D/S Skarv - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

D/S Skarv
Updated March 12-2010

To Skarv on the "Ships starting with S" page.

Received from Kåre B. Kristiansen, Norway (whose grandfather served on Fagersten, among several others).

Manager: Rich. Otter, Oslo
Tonnage: 930 (852?) gt

Delivered in July-1923 from Porsgrunds Mek. Værksted A/S, Porsgrunn (82) as cargo vessel Frank to A/S Frank (Chr. J. Reim, Porsgrunn). Steel hull, "Porsgrunn-type" (engine aft and bridge amidships), 212' x 32.2' x 12.4', 930 gt, 1300 tdwt, Tripple Expansion (Porsgrunds) 103nhp, 9 knots. Sold in July-1929 to Rederi-AB Alfhem (Sam Andersson), Gothenburg. Sold in Sept.-1932 to Otters Rederi A/S (Rich. Otter), renamed Skarv.

The above documents were helter-skelter, but I believe I've managed to get them in the correct order.

Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record
From Jan.-1940 to May-1945:

(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).

Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each.

Errors may exist. This could also mean that she may not have sailed in all the convoys mentioned here. Also, several voyages are missing.

	Departure	From	To	Arrival	Convoy	Remarks
1940	Jan. 1	Norwegian Waters	Methil	Jan. 4	HN 6	–
	Febr. 16	Norwegian Waters	Methil	Febr. 19	HN 12	–
	Febr. 27	Tyne	Methil	Febr. 28	TM 15	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	March 3	Methil	Norwegian Waters	March 7	ON 17	–
	March 18	Norwegian Waters	Methil	March 22	HN 20	Missing voyages, Page 1
	May 16	Sunderland	Southend	May 18	FS 172	Compare w/Page 1 above (also, more missing voyages). Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Sept. 29	Clyde	Methil	Oct. 3	WN 19F	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Oct. 5	Methil	Tyne	Oct. 6	FS 301	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
	Oct. 7	Tyne	Southend	Oct. 9	FS 303	Convoy available at link above
	Oct. 19	Southend	Methil	Oct. 21	FN 312	Convoy available at FN convoys (external link)
	Oct. 24	Methil	–	–	OA 234	Rendezvoused w/OB 234, Oct. 26. Convoy available at OA 234 (external link) Arrived Liverpool, Oct. 28 - See Page 1 Also, missing voyages
1941	Jan. 4	Methil	Southend	Jan. 6	FS 379	Convoy available at FS convoys (external link)
?	Jan. 7	Methil	Southend	Jan. 9	FS 381	Convoy available at link above (Voyage not included, Page 1)
	Jan. 24	Methil	Oban	Jan. 29	EN 61/1	Did not sail. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Jan. 31	Methil	Oban?	Febr. 4	EN 65/1	Convoy available at link above Arrived Milford Haven, Febr. 7 See Page 2 - Also, missing voyages
	Febr. 22	Clyde	Methil	Febr. 26	WN 89	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 2 above
	March 18	Methil	Oban?*	March 22	EN 88/1	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) *Arrived Liverpool, March 23 (Page 2 - Also, more missing voyages)
	Apr. 22	Clyde	Methil	Apr. 25	WN 118	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 2
	June 14	Clyde	Methil	June 17	WN 140	Convoy available at link above Missing voyages, Page 2 above & Page 3
	July 25	Clyde	Methil	July 30	WN 158	Convoy available at link above Missing voyages, Page 3
	Aug. 18	Belfast Lough	Milford Haven	Aug. 19	BB 64	Convoy available at BB convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 3
	Oct. 14	Oban	Methil	Oct. 17	WN 193	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 3
	Nov. 8	Methil	Oban?*	Nov. 11	EN 4	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) Arrived Liverpool, Nov 13 See Page 4* - Also, more 1941 voyages.
1942	Jan. 1	Oban	Methil	Jan. 4	WN 226	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 4 above
	Jan. 24	Methil	Oban*	Jan. 27	EN 36	Joined EN 38. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) *Arrived Kirkwall, Jan. 27
	Jan. 27	Kirkwall	Oban*	Jan. 29	EN 38	Joined from EN 36. Convoy available at link above. Arrived Belfast, Jan. 30. See Page 4* - also, missing voyages, w/more on Page 5
	March 19	Oban	Methil	March 22	WN 260	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 5 above
	Apr. 9	Methil	Oban*	Apr. 11	EN 69	Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) *Arrived Liverpool, Apr. 13, Loch Ewe Apr. 27 (Page 5)
	Apr. 28	Loch Ewe	Methil	Apr. 30	WN 276	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 5
	May 11	Methil	Oban?*	May 13	EN 83	*For Preston? (Page 5 - also, missing voyages). Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	June 23	Loch Ewe	Methil	June 25	WN 300	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 5 & Page 6
	July 13	Methil	Silloth	July 15*	EN 110	*Arrived July 17? (see Page 6 - also, missing voyages). Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Aug. 7	Loch Ewe	Methil	Aug. 9	WN 319	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 6
