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M/T Brasil To Brasil on the "Ships starting with B" page. Manager: The Texas Company (Norway) A/S, Oslo. This company was controlled by The Texas Co., US, and its ships managed by Haakon Chr. Mathiesen, Oslo. Delivered from Nakskov Skibsværft, Nakskov, Denmark (64) on May 7-1935 as Brasil to The Texas Company (Norway) A/S, Oslo. Captain: Lauritz Bigseth. 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. Errors may exist, and some voyages are missing. Compare Arnold Hague's information with these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them. Some include the Commodore's notes and various reports.
Brasil is listed in Convoy HX 38, which left Halifax on Apr. 26-1940. According to Arnold Hague, she became a straggler 2 days after departure, but arrived Verdon safely on May 13. In Nov.-1940 we find her in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 91, having been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 90. She joined the convoy from Bermuda and was bound for Dublin. Towards the end of the following month she's listed in Convoy OB 263, originating in Liverpool on Dec. 23, dispersed on the 27th. Her destination is given as Bahrein, but there's no mention in the Voyage Record of her arriving there, however, there seems to be some voyages missing from the record. The Norwegian Cetus, Garonne, Hjalmar Wessel, and Primero are also listed in this convoy; Karlander, Egda, and Sneland I were scheduled, but did not sail - ref. external link provided within the above table. Brasil returned to the U.K. in the middle of Febr.-1941 in Convoy (B)HX 110 (joining from Bermuda), bound for Clyde with petroleum products. She reported being attacked by a U-boat on Apr. 4-1941 in 56 15N 27 50W when en route from Avonmouth via Milford Haven to New York, having departed Milford Haven on March 27 in ballast. She is, in fact, listed, together with Astra, Mathilda and O. A. Knudsen, in Convoy OB 304, which originated in Liverpool on March 30 and dispersed Apr. 4. At the time she had a crew of 32, 29 of whom were Norwegian, 1 Canadian, 1 Polish and 1 Danish. Her radio message was acknowledged by Valentia Radio. The torpedo was seen breaking the surface between two waves on the ship's port quarters. She was swung 90 degrees to starboard and proceeded at utmost speed. The torpedo allegedly passed astern by 10 feet. There's no German report of such an attack, perhaps they had mistaken a wave for a torpedo? (O. A. Knudsen and the Dutch Tiba were seen about 8 miles to the southeast of her, then changed course to port and steered away). Brasil arrived New York independently on Apr. 13. At the time of this incident she had 2 Hotchkiss machine guns on board, and the following month a 3in. gun was installed in Halifax before she again headed east with Convoy HX 127, bound for Liverpool with gasoline in station 92, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships, as will be seen when following the link. In June-1941 she shows up in the U.K.-Gibraltar Convoy OG 65, which originated in Liverpool on June 14. This convoy will be added to my Convoys section; in the meantime, please go to OG 65 on the page listing ships in all OG convoys - Kos I, Lysaker V, Selbo, Titanian and Trolla are also included. OG 65 arrived Gibraltar on June 28, but Brasil had detached on June 23, arriving Port Arthur independently on July 7. She subsequently headed back to the U.K. later that month in Convoy HX 140, bound for Belfast with petroleum products. On Aug. 17 we find her, with destination New York, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 8. She arrived New York independently on Sept. 1, the convoy having dispersed on Aug. 25. On Sept. 10 she joined Convoy HX 149 (station 83) along with the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln (station 97), Aristophanes (43), Daghild (station 63), Thorsholm (33), Innerøy (35), Thorshov (station 64), Somerville (66?), Glittre (24), Lise (44), Harpefjell (86), Norvik (Panamanian flag, Norwegian managers and therefore included on this website, in station 84, behind Brasil), Brant County (87), Kollbjørg (73), President de Vogue (46) and Ringstad (93). Many of these ships, including Brasil (destination New York), subsequently headed back across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 24*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 8, dispersed on the 15th, Brasil arriving her destination independently on Oct. 25. (Abraham Lincoln, Aristophanes, Glittre, Grey County, Herbrand, Idefjord, Innerøy, Petter, Solfonn, Thorshavet, Thorshov, Topdalsfjord and Norvik are listed). According to A. Hague Brasil returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 161, leaving Halifax on Nov. 21-1941, and at the end of Dec. she joined the westbound Convoy ON 52*, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 31-1941, dispersed on Jan. 11-1942, Brasil arriving Baytown independently on Jan. 26. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Bello, Kaia Knudsen, Katy, Morgenen, Mosli, Nyholt, Solsten, Stigstad, Thorshøvdi, Tungsha and Vanja. The Norwegian corvettes Montbretia and Rose are named aong the escorts.
