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Owner: Skibs-A/S Birholdt Built at Akers mek. Verksted, Oslo, Norway 1918. According to a message in this thread on my Ship Forum, she had the previous names Nord 1938, ex Beran 1937, ex Doravore 1932, ex Stemshest. (Source: Lloyds register 1943/44). Captain: Thomas Olsen
Reiaas is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 17 from Norway to the U.K. in March-1940, bound for Rouen with pulp - several Norwegian ships took part. At the beginning of Sept.-1940 she sailed in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 3, from which the Norwegian Lotos was sunk, and which had a large number of Norwegian ships. Reiaas had a cargo of lumber for Montrose. A couple of months later, on Nov. 13-1940, she joined Convoy SC 12, cargo of pit props for Hull. In Aug.-1941 she made a voyage from the U.K. to Iceland with the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 4. In Febr.-1942 we find her in Convoy RU 11 from Reykjavik to the U.K., bound for Glasgow.
Reiaas had loaded a cargo of cars and misc. military equipment (for the invasion of Normandie) in London and on June 5 she took on board 200 British soldiers. 20 mins after the soldiers had disembarked at the British sector Sword on June 6-1944, Reiaas dropped anchor off the beach and immediately started unloading her cargo, then departed for Portsmouth on June 7, took on board another cargo of the same, then arrived Sword again on June 12. She had finished unloading that same night and departed in convoy. In the dark a collision occurred with the British S/S Folda (shortly after 1 a.m. on June 13). Reiaas was hit in the starboard bow where the gunners' cabin was located, so that they were unable to get out, in spite of the others' attempts to break through with an axe. The rest of the men took to the lifeboats when the foreship was under water. The majority of the crew were picked up by the British S/S Rowansfield and taken to the coast of France, where they were transferred to a British naval vessel which landed them in the U.K.on June 15. Meanwhile, the captain, the 2nd mate and Able Seamen Gaulen and Holm remained near the ship, but were later taken on board a British warship when it became clear that Reiaas could not be saved, and were also taken to the U.K. The wreck sank shortly thereafter when a storm occurred. Crew List:
Related external links: 1 who died on board - Donkeyman Berger Johansen is listed as having died on board on May 11-1944 due to illness. Back to Reiaas on the "Ships starting with R" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Norwegian Maritime Museum, Volume II - (ref. My sources).
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