M/S Anna Odland
Updated March 11-2008
To Anna Odland on the "Ships starting with A" page.
Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.
Manager: Jacob Odland S. S., Haugesund
Tonnage: 4998 gt
Launched Aug. 10 and delivered Oct. 4-1939 from Bremer Vulkan Schiffbau & Maschinenfabrik, Vegesack-Bremen as Anna Odland to D/S A/S Produce, Haugesund. 430.5' x 55.7' x 25.0', 5 cyl. 2 tdv Bremer Vulkan-MAN, 3400 bhp, 13 knots. Conctracted by D/S A/S Produce in Dec.-1937.
Captain: Sven Larsen (all through the war - he was born in Nov.-1895 and died in Dec.-1989). If you read Norwegian, Lillesand Sjømannsforening has more about him on this page (external link).
Anna Odland sailed 298 825 miles all total all over the world including the Middle East, Australia, the U.K. and the U.S.A., transporting troops, weapons, vehicles, war materials and all manner of general cargo.
She made 3 voyages between the U. S. and USSR with grain in 1939-1940. According to "Sjøfolk i krig" by Leif M. Bjørkelund she proceeded from Bremen via Kiel to Haugesund, Norway upon delivery in Oct.-1939, and once her crew was complete she continued to the U.S. on the 14th. She had been ready to depart on Friday the 13th but Captain Larsen waited until the clock had passed midnight before heading out, suspecting the crew would object to sailing on such an unlucky day.
En route to the U.S. she was stopped by a British destroyer, but after the usual inspection of her papers she was allowed to proceed to New York, where she was ordered south through the Panama Canal to Portland, Oregon to pick up a cargo of coal for Vladivostok, where she arrived on March 30-1940, having endured a horrendous storm on the Pacific crossing. She was still there when the news of the German invasion of Norway was received on Apr. 9. When the Russians heard that Anna Odland had an American crew member, they were all locked up for extensive questioning from early in the morning till late that afternoon, the only 2 allowed out being the 2nd engineer and the 2nd mate. But she was eventually freed and her cargo unloaded. Off Hakodate she was stopped by British forces and taken to Hong Kong, where she ended up staying for almost 3 weeks, until May 15, while awaiting further orders. Her subsequent voyages were as follows.
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Voyage Record
From Apr.-1940 to July-1945:
|
(R eceived from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).
For more information on the convoys mentioned in this table, please follow the links provided.
As will be seen, other Norwegian ships also sailed in some of them.
See also my text further down on this page.
|
|
Departure
|
From
|
To
|
Arrival
|
Convoy
|
Remarks
|
|
1940
|
Apr. 16
|
Vladivostok
|
Hong Kong
|
Apr. 26
|
Independent
|
Previously traded in the Pacific
|
|
May 15
|
Hong Kong
|
Calcutta
|
May 27
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 4
|
Calcutta
|
Colombo
|
June 10
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 17
|
Colombo
|
Bombay
|
June 21
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 23
|
Bombay
|
Suez
|
July 12
|
BN 1
|
|
|
Aug. 18
|
Suez
|
–
|
–
|
BS 3
|
Bound for Bombay
Dispersed Aug. 26
See BS 3 (external link) |
|
Aug. 26
|
Dispersed from BS 3
|
Bombay
|
Aug. 31
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 3
|
Bombay
|
Colombo
|
Sept. 6
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 9
|
Colombo
|
Vizag
|
Sept. 12
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 17
|
Vizag
|
Capetown
|
Oct. 7
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 10
|
Capetown
|
Trinidad
|
Oct. 29
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 31
|
Trinidad
|
Baltimore
|
Nov. 7
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 23
|
Baltimore
|
Halifax
|
Nov. 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 7
|
Halifax
|
Capetown
|
Dec. 29
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 29
|
Capetown
|
Aden
|
Jan. 15-1941
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
1941
|
Jan. 17
|
Aden
|
Suez
|
Jan. 24
|
BN 13
|
See BN 13 (external link) |
|
Jan. 24
|
Port Said
|
Alexandria
|
Jan. 25
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Jan. 26
|
Alexandria
|
Port Said
|
Jan. 26
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 11
|
Suez
|
Port Sudan
|
March 13
|
BS 19
|
See BS 19 (external link) |
|
March 21
|
Port Sudan
|
–
|
–
|
BS 20
|
Bound for Capetown
Dispersed March 26.
