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M/T Belinda To Belinda on the "Ships starting with B" page. Owner: Rederi A/S Mascot Built by Götaverken A/B, Gothenburg, Sweden in 1939. Captain: Lorentz Christensen Related item on this website:
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. The links in the "Convoy" column go to convoys that are available on my own site, and these also have the Commodore's comments and/or reports in most cases. Going to this external page and clicking on "Ship Search", typing "Belinda" in the search field, will provide direct links to each convoy that is noted as external in the last column below. (Please be aware that some of these convoys may be incomplete - compare A. Hague's numbers to TDS numbers. TDS = number of ships according to Trade Division Signal). See also my narrative further down on this page. Errors may exist, and some voyages may be missing.
Belinda is listed as sailing in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HXF 14 at the end of Dec.-1939. Her destination is given as Liverpool, and she was the only Norwegian ship in the convoy, as can be seen by following the link. HXF 14, which had left Halifax on Dec. 27-1939, arrived Liverpool on Jan. 8-1940. Later that month we find her in station 91 of Convoy OB 75, which left Liverpool on Jan. 19 and joined up with Convoy OA 75 on Jan. 21, the combined convoy forming the Gibraltar bound convoy OG 15, which arrived Gibraltar on the 27th. Belinda's destination, however, was Abadan. More info on the OB convoys is available via the external links provided in the above table, or see the first external website that I've linked to at the end of this page. Ships in Convoy OG 15 (including Belinda) are named on my page listing ships in all OG convoys In March-1940 she was in the Gibraltar-U.K. Convoy HG 22, bound for Manchester, station 64. The Norwegian Teneriffa is also listed. At the end of that month she shows up in Convoy OB 119, departing Liverpool on March 29, dispersed Apr 1 (Buesten is also included). Belinda's destination is given as Curacao, station 42. She then shows up in Convoy HX 40 from Halifax at the beginning of May-1940. The external site already mentioned now has her scheduled for Convoy OB 154, departing Liverpool on May 24-1940, but she did not sail (her destination was Corpus Christi). Note, however, that she's listed in Convoy OG 31 (again, see the link in the above paragraph to "ships in all OG convoys" - the Norwegian Novasli and Nyland are included). She had started out from the U.K. with Convoy OA 155, which left Southend on May 26, joined up with Convoy OB 155 on the 28th, the combined convoy forming OG 31, which arrived Gibraltar on June 3. Her destination was still Corpus Christi, so she left this convoy around May 31 to proceed to her destination, arriving Corpus Christi independently on June 15. In July-1940 she joined the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 59 (having previously been cancelled from HX 54 at the end of June), cargo of gasolene for Clyde, station 52. Towards the end of that year she's listed in Convoy OB 259, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 14-1940 and dispersed on the 17th. Her destination is given as Abadan / Cape - again, see the external links to the OB convoys in the above table, or at the end of this page, for the names of other ships in this convoy; Dalfonn, Erviken, Helgøy, Hørda, Høyanger, Idefjord, Leiesten, Taranger and Thorshavet are among them. On Dec. 29 she rescued the crew of 29 from D/S Risanger, the last Norwegian ship to be torpedoed in the Atlantic in 1940 (Dec. 27), and landed them in Capetown. According to her Voyage Record, she arrived there on Jan. 10-1941.
