Site Map | Search Warsailors.com | Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home |
|
D/S Skotfoss To Skotfoss on the "Ships starting with S" page. Manager: Thor Thoresen A/S, Oslo Built in Oslo 1917. Previous name: Skotfos until 1937. Captain: Kristian Marentius Nilsen. Her voyages are listed on this original image received from the National Archives of Norway.
Skotfoss is listed among the ships in Convoy HN 9A from Norway to the U.K. in Jan.-1940. She must have gone back to Norway, because in March that year she's listed in Convoy HN 19, bound for Manchester with general cargo. Several Norwegian ships took part in both these convoys; follow the links for further details. As will be seen when going to the archive document above, the intention was to return to Norway from Garston on Apr. 6, but she was diverted due to the German invasion. She arrived Kirkwall on Apr. 9. About a month later, Arnold Hague has included her, together with the Norwegian Lotos, Ophir and Solhavn, in his listing for Convoy FS 163 (external link), departing Tyne on May 5-1940, arriving Southend May 7; going back to the archive document, we see that she left Methil Roads on May 4 and arrived Rouen on the 9th, departing Rouen again on May 27, with arrival Brest May 30/31. From Brest, she proceeded to Dakar on June 6/7.
Skotfoss was one of the 26 Norwegian ships interned in North and West Africa 1940-1942. A French visitor to my website has told me that according to his records Skotfoss sailed from Brest on June 6-1940 in Convoy 48-B under French escort (external link - Eikhaug is also listed). Arrived Casablanca June 13. Seized in Dakar in July-1940. Under French flag at Dakar 1941 (July 10?) as Ste Lucile. Sailed from Dakar on July 12-1941 in convoy (Hadrian, now renamed Ste Germaine? was also in this convoy). At Casablanca July 21. Sailed from Casablanca on Aug. 3-1941 in convoy. At Oran Aug. 7. "Nortraships flåte" does not agree with the date she was initially seized, saying she was interned on June 23-1940; this is the date she arrived Dakar, according to the archive document . "Nortraships flåte" adds that she was requisitioned in the summer of 1941. I've received a document from Theodor Dorgeist, Germany which indicates Skotfoss / Ste Lucile came under German control at some point under the name Norda 7 (the same document gives Norda 8 for Ringulv / Ste Marthe, and Norda 9 for Kari / Ste Colette, both interned). "Sjømann - Lang Vakt" by Guri Hjeltnes says she had a crew of 20, 19 of whom were Norwegian, 14 escaped. After she had been requisitioned the crew was placed on board Duala, another Norwegian ship at Dakar. Captain Kristian Marentius Nilsen, Chief Engineer Kristen Hjalmar Kristensen, Steward Nils Ingvart Larsen and Boatswain Herman Elias Johansen from Skotfoss took part in the daring escape of M/S Lidvard from Dakar on July 26/27-1941 - follow the link for details.
Skotfoss (or Ste Lucille) was sunk at Trapani Apr. 6-1943, later raised and sold. Back to Skotfoss on the "Ships starting with S" page.
|
