M/T Skaraas - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

1940-1941:

When Norway was invaded on Apr. 9-1940 this ship was routed to Townsville, Queensland, which was the nearest British port. After a few days she continued to Singapore where she took on a cargo of 15 000 tons aviation fuel for the U.K.

Skaraas crossed the Atlantic 51 times in the course of the war, carrying aircraft, and also replenished the escorts at sea.

According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she sailed in Convoy SL 47, which departed Freetown on Sept. 10-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 28th. Skaraas was bound for Clyde, station 43 (the Norwegian Thode Fagelund also took part). The following month she shows up in Convoy OB 231, which left Liverpool on Oct. 19 and dispersed on the 23rd. Her destination is given as Aruba, station 32. The Norwegian Idefjord, Norefjord and Rena are also listed. Follow the links provided for more convoy information. Towards the end of Nov. Skaraas, bound for Manchester, joined the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 91 (Bermuda portion), sailing in station 63 of the convoy.

In Febr.-1941 she appears in Convoy OB 291, which departed Liverpool on Febr. 27 and dispersed on March 3. Her destination is given as New York, and there's a note indicating she had been damaged by a bomb on March 2 - see the external link provided at the end of this page. (Note also that the company's Storaas was damaged in this convoy). In May/June-1941 Skaraas is listed among the ships in Convoy HX 128, as are several other Norwegian ships. Skaraas had station 62, cargo of gasoline for Liverpool. She subsequently joined Convoy OB 335, leaving Liverpool on June 16, however, she's said to have been involved in a collision with the British City of Auckland on June 17 and returned to port, then shows up again, with destination New York, in OB 338, which left Liverpool on June 21 and dispersed on July 3. Again, see the external links at the end of this page.

Skaraas went back to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 146 (in station 74), together with the Norwegian Strix, Høegh Scout (possibly station 63?), Gallia (station 73), Anna Knudsen (station 35), and Fernmoor (station 52, carrying 3 bombers and crated aircraft). This convoy departed Halifax on Aug. 21-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Sept. 6. Skaraas, with destination New York, subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 18, leaving Liverpool on Sept. 19-1941, and towards the end of the following month she was one of several Norwegian ships joining the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 156. She subsequently returned across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 38*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 19 and dispersed on the 30th. Her destination is given as New York.

1942-1943:

In Febr.-1942 she's listed in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 173, and later that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 71*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 26, dispersed March 8. Skaraas was bound for Aruba on that occasion, and returned to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 184. At the beginning of May we find her listed as bound for Galveston in the westbound Convoy ON 91* (departure Liverpool May 1, dispersed May 15). In Aug. she sailed in Convoy HX 202, kerosene for Manchester, subsequently returning to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 125 at the end of that month. In Oct. we find her in station 113 of Convoy HX 212, in which Kosmos II was sunk, and according to a message in my Guestbook (see the message on the bottom of the Guestbook page) she returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 145 in Nov.-1942 (convoy will be updated). The Norwegian Thorhild, Mosli and Brant County were also in this convoy, which according to "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague left Liverpool on Nov. 9-1942 with 35 ships and arrived New York City on Nov. 25. Empire Sailor was sunk, while British Renown and British Promise were damaged, all by U-518.

Christmas that year was spent in Convoy HX 220, which originated in New York on Dec. 21-1942 - however, Skaraas joined from Halifax. This convoy arrived Liverpool on Jan. 9-1943, and later that month she headed to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 162. The external site that I've linked to at the end of this page now has Skaraas in Convoy HX 227, which left New York on Febr. 18-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 6. This convoy is not available on my own site, but I've linked directly to it below.

According to the voyage record for B. P. Newton, that ship is said to have been involved in a collision with Skaraas on March 23-1943 - I have no further details on this, but it may have taken place when both ships were in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 173*, in which they are both listed. This convoy departed Liverpool on March 13-1943 and arrived Halifax on the 29th - both ships were bound for New York.

