D/S Lysland

To Lysland on the "Ships starting with L" page.

Misc. War Details:

Lysland is listed in the Norway-U.K. Convoy HN 7 in Jan.-1940. The following month we find her in Convoy ON 10 from the U.K. to Norway, returning to the U.K a few days later with Convoy HN 11, bound for Tyne in ballast. At the end of that month she joined Convoy ON 16. Follow the links for more details; several Norwegian ships took part in these convoys.

According to "Nortraships flåte" Lysland was en route from Finneid (shipping port for the Sulitjelma mines) to Holland the day before the German invasion of Norway. She was stopped at Hustadvika in the morning of Apr. 8-1940 by a British warship informing them that the waters had been mined. She proceeded to Kristiansund, Norway where she stayed until the early morning hours of Apr. 9, then continued towards Holland, having been given the position of the minefield by then. The captain still didn't know about the German attack until later that morning when he heard the news on the radio. He took the ship to Molde for supplies, then went to Kleive. In the days to follow she experienced air attacks, and when she on Apr. 22 was in Ålesund for bunkers she had to leave because of the bombing. At Ellingsøy she experienced yet another bombing attack. 2 days later, on Apr. 24, the captain decided to sail for Scotland, and she was in allied service for the rest of the war.

In service transporting coal between the east coast of England and London. Hit by a torpedo from the German E-boat S-75 when in an east coast convoy (FN-38) in the Hearty Knoll channel off Cromer on Oct. 14-1942. Two ships were hit, one being Lysland, but she stayed afloat. I've been told by a visitor to my website that the other ship was George Balfour which was towed to Yarmouth in two halves - his source: "Battle of the East Coast". The resulting fire on board Lysland was extinguished and she was taken in tow to Immingham the same day, later repaired. The 1st mate and 2nd engineer had been killed in the attack, and were buried in Grimsby. After repairs she continued in the same service until the spring of 1944.

Lysland took part in Operation Neptune in June-1944 - was vice commodore ship for a convoy of 80 ships arriving Normandie on June 6. In addition to war stores she also had 200 American soldiers on board. She unloaded her cargo near the American sector Omaha until June 12, then continued going back and forth between England and the coast of France, making 4 more trips with cargoes of ammunition only.

She was the first merchant ship to carry food supplies directly from London to Antwerp on Nov. 26-1944.

POST WAR:

Sold in 1951 and renamed Vomero. Sold by Lorenzo de Medici, Italy, to Italian breakers, and arrived Spezia on Jan. 8-1960 to be broken up.

Related external links:
3 casualties - This website states that a total of 3 died, namely Mate John Eid, Chief Engineer Johan Edvin Johansen, and 2nd Engineer Hans Tønnesen.

Omaha Beachhead

Omaha Beach - includes several Maps

Back to Lysland on the "Ships starting with L" page.

Other ships by this name: This company had another ship by the name Lysland during WW I. Originally delivered in Nov.-1886 as Samuel Tyzack for Tyzack & Branfoot, Sunderland, 1753 gt. From 1896 she sailed as Rjukan for W. Holby, Christiania, then from June-1904 she belonged to A/S Hekla (Mail & Holby). Purchased by D/S A/S Manto (B. Stolt-Nielsen), Haugesund on July 10-1915, renamed Manto. Sold to Thv. Halvorsen in March-1916, renamed Lysland. Sunk by U-30 on Oct. 26-1916, 26 n. miles southwest of Skudenes on a voyage Kirkenes-Middlesbrough. (Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn). Also, Halfdan Grieg & Co. A/S, Bergen had a Lysland delivered to them in Jan.-1964, 20 423 gt. Later sailed as Fruen for an owner in Oslo from 1970, before being sold to China in 1973 and renamed Wei Hai. Sank following a collision in the spring of 1994.