See BS 20 (external link) |
|
March 26
|
Dispersed from BS 20
|
Capetown
|
Apr. 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 14
|
Capetown
|
New York City
|
May 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 16
|
New York City
|
Philadelphia
|
May 16
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 23
|
Philadelphia
|
Galveston
|
May 29
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 3
|
Galveston
|
Cristobal
|
June 9
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 11
|
Balboa
|
Auckland
|
July 6
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 8
|
Auckland
|
New Plymouth
|
July 10
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 12
|
New Plymouth
|
Wanganui
|
July 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 16
|
Wanganui
|
Sydney, N.S.W.
|
July 20
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 26
|
Sydney, N.S.W.
|
Melbourne
|
July 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 31
|
Melbourne
|
Colombo
|
Aug. 18
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 19
|
Colombo
|
Aden
|
Aug. 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 28
|
Aden
|
Port Sudan
|
Aug. 31
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 8
|
Port Sudan
|
Suez
|
Sept. 11
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 17
|
Port Said
|
Haifa
|
Sept. 18
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 28
|
Haifa
|
Port Said
|
Sept. 29
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 1
|
Suez
|
Colombo
|
Oct. 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 13
|
Colombo
|
Calcutta
|
Oct. 18
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 27
|
Calcutta
|
Fremantle
|
Nov. 8
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 8
|
Fremantle
|
Adelaide
|
Nov. 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 19
|
Adelaide
|
Sydney, N.S.W.
|
Nov. 22
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 27
|
Sydney, N.S.W.
|
Newcastle, N.S.W.
|
Nov. 27
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 29
|
Newcastle, N.S.W.
|
Melbourne
|
Dec. 2
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 6
|
Melbourne
|
Adelaide
|
Dec. 8
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 10
|
Adelaide
|
Fremantle
|
Dec. 16
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
1942
|
Jan. 6
|
Fremantle
|
Suez
|
Febr. 1
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 2
|
Port Said
|
Alexandria
|
Febr. 3
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 9
|
Alexandria
|
Port Said
|
Febr. 10
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 15
|
Suez
|
Aden
|
Febr. 20
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 1
|
Aden
|
Fremantle
|
March 19
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 21
|
Fremantle
|
Adelaide
|
March 26
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 1
|
Adelaide
|
Bunbury
|
Apr. 7
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 15
|
Bunbury
|
Aden
|
May 4
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 5
|
Aden
|
Suez
|
–
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 12
|
Port Said
|
Alexandria
|
May 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 25
|
Alexandria
|
Port Said
|
May 26
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 29
|
Suez
|
Massawa
|
June 5
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 9
|
Massawa
|
Aden
|
June 11
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 11
|
Aden
|
Fremantle
|
July 1
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 2
|
Fremantle
|
Adelaide
|
July 7
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 9
|
Adelaide
|
Port Pirie
|
July 11
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 19
|
Port Pirie
|
Wallaroo
|
July 19
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 20
|
Wallaroo
|
Balboa
|
Aug. 20
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 25
|
Cristobal
|
Gitmo
|
Aug. 29
|
PG 8
|
|
|
Sept. 1
|
Gitmo
|
Key West
|
Sept. 5
|
GK 700
|
|
|
Sept. 5
|
Key West
|
New York City
|
Sept. 17
|
Independent
|
Long passage - using intermediate ports?
|
|
Sept. 17
|
New York City
|
Belfast
|
Oct. 1
|
|
–
|
|
Oct. 2
|
Belfast Lough
|
Swansea
|
Oct. 3
|
BB 226
|
|
|
Oct. 21
|
Swansea
|
Milford Haven
|
Oct. 22
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 23
|
Milford Haven
|
New York City
|
Nov. 10
|
ON 141
|
|
|
Nov. 13
|
New York City
|
Portland, Maine
|
Nov. 14
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 21
|
Portland, Maine
|
New York City
|
Nov. 22
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 10
|
New York City
|
Gitmo
|
Dec. 18
|
NG 328
|
Bound for Cristobal
See NG 328 (external link) |
|
Dec. 18
|
Gitmo
|
Cristobal
|
Dec. 21
|
GZ 16
|
See GZ 16 (external link) |
|
Dec. 23
|
Balboa
|
Durban
|
Jan. 25-1943
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
1943
|
Jan. 26
|
Durban
|
Aden
|
Febr. 10
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 10
|
Aden
|
Port Sudan
|
Febr. 12
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 13
|
Port Sudan
|
Suez
|
Febr. 15
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 1
|
Suez
|
Aden
|
March 6
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 6
|
Aden
|
Mauritius
|
March 15
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 21
|
Mauritius
|
Aden
|
March 30
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 30
|
Aden
|
Suez
|
Apr. 5
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 7
|
Port Said
|
Haifa
|
Apr. 8
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 18
|
Haifa
|
Port Said
|
Apr. 19
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 23
|
Suez
|
Aden
|
Apr. 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 29
|
Aden
|
Durban
|
May 14
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 17
|
Durban
|
Capetown
|
May 21
|
DC 26
|
See DC 26 (external link) |
|
May 22
|
Capetown
|
–
|
–
|
CN 21
|
Dispersed May 24.