In Febr.-1941 she can be found in Convoy SL 65, which left Freetown on Febr. 10 and arrived Liverpool on March 8. The website about the SL convoys that I've linked to at the end of this page, and within the Voyage Record, has more details. As will be seen, the Norwegian Belita, Bur, Fernlane, Morgenen, Ørnefjell and Polartank are also included. Together with Evanger, Havsten, Malmanger, and Strinda, Belinda subsequently joined Convoy OB 298, which left Liverpool on March 16-1941 and dispersed on the 20th, Belinda arriving Curacao independently on Apr. 4. She returned to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HX 121, bound for Clyde, station 84 (the Norwegian Caledonia was sunk). In May she shows up, with destination Curacao, in Convoy OB 322, originating in Liverpool on May 12, dispersed May 20, Belinda arriving Curacao on May 31 (see the external link provided - other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Bollsta, Idefjord, Lista and Solitaire). In June she sailed in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 132 with gasoline for Mersey, subsequently joining Convoy OB 344 in order to head to New York (convoy left Liverpool on July 7, dispersed on the 16th - again, ref. external site already mentioned; Laurits Swenson, Sama and Samuel Bakke are also listed). She arrived New York on July 19, then returned to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 143 together with the Norwegian Thorshavn, Mosli, Andrea Brøvig, Katy, Ravnefjell, Carmelfjell, Salamis, Primero, Benwood and an unnamed tanker, possibly/probably Petter. This convoy left Halifax on Aug. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 20th. After unloading her cargo she turned right around and went back across the Atlantic on Aug. 30 with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 11 (station 43), again bound for New York with arrival there on Sept. 15, heading back to the U.K. a week later with Convoy HX 151 along with the Norwegian Sama ( in station 85), San Andres (105), Meline (43), Morgenen (93), Dagrun (54), Thorshøvdi (53), Sophocles, Tigre (44), Hardanger (94), Leiv Eiriksson (24), and Laurits Swenson (it says just Swenson, but I assume it should be Laurits Swenson). This convoy left Halifax on Sept. 22 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 7. On Oct. 14, some of these ships, including Belinda, headed in the other direction again with the westbound Convoy ON 26, Belinda sailing in station 23, bound for New York, where she arrived on Nov. 1. She subsequently went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 160 later that month, and in Dec. she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 44* (departed Liverpool on Dec. 7, dispersed on the 15th). Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Anna Knudsen, Garonne, Montevideo, and Toledo. The Panamanian Norvik is also listed (Norwegian managers and, therefore, included on this website under the N's). The Norwegian corvettes Montbretia and Rose were among the escorts.
She's mentioned in connection with the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 171 in Jan.-1942, returning with the westbound Convoy ON 67*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 14, and in which Eidanger was sunk. The Norwegian Finnanger, Glittre, Hamlet, Idefjord, Nueva Andalucia, Sama, Skandinavia, Strinda, and Thorhild are also lised. Belinda was bound for the West Indies on that occasion, and in March we find her in station 42 of Convoy HX 182. In May that year she's listed as bound for Corpus Christi in the westbound Convoy ON 92, which lost several ships - follow the link for more details. Belinda helped rescue survivors from the American tanker Cities Service Toledo in the Gulf of Mexico on June 12-1942, together with the American tanker Gulfking and the steamer San Antonio. Cities Service Toledo (on a voyage to Portland, Maine with a cargo of 84,000 barrels of crude oil) had been torpedoed that same day by U-158, 20 miles east of Trinity Shoals Gas Buoy, 29 02N, 91 59W. 11 of her complement of 36 as well as 4 of the 9 gunners died in the flames (Robert Cressman, "The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II" - see link to "Hyperwar" at the end of this page). Belinda landed 17 survivors at the Naval Base at Burwood, Louisiana. The following month, she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 197 from Halifax, but returned to port, then joined the next convoy, HX 198. In Aug. that same year she's listed as bound for Halifax in the westbound Convoy ON 119*, originating in Liverpool on Aug. 5, arriving New York on the 20th. This convoy also had other Norwegian ships, namely Scebeli, Sir James Clark Ross, Trondheim, and Tungsha. As already mentioned, Belinda accompanied this convoy only as far as Halifax, where she arrived on Aug. 18, subsequently joining Convoy HA 4 from there the next day (together with Britamsea, Evita, Norholm, Norlys, Norvik, and Stiklestad) in order to travel to Curacao with arrival Aug. 28. With Baalbek, Brajara, Britamsea, and Kronprinsessen, she later joined Convoy GAT 1, arriving Trinidad on Sept. 7 (see the links provided in the above table). For info on her Sept. to Dec. voyages, please go back to the above record. At the end of that year she sailed in Convoy HX 218 from New York, bound for Avonmouth. This convoy arrived Liverpool on Dec. 21-1942, but Belinda stopped at Belfast Lough, later joining a BB convoy from there in order to proceed to her destination, arriving Avonmouth on Dec. 23.
