M/T Kaia Knudsen

To Kaia Knudsen on the "Ships starting with K" page.


Picture of this ship when she was named Nyhall (see Post War details at the end of this page).
From Roger W. Jordan collection - sent to me for inclusion on this website.

Misc. War Voyages:

Kaia Knudsen rescued 13 men from the British Sea Rambler in a raging snow storm in the North Atlantic in Febr.-1940. Mosdale had rescued another 12.

In Apr./May-1940 she sailed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 38, cargo of gasoline for Southampton, station 65, and in Oct. that year she was in HX 80, joining from Bermuda - follow the links for more information. The following month she's listed as bound for Curacao in ballast in Convoy OB 250, station 43. This convoy left Liverpool on Nov. 26 and was dispersed on the 29th - see the first external link at the end of this page for the names of other ships in this convoy, some of which were Norwegian.

She's also listed as sailing in Convoy HX 100 in Jan.-1941, bound for Clyde with fuel oil, again joining from Bermuda.

Kaia Knudsen was one of 7 tankers under air attack on April 1-1941 (described under Hidlefjord), on a voyage from New York to the Bristol Channel in Convoy HX 114, which Kaia Knudsen had joined with the Bermuda portion, bound for Devonport with fuel oil. She was badly damaged amidships by two bombs; 3rd Mate Olav Gerhard Skogseid* was fatally injured (died at a hospital in Milford Haven on Apr. 2 and is buried there) and several others seriously hurt. She made it to Milford Haven, was repaired and returned to service.

*A visitor to my site, George Monk, has told me that the following men received British awards (his source: Seedies List of awards to the British Merchant Navy which includes awards to Allied merchant seamen). Not sure if this was for rescuing the survivors from Sea Rambler, or whether the awards were given following the above attack:
Chif Engineer Sverre Kristian Olsen - HonOBE(Civ)
Captain John Fagerland - Commendation
3rd Mate Olav Skogseid - Commendation.

In Aug.-1941 Kaia Knudsen (station 73) was in Convoy HX 145 along with the Norwegian Annavore (station 122), Maridal (station 83), Høyanger (station 95, 3 bombers on deck), Leikanger (station 64, lumber), Vav (station 114), Charles Racine, Slemdal, all listed on this website. Some of these ships, including Kaia Knudsen subsequently returned across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 15, which left Liverpool on Sept. 11-1941. I'm also wondering if Kaia Knudsen might be the un-named "Knudsen" ship in station 34 of Convoy HX 154 in Oct. that year(?) - this would, in fact, make sense with her previous and subsequent voyages; she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 34, which left Liverpool on Nov. 7-1941, and in the eastbound Convoy HX 164 the following month, together with Polarsol, Norsktank?, Gallia, Hilda Knudsen (and possibly Leiesten). This convoy departed Halifax for the U.K. on Dec. 8-1941.

In Febr./March-1942 she can be found among the ships in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 71, destination is given as Hvalfjord, Iceland. In May that year she was in Convoy HX 190, then in Sept. she shows up in Convoy HX 206 with diesel oil for Clyde. However, she's also mentioned in the next convoy, HX 207, listed as cancelled, then shows up again in Convoy HX 208, and if she sailed in the latter convoy, she could not have been in HX 206.

She took part in the Torch operations (invasion of North Africa) which commended in Nov.-1942 (she's listed in Convoy MKS 1Y that month - click on link for details). Athos has a list of other Norwegian ships taking part in the Torch Operations.

In Jan.-1943 she was in Convoy HX 224, which departed New York on Jan. 22-1943 and arrived Liverpool on Febr. 5. That spring she can be found in Convoy HX 241, leaving New York on May 25-1943, arriving Liverpool on June 10. Her destination is given as Londonderry, and she had station 52 of the convoy. Already on June 30 she was back in New York and ready to depart with Convoy HX 246, bound for Devonport with Admiralty fuel, station 75 (acting as oiler for the escorts).

At the end of March-1944 she's listed in Convoy HX 285 from New York, in June she shows up in Convoy HX 295, and in July/Aug.-1944 she was in Convoy HX 301. She must have gone straight back to the U.S. because on Sept. 6 she's listed in Convoy HX 307 along with 7 other Norwegian ships, namely Buenos Aires, Fagerfjell, Frontenac, Idefjord, John Bakke, Thorsholm and Stiklestad. Kaia Knudsen's destination is given as Clyde on both occasions. The following month she shows up in Convoy HX 315 from New York, bound for Devonport, and in Nov./Dec. she sailed in Convoy HX 323, with destination Portsmouth.

Early in Jan.-1945 she was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 331, but instead joined HX 333 later that month.

To find out if Kaia Knudsen sailed in any westbound ON convoys, in between the eastbound HX and SC convoy voyages mentioned above, and in addition to the ON convoys already noted, please go to this section listing ships in all ON convoys. More details on all the Norwegian ships mentioned here can be found with the help of the alphabet index below.

POST WAR:

Important: From Febr.-1954 until July-1954 a British able seaman by the name Thomas Patrick Shaw sailed with this ship - see my text for Hallfried for a picture and more details on him, including some of his WW II and other post war ships. If anyone remembers this man, please contact me via the address provided at the end of this page.

The ship and company (Skibs-A/S Samuel Bakke) were transferred to Christian Haaland, Haugesund in 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). Renamed Nyhall in 1954. Sold in May-1956 to Cia. Rhea Maritima S.A, Panama and renamed Ekaterini Alexandra. Departed Kobe on her last voyage on Sept. 1-1959 and delivered for breaking up at Osaka.

Related external links:
OB convoys - OB 250 is included.

The 1 who died - This is 3rd Mate, who died of his injuries following the air attack in Apr.-1941.

The Australian War Memorial has a picture of this ship. It can be found by running a search through their collection search page.

Knutsen OAS Shipping today - with a brief history of the company.

To Kaia Knudsen on the "Ships starting with K" page.

This company later had another ship by the name Kaia Knudsen (1983-1985), previously the Norse Queen.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre motorskip", Leif M. Bjørkelund and E. H. Kongshavn, and misc. other.