See CN 21 (external link) |
|
May 24
|
Dispersed from CN 21
|
Takoradi
|
June 2
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
June 3
|
Takoradi
|
Freetown
|
June 8
|
TS 43
|
See TS 43 (external link) |
|
June 13
|
Freetown
|
–
|
–
|
SL 131
|
Rendezvoused with MKS 15, June 24.
See SL 131 (external link) |
|
June 24
|
Convoys SL 131 and MKS 15 joined up |
Loch Ewe
|
July 4
|
–
|
|
|
July 5
|
Loch Ewe
|
Methil
|
July 6
|
WN 450
|
|
|
July 7
|
Methil
|
Middlesbrough
|
July 8
|
FS 1161
|
|
|
July 20
|
Middlesbrough
|
Methil
|
July 21
|
FN 1077
|
|
|
July 22
|
Methil
|
Loch Ewe
|
July 24
|
EN 259
|
|
|
July 24
|
Loch Ewe
|
New York City
|
Aug. 7
|
ON 194
|
|
|
Aug. 23
|
New York City
|
Hampton Roads
|
Aug. 24
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 27
|
Hampton Roads
|
Algiers
|
Sept. 15
|
UGS 16
|
|
|
Sept. 20
|
Algiers
|
Port Said
|
Sept. 29
|
KMS 26
|
|
|
Oct. 8
|
Suez
|
Aden
|
Oct. 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 18
|
Aden
|
–
|
–
|
AB 17
|
See AB 17 (external link) |
|
Oct. 25
|
Detached from AB 17
|
Fremantle
|
Nov. 9
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 20
|
Fremantle
|
Colombo
|
Dec. 3
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 11
|
Colombo
|
Vizag
|
Dec. 18
|
JC 29
|
See JC 29 (external link) |
|
Dec. 23
|
Vizag
|
Calcutta
|
Dec. 25
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
1944
|
Jan. 27
|
Calcutta
|
Colombo
|
Febr. 3
|
CJ 14
|
See CJ 14 (external link) |
|
Febr. 20
|
Colombo
|
Bombay
|
Febr. 25
|
MB 66
|
See MB 66 (external link) |
|
Febr. 26
|
Bombay
|
Aden
|
March 5
|
BA 63
|
See BA 63 (external link) |
|
March 5
|
Aden
|
Suez
|
March 11
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 23
|
Port Said
|
Alexandria
|
March 24
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
March 26
|
Alexandria
|
New York City
|
Apr. 22
|
GUS 35
|
|
|
July 1
|
New York City
|
Hampton Roads
|
–
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 4
|
Hampton Roads
|
Port Said
|
July 29
|
UGS 47
|
|
|
July 29
|
Suez
|
Aden
|
Aug. 4
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 4
|
Aden
|
Karachi
|
Aug. 10
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Aug. 16
|
Karachi
|
Colombo
|
Aug. 21
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Sept. 16
|
Colombo
|
Melbourne
|
–
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 12
|
Melbourne
|
Fremantle
|
Oct. 19
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Oct. 27
|
Fremantle
|
Geraldton
|
Oct. 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 2
|
Geraldton
|
Colombo
|
Nov. 15
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 16
|
Colombo
|
Cochin
|
Nov. 17
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Nov. 25
|
Cochin
|
Capetown
|
Dec. 13
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 14
|
Capetown
|
Montevideo
|
Dec. 27
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Dec. 28
|
Montevideo
|
Rosario
|
Dec. 30
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
1945
|
Jan. 4
|
Rosario
|
Buenos Aires
|
Jan. 5
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Jan. 11
|
Buenos Aires
|
Casablanca
|
Febr. 4
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 5
|
Gibraltar
|
Avonmouth
|
Febr. 12
|
MKS 81
|
|
|
Febr. 20
|
Avonmouth
|
Barry Island
|
Febr. 20
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Febr. 22
|
Barry Island
|
Halifax
|
March 6
|
ON 286
|
|
|
March 21
|
Halifax
|
Digby
|
March 23
|
HF 165
|
|
|
March 27
|
Digby
|
St. John, N.B.
|
–
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 4
|
St. John, N.B.
