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D/S Carrier To Carrier on the "Ships starting with C" page. Owner: D/S A/S Anglo Delivered in 1921 from Atliers d.Ch., Le Trait, France as Capitaine Bonelli for Soc. Anon. d. Nav., Le Havre. 3105 gt, 1664 net, 4700 tdwt, 313.6' x 46.3' x 20.2', triple expansion 226 nhp (A. At. Ch.). Purchased by D/S A/S Anglo (Valdemar Skogland) in Nov.-1936, renamed Carrier. (Jan-Olof, Sweden has told me that "Lloyd's War Losses, Vol. 1" gives this ship 3036 gt). Captain: Knut Berntsen
In the fall of 1941 Carrier was in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 44 in which M/T Barbro was sunk. This convoy left Sydney C. B. on Sept. 11-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th, having lost 4 merchant ships. In July-1942 she's listed in Convoy SC 91, cargo of phosphates for Garston, but became a straggler and returned to Sydney, then joined the next convoy, SC 92. She was scheduled to sail in the westbound Convoy ON 124 from Liverpool the following month, but instead joined Convoy ON 126 on Aug. 29. She's also mentioned in connection with Convoy SC 136 which left Halifax on July 8-1943, but is crossed out on the document (she had also cancelled from SC 134, and SC 135). Gunner for a while was Gunnar Jakobsen who had previously escaped from Norway with Hornfjell.
Carrier was on a voyage in convoy from Barking to Tyne in ballast when she struck a mine on Jan. 19-1945 (off The Wash, Humber). She had left Barking in the afternoon of Jan. 17, and on the 19th the convoy encountered a full storm with heavy snow, causing some ships in the convoy to lag behind. Carrier had lost her steering several times, but managed to stay with what was left of the convoy. The explosion occurred in the engine room on the port side at about 14:00. The engine room was immdiately flooded, and all machinery and pumps were set out of action. Shortly afterwards they saw 3 mines and it was assumed she had struck the 4th (according to a posting to my Ship Forum the mine had been laid by S-170, S-174 and S-210). It was decided to stay on board for as long as possible to see if she could be saved. They were able to contact an English vessel to ask for assistance with towing, but in the heavy seas the tow broke twice and the attempt was given up. Both anchors were dropped to avoid drifting into the banks, while the other vessel, which also lost its steering, stayed nearby. The Navy was notified about the incident and at 17:30 the British destroyer Blencathra came alongside, but towing attempts were again unsuccesful. By 21:00 the water in the engine room had risen and had also penetrated No. 4 hold to about 2-3' from the deck, so it was decided to abandon ship. In spite of the heavy seas both lifeboats were launched without mishaps and all 33 were picked up by the destroyer right away. Blencathra anchored up nearby Carrier in the hopes of being able to take her in tow the next morning. On the 20th Carrier was still afloat, though her after part was under water up to No. 3 hatch. Around 11:30, after several unsuccessful attempts, the destroyer managed to get a line on board, but it broke shortly afterwards and again the attempt had to be given up. Carrier's anchor chain had been cut, and at this time she started to drift off, but 2 tugs arrived around 13:00, and with the help of crew from the destroyer they were finally able to take Carrier in tow. However, at 14:45 the water had penetrated the foreship and she was barely afloat with only her bow above water, and towing was abandoned. Position as reported by the destroyer was 53 23 58N 00 58 54E. At around 15:30 the destroyer left the wreck and headed for Immingham where the crew was landed at 18:30, then sent on to Grimsby.
Related external link: Back to Carrier on the "Ships starting with C" page. This company had previously had another ship by the name Carrier, originally delivered in 1920 as Canadian Carrier for the Canadian Government, Montreal, 3101 gt. When purchased by D/S A/S Carrier (Valdemar Skogland) in Nov.-1934 she had the name Champlain, renamed Carrier. Sold in July-1935 to Chefoo, China and renamed Kwen Le. Deleted from Lloyd's in 1949. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skips", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume I (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. others as named within the text above for cross checking info. - ref My sources.
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