M/T Norden

To Norden on the "Ships starting with N" page.


This picture was sent to me by Bjørn Milde, Norway, and is from his own postcard collection.
It was taken while unloading at Trafford Park (year unknown).

Also from Bjørn Milde.

Misc. War Voyages:

(More will be added, including information on westbound North Atlantic voyages).

After the fall of France in the summer of 1940 the sympathies in the overseas colonies to a great extent seemed to be for the Vichy government, but in some places active de Gaulle groups were trying to swing the opinions towards the side of the allies (General de Gaulle had escaped to England with his forces, known as "The Free French"). In the French colonies in the Pacific opinions varied. On the New Hebrides the support was for de Gaulle, while the situation on New Caledonia further west was more unclear. At Noumea the French gunboat Dumont d'Urville was bringing pressure to bear for Vichy support, but a de Gaulle group in the city planned a coup de force on Sept. 19 and had called for assistance from Vila on the New Hebrides. M/T Norden played a part in this intermezzo. She left Vila on Sept. 16 escorted by the Australian cruiser Adelaide. On board Norden was Vila's governor, M. Sautot who had been called upon to take power on New Caledonia, once the de Gaulle group at Noumea had cleared the way. The plan was for a boat with de Gaulle's markings to meet them on arrival off Noumea, but when they got there on Sept. 19, it was nowhere to be seen. Therefore, the cruiser approached the harbour to investigate. The French gunboat sent a boat out to ask the purpose of Adelaide's arrival. It was then noted that de Gaulle's flag had been raised in the harbour, and the guns on the gunboat were in a lashed position. As it turned out Adelaide and Norden had showed up at a critical moment, as the coup attempt had been close to failing. The commandant at the land batteries had given the order to shoot at the incoming ships, but the sergeant by the guns had at that moment decided to support de Gaulle and refused to follow order. M. Sautot could subsequently march in triumph to the governor's house.

Thea above mentioned Guestbook message says the following:
"My late father Rufus Donald Symons was employed by Notraship in Freemantle Western Australia in July 1942 & signed on as an engine boy on the M.T. Norden. He was 16 years old & said there were other "foreigners" in the crew, an Englishman, a Scotsman & an Australian Navy gunner. The Scotsman was later lost overboard in heavy seas off Madagascar in about September 1942. The ship went into dry dock in Bombay in about October 1942 & he was transferred to deck as a deck boy. He paid off the M.T Norden in early 1943".

In Aug.-1943 we find her in the slow Convoy SC 139 from Halifax to the U.K. As will be seen when clicking on the link, several other Norwegian ships also took part in this convoy.

In June-1944 she was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 294, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 295. In July/Aug.-1944 she shows up in Convoy HX 301 from New York, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships. Norden's destination is given as Mersey, Milford Haven, Falmouth and Devonport. In Sept. (same year) she can be found in Convoy HX 309, bound for Clyde and Scapa.

Related external link:
HMAS Adelaide - This page also has some information on the above.

A casualty of Norden - Captain Svend Borge Pedersen is commemorated, date and cause not given, but listed in "Våre falne" (see "My sources") as having died on Norden when off Australia on Sept. 3-1941. Buried in Albany, Australia.

Back to Norden on the "Ships starting with N" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. - (ref. My sources).