	Aug. 22	Methil	Silloth	Aug. 24*	EN 127	Arrived Aug. 26? See Page 6* - Also, more missing voyages. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Oct. 23	Oban	Methil	Oct. 26	WN 353	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 7
	Nov. 9	Methil	Belfast*	Nov. 11*	EN 160	*Arrived Stornoway Nov. 12, Belfast Nov. 15 See Page 7. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
	Nov. 25	Loch Ewe	Methil	Nov. 27	WN 365	Convoy available at WN convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 7
	Dec. 6	Methil	Belfast	Dec. 8*	EN 170	*Arrived Dec. 11? (Page 7 - also, missing voyages). Convoy available at EN convoys (external link)
1943	Febr. 15	Loch Ewe?*	Stornoway	Febr. 16	WN 395	Earlier 1943 voyages, Page 7 *From Liverpool, Febr. 9. Convoy available at WN convoys (external link)
	Febr. 16	Stornoway	Methil	Febr. 18	Independent	Missing voyages, Page 7
	March 26	Loch Ewe	Methil	March 28	WN 408	Convoy available at link above Missing voyages, Page 8
	Apr. 12	Methil	Clyde*	Apr. 14	EN 216	*Loch Ewe. Convoy available at EN convoys (external link) More missing voyages, Page 8 above.
	June 15	Methil	Clyde*	June 17*	EN 243	Arrived Irvine, June 19. Convoy available at link above. Missing voyages, Page 9*
	Aug. 17	Methil	Newport*	Aug. 19*	EN 269	Arrived Holyhead Aug. 20, Newport Aug. 22 (Page 9 - Also, more missing voyages, w/more on Page 10*). Convoy available at link above
1944	May 30	Barry	St Helens Roads	June 1	WRECKER	Earlier 1944 voyages, Page 10 above & Page 11 Convoy available at Convoy Wrecker (external link)
	The above voyage is not included on Page 11 of the archive documents. Note also that some of the following voyages are not detailed on the document and, therefore, it's not possible to confirm accuracy.
	June 11	Seine Bay	Fowey	June 12	FBC 1	Convoy available at FBC convoys (external link)
	June 15	Falmouth	Seine Bay	June 17	EBC 12	Convoy available at EBC convoys (external link)
	June 30	Fowey	Seine Bay	July 1	EBC 26	Convoy available at link above
	July 3	Portsmouth	Seine Bay	July 3	EBC 28	Convoy available at link above
	July 9	Barry	Seine Bay	July 11	EBC 36	Convoy available at link above
	July 19	Seine Bay	Fowey	July 20	FBC 31	Convoy available at FBC convoys (external link)
	July 23	Fowey	Seine Bay	July 24	EBC 49	Convoy available at EBC convoys (external link)
	Aug. 5	Seine Bay	Fowey*	Aug. 6	FBC 45	Convoy available at FBC convoys (external link) Arrived Plymouth, Aug. 6 - See Page 11*
	Aug. 12	Solent	Seine Bay	Aug. 12	EBC 68	Convoy available at EBC convoys (external link)
	Aug. 18	Seine Bay	Southampton	Aug. 19	FBC 58	Convoy available at FBC convoys (external link)
	Sept. 8	Solent	Seine Bay	Sept. 8	EBC 95	Convoy available at EBC convoys (external link)
	Sept. 13	Seine Bay	Southampton	Sept. 14	FBC 81	Convoy available at FBC convoys (external link) Oct. voyages, Page 11 & Page 12
	Dec. 6	St. Helens Roads	Seine Estuary	Dec. 7	–	Nov./Dec. voyages, Page 12
1945	Jan. 6	St. Helens Roads	Newport	Jan. 8	TBC 29	Convoy available at TBC convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 12
	Jan. 14	Plymouth	Granville	Jan. 15	COC 50	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Jan. 21	Cancale Roads	Port Talbot	Jan. 23	TBC 44	Joined off Lizard. Convoy available at TBC convoys (external link)
	Jan. 30	Plymouth	St Malo	Jan. 31	COC 65	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Febr. 3	St Malo	Barry	Febr. 5	–	Missing voyages, Page 13
?	Febr. 11	Milford Haven	Southend	Febr. 14	BTC 66	Convoy available at BTC convoys (external link)
	Febr. 13	Plymouth	St Malo	Febr. 14	COC 78	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Febr. 16	St Malo	Falmouth	Febr. 17	–	–
	Febr. 18	Falmouth	Port Talbot	Febr. 19	TBC 71	Convoy available at TBC convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 13
	Febr. 25	Plymouth	Granville	Febr. 26	COC 87	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	March 2	Granville	Mumbles	March 4	–	On to Port Talbot (Page 13)
?	March 18	Milford Haven	Southend	March 21	BTC 101	Convoy available at BTC convoys (external link)
	March 22	St. Helens Roads	Cherbourg	March 23	WVC 102	Convoy available via this page (external link) Missing voyages, Page 13
	Apr. 7	Falmouth	Granville	Apr. 8	COC 128	Convoy available at link above
	Apr. 11	Granville	Falmouth	Apr. 12	–	–
	Apr. 12	Falmouth	Southend	Apr. 14	BTC 125	Convoy available at BTC convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 13 & Page 14
	Apr. 25	Falmouth	St Malo	Apr. 26	COC 146	Convoy available via this page (external link)
	Apr. 30	St Malo	Falmouth	May 1	–	–
	May 2	Falmouth	Swansea	May 3	TBC 144	Convoy available at TBC convoys (external link) Missing voyages, Page 14
	May 11	Cancale Roads	Falmouth	May 12	–	–
	May 12	Falmouth	Newport	May 13	TBC 154	Convoy available at link above. Subsequent voyages, Page 14, Page 15 & Page 16

