Site Map | Search Warsailors.com | Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home |
|
M/T Solstad To Solstad on the "Ships starting with S" page.
Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
(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, and some voyages are missing.
Solstad is listed among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 14 in Dec.-1939, station 71, cargo of lub. oil. In Jan.-1940 she's listed as sailing in Convoy OB 79 (station 13), bound for Daytona in ballast. This convoy left Liverpool on Jan. 25 and was dispersed on the 28th; ref. external link provided in the Voyage Record. According to A. Hague, she arrived Houston on Febr. 22, proceeding to Halifax a couple of days later, and on March 9 she can be found in station 43 of Convoy HX 26 from there, lub. oil for Manchester. She now shows up, together with the Norwegian Fernbank, Janna (did not sail?) and Marstenen, in Convoy OB 124, which left Liverpool on Apr. 6 and dispersed on the 10th. No destination is given for Solstad, but from Page 1 of the archive documents we learn that she arrived Houston on Apr. 29, continuing to Corpus Christi the next day, then on to Port Arthur and Bermuda, and in May we find her, with lub. oil for Mersey, in station 46 of Convoy HX 42 (Bermuda portion). She arrived Liverpool on May 27, Manchester on May 28, and it looks like she subsequently spent almost a month there, before returning to Liverpool, joining Convoy OB 175, which left Liverpool on June 27 and dispersed June 30. Her destination is given as Houston; the archive document says she arrived Port Arthur on July 19, continuing to Galveston and Houston the next day. Belita, Bra-Kar, Egda, Norma, Sveve and Vestland are also listed in OB 175; again ref. link in the table above. At the beginning of the following month, she was scheduled for the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 63, but did not sail (as will be seen when going back to the archive document, she was still in Texas at the time of this convoy's departure, and did not arrive Bermuda until Aug. 17). She was also cancelled from Convoy HX 64, but is listed in the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 67 on Aug. 19, again with a cargo of lub. oil for Mersey. From Liverpool, where she arrived on Sept. 4, she continued to Stanlow, with arrival that same day. In Oct.-1940 she's listed in Convoy OB 223, which left Liverpool on Oct. 3 and dispersed on the 8th. Note, however, that there seems to be some disagreement as to the nationality of the Solstad in this convoy, as will be seen in my text connected to the external link at the end of this page. Her destination is given as Baytown, and this does, in fact, agree with the info found on Page 1, which states she arrived Baytown on Oct. 27, having started out from Manchester on Oct. 1. Balla and Polarsol are also included in this convoy. Solstad later joined the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 90 (departing Bermuda on Nov. 19), but went into Halifax on Nov. 26. This convoy lost several ships; follow the link for more info; the Commodore's report and escort's report are also available. Solstad was later cancelled from HX 93 from Halifax, then joined HX 94 on Dec. 6, but returned to Halifax with a broken cylinder cover, according to this report of proceedings. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 101, but did not sail - however, she finally got away with HX 102 from Halifax on Jan. 11-1941, and arrived Loch Ewe on Jan. 27. A couple of months later we find her listed as bound for New York in station 63 of Convoy OB 302, which originated in Liverpool on March 24-1941 and dispersed 6 days later (again, ref. external link in the table above; Alaska, Polartank, Stigstad, Torvanger and Vivi are also included). She arrived New York on Apr. 11, having started out from Loch Ewe on March 26, and it looks like she remained in New York for almost 2 months; departure is given as June 8, when she proceeded to Halifax. She was scheduled to head back to the U.K. on June 16 with Convoy HX 133 (this was the convoy in which Soløy and Vigrid were sunk, and Kongsgaard was torpedoed and damaged), but instead joined the next convoy on June 20, HX 134, bound for Glasgow in station 42 - the Commodore's account is also available for this convoy; see also this page, where Solstad is mentioned under July 8 (N.U.C. means "not under control"). In Aug.