M/S Reinholt
Updated Febr. 21-2009

To Reinholt on the "Ships starting with R" page.


From Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.

Owner: Ivarans Rederi A/S
Manager: S. Holter-Sørensen, Oslo
Tonnage: 4801 gt (4799 gt?)
Signal Letters: LKFK

Built by Kockums Mekaniska Verksteds A/B, Malmö, Sweden in 1939.

Captain: Hans Nilsen.

Some others are named within the text below.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5

A Frightening Moment - 1942:

Reinholt was shelled continuously for 20 minutes by U-752 (Schroeter) on Apr. 23-1942, when on a voyage from Santos, Brazil to New York with a cargo of hides, having departed Santos on Apr. 6, according to the captain's report, which gives the position for the attack as 39 28N 72 16W* - see also Page 3. She was on a course 303° true, sailing at a speed of 12 knots, in calm seas with no wind, fair visibility, slight fog on surface of the water. "Nortraships flåte" states that earlier that morning, when about 70 n. miles southeast of Ambrose Light Vessel, 3rd Mate Thorvald Knudsen had observed a light signal and had awakened the captain, who then ordered a zig-zag course. About three and a half hours later, at 05:20, the mate on duty spotted an object off the port side and noticed that a U-boat was about to surface. Shortly thereafter the first shell was fired, falling short of the ship. The shelling continued, killing boatswain John Sætre, injuring Radio Operator Hans Mortensen and Carpenter Karl Innstrøm (Lundstrøm?). Reinholt's gunners replied by firing a round every 30 seconds, but while they were defending their ship, it caught on fire after having received a hit where the ammunition was stored, so after 14 rounds had been fired they could no longer get to the ammunition. However, at this time the U-boat submerged. The fire was eventually brought under control, and in the meantime, at around 06:00 a destroyer had been sighted on the horizon. The two injured men were transferred to USS Rhind at around 12:10 and taken care of there, then admitted to a hospital in Brooklyn that same day. Reinholt later arrived pier 33, Brooklyn at 23:00.

*Rohwer gives position 39 10N 72 00W and adds in a footnote that she was badly damaged by some 20-25 rounds of 8.8cm gunfire, and answered by firing 14 rounds.

An attack report states the following:
"The submarine was sighted surfacing at 05:00 E.W.T., five minutes prior to the attack (when about 80 miles S.E.E. of Ambrose). The course was immediately changed to place the submarine to stern, and speed was increased to 14 1/2 knots. The submarine tried to get abeam but the vessel was maneuvered to keep her astern. An SOS was sent at 05:15 E.W.T. but the radio was destroyed before a reply was received. The submarine opened fire from a range of 2 to 3 miles directly astern firing from 60 to 80 shells probably from 2 guns at a rate of one shell every 2 or 3 seconds. Fifteen to twenty were hits. The British 12 pounder anti-aircraft stern gun, 2 1/2 inch, was manned at 05:07 E.W.T. and 14 rounds were fired in defense at a rate of one every 30 to 45 seconds. Possibly one hit was scored. The prompt arrival of air and surface Navy units forced the submarine to abandon the chase and submerge at 05:20 E.W.T. just as the supply of ammunition on the Reinholt was exhausted".

There's a vivid account of this incident in the book "Tusen norske ship" by Lise Lindbæk. The book was translated to English under the title "Norway's New Saga of the Sea" in 1969 (my Books page has tips on how to find a copy). It's mainly based on Lise Lindbæk's interviews with seamen during the war, and first published in New York in Nov. 1943. In the chapter about Reinholt she describes the damages on the ship in detail, and judging from that it's a miracle only two were injured. A brief summary has been added below.

The incident received a lot of publicity on arrival New York. 15 men later received Krigsmedaljen, while the captain received the higher ranked Krigskorset (see my War Medals page).

Summary of Interview with the Captain:

New York, shortly after the attack (according to the above mentioned book, Hans Nielsen was only on board for that one voyage, stepping in for his brother, the "real" captain of Reinholt):

The captain was on the bridge during the attack and still couldn't understand how he had survived it. All he did was swear and smoke; swear because they didn't have a big enough gun to get rid of the intruder. He was right next to the radio operator when he was hit, and there were at least 20 shrapnels around him, but not a scratch on himself. He says "the crew was absolutely fantastic, escpecially the 21 year old gunner, Sverre Batalden who was just fabulous". When the shelling started very early that morning the Danish radio operator was barely able to send out an SOS before the radio stopped working. He hadn't been able to give the position so tried to get the emergency radio going but that was shot to pieces too. He then went out on deck and was hit himself (practically had his legs torn off). The U-boat kept firing and many fell over just from the sheer impact; their hearing was affected for days afterwards. Most of the shells hit on the after part of the ship, especially the gunners' platform. The gunner crew had used up all the ammunition on the platform and the ammunition below deck had caught on fire, while the shots kept coming, leaving "shells with German names and Swastikas on them scattered all over the deck". The mate gave orders to extinguish the fire but the water hose didn't work, so they had to use the CO2 bottles which had to be carried from their location on the aft deck; 2 men even went down into the burning ammunition hold, though explosions had started to occur down there.

