M/S Montevideo - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Related items on this website:
A Guestbook message from Harry Collings, who served as radio operator on Montevideo during the war.
Another message from the son of 2nd Mate Fritz W. Cederholm who had previously served on Fernlane.

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

Some more convoy information will be added.

According to Arnold Hague, Montevideo sailed in Convoy HX 159 from Halifax in Nov.-1941. As will be seen when following the link to my own page about this convoy, she's not mentioned there, but my information is incomplete. I've linked directly to Hague's listing at the end of this page. The following month we find her in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 44*, bound for New York. This convoy left Liverpool on Dec. 7 and dispersed on the 15th, Montevideo arriving New York on Dec. 28 - see Page 2.

In Jan.-1942 she joined the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 170, along with several other Norwegian ships, then returned across the ocean the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 69*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 20. Her destination is given as Vancouver, but according to the archive document referred to above, she arrived Halifax on March 6, later proceeding from there to Cristobal, where she arrived (via New York) on March 27. She did, however, embark on a voyage to Vancouver the next day, with arrival Apr. 13 - see Page 3. Also, that page tells us that she did not head back to the U.K. again until June 7 that year, when she left Halifax for Liverpool, where she arrived on June 19. This voyage was made in station 53 of Convoy HX 193, and she returned in July with the westbound ON 109* (departure Liverpool July 3), bound for New York, where she arrived July 17. In Aug.-1942 she sailed in Convoy HX 202 from Halifax, carrying a general cargo for Mersey, as well as crated aircraft. For her return voyage she joined the westbound Convoy ON 127 on Sept. 4, in which the Norwegian Hindanger, Sveve, Daghild, Marit II and Fjordaas were torpedoed. My pages about these ships have more details on these events.

Montevideo went back to the U.K. the following month with Convoy HX 210, which departed New York City on Oct. 1-1942; in fact, she acted as the Commodore's vessel on that occasion. Cargo is given as "valuables and ammunition" and she sailed in station 51, bound for Swansea, where she arrived (via Belfast Lough) on Oct. 17. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 143*, which originated in Liverpool Nov. 1. Page 3 of the archive documents gives her arrival New York as Nov. 17, having started out from Milford Haven on Oct. 31. Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 219, leaving New York on Dec. 13, arriving Liverpool on the 29th. Montevideo had a general cargo for Liverpool, and sailed in station 52.

She returned to the U.S. in Jan.-1943 with the westbound Convoy ON 161, sailing in station 61, arriving New York on Jan. 31, and was scheduled to go back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 226 from New York the following month, but did not sail. She was also cancelled from HX 227 (not available to me), but eventually got away on Febr. 28 with HX 228, in which Brant County was sunk. Follow the link to this ship for more info. Cruising order/Commodore's notes, misc. reports, and analysis of attacks are also available for this convoy. Montevideo had a general cargo for Liverpool and sailed in station 122. She subsequently returned at the end of March with Convoy ON 176*, which arrived New York on Apr. 20. In May that same year she's listed in Convoy HX 238 from New York, bound for Swansea with general cargo and explosives, arriving there (via Belfast Lough) on May 23 - see Page 4. She also had passengers on board, and had station 84 of the convoy.

The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 188* (originated in Liverpool June 10, arrived New York June 26; Montevideo joined from Milford Haven), and in July she sailed in Convoy HX 247, with general cargo for Liverpool, where she arrived on July 22. She later joined the westbound Convoy ON 196*, departing Liverpool Aug. 8, arriving New York on the 21st, heading back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 255 from New York on Sept. 2, general cargo for Liverpool. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 204* (from Liverpool Sept. 28, to New York Oct. 15), and according to A. Hague returned with Convoy HX 264, which left New York on Oct. 31 and arrived Liverpool Nov. 17; again, see the external link provided at the end of this page. That year was rounded off by sailing back across the Atlantic in the westbound Convoy ON 214*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 2 and arrived New York on the 20th.

In Jan.-1944 she joined Convoy HX 276 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo, returning with Convoy ON 225*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 22, arriving New York March 8. Montevideo, however, was bound for Baltimore, with arrival there March 9. At the end of March she was scheduled for Convoy HX 285, but instead joined the next convoy on Apr. 5, HX 286, general cargo for Hull. She arrived that destination on Apr. 24, via various other ports (again, see Page 4). In May we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 236* (from Liverpool May 11, to New York May 27). She was bound for Philadelphia, where she arrived on May 28, having started out from Loch Ewe on May 11. In June she was one of several Norwegian ships sailing in Convoy HX 296 from New York. Montevideo was again bound for Liverpool with general cargo.

In July-1944 she's listed in Convoy ON 245*, which left Liverpool July 18 and arrived New York Aug. 2; Montevideo was bound for Baltimore, arriving Aug. 3, and at the end of that month she joined Convoy HX 306 from New York, general cargo for Avonmouth, with arrival there Sept. 17, according to Page 5. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 256*, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 28; Montevideo sailed from Milford Haven on the 29th and is said to have arrived New York Oct. 13. She was scheduled to head back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 316 on Oct. 25, but instead joined the next convoy on Oct. 30, HX 317. Towards the end of the following month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 268* (departure Southend Nov. 23, arrival New York Dec. 10). She arrived Philadelphia on Dec. 11.

In Jan.-1945 Montevideo, bound for Hull with petroleum products, acted as Commodore Vessel for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 331, having been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 330. She later returned with the westbound Convoy ON 285*, which left Southend on Febr. 16 and arrived New York March 5 (Montevideo arrived Philadelphia the next day), and A. Hague has now included her in Convoy HX 345, departing New York on March 19, arriving Liverpool Apr. 2. Later that month she joined Convoy ON 296* (from Liverpool Apr. 12, to New York Apr. 30 - Montevideo arrived Father Point May 1, according to Page 5 above), returning in May with Convoy HX 357, which originated in New York on May 19 and arrived Liverpool June 3; Montevideo joined this convoy from Sydney, C.B. and arrived Swansea on June 2 - ref. external links below for more on the HX convoys mentioned here.

As will be seen when going back to Page 5 of the archive documents, she got to go home to Norway already in the summer of 1945. See also Page 6, which shows her voyages to Apr.-1946.