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M/T Gallia To Gallia on the "Ships starting with G" 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 on June 20-1939 from Deutsche Werft A/G, Hamburg, Germany. Captain: Reidar Henriksen, from Apr.-1941 until 1953 (he had previously served on M/T Germania [renamed India], M/T Nueva Andalucia and M/T Skandinavia). Related item on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(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 may be missing.
Gallia was mostly in service New York/Halifax-U.K. with petrol, and with aircraft on deck, often as Commodore ship. She also made some Mediterranean voyages. She was moored in The Downs on Febr. 9-1940 for a British contraband check when a drifting mine blew a large hole in her bow on the port side. She stayed afloat and continued to Amsterdam with petrol, paraffin and diesel oil and was repaired there after unloading.
Gallia departed Amsterdam again on March 12, heading to the U.S. On Apr. 22, she sailed from Halifax in Convoy HX 37 (this is the date the Norwegian government requistioned the Merchant Fleet - more on this on my page about Nortraship). According to Page 1, Gallia arrived Falmouth on May 3, later proceeding to Southampton, with arrival there May 5. She subsequently headed back to the U.S., having joined Convoy OA 146, which originated at Southend on May 11 and dispersed May 15, Gallia arriving Port Arthur on May 29. The following month, I have her in Convoy HX 49, in which Eli Knudsen and Randsfjord were sunk. Gallia was bound for Southampton with gas oil and joined with the Bermuda portion. At the end of that month, we find her in Convoy OA 176, which started out in Southend on June 29 and dispersed July 2. Gallia's destination is not given, but from the archive document mentioned above, we learn that she arrived Plymouth on June 30, later proceeding from there back to Port Arthur, where she arrived July 25. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 64 from Halifax on Aug. 8-1940, but did not sail; there's a note in the original convoy document saying "to be held at Halifax", and she does not show up in an HX convoy again until HX 71, which left Halifax on Sept. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 20th; Gallia stoppepd at Belfast Lough that day. Only the Bermuda portion of this convoy is currently available in my Convoys section, but the rest will be added. For now, please see HX 71 in the section listing ships in all HX convoys. She's also listed as bound for New York from Belfast in ballast in station 64 of Convoy OB 221, which had originated in Liverpool on Sept. 29 and dispersed Oct. 3, Gallia arriving New York on Oct. 12, according to Page 1. Solfonn and Torvanger are also listed in this convoy. Gallia later returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 88, again joining with the Bermuda portion, having sailed from Bermuda on Nov. 12 (also available on the page listing ships in all HX convoys; will later be added to an individul page). In Dec.-1940, she shows up, again with destination Port Arthur, in Convoy OB 255, originating in Liverpool on Dec. 7, dispersed Dec. 10, Gallia arriving her destination on Dec. 28 (see the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page for the names of the other ships in the OB convoys mentioned here). On Jan. 11-1941, she can be found in Convoy HX 102 (having been cancelled from the slow Convoy SC 19). She headed back to Port Arthur again in March, but according to A. Hague, she did not sail in a convoy. She was scheduled for HX 120 on Apr. 10, but did not sail, and was also cancelled from the next convoy on Apr. 16, HX 121. As can be seen when going back to the archive document, as well as in the Voyage Record above, she did return to the U.K. that month, but made this voyage independently as well. In May, we find her in Convoy OB 320, which originated in Liverpool on May 8 and dispersed May 14, Gallia arriving Galveston on May 27 - ref. link within Voyage Record. In June, she's listed in Convoy HX 135, bound for Avonmouth with gasoline, joining from Bermuda - see Page 2. Several Norwegian ships took part in these convoys, follow the links for more details. She later joined Convoy OB 349, originating in Liverpool on July 21-1941, dispersed Aug. 1, but Gallia had already become a romper from the convoy by then and arrived Port Arthur Aug. 8. She headed back to the U.K. on Aug. 21 in station 73 of Convoy HX 146 from Halifax, along with the Norwegian Skaraas (station 74, behind Gallia), Høegh Scout (possibly station 63?), Strix, Anna Knudsen (station 35), and Fernmoor (station 52, carrying 3 bombers and crated aircraft). In the middle of the following month, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 17, and on Oct. 22, she appears in Convoy HX 156 from Halifax to the U.K., returning on Nov. 13 with the westbound Convoy ON 36 (station 54, destination New York). Montbretia and Eglantine are named among the escorts; see also the Commodore's narrative. The following month she joined the eastbound Convoy HX 164, together with Polarsol, Norsktank, Hilda Knudsen, Kaia Knudsen and Leiesten. This convoy departed Halifax on Dec. 8. Gallia returned across the ocean with the westbound Convoy ON 54*, which originated in Liverpool on Jan. 6-1942 and dispersed Jan 17. Her destination is given as Aruba, but from Page 2, we learn that she arrived Philadelphia on Jan. 24; Aruba is not mentioned. According to Arnold Hague, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 173 from Halifax on Febr. 1. As will be seen when going to my page about this convoy, she's not yet included there, but the page will be updated. She returned to the U.S. later that month with the westbound Convoy ON 71*, originating in Liverpool on Febr. 26, dispersed March 8, Gallia arriving Galveston on March 20. On Apr. 25, she rescued 1 merchant seaman and 5 of the 10-man Armed Guard from the U.S. freighter Otho, sunk by U-754 on April 3. 