She again reported having seen a U-boat in the Hatteras area on Febr. 5-1942, but was not attacked. Note that according to the information found in her Voyage Record she was en route from Baytown to Halifax on that date. On the 13th of that month she joined Convoy HX 175, arriving Liverpool on Febr. 26, returning with the westbound Convoy ON 75*, which left Liverpool on March 10, dispersed on the 19th and included Brand, Evita, Norfjell, and Vanja. Brasil's destination is given as Houston, where she arrived on Apr. 1. From Houston she's said to have made an independent voyage to Freetown, with arrival Apr. 30, then proceeded to the U.K. at the beginning of May in Convoy SL 109, departing Freetown on May 4-1942. Her destination is given as Clyde, cargo of 11 290 tons lube oil, station 52; voyage information is given as Houston (Apr. 5) - Birkenhead, then Manchester Ship Canal, then Clyde for onward voyage, May 25. According to A. Hague, she detached to the fast section (SLF) on May 19 and arrived Liverpool on May 26. The external website that I've linked to within the bove table has more details on this convoy; the Norwegian Ingria and Jenny also took part (Thorshavet sailed with the convoy for a couple of days only). At the beginning of June that same year she's listed as bound for Boston, together with Egda, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 101*, departing Liverpool on June 5-1942, arriving Boston on the 18th. Montbretia and Rose are again named among the escorts, as are Acanthus and Potentilla. In Aug. we find her in Convoy HX 203 which departed Halifax on Aug. 16-1942, returning the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 131*; departure Liverpool Sept. 18, arrival New York, Brasil's destination, on Oct. 4. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Abraham Lincoln, Biscaya, Ferncourt, Helgøy, Høegh Scout, Katy, Thorshøvdi and Vardefjell. Brasil did not go back to the U.K. again until Nov.-1942, when she joined Convoy HX 215, departing New York City on Nov. 11. She subsequently headed back to New York in the westbound Convoy ON 151*, leaving Liverpool on Dec. 3, arriving New York on the 23rd; Brasil arrived Corpus Christi independently on Dec. 30, having detached from the convoy on Dec. 15. She went back to the U.K. again in Jan.-1943 in Convoy HX 223 (from New York) in which Kollbjørg and Nortind were lost (the Norwegian Villanger, Brimanger and Egda also took part), then returned the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 166, in which the Norwegian Stigstad, Ingria, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso and Glittre were sunk. Other Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy were Molda, Skandinavia, Tropic Star and Tai Shan. In Apr.-1943 we find her in Convoy HX 233, again with several other Norwegian ships, then returned to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 181 at the end of that month, station 34. She now made a voyage from the U.S. to North Africa; please see Voyage Record. In June-1943 she shows up in Convoy KMS 16, bound for Oran, and is also mentioned in Convoy KMS 17 at the beginning of July - scroll down to the second table on that page. She was bound from Oran to Philippeville (for info, though Brasil was not present, this convoy had started out from Liverpool on June 16 as the combined Convoy OS 50/KMS 17, but split up on June 27, KMS 17 ships heading to Gibraltar, while the OS convoy continued to Freetown - KMS 17 ships then proceeded to their various destinations in the area, others, including Brasil, having joined meanwhile). In Aug. that year she made a voyage from Alexandria to Malta with Convoy MKS 22 (again, scroll down to the second table on the page). She's also listed in Convoy KMS 29 in Oct.-1943, voyage from Bizerta to Alexandria. KMS 16 and KMS 29 will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section; in the meantime, see this list of ships in all KMS convoys. Please refer to the Voyage Record for information on the rest of her 1943 voyages and early 1944 voyages.
