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D/S Berto To Berto on the "Ships starting with B" page. Owner: Skibs-A/S Berto. Built at Bergen mek Verksted in 1918. According to this posting by Rolf Kristensen on my Ship Forum, she had the former names Botnia and Medemi. Captain: Paul Moe In Admiralty service.
(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 several voyages are missing. Compare Arnold Hague's records with these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Berto saved the crew from the neutral Nidarholm on Febr. 12-1940. Berto was en route from Torrevieja for Bergen via Gibraltar and Kirkwall. She also rescued the 5 survivors from the Danish Martin Goldschmidt 2 days later, 15 were lost from this ship, which according to J. Rohwer was torpedoed and sunk by U 53 on Febr. 14-1940 - ref. external link below. At the end of March-1940, shortly before the German invasion of Norway (Apr. 9-1940), Berto, with a cargo of paper and pig iron for Rouen, is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 22 from Norway to the U.K. She later joined Convoy OA 126, in order to proceed to her final destination, arriving Rouen on Apr. 9. Later that year we find her, with destination Sydney, C.B., in Convoy OB 193, which originated in Liverpool on Aug. 4-1940 and dispersed on the 7th, Berto arriving Sydney, C.B. independently on Aug. 18. The Norwegian Corvus, Ingertre, Loke, Ringhorn, Thermopylæ, and Vilja are also listed. At the beginning of the following month she was scheduled for the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 3, from which the Norwegian Lotos was sunk, but instead joined the next convoy, SC 4, on Sept. 10. Both these convoys had a large number of Norwegian ships, as will be seen by following the links. Berto was bound for Boston, Lincs. on that occasion, cargo of lumber. In Nov.-1940 she shows up, together with the Norwegian Eastern Star, Erica, Evviva, Granfoss, Iron Baron, Regin, Stargard, and Trolla, in Convoy OB 240, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 8 and dispersed on the 13th. Berto was again bound for Sydney, C.B., where she arrived independently on Nov. 30. She was scheduled to return to the U.K. with the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 17 the following month (pit props for Blyth), but instead joined the next convoy, SC 18, which left Halifax on Jan. 2-1941. However, she had to put into St. John's with weather damage, and does not show up again until Convoy SC 27, which left Halifax on March 30-1941, so perhaps she was detained for repairs for quite a while(?). She had station 82, cargo of pit props, bound for Barry Docks. According to Arnold Hague, she arrived Barry via Belfast Lough on Apr. 22. Follow the links for the names of other ships in these convoys, many of which were Norwegian. In May that same year she's listed in the U.K.-Gibraltar Convoy OG 61, departing Liverpool on May 5-1941, arriving Gibraltar on the 19th; Berto, however, was bound for Halifax and detached from the convoy in order to proceed to her destination, where she arrived on May 21. This convoy will be added to its own, individual page in my Convoys section; in the meantime, the ships sailing in it are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys. Bonde, Gard, Leka, and Vestland are also included in OG 61. According to Arnold Hague, Berto later joined the slow Convoy SC 36, which left Sydney, C.B. on July 1-1941, but she returned to port (St. John's, N.F.), later joining Convoy SC 37, departing Sydney, C.B. on July 12. She had a cargo of lumber and sailed in station 15. None of these convoys are available among the SC convoys included in my own Convoys section, but I've linked directly to them within the above table. They both had several Norwegian ships, namely Bjerka, Bollsta, Chr. Knudsen, Don, Einvik, Loke, N. T. Nielsen Alonso, Rena, and Rym in SC 36, and Acasta, Borgholm, Ingerfem, Ingertre, Mathilda, Sneland I, and Veni in SC 37. Berto headed back across the Atlantic the following month with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 10 (station 114), originating in Liverpool on Aug. 27-1941, dispersed Sept. 11, Berto arriving New York independently on Sept. 16. At the end of that month, Arnold Hague has her returning to the U.K. in the eastbound Convoy SC 47, which left Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 29-1941, again with a number of Norwegian ships in company (Bestik, Danio, Don, Fido, Heimgar, Ingertre, Marit II, Petter II, [returned], Spes, Veni, and Victo). Berto had a general cargo and sailed in station 125 of the convoy, for which the Norwegian corvette Eglantine was among the escorts. According to her Voyage Record she made a voyage from Cardiff to Belfast Lough in a convoy which has been given the designation ONM 51 in the original document. My guess is that this simply refers to the Belfast portion of the westbound Norh Atlantic Convoy ON 51*(?) - the dates fit, but she's not listed in this convoy, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 27-1941 (later dispersed, Jan. 11-1942), and in which several Norwegian ships took part, and unfortunately, ONM 51 is not available at the external site which mentions these convoys (see ONM convoys on this external page). Skipping now to May-1942, when we find her, along with Bollsta, Carmelfjell, Fagersten, Granfoss, Ingerfem, Norelg, Norfalk, and Rolf Jarl, in the westbound Convoy ON 96*. Berto's destination is given as Pictou, and she had station 83 of the convoy, which originated in Liverpool on May 19 and arrived Halifax June 7. Berto, however, is said to have arrived Sydney, C.B. on June 4, later joining an HS convoy from there to Pictou, where she arrived on June 8 (see link provided within the above table). She subsequently returned to the U.K. later that month with the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 88, departure Sydney, C.B. on June 19, cargo of lumber for Swansea, heading back in the other direction again in July with the westbound Convoy ON 114* (with Astrid, Bonneville, Ingertre, Marga, Marie Bakke, Norhauk, Titanian and Torfinn Jarl), then returned to the U.K. in Aug. with Convoy SC 97, in which the Norwegian Bronxville was sunk.
Related external link:
Berto was used as ammunition and supply ship for the Torch operations (the invasion of North Africa, which commenced on Nov. 8-1942 - please see my page about Athos for a list of Norwegian ships taking part). She arrived Bone in the middle of Nov. and shortly after arrival an air attack took place. No sooner was the first attack over than a formation of Ju 88's was observed approaching. "Nortraships flåte" indicates that Berto's gunners may have shot down 2 aircraft on this occasion. The harbour was under almost continuous attack for the next 3 days (gunners Johannes Hansen and Martin Brønnum are given a special mention). Berto was ready to sail with a general cargo (destination was unknown) and was at anchor just off Algiers (36 48N 03 04E) when a powerful explosion occurred on the starboard side near No. 3 hatch at about 06:15 in the morning of December 12-1942. Frogmen Guido Arena and Ferdinando Cocchi from the Italian submarine Ambra (Arillo) had attached explosives, so called limpets, underneath her and several other ships the night before. Berto sank within five minutes in about 16 fathoms of water. The other ships, the British S/S Empire Centaur, S/S Harmattan and S/S Ocean Vanquisher were damaged. All on board survived, except for a British soldier who had been a passenger, and who was never found. The lifeboats were launched, and Berto's crew were landed in Algiers by a corvette at 08:30 that same morning where they were given accommodations on a British transport. They were later taken to the Army Depot were they were given some clothes. With the assistance of Nortraship's representative Captain Jahnsen and the Norwegian Consulate, arrangements were made for them to travel to the U.K. The maritime hearings were held in Glasgow on Dec. 30-1942 with Captain Moe, the 1st mate, and the 1st engineer appearing. * Bjarne Gjævran had previously survived the loss of M/T Sildra).
Related external links: Back to Berto 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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