After about 20 minutes they saw smoke on the horizon and heard an aircraft approaching, then the U-boat disappeared. Shortly thereafter the American destroyer appeared, then a blimp, so after the 2 wounded men had been transferred to the destroyer for medical care Reinholt was escorted the rest of the way.

She had a complement of 34 at the time. Lise Lindbæk says the crew consisted of 1 Swedish, 1 Finnish, 2 Danish, 1 American, 1 Portugese, 1 Brazilian and the rest Norwegian. When Reinholt arrived New York that evening she got quite a reception. The captain received an invitation from Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews (U. S. Navy Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier) who wanted to hear all the details, and the newspapers were equally interested, covering the story widely. Lise Lindbæk also briefly spoke with the gunner, who said he served during the war in Norway, was on board Heimdal, then escaped to England where he went to gunnery school (probably at Dumbarton) and had since been on Norwegian ships in "the danger zone" for about 1 1/2 year. Jon Sætre was 40 years old and from Haugesund. Funeral services were going to be held from the Seamen's Church that same day. Radio Operator Hans Mortensen was from the Faroe Islands. He had been on Reinholt for just 18 days when the attack took place, having transferred from a Danish ship that had been requisitioned by the Brazilians at Santos.

Some other crew members were 1st Mate Fredrik Olausen, Able Seaman Arnold Skaar (helmsman at the time of attack), Able Seaman Jens Olden, Able Seaman Peder Pettersen, Ordinary Seaman Alf Nautnes, 2nd Engineer Arne I. Kallevik, 3rd Engineer Ludvig Larsen.

Reinholt underwent repairs for 17 days, then went to Buenos Aires, where she arrived (via Santos) on June 29, according to Page 3. It appears she barely avoided being hit by a torpedo when on her way back to New York on Aug. 3-1942 (she had left Santos on July 22). She was not far from Port of Spain when a periscope and a torpedo wake were believed to have been seen, and this happened again a little later. Nothing further happened, but an SOS was received from a torpedoed ship in the course she was heading, so course was chosen accordingly. She arrived Trinidad on Aug. 5, departing again on the 8th, and on Aug. 13 the convoy she was in, Convoy TAW 12, was in Old Bahama Channel when the Commodore Ship was torpedoed*, and Reinholt took over. They arrived Key West on Aug. 16, where a new convoy was formed for New York on the 18th, with Reinholt continuing as Commodore Ship. She's listed (with several other Norwegian ships) in Convoy KN 131, which arrived Hampton Roads on the 23rd; Reinholt arrived New York that day. Both these convoys are available at the last external website that I've linked to below.

* This was the American steamship Delmundo which according to Rohwer was torpedoed and sunk by U-600 on Aug. 13-1942 in Convoy TAW 12, position 19 55N 73 49W.

From New York Reinholt entered into Trans-Atlantic service, by this time with better armament. On one such voyage, with ammunition in her cargo, she was involved in a collision in Liverpool harbour. Another time she had a big hole torn in her underside by an iceberg (see next section).

Related external links:
Some more details on J. Sætre

The attack on Delmundo

Convoy TAW 12 - Based on Arnold Hague's database. The site also has KN 131.

Some Convoy Voyages – 1942-1945:

As already mentioned above, Reinholt had arrived New York on Aug. 23-1942. She now started Trans-Atlantic voyages, joining Convoy HX 208 on Sept. 17, cargo of steel and food for Liverpool. The Commodore's report is also available for this convoy. The following month, we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 139* (left Liverpool on Oct. 16), but she returned to port, arriving Belfast Lough on Oct. 18, later joining Convoy ON 141* from there (convoy originated in Liverpool on Oct. 24 and arrived New York, which was Reinholt's destination, on Nov. 10). On this voyage she had 2 passeners on board. On Nov. 19, she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 216. Reinholt had a general cargo for Liverpool, and sailed in station 132 (became a straggler when the convoy encountered a gale, see Notes on my page about this convoy). Christmas that year was celebrated while in the westbound Convoy ON 155; see also the Commodore's narrative (Reinholt is mentioned under Dec. 23 and Dec. 24).

