M/T Hilda Knudsen
Updated Nov. 11-2008

To Hilda Knudsen on the "Ships starting with H" page.

Some Convoy Voyages:

Follow the links provided for more details on the convoys mentioned here. More convoy information will be added.

Hilda Knudsen is listed in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 50 in June-1940, but returned to port.

She was scheduled for Convoy HX 70 from Halifax to the U.K. on Sept. 1-1940, but did not sail. She is, however, listed in Convoy HX 76 later that month, bound for Clyde, station 44.

In Nov.-1940 she's listed as bound for New York in ballast in Convoy OB 250, station 53. This convoy left Liverpool on Nov. 26 and was dispersed on the 29th - ref. the first external link below for the names of other ships in this convoy, several of which were Norwegian. She shelled and sank the wreck of the Greek Eugena Cambanis, 300 n. miles east of St. John's on Dec. 19-1940, when it proved impossible to take her in tow because of bad weather (the Greek ship had foundered on Nov. 28, Convoy SC 13). Going to Page 1 of the documents received from the Norwegian archives, we see that Hilda Knudsen arrived New York on Dec. 26.

In Jan.-1941 she can be found in Convoy HX 104, cargo of fuel oil for Clyde (joining from Bermuda), again in the company of several other Norwegian ships. According to A. Hague, she later joined Convoy OB 291 (in which Storaas was attacked by aircraft), originating in Liverpool on Febr. 27-1941, dispersed March 3. No destination is given for Hilda Knudsen, but going back to the archive document already mentioned, we find that she arrived Curacao on March 21, having started out from Clyde on Febr. 28. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 119 in Apr. that year, but did not sail. She also cancelled from the next convoy, HX 120, but eventually got away with HX 121 on Apr. 16, again bound for Clyde, station 43. Crusing order/Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy - the Norwegian Caledonia was sunk. In May that year A. Hague has included Hilda Knudsen in Convoy OB 328, which originated in Liverpool on May 29-1941 and dispersed June 2 - please see the external links at the end of this page for more on the OB convoys mentioned here. Hilda Knudsen arrived Curacao on June 18, having started out from Belfast Lough on May 28.

In Oct.-1941, Hilda Knudsen was in Convoy HX 154 along with the Norwegian Kaia Knudsen, Ranja, Tai Shan, Samuel Bakke, Emma Bakke, Polarsol, Skiensfjord, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso, Toronto, Noreg and Svenør. Some of these ships, including Hilda Knudsen, subsequently returned with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 32 the following month. Hilda Knudsen's destination is given as Curacao (arrival Nov. 23 - see Page 2) and she had station 63 of this convoy. She then headed back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 164 from Halifax in Dec.-1941, together with Polarsol, Norsktank, Gallia, Kaia Knudsen and Leiesten.

In Jan.-1942 she's listed in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 59*; again bound for Curacao. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Jan. 23 and dispersed Febr. 6, Hilda Knudsen arriving Curacao on the 14th.

In April-1945 she's listed, with several other Norwegian ships, in Convoy SC 174, departing Halifax on Apr. 28, arriving Liverpool May 14 - ref. link provided below. She returned across the ocean later that month in the last ON convoy of the war, namely ON 305*, which left Southend on May 26, Hilda Knudsen arriving New York on June 11 (see Page 6).

* These ON convoys are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys.

POST WAR:

The ship and company (presumably Skibs-A/S Hilda Knudsen) transferred to Christian Haaland, Haugesund in July-1947 (this transfer may have something to do with the fact that Knut Knutsen died in 1946 and Chr. Haaland, his son in law, inherited some of Knutsen's companies and ships). Laid up at Bøvågen from June-1953 till Jan. 27-1955. Sold in Jan.-1955 to British Iron & Steel Corp. for breaking up. Made a round trip Persian Gulf-Europe, and after unloading of cargo in Rotterdam she was handed over to breakers in Blyth on April 14.

Back to Hilda Knudsen on the "Ships starting with H" page.

Other ships by this name: Haugesund later had 3 more ships by this name, one is spelt Knutsen with a t. M/T Hilda Knudsen (2) was delivered in Apr.-1956, 19 178 gt. Sold to Piræus (Panamanian flag) in Febr.-1973 and renamed Elias. Exploded in the harbour of Fort Miffin, Pa. on Apr. 9-1974 while unloading cargo, 20 men died. T/T Hilda Knudsen (3) was delivered in Apr.-1976, 203 966 gt. Sold in July-1984, renamed Hilda. Sold again in Sept. that year, renamed Buyuk Selcuklu (Istanbul). Sold to Oslo in 1986, renamed Happy Sailor, later Vendela of Stavanger 1989. Sold in 1991 to Saudi Arabia, Mira Star. Hilda Knutsen was delivered in Dec.-1989, 11 425 gt, became 11 424 in 1992.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc. sources as named on each convoy page - (ref. My sources).