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M/T Mosli To Mosli on the "Ships starting with M" page.
Please note that a few of Martin Mosvold's "Mos-" vessels came under German control and are listed in the "Homefleet" section - they can easily be found by going to the Master Ship Index. Manager: Martin Mosvold, Farsund Built in Gothenburg 1935. Captain: Peder K. Pedersen. Related items on this website:
According to an article found in the Norwegian magazine "Krigsseileren" Mosli was in Gothenburg for repairs in Jan.-1940. She continued to an American port in the Gulf for a cargo for Nyborg, Denmark, then back to the U.S. in Apr. that year. En route the news of the invasion of Norway came, and as was the case for all the other Norwegian ships sailing the seas at the time, conflicting orders were received. From the Norwegian radio (now under German control) they were ordered back to Norway, from BBC they were ordered to an allied port (my text for Nortraship describes the situation in these early days). Mosli headed straight for Bermuda, where there were already several other Norwegian ships. After having waited for orders for about 3 weeks they were sent to Corpus Christi. The 3rd engineer on Mosli at this time was Kristian Willumsen, who later joined Thermopylæ, Trafalgar, General Fleischer, Rio Verde and Skandinavia (he later setttled in the U.S.). In June/July-1940 she can be found in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 51, bound for Clyde with a cargo of fuel oil (having been cancelled from the previous convoys, HX 46, HX 47 and HX 48). She later joined Convoy OB 202, which left Liverpool on Aug. 22 and dispersed on the 26th. Her destination is given as Curacao on that occasion (OB convoys are availble at the external site that I've linked to at the end of this page). The following month she appears to have been in Convoy BHX 75 (the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 75), but did not join the main portion of the convoy to the U.K. She's not actually mentioned in the document for this convoy, but a note for the next convoy, HX 76, states she had come from HX 75. It looks like she was sent to Halifax on this occasion, and does not show up again until Convoy HX 86 in Nov. (having cancelled from HX 85), again bound for Clyde with fuel oil, but lost touch with the convoy en route. She must have gone back across the Atlantic shortly thereafter, because Christmas that year was celebrated while in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 97.
Mosli is listed in Convoy OB 275 in Jan.-1941, bound for New York, station 25. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Hidlefjord, Maridal and Finnanger. She returned to the U.K. in March with Convoy HX 112, in which the Norwegian Beduin and Ferm were sunk, among others. In Apr.-1941 she's listed in Convoy OB 305, leaving Liverpool on Apr. 2-1941, dispersed on the 6th. Her destination is given as Trinidad, station 25. The OB convoys are available via the external link provided at the end of this page. In May she joined Convoy HX 127 for the U.K. (having been cancelled from HX 126, in which John P. Pedersen was sunk), and in June that year she shows up in Convoy OB 339, which left Liverpool on June 26 and arrived Halifax on July 12 - however, Mosli joined this convoy from Iceland on July 2; no destination is given. The following month she sailed in Convoy HX 143, together with the Norwegian Thorshavn, Belinda, Andrea Brøvig, Katy, Ravnefjell, Carmelfjell, Salamis, Primero, Benwood and an unnamed tanker, possibly/probably Petter. Mosli was scheduled to return to the U.S. with the the westbound Convoy ON 19 on Sept. 21, but instead joined the next convoy, ON 20, bound for New York, station 74. The external site that I've linked to at the end of this page has also included her in Convoy HX 159 in Nov.-1941, with a note saying she was detached to Iceland on Nov. 19. As will be seen, she's not mentioned on my own page for this convoy, but my information is incomplete.
She now appears in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 52*, joining from Iceland on Jan. 5-1942 (the convoy having originated in Liverpool on Dec. 31-1941, dispersed Jan. 11-1942). In Apr.-1942 she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 184 from Halifax to the U.K. Going back to the external website below, we find Mosli in Convoy OS 27 the following month, voyaging in ballast from Belfast to Trinidad in station 35 of the convoy, which had left Liverpool on May 2. Other Norwegian ships also took part; follow the link provided for further info. Mosli rescued 49 men from the Danish Danmark, Captain Honoré Christensen (sailing under British flag) which had just been torpedoed, shelled and sunk by U-130 (Kals) on July 30-1942, about 680 miles west/southwest of Freetown. Both ships were sailing alone, Mosli with a cargo of petrol. The survivors, 29 Danish, 17 British, 2 Norwegian and 1 Russian were landed in Freetown by Mosli 3 days later. I found this episode mentioned in "Krigsseileren", Issue No. 2 for 1981. The account is based on a diary written by Arnold Mørk Wilhelmsen who joined the ship on Apr. 25-1942 (it appears he had recently escaped Norway via Sweden to Scotland in March/Apr. that year). He says Mosli had departed Freetown for Trinidad on July 27, and 3 days later they spotted a column of smoke off their starboard bow and went to investigate. However, shortly after spotting the survivors a fire erupted on board Mosli, around midships on the starboard side, so the lifeboats had to move away because of the explosion danger. The fire was soon brought under control, and the 5 lifeboats came alongside and their occupants were taken on board. Around "coffee time" the following day they saw more evidence of U-boats being nearby (what he means by this is unclear, perhaps they saw some debris) but they now encountered an escort vessel which came with them to Freetown, where they arrived on Aug. 3 with the 49 rescued men. Mosli then continued her journey. (Mørk Wilhelmsen later paid off and joined Minister Wedel in Nov.-1942, then M/S Salta in Febr.-1943 after Minister Wedel had been torpedoed on Jan. 9-1943). Some of the men on board Mosli at this time were 2nd Engineer Gabriel Strøm, 1st Mate Sverre Lie, 2nd Mate Tor Solhaug Larsen, and Chief Engineer Legård Johansen. One of the crew members, a British electrician, was suspected of having started the fire on Mosli. It was also later discovered that he had stolen several Norwegian passports, which were found in his cabin. They were told that British authorities had found him to be involved in German 'underground' work and several industrial fires in the south of England. In Sept.-1942 Mosli is listed as sailing in Convoy HX 207, departing Halifax on Sept. 13 with several Norwegian ships. In Nov.-1942 she was in the westbound Convoy ON 145, as were the Norwegian Thorhild, Skaraas and Brant County. This convoy left Liverpool on Nov. 9-1942 and arrived New York City on Nov. 25 (see also this message in my Guestbook, on the bottom of that page). Empire Sailor was sunk, while British Renown and British Promise were damaged, all by U-518. The following month she joined Convoy HX 220, which left New York City on Dec. 21-1942 and arrived Liverpool on Jan. 9-1943. Mosli had a cargo of Admiralty fuel, and had station 63 of the convoy - destination is given as Scapa.
