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D/S Orania To Orania on the "Ships starting with O" page. Manager: O. B. Sørensen & Co., Arendal Delivered in Nov.-1919 from Moss Værft, Moss as Avilesino to Skibs-A/S Maderas, Christiania (Oslo), 1182 gt, 696 net, 1800 tdwt, 226.3' x 36.6' x 15.7', Triple exp. 127 nhp (by yard). From 1926 she sailed as Orania for O. B. Sørensen & Co., Arendal. This company lost no ships during the war. Captain: Sverre Abrahamsen. Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Orania is mentioned in connection with Convoy HN 11 from Norway to the U.K. in Febr.-1940, bound for London with paper, but there's some disagreement as to whether she sailed or not. In March we find her in Convoy HN 20, again bound for London with paper - follow the links for more convoy info; several Norwegian ships took part in both. As will be seen when going to Page 1 above, she made a voyage from Methil to St. John's, N.F. in Aug.-1940. Her arrival St. John's is not given and I have no convoy information for this voyage; perhaps she had sailed independently? She returned to the U.K. in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 5, which left on Sept. 18 and arrived Liverpool Oct. 3, again with several Norwegian ships in compnay. Orania's destination is given as Ridham Dock, and she had a cargo of pulp wood. In July-1941 she's listed as bound for Sydney, C.B. in Convoy OB 347, which originated in Liverpool on July 16 and dispersed July 31. Orania arrived her destination on Aug. 2, having started out from Loch Ewe on July 18 - see Page 3. The Norwegian Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Bjørkhaug, Fido, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga, Maridal, Siak, Spes and Sveve are also listed in this convoy, which is available via the external link at the end of this page. The same site mentions her in the slow, eastbound North Atlantic Convoy SC 41, which left Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 24-1941 and arrived Liverpool Sept. 11, however, Orania returned to port (arrived Sydney Aug. 27), then shows up again in Convoy SC 45, departing Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 18, arriving Liverpool Oct. 4; Orania stopped at Loch Ewe that day. Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga, Siak and Spes were also in SC 41, as were Audun, Blink, Carrier (returned), Einvik (sunk), Evviva, Fagersten, Fanefjeld, Grado, Heien, Hildur I, Ledaal, Lom, Nesttun and Reiaas (some of which joined from Iceland), while Bjerka, Libra, Nea, Rio Verde, Snar, Solhavn, Trolla and Varanger are listed in SC 45. She was otherwise mostly in service around the U.K. The external website already mentioned has information on some of the U.K. convoys she was in; follow the instructions provided at the link, then compare the results with the voyages listed on the various archive documents. Orania is said to have been in a convoy that was attacked by aircraft in the English Channel several times in March-1942 (March 8, 14 and 19). She was unharmed, but other ships were not so lucky. According to Page 15, she got to go home to Norway already in July-1945, making 2 more voyages home later on that year (see Page 16). For more information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.
From 1949 she sailed as Rex of Kragerø. Purchased in Febr.-1954 by Øistein Torgersen, Haugesund, registered owner Skibs-A/S Jarl. In seasonal lumber trade (May-Nov.) until sold in Nov.-1964 to breakers in Gothenburg (this was Haugesund's last coal fuelled steamship). Converted to barge Granita II, later Ris I, broken up in Gothenburg. Related external link: Back to Orania on the "Ships starting with O" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. Pre war and post war details are from "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn.
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