She was scheduled for Convoy HX 292 in May-1944, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 293, departing New York on May 27. Together with Drammensfjord, Egda, Evita, Fosna, Lista, Minerva, Solfonn, and Spinanger, and the Panamanian Norbris and Norlys (both had Norwegian managers and are included under the N's of this website), she then joined the westbound Convoy ON 241* (departure Liverpool June 18, arrival New York July 2), returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 299, which left New York on July 11. At the beginning of Aug. we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 247*, with Belinda, Fosna, Heranger, Høegh Scout, Slemmestad, Spinanger, Vanja and Vinga (left Liverpool on Aug. 2, arrived New York on the 15th), heading back to the U.K. again shortly thereafter in Convoy HX 304, bound for Thameshaven. On Sept. 16 she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 254*, which arrived New York on Oct. 5 - Emma Bakke, Ferncliff, James Hawson, Norefjord, Norse Lady, Sommerstad and Stirlingville are also listed. Brasil headed back to the U.K. a few days later with Convoy HX 313, then joined the westbound ON 264*, together with Egerø, Ferncourt, Kronprinsessen, Lista, Nueva Granada, Solfonn, Stiklestad and Thorsholm (left Liverpool Nov. 4, arrived New York Nov. 21). In Dec. she sailed to the U.K. again in Convoy HX 324, bound for Mersey and Manchester. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Fagerfjell, Lista, Solør and California Express. Follow the links provided for further dates and information. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 281*, leaving Liverpool on Jan. 27-1945, arriving New York on Febr. 12. This time, Cypria, Havprins, Tai Shan, and Thorhild had been in company, as had the Panamanian Norlys. A few days later Brasil is listed, with destination Manchester, in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 339, and at the beginning of March we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 289*, with Dalfonn, Havprins, Høyanger, John Bakke, Molda, and Polarsol, and again the Panamanian Norlys, as well as Norvinn. (Brasil left Liverpool on March 8 and arrived Philadelphia on the 26th, later proceeding to New York). According to A. Hague she went back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 347, which left New York on March 29-1945 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 14 - this convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own site, but I've linked directly to it within the table above, and as can be seen, Buenos Aires, Dalfonn, Fenris, Lektor Garbo, Marit II, Roald Amundsen, Sophocles, Sverre Helmersen, and Thorsholm are also listed, as is the Panamnian Norlys. Already on Apr. 17 Brasil shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 297*, which arrived New York on May 2 and included Abraham Lincoln, Brimanger, Emma Bakke, Fernwood, Geisha, Norsktank, and Topdalsfjord. The rest of her 1945 voyages are noted in the Voyage Record.
Sold in Jan.-1952 to Falkland Shipowners Ltd. (Hvalfangerselskapet Antarctic A/S, Tønsberg), London and renamed Antarctic Tanker. Broken up in 1954(?) Related external links: Lillesand Sjømannsforening's website (Lillesand Seamen's Association) has a picture of this ship, along with pictures of several other Norwegian ships. Back to Brasil on the "Ships starting with B" page. This company also had another Brasil post war, delivered as such in Aug.-1952, renamed Texaco Brasil in 1960. Later names: Texaco Veraguas (Panama) 1971, Grand Alliance (Panama) 1974, sold for breaking up around 1977. Norway (Fred. Olsen & Co., Oslo) had also had a ship named Brazil (spelt with the z), delivered in 1915, 2366 gt. Later names: Rio from 1929, Brazil again from 1933 (for owners in Buenos Aires), sank following a collision with Am. Middlesex in Apr.-1942, voyage Baltimore-Buenos Aires. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. (ref. My sources).
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