Some Convoy Voyages:

Please follow the convoy links provided for more details - several Norwegian ships took part. For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and Hague's Voyage Record above.

Skarv is listed in Convoy HN 6 from Norway to the U.K. in Dec.-1939/Jan.-1940. Via Methil (Jan. 4) she's said to have arrived Shields on Jan. 7, with final destination Grimsby. She must have gone back to Norway again, because A. Hague has also included her in Convoy HN 12 from there on Febr. 16. Early in March, we find her in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 17, returning to the U.K. later that month with Convoy HN 20, bound for Sunderland in ballast. According to Page 1 of the archive documents, the intention was to return to Norway from Sunderland on Apr. 6, but due to the German invasion on Apr. 9, she was diverted to Boulogne, where she later arrived, via Methil, on May 7.

Apart from a couple of voyages to France in May and June that year, she was subsequently in service around the U.K., enduring many attacks by aircraft and E-boats.

With the Norwegian Elna E, she's listed in Convoy OA 234, departing Methil on Oct. 24-1940. This convoy joined up with Convoy OB 234 on Oct. 26 - ref. link provided in Voyage Record. Skarv arrived Liverpool Oct. 28.

In May-1944, she was in Swansea, loading war stores for the invasion of Normandy. "Nortraships flåte" states she arrived June 7 and departed again on June 11 on her first trip. According to a personal story I have found, Skarv was scheduled to be at Omaha an hour after the first soldiers had been landed. She also had on board about 100 American soldiers who were to be used for the unloading of cargoes. On her second trip to Omaha her crew learned that all(?) of these soldiers had died. Skarv made several trips back and forth to Omaha Beach. Her voyages for this time period are listed on Page 11, but her trips to Normandy are not detailed. However, A. Hague's convoy information for some of these can be found within the Voyage Record. Page 12 shows the rest of her 1944 voyages, as well as some early 1945 voyages.

According to Page 16, she made a voyage home to Norway in Dec.-1945, and again in Jan.-1946, as well as in March that year.

POST WAR:

Converted to oil fuelling in Febr.-1952. Sold in Dec.-1953 to Holderness SS Co. Ltd., Hull and renamed Holdernain. Sold in 1963 to Cozrelwaves Ltd., Hull and renamed Emmanuela. Laid up at Trieste, Italy May 12-1963. Sold in Sept.-1964 to unknown breakers at Trieste for breaking up.