M/S Montevideo - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Related itmes 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. War Voyages:

Montevideo, bound for New York, is listed among the ships in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 44* in Dec.-1941.

In Jan.-1942 she joined the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 170, along with several other Norwegian vessels, including Idefjord and Eidanger. Unfortunately, all the others are unnamed. She returned across the ocean the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 69*, bound for Vancouver. In June that year we find her in station 53 of Convoy HX 193, returning with the westbound ON 109* in July, bound for New York, and in Aug.-1942 she sailed in Convoy HX 202, with 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 was the Commodore's vessel on that occasion. Cargo is given as "valuables and ammunition" and she sailed in station 51, bound for Swansea. Early in Nov.-1942 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 143*, again bound for New York, and 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, and the following month she was scheduled to go back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 226 from New York, 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. Montevideo had a general cargo for Liverpool and sailed in station 122. She subsequently returned at the end of March with Convoy ON 176*. In May that same year she's listed in Convoy HX 238 from New York, bound for Swansea with general cargo. She also had passengers on board, and had station 84 of the convoy. The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 188*, and in July-1943 she was in Convoy HX 247, with general cargo for Liverpool. In Aug. she sailed in Convoy ON 196*, going back to the U.K. in Sept. with Convoy HX 255 from New York, general cargo for Liverpool. She joined the westbound Convoy ON 204* later that month and is also listed in the westbound Convoy ON 214* in Dec. that year.

At the end of Jan.-1944 she joined Convoy HX 276 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo, returning in Febr. with Convoy ON 225*. At the end of March she was scheduled for Convoy HX 285, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 286, general cargo for Hull. In May we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 236*, bound for Philadelphia, and 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 she's listed in Convoy ON 245*, and at the end of Aug. that year she joined Convoy HX 306, general cargo for Avonmouth. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 256* at the end of Sept., and was scheduled to head back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 316 in Oct.-1944, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 317. Towards the end of the following month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 268*.

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 then returned with the westbound Convoy ON 285* in Febr.-1945, and is also listed in ON 296* in Apr. that year (I'll find out which eastbound convoys she joined in between these 2 ON convoys).