Mosli subsequently returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 162 in Jan.-1943, serving as escort oiler. This convoy arrived New York on Febr. 11, and she must have headed back to the U.K. again*, because in March-1943 she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 173*, again serving as escort oiler (convoy departed Liverpool March 13, arrived Halifax March 29; no destination is given for Mosli). The following month she was in Convoy HX 233, but became a straggler and returned to port, subsequently joining the next convoy, HX 234, which originated in New York City on Apr. 12-1943, but Mosli joined from Halifax on Apr. 15. In May she served as escort oiler for the westbound Convoy ON 184*, which left Liverpool on May 15 and arrived New York on the 31st. (again, no destination is given for Mosli), and in June that same year she was escort oiler for Convoy HX 243, leaving New York on June 7, arriving Liverpool on the 21st. Mosli's destination is again given as Scapa and she had station 54 of the convoy. She headed back across the ocean just a few days later with the westbound Convoy ON 190* (departure Liverpool June 24, arrival New York July 9), and already by July 15 she was ready to join Convoy HX 248 from New York, again bound for Scapa. Early the following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 196*, which left Liverpool on Aug. 8 and arrived New York on the 21st.
Going back to the external site already mentioned, we find that she subsequently made a voyage to Bizerta with Convoy UGS 18, which left Hampton Roads on Sept. 15-1943, returning with Convoy GUS 18 the following month, joining this convoy from Bizerta (GUS 18 arrived Hampton Roads on Nov. 6). The same site now has her in Convoy HX 266, departing New York on Nov. 13, arriving Liverpool on the 27th (not availble on my own site). Please follow the links provided for more information; I've linked directly to all these convoys. Christmas that year was celebrated while in the westbound Convoy ON 215* (departure Liverpool Dec. 9, arrival New York Dec. 28).
Mosli subsequently made a voyage to Gibraltar, having joined Convoy UGS 29, which left Hampton Roads on Jan. 5-1944, then returned to the U.S. with Convoy GUS 28, having joined this convoy from Gibraltar; GUS 28 arrived Hampton Roads on Febr. 15. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 280 from New York to the U.K. a few days later, but did not sail. She joined the next convoy, HX 281, but returned to port, and was subsequently scheduled for the Halifax portion of HX 282, but instead joined the Halifax portion of HX 283, leaving Halifax on March 15, having originated in New York 2 days earlier. In May-1944 she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 237*, which left Liverpool on May 19 and arrived New York on June 3, returning to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HX 295. She headed back in the other direction again early the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 243*, which departed Liverpool on July 3 and arrived New York on the 18th. It now looks like she must have headed across to Algiers*, because she's said to have made voyage from there to Augusta with Convoy KMS 59*, which originated in Gibraltar on Aug. 13. For information on her further voyages in that part of the world in this time period, please follow the instructions at the external link provided at the end of this page (for instance, as will be seen, she's said to have made a voyage from Augusta to Port Said in Aug./Sept.-1944, Convoy UGS 51).
At the beginning of 1945 she was in Abadan, having arrived there on Jan. 20. She left Abadan for Colombo on Jan. 23, arriving Colombo on Febr. 4. On Febr. 8 she departed for Bombay where she arrived on Febr. 12, then left again the following day for The Persian Gulf. She was reported off Khor Kuwai on the 17th, arrived Shatt el Arab on the 19th. On Febr. 26 she left Abadan for Sydney, with arrival there on Apr. 4. She had a fairly long stay there, because she did not leave again until June 3, arriving Newcastle N.S.W. the same day, then continued to Abadan on June 6, arriving on July 11. While there, it looks like some repairs to her engines were undertaken, before she started loading marine diesel oil on July 23, then left Abadan for Suez on July 25, arrived Aug. 9, left Sept. 5 and arrived Port Said on Sept. 6, then departed for Curacao the same day and arrived Willemstad on Oct. 5. On Oct. 17 she departed for the U.K., with arrival Liverpool on Nov. 6, continuing to Stanlow that same day. On Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 she was at Ince, and on the 10th she left England for Stavanger, Norway. From Stavanger she sailed to Aruba on March 9-1946, arrived Curacao on Apr. 2, then continued to England on Apr. 4-1946. (The details in this paragraph are from Mosli's log book for the period, and were received from Captain Steier's daughter; however, he was not the captain at that particular time, but served as 2nd mate on the ship. The captain was P. Pedersen). Related external links: Back to Mosli on the "Ships starting with M" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. as named within above text - (ref. My sources).
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