M/S California Express
Updated May 8-2008

To California Express on the "Ships starting with C" page.


Source: Sverre Johansen (postcard collection).

Misc. War Voyages:

California Express made many independent voyages (Balboa, U.S., U.K., Cristobal, etc.), but what follows is information on some of her convoy voyages.

In Apr.-1942 she's listed among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 187. She had a cargo of bacon and also carried passengers. She subsequently made several independent voyages between the U.S. and U.K. through the rest of 1942 and through the spring of 1943, until she joined Convoy HX 232, which left New York on Apr. 1-1943 and arrived Liverpool on the 16th. California Express joined this convoy from Halifax. 4 ships were sunk, but none of them were Norwegian (American Edward B. Dudley, British Fresno City and Pacific Grove, and the Dutch Ulysses). Unfortunately, this convoy is not available to me, but can be found via the external link provided at the end of this page, where the Norwegian Belinda, Heranger, Ørnefjell, Skandinavia, Thorhild, Thorshøvdi, Tigre and Tungsha are also included. Belinda, Thorhild, Skandinavia and California Express subsequently returned with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 180*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 24-1943 and arrived New York on May 14, and in which Norsktank, Norsol, Reinholt, Skjelbred, and Velma also took part. Later that month we find her in station 91 of Convoy HX 240. This convoy also originated in New York (May 19-1943), but California Express, cargo of meats and metals for Cardiff, station 91, and the Norwegian Bañaderos joined from Halifax on May 22. According to the Commodore's notes, they were both detached from the main convoy on June 1, and sent ahead under escort as a fast section.

She later headed in the other direction again with the westbound Convoy ON 190*, departing Liverpool on June 24-1943, arriving New York on July 9. She was again in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Brajara, Dageid, Fjordaas, Gefion, Høyanger, Lynghaug, Mosli, Norefjord, Norsol, Orwell, Polartank, Skiensfjord and Tarifa. She subsequently returned to the U.K. with Convoy HX 248, which left New York on July 15-1943, but California Express again joined from Halifax (on July 18), and was again detached with ships forming a fast portion of the convoy. Her cargo is given as general and meat, and she was bound for Glasgow (Bañaderos was in company this time as well, as were several other Norwegian ships. Follow the convoy links for more details).

Already on Aug. 8-1943 we find her, with a general cargo for New York, in the westbound Convoy ON 196*, together with Athos, Fjordaas, Gefion, Hardanger, Montevideo, Mosli, Oregon Express, Roald Amundsen, Skotaas, and Trondheim. ON 196 arrived New York on Aug. 21, and at the beginning of the following month she joined Convoy HX 255 from New York, general cargo for Manchester, again sent on a ahead with 7 other ships, forming a fast portion of the convoy (follow the link to HX 255 for details). At the end of that month she turned around and headed in the other direction again with the westbound Convoy ON 203*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 22-1943, arriving New York on Oct. 10. Dageid, Duala, Gefion, Lista, Norholm, Polartank, Skaraas, Trondheim, Vav and Vinga are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norlys, which had Norwegian managers and is included under the N's on this site. According to the external website already mentioned, she subsequently returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 262, departing New York on Oct. 18-1943, arriving Liverpool on Nov. 2. Other Norwegian ships were Fjordaas, Gallia, Strinda (returned following a collision) and Trondheim. Together with Buenos Aires, Duala, Gallia, Heranger, Marit II, Pan Scandia, and Vinga, she now joined the westbound Convoy ON 210* (from Liverpool Nov. 6-1943, to New York Nov. 23).

In Jan.-1944 she shows up in the fast New York-U.K. Convoy CU 12, returning with Convoy UC 12*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 7 and arrived New York on the 18th (the Norwegian Mosdale also took part). At the beginning of March she joined Convoy CU 16 from New York to the U.K., then headed in the other direction with Convoy UC 16* later that month (from Liverpool March 17-1944, to New York March 28; but California Express was bound for Halifax). The following month she's listed in the Halifax portion of Convoy HX 286, bound for Glasgow with meat and metal, returning at the beginning of May with Convoy UC 21, subsequently heading back to the U.K. later that month with Convoy CU 25. By July 2 she was back in New York (having arrived with Convoy UC 26* - from Liverpool June 15, to New York June 27), joining Convoy CU 30, together with the Norwegian tanker Hegra. Towards the end of July she's listed, with Martin Bakke and Mosdale, in the westbound Convoy UC 31*, which left Liverpool on July 25 and arrived New York on Aug. 5, then headed in the other direction later that month with Convoy CU 35, together with Elisabeth Bakke. This convoy, which had left New York on Aug. 11, arrived Liverpool on Aug. 22, and already on the the 26th we find her (again with Mosdale, as well as Washington Express) in the westbound convoy UC 35*, which arrived New York on Sept. 5. On Sept. 20 she joined Convoy CU 40, bound for Manchester with general cargo, and the following month she's listed in the westbound Convoy UC 40B* (from Liverpool Oct. 10, to New York Oct. 20). She returned to the U.K. at the end of Oct. with Convoy CU 45, together with Karsten Wang, and in Nov.-1944 she sailed in Convoy UC 45B*, which departed Liverpool on Nov. 18 and arrived New York on the 30th. She rounded off that year by sailing to the U.K. in the Halifax portion of Convoy HX 324 in Dec.-1944, bound for Cardiff with general cargo and mail.

California Express headed back across the Atlantic at the beginning of Jan.-1945 in Convoy UC 51B*, departing Liverpool on Jan. 5, arriving New York on the 15th, and just 3 days later we find her in Convoy CU 55, this time with Martin Bakke. They were both bound for Manchester with general cargo. She now returned with the westbound Convoy UC 55B*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 6, arriving New York on the 18th; her destination is given as Halifax. Later that month, California Express shows up in Convoy HX 340, originating in New York on Febr. 23-1945, arriving Liverpool March 10 (California Express had joined from Halifax - again, ref. external link below). The Norwegian Fagerfjell, Ferncourt, Fjordaas, Gefion (returned), Ivaran, Kaldfonn, and Tungsha are also listed. About a week later we find California Express (and Mosdale) in the westbound Convoy UC 60B*, which left Liverpool on March 18-1945 and arrived New York on the 29th.

Together with Ida Bakke, Kirkenes, Martin Bakke, and Honningsvaag she's also listed, carrying meat and passengers, in Convoy CU 67, which left New York on Apr. 24-1945 and arrived Liverpool on May 5. The last westbound North Atlantic convoy she appears in is UC 67B*, which departed Liverpool on May 13-1945 and arrived New York on May 23.

POST WAR:

(info from Marek Twardowski)

In the banana-trade from the Caribbean to Europe in 1946. Purchased by Polish shipping company "Polbrit" in Jan.-1949, renamed Czech. Transferred to Polish Ocean Lines Jan. 1-1951. Name and flag unchanged. On March 7-1953 she rescued 62 survivors from the Egyptian Navy vessel Sollum which sank in a storm off Alexandria. Collided off Seville with the Spanish Plus Ultra on Sept. 21-1961. Deleted from register in Jan.-1965. Broken up in Gdansk, Poland, in July-1965.

Related external links:
Convoy HX 232 - the site also has HX 262 and HX 340 and several other convoy series.

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