forward the bridge, in the modified design aft the bridge, but apparently not always and also not always in modified original vessels. Ordered on 26 October 1939, laid down by Blyth Shipbuilding&Dry Dock Co. Ltd., Blyth, England on 26 October 1939, launched on 22 April 1940, commissioned on 12 August 1940, sold in November 1949, sold as buoy tender Pelkan to Norway on 3 October 1950, converted into a whale catcher in 1951, sold in December 1963, renamed Østfold and broken up on 1 November 1964.
An item referred to a cable telegram of Force Commander Wm.S. Sims(1) dated 3 December 1918 to Alusna, Christiania writing that the US Government might consider to offer some of her wooden ship Ferris type 3500 deadweight.(2) If this could be of some interest for Norway Simms’ advice was to make discreet inquiries and cable view to possible purchasers.
Notes
1. William Sowden Sims (15 October 1858 Port Hope, Canada West-28 September 1936 Boston, Massachusetts, USA), commander-in-chief of the US naval forces in Europe during the First World War. Served in the US Navy between 1880-1922 ending in the rank of admiral.
2. Wood built steamship with a deadweight of about 3,500 ton designed by naval architect Theodore E. Ferris (Design EFC 1100).
Source
National Archive. Misc. Material Print File World War August 1918-January 1922. Drawer 3. Microfilm No. T829-403.
Exhibition Varen voor Vrijheid. Museum Katwijk
Laid down with yard number 92 by De Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij N.V., Rotterdam, Netherlands on 21 June 1923, launched on 31 May 1924, delivered to owner N.V. Maatschappij m.s. Sliedrecht, manager N.V. Stoomvaart Maatschapp DE Maas, shareholder Phs. Van Ommeren’s Scheepvaartbedrijf N.V., all at Rotterdam on 10 September 1924 and torpedoed and sunk underway from Abadan, Iran towards Trondheim, Norway 150 miles west of Ireland by German submarine U 28 on 16 November 1939.
Canal Gent, Belgium-Terneuzen, Netherlands 12-9-2026
Madeira/Portugal-flagged, IMO 9277307, MMSI 255805981 and call sign CQIJ9. Built by Bodewes Shipyard, Hoogezand, Netherlands in 2003. Malta-flagged 2015 and Germany-flagged 2015-2017. Owner Mikkel Myklebusthaug Rederi AS, manager Myklebusthaug Management AS, both at Fonnes, Norway.
©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
British First World War standard AO-class merchant tanker. USA-flagged. Owner in 1939 Cia. Maritime, Manilla, Philipines, manager Fernandez Hermanos Inc. Launched down by by J. Brown&Co. Ltd., Clydebank, Scotland with yard number 469 on 28 March 1918, completed in April 1918, owner The Shipping Controller, London, England Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company Ltd., London 1919-1927, M.C. Stray, Christiansand, Norway 1927-1938, sunk by Japanese aircraft on 10 February 1942, salvaged, repaired and renamed Palembang Maru in 1942 and torpedoed and sunk by the American submarine USS Baya off Saigon/Cape Varella, French Indochina on 4 March 1945. Gross tonnage 5,235 tons, under deck 4,764 tons, net tonnage 3,156 tons, deadweight7,680 tons and as dimensions 400.7 x 52.3 x 28.5 x 26 (loaded) feet. Oil fuelled reciprocating propulsion, horsepower 489 nhp and speed 10 (normal cruising)-11 (maximum) knots
Gneisenau©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Admiral Hipper-classs©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
An item reported that the German number of aircraft stationed in Norway was recently strengthened by 6-9 Focke Wulf 200 Condor-planes,36 Messerschmidt 109 and 36 Messerschmidt 110. The Messerschmidt escorted the German ships leaving Brest, France and were there in the past stationed. Their new post in Norway could indicate the transfer of heavy German warships to Norwegian waters. On noon 19 February was the German battleship Tirpitz seen on a north east course 20 miles off the Norwegian coast at Vigten according to the J.I.C. busy with routine training operations. The transfer of the German ships from Brest to North Sea harbors was a blessing for the Allies simplifying guard necessities.(1)
Note
1. This must be the battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and (Admiral Hipper-class) and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen leaving Brest on 11 February 1941 during Operation Cerberus.
Source
Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. MR0423. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 72 dated 20 February 1942
Gneisenau©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
Scharnhorst©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
light cruiser Nürnberg©Warshipsresearch.blogspot.com
An item reported that one German pocket battleship [in pencil Lutzow] and one Hipper-class cruiser were berthed in the Grimstad Fjord south of Bergen, Norway with the German battleship Tirpitz still at Trondheim. One battle cruiser believed to be the Scharnhorst was lying in the floating dock at Kiel and the cruiser Nürnberg close by berthed. The other battle cruiser [Gneisenau[ was lying at Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Source
Map Room Papers (Roosevelt Administration), 1942 - 1945. MR0423. U.S. Joint Intelligence Committee. Daily summary No. 75 dated 23 February 1942
An item reported that the German hospital ship Alexander von Humboldt underway towards Norway was despite her clear marks attacked by an enemy submarine although she was not damaged.(10
Note
1. Launched as fishery and research vessel on 82 March 1940, commissioned as hospital ship on 20 August 1940, bombed and sunk during an American air attack on Wesermünde, Germany on 24 June 1944, refloated and repaired after 1945 and finally broken up at Hamburg, Germany in July 1962. Registered as Lazarettschiff G but presumably never used this designation.
