M/T Salamis - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Salamis was in service between Singapore and Australia until July-1940. After having been equipped with a gun in Australia, she went to Abadan and from there to England via Cape Hope. From then on she was in continuous service in the Atlantic, at first to the U.K., then in the Mediterranean during the invasions there, before going back to the U.K. to prepare for the invasion of Normandie in June-1944. She crossed the Atlantic 72 times, sailing a distance corresponding to the earth's circumference at the Equator 12 1/2 times.

1940:

Salamis is listed in Convoy SL 50, which departed Freetown on Oct. 3-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 26th. The Norwegian Maridal, Beduin and Vivi are also listed. The following month she was scheduled for Convoy OB 246 (left Liverpool on Nov. 20), bound for Abadan, but did not sail, and shows up again in Convoy OB 249, which left Liverpool on Nov. 24 and dispersed on the 28th. All these convoys had several Norwegian ships - ref. external links at the end of this page.

1941:

At the end of Apr.-1941 she sailed in Convoy HX 122, bound for Manchester with benzine, then in June that same year she was in Convoy HX 133, in which Soløy and Vigrid were sunk, and Kongsgaard was torpedoed and damaged. Salamis was bound for Mersey with Pool oil in station 63 of the convoy. A number of other Norwegian ships also sailed in these convoys, as will be seen by following the links.

In Aug.-1941, she was in Convoy HX 143 together with the Norwegian Thorshavn, Belinda, Mosli, Andrea Brøvig, Ravnefjell, Katy, Carmelfjell, Primero, Benwood and Petter. This convoy left Halifax on Aug. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 20th. Salamis subsequently returned across the ocean early the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 13; her destination is given as Providence, station 34.

She went back to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HX 152 (in station 84) along with the Norwegian Drammensfjord (106), Beth (44), Evita (93), Trondheim (95), Høegh Giant (92), and Storanger (83), all listed on this website. This convoy left Halifax on Sept. 28 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 14. Towards the end of Oct. we find her in station 45 of the westbound Convoy ON 30, bound for Baytown.

1942:

In Jan.-1942 she's listed as bound for Curacao in the westbound Convoy ON 59, station 43, returning to the U.K. in Febr. with the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 177 (left Halfiax on Febr. 25-1942). In the middle of March she joined the westbound Convoy ON 77, then headed back to the U.K. the following month with Convoy HX 184. At the beginning of May we find her, with destination Houston, station 83, in the westbound Convoy ON 91, and in June/July she sailed in Convoy HX 196 from Halifax to the U.K. In the middle of July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 113, bound for New York, station 44. In Sept. that year she sailed in Convoy HX 209, returning with the westbound Convoy ON 141 towards the end of Oct., again bound for New York (station 42). She was one of many Norwegian ships in Convoy HX 216, which left New York City on Nov. 19-1942 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 6. Salamis was bound for Stanlow with gasoline and sailed in station 74. She left again already on Dec. 11 with Convoy ON 153, in ballast for New York, station 32.

Salamis took part in the Torch operations, which had commenced in Nov.-1942 (my text under Athos has a list of other Norwegian ships involved).

1943:

In Apr.-1943, she was scheduled for Convoy HX 235 from New York, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 236, which arrived Liverpool on May 9, having departed New York on Apr. 24. She must have gone straight back to the U.S. (in fact, she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 184 in the middle of May-1943), because in June that same year she can be found in Convoy HX 243, leaving New York City on June 7, arriving Liverpool on the 21st. Her destination is again given as Stanlow, and she had station 93 of the convoy. At the end of that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 191, and in Sept.-1943 we find her in station 93 of Convoy HX 256, bound for Avonmouth. A week after arrival U.K. with this convoy, she returned across the ocean with the westbound Convoy ON 204.

All the ON convoys mentioned in the paragraphs above will be added to my Convoys section in due course. All of them included several Norwegian ships. More details on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page can be found with the help of the alphabet index at the end of this page.

She was at Bari on that horrendous night of Dec. 2-1943, described on my page about Bollsta. Salamis was one of the lucky few that only received minor damages (later repaired at Suez, where the cook was admitted to a hospital for his injuries). The British Lars Kruse (ex Danish) was set on fire and lost 18 men, while the rest of the crew was injured and taken on board a Norwegian ship, which appears to have been Salamis. My text for Bollsta includes a list of ships damaged or sunk and the names of the other Norwegian ships present, as well as several links to more info on the incident.

1944:

In May-1944 she was in Convoy UGS 40, which departed Hampton Roads on Apr. 23 with 77 ships, and arrived Port Said on May 19. (The Norwegian M/S Fernbrook was also in this convoy). The convoy was followed by German aircraft from the time it passed Gibraltar on the 9th and in the evening of May 11, off Cape Bengut, they attacked in wave after wave, but had to pull back without having scored (many aircraft were lost). Salamis was also in Convoy UGS 46 in July-1944 which was also the victim of sporadic air attack (east of Oran), but again no damage resulted to any of the ships.

1945:

At the end of May-1945, Salamis shows up in the westbound Convoy 305 - will also be added to my Convoys section.

Related external links:
SL Convoys - There's also a section on OB convoys. As will be seen, Salamis is listed in Convoy SL 50 and the OB convoys mentioned in my text.

Ships in UGS 40, including escorts. A section of the Encyclopedia of WW 2 Naval Battles.

This company had previously had another Salamis which was sold to Finland in 1939.