She went back to the U.K. again in Jan.-1943 in Convoy HX 224 from New York, bound for Liverpool with a general cargo, station 132. She also had explosives as well as passengers on board, and it looks like she had been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 223, from which Nortind and Kollbjørg were lost. Reinholt subsequently returned to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 168*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 21 and dispersed March 12. According to Arnold Hague, she later joined Convoy HX 231, which left New York on March 25-1943 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 10 - this agrees with the details found on Page 3. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own website, but I've linked directly to Hague's listing at the end of this page. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 180*, leaving Liverpool on Apr. 24, arriving New York on May 14. Reinholt is said to have arrived New York with ice damage on that occasion. According to the archive document mentioned above, she did not leave New York again until June 15, when she can be found in Convoy HX 244. She was again bound for Liverpool with general cargo and passengers, station 52.

The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 192* in order to return to New York (left Liverpool July 9, arrived New York on the 22nd), and on Aug. 7-1943 she departed New York in Convoy HX 251, general cargo and explosives, station 106, bound for Liverpool. At the beginning of the following month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 200* (left Liverpool Sept. 2, arrived New York Sept. 18). A. Hague now has her in Convoy HX 259, which left New York on Sept. 28, arrived Liverpool on Oct. 13 and is available at the external link below - see also Page 4. At the end of that month, she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 208*, leaving Liverpool on Oct. 24, arriving New York on Nov. 7. She acted as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 268, which left New York on Nov. 26 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 11 (again, see external link provided below). Reinholt left again on Christmas Eve-1943, westbound Convoy ON 217*, which arrived New York on Jan. 10-1944.

On Jan. 28-1944, we find her in Convoy HX 277 from New York, general cargo for Cardiff, where she arrived Febr. 13, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 226*, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 29 and arrived New York on March 15. In Apr.-1944, she's listed as bound for Liverpool with general cargo in Convoy HX 286, and at the beginning of May she joined the westbound Convoy ON 235* in order to head back to New York (left Liverpool May 4, arrived New York May 18), returning to the U.K. in June with Convoy HX 294 from New York. At the beginning of July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 243* (left Liverpool July 3, arrived New York July 18), and later that month I have her as the Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 301, again bound for Liverpool with general cargo - Vice Commodore was in Samuel Bakke. As will be seen when following the link to this convoy, it was very large, but the previous convoy, HX 300, was the largest ever to cross the Atlantic.

Reinholt now joined Convoy UC 34, which left Liverpool on Aug. 17-1944 and arrived New York on Aug. 28; her destination is given as Baltimore, where she arrived on the 29th. This convoy will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section, but for now, the ships sailing in it (and escorts) are named on the page listing ships in all UC convoys. She was secheduled for Convoy HX 308 on Sept. 13, but instead joined Convoy HX 310 on Sept. 21, again acting as Commodore Vessel, while the Norwegian Høyanger was the Vice Commodore's ship. Reinholt subsequently headed back to the U.S. on Oct. 21 with the westbound Convoy ON 261, and the following month she's listed as bound for Liverpool with general cargo in Convoy HX 322. She now joined the westbound Convoy ON 273* (left Liverpool on Dec. 19), but returned to port, later joining ON 275*, departing Liverpool on Dec. 29, arriving New York on Jan. 13-1945.

On Jan. 23-1945, we find her in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 334, bound for London with grain. She went back across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 286*, which departed Liverpool on Febr. 21 and arrived New York on March 9. On her return voyage she acted as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 346 (Commodore H. G. Clayton, R.N.R.) - this convoy, which left New York on March 24 and arrived Liverpool on Apr. 7, is not available to me, but can be found via the external link provided below. The last ON convoy she sailed in was ON 298*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 22-1945 and arrived New York on May 7.

As will be seen when going to Page 5 of the archive documents, this was her last Trans- Atlantic voyage. From New York, she now sailed to another part of the world, having joined Convoy UGS 95, which departed Hampton Roads on May 28-1945 and dispersed the next day. She was bound for Karachi, where she arrived, via Gibraltar, Suez and Aden, on June 24, proceeding to Bombay a few days later.

* All the ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. As will be seen, they all had several Norwegian ships.

POST WAR:

Reinholt arrived Norway with cargo in Febr.-1946. Sold in 1965 by Ivarans to "Bulet" State Economic Enterprise, Bulgaria, renamed Topaz.

Related external links:
Convoy HX 231 - Based on Arnold Hague's database. The site also has HX 259, HX 268, HX 346 and UGS 95, all mentioned in my text above.

Back to Reinholt on the "Ships starting with R" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Misc. sources as named within the above text, and summary of statements by survivors (in a memorandum to Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, dated May 1-1942 and signed U.S.N.R. Ensign A. J. Powers), received from Tony Cooper, England.