In Apr.-1943 she's listed in Convoy HX 233, returning across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 181 at the end of that month (station 92), and in June she again headed for the U.K. with Convoy HX 245*, bound for Dingle, station 73. She then shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 192*, which left Liverpool on July 9, but is said to have returned to port, subsequently joining ON 193*, which departed Liverpool on July 16 and arrived New York, Skaraas' destination, on the 31st. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 254 from New York at the end of Aug., but instead joined the next convoy, HX 255, which left New York on Sept. 2 and arrived Liverpool on the 16th. About a week later we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 203*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 22, arriving New York on Oct. 10 (no destination is given for Skaraas), and according to the external site already mentioned, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 264, which left New York on Oct. 31 and arrived Liverpool on Nov. 17 (follow the link provided - not available on my own site). At the end of that month she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 213* (departure Liverpool Nov. 26, arrival New York Dec. 14).

* Note that according to the Commodore's remarks for HX 245, a collision took place between the ships in stations 64 and 73 in dense fog during the night of June 27/28, in or near the 6th column. He does not mention the names of the ships, but unlesss stations had altered during passage, they were Clausina (64) and Skaraas (73). The Commodore adds that No 73 sustained damage to her port bow and lost an anchor, while 64's starboard quarter was damaged. Both ships were able to proceed at convoy speed, all damages being above the water line.

1944-1945:

In Jan.-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 276 from New York, bound for Heysham and Clyde, returning to the U.S. with Convoy ON 224, which left Liverpool on Febr. 15-1944 and arrived New York on March 2. The Norwegian Fernmoor, Molda, Pan Scandia, Samuel Bakke and Vanja are also listed. A couple of weeks later Skaraas headed back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 283, leaving New York on March 13-1944. The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 231* along with 14 other Norwegian ships, namely Bernhard, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Østhav, Høyanger and Nordanger, some of which had also been in HX 283 - use the alphabet index below to find more information about these ships. ON 231 departed Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 24th. Already on Apr. 27 Skaraas shows up in Convoy HX 289 from New York to the U.K., and the following month she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 237*, which left Liverpool on May 19 and arrived New York on June 3.

She headed back to the U.K. again a week later with Convoy HX 295, and at the beginning of July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 243*, which left Liverpool on July 3 and arrived New York on the 18th. Already on the 25th she was ready to join Convoy HX 301 from New York, and the following month she's listed in Convoy ON 249* (departure Liverpool Aug. 18, arrival New York Sept. 2). She was scheduled for Convoy HX 315 in Oct. that same year, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 316, returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 269*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 29 and arrived New York on Dec. 15. She headed back to the U.K. a few days later in Convoy HX 327.

In Jan.-1945 she returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 277, which arrived New York on Jan. 23, and on the 28th we find her in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 335. In the middle of Febr. she joined the westbound Convoy ON 285* - departure Southend Febr. 16, arrival New York March 5, and later that month she's listed in Convoy HX 343, which departed New York on March 9-1945 and arrived Liverpool on the 24th. She served as escort oiler, also carrying 60 depth charges. Just a few days later she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 293*, which left Southend on March 27 and arrived New York on Apr. 15, then returned to the U.K. in Convoy HX 351, leaving New York on Apr. 18, arriving Liverpool on May 3, again serving as escort oiler, and carrying 60 depth charges. These two HX convoys are not available on my own site, but I've linked directly to them below. Already on May 6 she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 301*, so must have been at sea on VE day (this convoy arrived New York on May 22).

* 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, please go to these convoys in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. As will be seen, Skaraas often served as escort oiler, and several Norwegian ships sailed in all these convoys.

Related external links:
SL Convoys - There's also a section on the OB (& OA) convoys. As will be seen, Skaraas is listed in Convoy SL 47 and OB 231. Note also that by going to this section of the same site and clicking on "Ship Search", using "Skaraas" as keyword, several convoys that are not mentioned in my own text will come up, including some Guantanamo and Trinidad convoys. Here are OB 291, OB 335, OB 338, HX 227, HX 264, HX 343, and HX 351, all mentioned in my text above.