|
New York City
|
Apr. 5
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 7
|
New York City
|
–
|
–
|
UGS 85
|
|
|
Apr. 23
|
Passed Gibraltar
|
Bizerta
|
Apr. 26
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
Apr. 26
|
Bizerta
|
Palermo
|
Apr. 27
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 12
|
Palermo
|
Oran
|
May 15
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
May 17
|
Oran
|
New York City
|
June 2
|
GUS 90
|
|
|
June 14
|
New York City
|
Augusta
|
June 28
|
Independent
|
–
|
|
July 2
|
Augusta
|
Bari
|
July 3
|
Independent
|
–
|
In Sept.-1942 I have Anna Odland in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 208, bound for Swansea with ore and wheat - follow the link for more convoy information, including the Commodore's report on the passage. She returned to the U.S. at the end of Oct. with Convoy ON 141*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 24, and arrived New York on Nov. 10. Her destination is given as Portland, Maine, cargo of coal, and she had station 122 of the convoy, in which the Norwegian Albert L. Ellsworth, Aun, Fagerfjell, Fernmoor, Fernwood, Gallia, Herbrand, Jenny, Ørnefjell, Pan Aruba, Reinholt, Salamis, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, and Trondheim are also listed.
In June-1943 we find her in Convoy SL 131/MKS 15, cargo of potash and general, also carrying 3 passengers. I've linked directly to this convoy within her Voyage Record above - see also the first external website that I've linked to at the end of this page for info on the SL/MKS convoys. The Norwegian Dagrun, Hallfried, Karmt and Norheim also took part in this convoy. The SL convoy had departed Freetown on June 13-1943, joined up with MKS 15 on June 24, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on July 4. The MKS portion is also available on my own site at Convoy MKS 15, but note that Anna Odland sailed in the SL portion. She later joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 194*, bound for New York, station 26. This convoy, which departed Liverpool on July 24 and arrived New York Aug. 7, also had several other Norwegian ships, namely Belinda, Brimanger, Dagrun, Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Germa, Heimvard, Kaia Knudsen, Lista, Morgenen, Noreg, Norheim, and Skandinavia, the Norwegian corvettes Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose being among the escorts.
At the end of that same month (Aug.-1943) Anna Odland headed from the U.S. to Algiers, where she arrived on Sept. 15 (Convoy UGS 16), later travelling from there to Port Said in Convoy KMS 26* the following month. Other Norwegian ships in UGS 16 were Egerø, G. C. Brøvig, Gudrun, Heimvard, Strinda, and (possibly) Anna Knudsen, while Atle Jarl, Frithjof Nansen, and Gudrun are listed in this particular portion of KMS 26.
At the beginning of Febr.-1945 she's listed, together with Norefjord, in Convoy MKS 81* which left Gibraltar on Febr. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 13th. Later that month we find her in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 286*, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 21 and arrived New York on March 9. Anna Odland, however, was bound for Halifax on that occasion, arriving there on March 6. She was again in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely Anna Knudsen, Morgenen, Reinholt, and Strinda.
* The ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, please go to these convoys in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. All the KMS and MKS convoys will also be added; for now, the ships sailing in them are named in the sections listing ships in KMS convoys and ships in MKS convoys.
More information 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.
Partly in general tramping, partly on charter to Norwegian and foreign operators. Renamed Prosper in the fall of 1960, sold to Solstad Rederi A/S (Johannes Solstad), Skudeneshavn for N. Kr. 2.3 mill. in September-1964 and put into service as Soldrott after docking in Rotterdam. In 1967 she was mostly in trade to the Far East. Sold again in April-1971 to Acropol Shipping Co. Ltd. Piræus/Limassol and renamed Elissavette, delivered in Piræus on June 4. Sold to Sheraton Shipping Co. Ltd., Limassol in 1975, renamed Interamity in 1977. In 1978 she went to Acropol Shipping. Arrived Gadani Beach, Pakistan on September 26-1979 to be broken up.
Related external links:
SL convoys - As can be seen, Anna Odland is listed in Convoy SL 131/MKS 15. Note also that by going to this section of the same site and clicking on "Ship Search", using "Anna Odland" as keywords, several convoys will come up. I've linked directly to them within the Voyage Record above.
The Australian War Memorial has another picture of this ship. It can be found by running a search via their collection search page.
Lillesand Sjømannsforening's website (Lillesand Seamen's Association) also has a picture, along with pictures of several other Norwegian ships.
Back to Anna Odland on the "Ships starting with A" page.
Jacob Odland, Haugesund later had a tanker by the name Anna Odland, delivered in 1961 (later sold, and named Ergina I, later Antonio D'Alesio). See my comments under the Guestbook message dated Sept. 17-2002 for more details on this ship.
The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Sjøfolk i krig" by Leif M. Bjørkelund and misc. (ref. My sources).
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