Manager: Nortraship
Tonnage: 10 172 gt

Completed in Jan.-1945 by Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile (319) as Kirkenes after transfer to Norway (launched as Ash Hollow). Kirkenes was 1 of 10 ships transferred to Nortraship's fleet in 1944, taken over in Alabama on Dec. 30-1944. See my page "Ship Statistics & Misc." under gains 1944 for a list of all 10.

Kirkenes had 2 Canadian, female radio operators during the war, Joan (Aiers) Henriksen from Jan.-1945 till Apr.-1946 (see a Guestbook message from her son), and Betty (Lake) Ottersen, who served from Jan.-1945 till Feb.-1946 (she had previously served on M/T Garonne). A list of names of other female, Canadian radio operators, along with the names of their ships, can be found on my page about M/S Mosdale.

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

On Jan. 10-1945 she's listed in the fast New York-U.K. Convoy CU 54, together with the Norwegian Hegra, both returning with the westbound Convoy UC 54A*, which departed Liverpool on Jan. 28 and arrived New York on Febr. 9. She was scheduled for Convoy CU 58 a few days later, but did not sail. Note that she appears in a Casablanca to Gibraltar convoy at the end of that month, namely Convoy CG 150 (see external link at end of this page), which left Casablanca on Febr. 26-1945 and arrived Gibraltar the next day. She's said to have proceeded from Gibraltar to Aruba with Convoy GUS 75, which originated in Oran on March 3 - see the external link provided below; the Norwegian Gallia, Høegh Silvercloud, Ida Bakke, and Marathon are also included. Kirkenes now shows up, together with Elisabeth Bakke and Washington Express, in the eastbound North Atlantic Convoy CU 63, from New York March 23, to Liverpool Apr. 3, Kirkenes returning with the westbound Convoy UC 63A*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 19th. A few days later we find her in Convoy CU 67 to the U.K., departing New York on Apr. 24, arriving Liverpool on May 5. California Express, Honningsvaag, Ida Bakke and Martin Bakke are also listed. Kirkenes and Honningsvaag subsequently headed in the other direction again just a few days later in Convoy UC 67A*, which left Liverpool on May 9 and arrived New York on the 19th. Kirkenes later joined Convoy CU 72, departing New York on May 25, arriving Liverpool on June 3. This time the Norwegian Hammerfest and Karsten Wang were in company.

* All the UC convoys mentioned here will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course; in the meantime, ships sailing in them are named on the page listing ships in all UC convoys.

POST WAR:

Sold to Norway in 1947 and renamed Hidlefjord for Skips A/S Hidlefjord (Kornelius Olsen), Stavanger. Sold in 1959 and renamed Oswego Transporter (Canterbury Investments, Ltd., Nassau, N.P.). Adrift with engine trouble in the Pacific Ocean on Febr. 22-1960 in 10 30S 78 41W when on a voyage from Callao (just outside Lima, Peru) to Talara. Taken in tow the next day by tanker Andromeda. Arrived in tow at Callao on Febr. 25-1960, where it was found that there was main generator and turbine damage with casing buckled and torn owing to failure of governor, which caused racing. There was also severe boiler damage due to use of salt water. It was found that the damage was beyond economical repair and the tanker was sold to breakers. It left Callao on July 23-1960 in tow of the Dutch tug Clyde and arrived Antwerp in Sept.-1960 to be broken up. (This info received from R. W. Jordan).

Related external links:
Convoy CG 150 - the site also has Convoy GUS 75

The T2 Tanker page - Ash Hollow/Kirkenes is included on this page.
T2 tankers - Also has a list of T2 tankers according to hull number
Alphabetical list of T2 tankers