Towards the end of Jan.-1943 we find her going in the opposite direction with the westbound Convoy ON 162, returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 227, which left New York on Febr. 18-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 6. Named among the ships in this convoy (in addition to the escorting Acanthus and Eglantine) are the Norwegian B. P. Newton, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Kaldfonn, Mosli, Norholm, Pan Aruba, Polartank, Skaraas, Stiklestad, Strinda, and Thorshov. Just a few days later Belinda is listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 172* (together with Fjordaas, Laurits Swenson, and Thorshøvdi), which originated in Liverpool on March 9 and arrived New York on March 27. Belinda, however, is said to have stopped at Philadelphia first, later procceding independently to New York from there with arrival March 31. Already the next day Arnold Hague has her returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 232, leaving New York on Apr. 1, arriving Liverpool on Apr. 16 (California Express, Heranger, Ørnefjell, Skandinavia, Thorhild, Thorshøvdi, Tigre, and Tungsha are also included); Belinda again stopped at Belfast Lough and later joined a BB convoy from there, arriving Avonmouth on Apr. 17. She shows up in another westbound convoy later that month, namely ON 180*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 24 and arrived New York on May 14. She was again in the company of several other Norwegian ships: California Express, Norsktank, Norsol, Reinholt, Skandinavia, Skjelbred, Thorhild, and Velma. We now find her in station 133 of Convoy HX 240, departing New York City on May 19, arriving Liverpool on June 4. A few days later she joined the westbound Convoy ON 188*, which left Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 26th, and included the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln, Bajamar, Bañaderos, Duala, Evita, G. C. Brøvig, Gylfe, Kaia Knudsen, Kaldfonn, Montevideo, Mosdale, Skandinavia, Strinda, Thorhild, Vav and Velma. Belinda headed back to the U.K. already on June 30 with Convoy HX 246. Her destination is given as Bromborough in the original convoy document, and she had station 34. The 2 unlinked HX convoys mentioned here are not available among the HX convoys on my own site, but see the external links provided in the above table. Towards the end of July-1943 Belinda is listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 194*, together with Anna Odland, Brimanger, Dagrun, Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Germa, Heimvard, Kaia Knudsen, Lista, Morgenen, Noreg, Norheim, and Skandinavia. This convoy left Liverpool on July 24 and arrived New York on Aug. 7, with the Norwegian corvettes Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose among the escorts. Belinda subsequently went back to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HX 252, in which the Norwegian Santos was lost following a collision. Belinda had station 112, cargo of aviation fuel for Heysham, where she arrived Aug. 31. In Sept.-1943, Belinda joined Convoy OS 55/KMS 27, voyaging from Milford to Freetown with diesel oil in station 103. Arnold Hague now has her in Convoy SL 140, which left Freetown on Nov. 12, met up with Convoy MKS 31 (from Gibraltar) on the 24th, the combined convoy arriving Liverpool on Dec. 7, but Belinda did not follow this convoy to the U.K., having arrived Casablanca on Nov. 23. (Note that she's not included in this convoy at the website about the SL convoys that I've linked to at the end of this page, which is based on original convoy documents). According to her Voyage Record she now sailed to the U.S. from Casablanca in Convoy GUS 22. Follow the external links provided for more information; other Norwegian ships are also listed in these convoys. (The KMS and MKS convoys will also be added to my own site, in the meantime, see this list of ships in all KMS convoys and the section naming ships in all MKS convoys).
