Hval Whale Catchers - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

D/S Hval I NS - 223 gt:

Built in Tønsberg 1927

Previous names: Star X until 1936, Hval I until 1938, Kos III until 1938.

Hired by Royal Navy in Oct.-1940 for use as auxiliary patrol vessel; renamed HMS Oryx in 1941 for use as minesweeper. Renamed Gemsbuck in 1944.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in March-1946 and renamed Hval I.

D/S Hval V NS - 248 gt:

Built in Oslo 1929

Previous name: Star XII until 1936.

Delivered in 1929 as Star XII from Nylands mek. Verksted, Oslo.

WW II: Requisitioned by the Royal Norwegian Navy in the fall of 1939. Arrived Rosyth on June 18-1940 and converted to minesweeper. Hired by Royal Navy in July-1940 for use as minesweeper J-393 Hval V, with Norwegian crew. There's mention of a Hval V in this posting to my Ship Forum - not sure if that's the same vessel?

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in 1945, sold by the Norwegian Government to A/S Norsk Hvalfangst (Kr. Gjølberg, Oslo). Renamed Finnhval II in the spring of 1949. Sold in 1954 to Brødrene Drønen, Torangsvåg, renamed Staaløy in 1955, having been converted to fishing vessel/seiner. Renamed Brennholm in 1971, owner P/R Nils O. Sandtorv, Hjellestad (Bergen). Scuttled in Bjørnafjorden in March-1980 (south of Bergen)

(According to R. W. Jordan's information, she was returned to Norway in March-1946. Sold in 1948 to A/S Hvalfjord (manager Herman Christensen, Oslo) and renamed Whale I. Renamed Finnhval II in 1949. Sold in 1951 to Hvalur H/f (manager Loftus Bjarnason, Reykjavik), and renamed Hvalur 1. Still in service as such in 1958 - however, this appears to be a mixture of the details for Hval V and Hval IV below).

Other Norwegian whale Catchers named Hval:

The following whale catchers were all owned by Jørgen Krag, Sandefjord:

D/S Hval II - 224 gt:

Built in Tønsberg 1927

Previous name: Star IX until 1936.

WW II: Seized by the Germans in Apr.-1940 and renamed Lothringen.

POST WAR: According to a message on my Ship Forum, posted by Rolf Kristensen, she was renamed Hval II after the war, later Møgsterøy. R. W. Jordan has told me she had been sold to A/S Blomvaag Hval (manager Joh. A. Højem, Bergen) by 1952, but had been disposed of by 1958.

D/S Hval III - 246 gt:

Built in Oslo 1928

Previous name: Star XI until 1936, renamed Hval III(?).

WW II: Seized by the Germans in Horten in Sept.-1940, joined Bewachungs-Abt. Oslofjord.

POST WAR: Named Hval III 1945 (Norwegian Government), Terten 1946 (Gjertsen & Co A/S, Bergen), Stril Surveyer 1985.

Note that there appears to have been 2 Hval III - again, refer to this forum thread, as well as my text for Star XVI on my page about the Star whale catchers.

D/S Hval IV - 248 gt:

Built in Oslo 1929

Previous name: Star II until 1936.

Delivererd in Apr.-1929 as Star II from Nylands mek. Verksted, Oslo.

WW II: Requisitioned by the Royal Norwegian Navy in the fall of 1939. Seized by the Germans on Apr. 11-1940, renamed Husar.

POST WAR: Returned to Norway in May-1945 (Norwegian Government), renamed Hval IV. Sold in 1947 to Herman Christiansen, Oslo. Renamed Whale I in 1949 for A/S Hvalfjord, Oslo. Renamed Hvalur I in 1951, owner Hvalfjørdur, Iceland. Sold in 1969 to United Kingdom for scrapping.

D/S Hval VI - 248 gt:

Built in Oslo 1929

Previous name: Star XV until 1936.

WW II: Seized by the Germans and renamed V 5305 Jäger (see my text under Ferndale - also, text under Tore Hund).

POST WAR: Named Hval VI, Polarbris III, N-35-DA

D/S Hval VII - 249 gt:

Built in Oslo 1930

Previous name Star XVII until 1937.

WW II: Seized by the Germans, renamed Warthegau.

POST WAR: Rolf's posting says she had the names Hval VII, Mjolne, H-503-AU, and Hammerfjord. R. W. Jordan has told me she had been sold to Brødrene Sæbjørnsen A/S, Molde by 1952, but had been disposed of by 1958.