D/S Botne - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

D/S Botne
Updated May 29-2008

To Botne on the "Ships starting with B" page.

Crew List

Owner: Jansens Rederi A/S, Bergen
Manager: Ingvar Jansen, Bergen
Tonnage: 991 gt, 570 net, 1570 tdwt.
Dimensions: 214.2' x 34.3' x 14.2'
Signal Letters: LCRN.

Delivered in Jan.-1922 from Hølens Verksted, Larvik (24) as Botne to A/S Botne (Finn Friis & C. O. Lund), Drammen. Sold in 1928 to E. B. Aaby, Oslo. Sold in 1933 to D/S A/S Henriksen & Kierulf, Oslo. Sold in 1938 to Jansens Rederi A/S (Ingvar Jansen), Bergen.

Captain: Alf Ravn Johannessen, Mons Lie (at time of loss).

Partial Voyage Record
From Nov.-1939 to July-1941:

(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. More voyages will be added.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1939	Nov. 21	Quebec	Sydney, C.B.	–	Independent	–
	Nov. 29	Sydney, C.B.	Falmouth	Dec. 11	Independent	–
	Dec. 18	Southend	Goole	Dec. 20	FN 56	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
1940	Febr. 7	Blyth	Southend	Febr. 9	FS 90	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	March 29	Yarmouth Roads	Tyne	March 30	FN 132	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	March 31	Tyne	Dundee	Apr. 2	TM 36	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Apr. 20	Methil	Tyne	Apr. 20	MT 56	Convoy available via link above
	Apr. 21	Tyne	Southend	Apr. 23	FS 152	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Nov. 22	Clyde	Methil	Nov. 26	WN 43	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 27	Methil	Middlesbro	Nov. 27	FS 347	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Dec. 16	Tyne	Methil	Dec. 16	FN 359	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Dec. 19	Methil	Oban	Dec. 23	EN 43	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
1941	July 3	Mumbles	Solent	July 6	WP 1	Convoy available at WP convoys (external link)

According to "Nortraships flåte", Botne sailed about 10 n. miles ahead of D/S Samlanes when the latter struck a mine on March 13-1941. Botne's captain at that time is listed as Alf Ravn Johannessen. Just 2 months later, Botne experienced the aircraft attack in which D/S Ala was hit by 2 bombs on May 17. Botne took Ala in tow towards land until a tug from Shoreham came to assist.

Final Fate - 1941:

Collided with the tanker British Hope near Lundy Island on September 3-1941. The destroyer Vimiera rescued the crew from the ship, which was sinking. A visitor to my website has told me that "Shipwreck Index of the British Isles" says the incident occurred 8 miles WNW of Bude, North Cornwall.

Most sources do not mention any casualties from this incident, but "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig" (Maritime Declarations from WW II) has listed the second mate as "died". He is not mentioned at the memorial for seamen in Stavern, so I'm not entirely sure this is correct - hence my question mark.

Crew List:

Survivors
Captain Mons Lie	1st Mate Borgan Knutsen	Able Seaman Olav Østensjø	Able Seaman Thomas March (British)	Ordinary Seaman Sam Rote (British)	Ordinary Seaman Reginald Triggs (British)
Jr. Ordinary Seaman Eric Keywood (British)	1st Engineer William Jensen	2nd Engineer Olaf Kallevig	Donkeyman William Witherige (British?)	Stoker George Lloyd (British)	Stoker Frank Gill (British)
Stoker Ronald Gayland (British)	Steward Lyder Gulliksen	Mess Boy Dennis Robinson (British)	Gunner Name unknown (British?)	Gunner Name unknown (British?)
Casualty?
† 2nd Mate Arne Dihle (Dikle?)

Back to Botne 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.