M/T Kaldfonn

To Kaldfonn on the "Ships starting with K" page.

Related items on this website:
Message on Find Old Shipmates Forum from someone who served on Kaldfonn. See also this posting.

Misc. War Voyages:

This ship (like so many other tankers) had a spare deck installed to allow for the transport of aircraft, and also carried depth charges on deck in addition to gear for replenishing the escorts at sea.

Kaldfonn can be found among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 159 in Nov.-1941.

In Apr.-1942 she's listed in Convoy HX 184, and the following month she shows up in Convoy OS 27, voyaging in ballast from Clyde to Curacao in station 105. See the first external link at the end of this page for more details - other Norwegian ships are also included. In Nov. that same year she sailed in Convoy HX 216, leaving New York City on Nov. 19-1942, arriving Liverpool on Dec. 6. Kaldfonn was bound for Mersey with a cargo of fuel oil and also had 5 passengers on board (station 94). Already on Dec. 11 she returned to New York with Convoy ON 153, in which the Norwegian Bello was sunk.

Some more convoy voyages
From crew member Dag Midbøe's personal documents (used here with permission), received from Neil Carlsen, Norway.
Midbøe was on board from Apr.-1943 until Apr.-1944 - see also text under Leiv Eiriksson for the names of his other ships.

Kaldfonn left New York on May 7-1943 and sailed to England in Convoy HX 238, arriving on May 22 (she had been scheduled for the previous convoy, but did not sail).
On June 10 she departed Clyde for New York, Convoy ON 188, arrival June 26.
She left New York on Aug. 7 for Belfast and Londonderry, Convoy HX 251, arriving Aug. 22.
Departed Londonderry for New York on Aug. 28, Convoy ON 199, arrival Sept. 10, then on the 16th of that month she sailed to Glasgow in Convoy HX 257, arrived Sept. 30.
Left Glasgow on Oct. 6 for New York in Convoy ON 205, arriving on Oct. 23.
Departed on Oct. 31 in Convoy HX 264 with misc. UK ports as her destination, arriving UK on Nov. 17.
On the 24th of that month she left the UK in Convoy OS 60/KMS 34 (station 72) for Horta, arriving Dec. 5 - see the external link below for more convoy details.
On Dec. 10 she left Punta Delgada, the Azores in Convoy GUS 23 for New York, with arrival on Dec. 25, then on Dec. 29 she was ready for another voyage to the UK in Convoy HX 273, arriving Liverpool on Jan. 14-1944.
On Jan. 24-1944 she departed Liverpool in Convoy ON 221 and arrived New York on Febr. 11.
Left on March 28 with Convoy HX 285, arrived destination on Apr. 8 (having been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 284).
On Apr. 25 she departed Clyde for the U.S. in Convoy ON 234, with arrival on May 13-1944.

She was scheduled for Convoy HX 296 from New York on June 19-1944, but did not sail. Instead she joined the next convoy, HX 297 on June 24. She can also be found listed in Convoy HX 304 in Aug.-1944, as well as in Convoy HX 311 in Sept./Oct. At the end of Oct.-1944 she went back to New York in the westbound Convoy ON 261, then returned to the U.K. the following month with Convoy HX 319, bound for Shellhaven. Additionally, a ship in station 52 of the westbound Convoy ON 270 (Dec.-1944), serving as escort oiler, is either Kaldfonn or Dalfonn (I'm not sure which) - follow the links to more convoy information.

Early in Jan.-1945 she was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 330, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 331.

These men served as gunners during the war years:
Gunnery Officer Ole Ellefsen, Jan Lorentzen, Håkon Hansen, Reidar J. Andersen, Anton Gullager, Odd Bekken, Jens Tollefsen, Edgar Fjellheim, Adolf Johansen. Ragnvald Berget, Knut Bakke, Hans Pedersen, Odd Isene, Ole Markussen, Eilert Olsen, Reidar S. Andersen, Mathias Sandvik, Olaf L. Henriksen, Per Kræmer, Knut Klemmetsen, Ole Hollund, Frank Bjørnstad, Karl Evensen, Gunnar Johansen, Bjarne Albertsen, Leif J. Wåge, Jarle Johansen, Sivert Pettersen, Odd Melkestavik, Erling Olsen, Martin Hellemansen, Eilert D. Andersen, Johannes O. Saaler, Otto J. Kallevik. (From "Tilbakeblikk" - ref. My sources).

POST WAR:

Sold in June-1951 to Rederi-A/S Norse King (Odd Godager), Oslo and renamed Norse King, transferred in 1957 to Skibs-A/S Don. Sold in in Dec.-1958 to I/S Wilfred (manager Anders Wilhelmsen), Oslo and renamed Wilfred. Arrived at Santander in tow of tug Cintra on May 4-1962 to be broken up.

Related external links:
OS and OS/KMS Convoys - As can be seen, Kaldfonn is listed among the ships in Convoy OS 27 as well as OS 60/KMS 34.

Bergesen Company History
Ships Today - Complete list (note that the company now has new owners, BW Gas).

Back to Kaldfonn on the "Ships starting with K" page.

Sig. Bergesen later had another Kaldfonn, built in Port Glasgow in 1955. The Clydebuilt Ships website has more details as well as a picture.