23 of the 36-man merchant complement, 4 of the 10-man Armed Guard and 4 of 7 passengers died (source: Robert J. Cressman - see also the external link provided at the end of this page). According to "Tusen norske Skip" by Lise Lindbæk these survivors had spent the 22 days on a raft, and were too exhausted to move when they were found, so that 2 men from Gallia had to jump overboard in order to save them. When going to Page 3, we see that Gallia was on her way from Bermuda to Halifax on that date, in order to join Convoy HX 188, which departed Halifax on May 3. Later that month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 97*, which left Liverpool on May 22 and arrived Halifax June 5; Gallia, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived June 7. Her subsequent voyages are listed on the archive document already mentioned; convoy information for some of these can be found within the Voyage Record above. On July 27-1942, I have her in Convoy HX 200 from Halifax, which arrived Liverpool on Aug. 7, and just a few days later, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 121*, departing Liverpool on Aug. 12, dispersed Aug. 27, Gallia arriving New York on the 28th. Again, her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 3 of the archive docs, with convoy information available within the above Voyage Record. On Oct. 1, we find her in Convoy HX 210 from New York, for which the Norwgeian Montevideo acted as the Commodore Vessel. Gallia was bound for Stanlow with a cargo of gasoline in station 43. She returned to New York with Convoy ON 141*, departing Liverpool on Oct. 24, arriving New York Nov. 10. Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 219, leaving New York on Dec. 13, arriving Liverpool on the 29th. Gallia was bound for Manchester with aviation fuel, station 82. See also Page 4. She returned to the U.S. early in Jan.-1943 with the westbound Convoy ON 159, station 91 - the Commodore's narrative is also available for this convoy, for which the Norwegian Laurits Swenson served as the Commodore's ship. At the end of that month, Gallia can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 225 from New York, cargo of aviation fuel for Avonmouth, station 73. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 168*, originating in Liverpool on Febr. 21, dispersed March 12, Gallia arriving New York March 15. The following month, she's listed in HX 234 from New York (again with Laurits Swenson as Commodore Vessel), later joining the westbound Convoy ON 182*, originating in Liverpool on May 6, arriving New York May 22. Only a few days later, she appears in Convoy HX 241, leaving New York on May 25, arriving Liverpool on June 10. Gallia stopped at Belfast Lough that day; her destination is given as Swansea, and she had station 72 of the convoy. She headed back across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 189* (from Liverpool June 16, to New York July 1). Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts for this convoy. A week after arrival New York, Gallia joined Convoy HX 247 - her destination is given as Stanlow. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 195*, departing Liverpool July 31, arriving New York Aug. 13, and on Aug. 20, she's listed in Convoy HX 253 from New York, destination Avonmouth, station 113 - see also Page 5. Wasting no time, she subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 201*, which left Liverpool on Sept. 9 and arrived New York on the 24th. According to Arnold Hague, she went back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 262*, which left New York on Oct. 18 and arrived Liverpool Nov. 2; Gallia arrived Avonmouth that day, and shortly thereafter, she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 210*, originating in Liverpool on Nov. 6, arriving New York Nov. 23. From the U.S., she now headed to the Meditarranean, as can be seen in the above Voyage Record. Skipping now to March-1944, when I have her in Convoy GUS 33, which departed Port Said on March 5-1944 and arrived Hampton Roads on Apr. 4. Gallia was not present from Port Said, but joined from Bizerta, arriving New York via Casablanca on Apr. 3. She was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 286 a couple of days later, but instead joined the next convoy on Apr. 12, HX 287, returning to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 235*, which originated in Liverpool on May 4 and arrived New York on the 18th (Gallia joined from Belfast Lough). From the U.S., she later headed back to Casablanca, as can be seen on Page 5 of the archive docs, as well as Hague's Voyage Record above. In July that year, she's mentioned in connection with Convoy GUS 46 and is said to have arrived New York from Naples on Aug. 8-1944 (she had joined this convoy from Algiers). By the spring of 1944, Gallia had made 50 North Atlantic crossings and had transported 330 000 tons petrol to the U.K. King Haakon VII and Crown Prince Olav visited the ship while in an English port, and on that occasion 3 men on board were awarded medals, nameley 1st Mate Kåre Hjalmar Vøllen, Radio Operator Finn Ove Andersen and 1st Engineer Barthold Seines. Assistant Egil Melsom and Captain Henriksen already had the same medals. This info was found in Issue No. 4/1975 of "Krigsseileren", which says they were given the "Olav's Medal". I thought this might be an error and should perhaps be Krigsmedaljen(?), but the daughter of Egil Melsom has told me in a Guestbook message that her father did receive the St. Olav's Medal w/Oak Branch, follow the link to the Guestbook for more details. All the Norwegian war medals are described and pictured on my War Medals page. The rest of her voyages are listed on Page 5, Page 6 and Page 7, as well as in the table above. From the latter 2 pages, we learn that she got to go home to Norway in Aug.-1945 (Page 7 also shows some of her 1946 voyages, up to and including Apr.-1946).
Sold to Piræus in Nov.-1958 and renamed Elias. Sold for breaking up 1961. Related external links: Back to Gallia on the "Ships starting with G" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. as mentioned within above narrative - (ref. My sources).
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