M/T Norsol

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

From Barbara Mumford I've received the following (her source: Mitchell & Sawyer's "Empire Ships"):
Ocean type tanker built by Harland & Wolff Ltd., Belfast. 8236 gt, 483 ft (oa), 465.6 ft x 59.5 ft. Engines: Oil. Launched July 10-1941, completed in Nov. as Empire Diamond.

Norsol was one of 19 ships transferred to Nortraship in 1942. See Empire Ships on my page "Ship Statistics & Misc." for the names of the other 18. Norsol was taken over at Newport on March 30-1942.

In my Guestbook, there's a message from someone whose father (from Wales) was a radio operator on Norsol. (I always mention these messages, because very often I get mail from people who want to get in touch with others who had relatives onboard a ship).

Rescued 2 survivors from the American freighter David McKelvy* on May 14-1942, torpedoed the day before by U-506. 1 of the survivors was Finnish, the other American. Norsol was en route from Beaumont to Halifax for convoy at the time (cargo of aviation fuel) and was travelling alone when smoke was spotted on the horizon on the port side. They decided to investigate (though regulations said to move away as quickly as possible, in case such sightings originated from a U-boat trying to lure a lone ship close enough for attack), and when they got close they saw 2 men in the stern of the smoldering ship. After the torpedo had hit the American ship it had erupted in flames, and the 2 survivors (chief engineer and pumpman) had sought refuge in the fresh water tank overnight until the fire subsided somewhat. The sea was still burning here and there around them, but the rescuers were able to get a line on board for the men to tie around their waists, whereupon the 2 jumped into the water and were pulled into Norsol's lifeboat. Norsol's radio operator got in touch with the pilot station at Key West and a Coast Guard vessel came out to take the 2 ashore. Norsol then continued to Halifax where she joined Convoy HX 192 for the U.K.

*According to Robert J. Cressman the crew of David McKelvy abandoned ship and the Coast Guard cutter Boutwell (WPC-130) rescued the survivors. Roger W. Jordan, "The World's Merchant Fleets" lists 23 survivors, and says 17 died. Arthur Moore ("A Careless Word, A Needless Sinking") adds that she had a crew of 36 and 6 Naval Armed Guard; 15 crew, including the captain and all the deck officers were lost in the explosion and fire, as were 2 of the Navy men. 4 of the survivors were badly burnt, 1 of whom later died at the Marine Hospital in New Orleans where the 4 had been taken. The remaining survivors were taken to the Naval Section Base at Burrwood, Louisiana by Boutwell. (David McKelvy was later beached on the Louisiana coast according to R. W. Jordan, but total constructive loss).

In Sept.-1942 Norsol was in Convoy HX 208, and a couple of months later she's listed in Convoy HX 217 from New York, cargo of aviation fuel. This convoy was attacked and 2 ships were sunk - follow the link for more details. Towards the end of Dec. that year she returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 155.

In Apr.-1943 she can be found in Convoy HX 233, again with a cargo of aviation fuel, and at the end of May she's listed in Convoy HX 242, leaving New York City on May 31, arriving Liverpool on June 15. On this occasion her destination is given as Avonmouth, and she had station 104 of the convoy. At the end of Aug. that same year she joined Convoy HX 254 from New York, bound for Bowling and Ardrossan, station 52, then the following month she returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 202 (ONS 18), in which Oregon Express and Skjelbred were sunk.

She's also mentioned in connection with Convoy GUS 48 in Aug.-1944 and is said to have arrived Philadelphia from Casablanca on Aug. 28.

In Jan.-1945 she's listed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 334, bound for Stanlow.

POST WAR: Sold in 1946, renamed Kollbjørg, A/S Kollbjørg (O. Berg), Oslo. Sold in 1956 to Rederi Norland (Odmark & Andersson), Sweden, and renamed Storo (Storö?). Sold in 1959 to Skjelbreds Rederi A/S, Norway, resold to O. Kees & Co (Hong Kong) Ltd and arrived Hong Kong Nov. 20-1959 to be broken up.

Related external Links:
The Empire Ships - On the "Mariners" website. Empire Diamond can be found on this page.

Hyperwar - The rescue is mentioned under the entry for May 14-1942 (The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II by Robert J. Cressman).

The loss of David McKelvy (Uboat.net).

Back to Norsol 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. as named within text - (ref. My sources).