Belinda headed back to Casablanca again in Febr.-1944 with Convoy UGS 32, then appears, destined for Freetown, in Convoy OS 68 (KMS 42). The OS convoy, in which Belinda sailed, arrived Freetown on March 5-1944, the combined convoy having departed Liverpool on Febr. 12 and split up on the 23rd, but Belinda joined from Casablanca, not from the U.K. Towards the end of Apr.-1944 she's listed, with destination Manchester, in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 289 (having previously arrived New York from Guantanamo with Convoy GN 127 on Apr. 24, together with Britamer and Velox (see the external link provided in the above table). A visitor to my website has told me that Belinda struck a mine east of Falmouth on June 6/7-1944, receiving damages in the pumproom (no casualties). This is also mentioned in a personal story which I've added to the Norwegian version of my "Warsailor Stories" section - text in Norwegian only. The story is told by Peder Kristoffer Langeland who had joined the ship in New York in Aug.-1943. He says they were en route from Aruba or Curacao via New York for Portsmouth at the time, and was used to replenish the escorts on the way. He adds they had arrived outside Portsmouth together with 3 Liberty ships early in the morning of June 6 and in the chaos due to the Normandy invasion she activated the mine - he confirms that nobody was injured. Belinda subsequently went into Portsmouth to unload her cargo of gasoline (probably for the invasion forces?) before going to Swansea for inspection and repairs (June 14), left Swansea for Southampton in Convoy EBM 2 on June 24* then on to Gibraltar and Casablanca, then Liberia to pick up palm oil for Baltimore. Having discharged at Baltimore she went to a yard in order to be fitted out to carry misc. vehicles on an extra deck, and with such on board they went to Liverpool. While there, a representative for the Norwegian Government came on board to tell them that they had all been awarded Krigsmedaljen. Note that some of these facts don't quite fit in with the information found in her Voyage Record (unless several voyages are missing in the record for this period?). In Aug.-1944 she shows up in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 247*, which left Liverpool on Aug. 2 and arrived New York on the 15th, and included the Norwegian Brasil, Fosna, Heranger, Høegh Scout, Slemmestad, Spinanger, Vanja and Vinga. For information on some of her other 1944 voyages, please refer to the Voyage Record.
Belinda (which had previously arrived the U.K. with a cargo of aviation fuel in station 62 of Convoy HX 341*, and had subsequently made voyages to Cherbourg and Antwerp) struck a mine again on March 28-1945, when 5 naut. miles off Zeebrügge, with no casualties; most of the crew who had been working on the foreship where the explosion occurred had just gone down for their meal. She had departed her anchorage in Antwerp in ballast for New York on March 27, anchoring up in the channel overnight. Proceeded to Terneuzen the following day to await a convoy, leaving in convoy that same day and struck the mine that afternoon (Convoy ATM 107 - see link in above table). The explosion was powerful and she initially listed heavily to starboard, starting to sink by the foreship, so the engine was stopped and 3 lifeboats launched from the port side with 4-5 men in each boat, but after a while she straightened up again and those who had taken to the boats reboarded and her engine was restarted. She was considerably damaged but managed to continue at her own power (with 2 of the lifeboats in tow) with the intention of trying to reach Flushing, escorted by a corvette. A tug later arrived from Flushing to assist, and after a while one of the Admiralty's salvage vessels also came to, at which time it was decided to continue up the Schelde River to Terneuzen where she arrived at her own power late that evening to await further orders. The next day she departed with a new pilot on board for Siberia Dock, Antwerp, escorted by the salvage vessel, arriving the same afternoon, March 29. On board at the time of the explosion, among others, were: Captain Christensen, 1st Mate Ole J. Tønnesen, Able Seaman Arthur Johnsen, Able Seaman Karnot Pettersen, 1st Engineer Arthur H. Larsen and 4th Engineer Håkon Kristiansen. She also had some British gunners at the time, and a Belgian pilot was still on board. Maritime hearings were held in Antwerp on March 30-1945 with all of the men named above appearing, except Able Seaman Pettersen.
Related external links: see also Hyperwar - Linked to 1942 (Robert Cressman's book mentioned above). The attack on Cities Service Toledo Back to Belinda on the "Ships starting with B" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. others for cross checking info. - ref My sources.
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