-1941 she made another voyage to New York, having sailed in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 5, which was dispersed on Aug. 14, Solstad arriving her destination on the 22nd, and according to Arnold Hague, she returned to the U.K. in Convoy SC 43*, which left Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 5 and arrived Liverpool on the 20th. The Norwegian Astrell, Atle Jarl, Bernhard, Bjørkhaug, Bonde, Erica, Fjord, Fjordheim, Galatea, Ingerfem, Torfinn Jarl and Vigsnes are also listed. See also Page 2. The following month she's listed as bound for Curacao in the westbound Convoy ON 22*, leaving Liverpool on Oct. 2, dispersed on the 15th, Solstad arriving Curacao on Oct. 24. Other Norwegian ships were Bello, Bernhard, Daghild, Gefion, Helgøy, James Hawson, Kollbjørg, Lise, Nueva Granada, Orwell, Slemmestad, Thorsholm and Vivi, while Eglantine is named among the escorts (but I'm not sure if this corvette had come under the Norwegian flag yet). Solstad headed back to the U.K. on Nov. 10 in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 54, bound for Clyde. Eglantine is again named among the escorts, as is Montbretia. Solstad now joined the westbound Convoy ON 46* (departure Liverpool Dec. 13), however, she returned to port (Clyde), later joining ON 48* (left Dec. 19), but again returned to Clyde. With Alaska, Andrea Brøvig, Leiesten (sunk - follow link for details), Pan Norway (sunk), Polarsol, Ringstad, Topdalsfjord and Vardefjell, she shows up again, with destination Houston, in Convoy ON 56*, which left Liverpool on Jan. 12-1942 and dispersed on Jan. 16. Solstad joined from Clyde (see Page 2), and arrived Houston on March 8. (According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, Solstad had initially been scheduled for Convoy OS 16, which left Liverpool on Jan. 5, but did not sail). At the end of March we find her in Convoy SC 77, leaving Halifax for the U.K. on March 30 (she had been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 76). However, she had to return to Halifax with a leaking main engine, later joining Convoy SC 79 on Apr. 11. She returned across the Atlantic the following month with the westbound Convoy ON 95*, which originated in Liverpool on May 15. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Abraham Lincoln, Daghild, Fernwood, Hardanger, Helgøy, Morgenen, N.T. Nielsen Alonso, Norbryn, Stigstad and Trondheim. Solstad arrived New York on May 30, having joined from Loch Ewe - see Page 3. On June 19 she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy SC 88 from Sydney, C.B. Acanthus, Montbretia, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts (see SC Convoy escorts). She later made another voyage to New York, having joined the westbound Convoy ON 117*, arriving her destination on Aug. 16, having joined from Loch Ewe (convoy originated in Liverpool July 31, dispersed Aug. 15). Other Norwegian ships: Atlantic, Norholm, Tai Shan and Villanger, as well as the Panamanian Norlys, which had Norwegian managers and is listed under the N's on this website. From New York, Solstad proceeded to Hampton Roads, New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Kew West, before returning to New York, and according to A. Hague, she subsequently joined Convoy SC 103*, which left New York on Sept. 26. Ada, Boreas, Ingerfire, Rio Branco, Rolf Jarl, Solitaire, Carmelfjell, Jan, Norfalk, Pan Aruba, Solhavn and Vinland are also listed. Solstad arrived Bowling on Oct. 19 and also made a voyage to Manchester, remaining there for several weeks, according to Page 4. Christmas that year was celebrated at sea, while bound for New York and Philadelphia in ballast in station 71 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 153 , in which Bello was sunk. Solstad arrived Philadelphia, via New York, on Jan. 5-1943. A. Hague now has her, with Daghild (returned), Geisha, Petter II (returned), Rena, Sevilla and Sommerstad (also put back), in Convoy SC 117*, leaving New York on Jan. 12-1943, arriving Liverpool on Febr. 3 - Solstad continued to Manchester on Febr. 5, and later that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 169 (Liverpool-New York, Commodore in Norwegian Geisha), heading back to Liverpool on Apr. 16 with Convoy SC 127 from Halifax. Together with Romulus, she later joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 9*, which left Liverpool on May 28 and arrived Halifax on June 9 - Solstad, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived on the 14th. On June 27 we find her in Convoy SC 135 from Halifax, arriving Liverpool on July 11, returning across the Atlantic with Convoy ONS 14*, which left Liverpool on July 26 and arrived Halifax on Aug. 9 - Bestik, Acasta, Boreas, Karmt, Marie Bakke, Norhauk, Snar and Tercero also took part. Solstad's destination is again given as New York. She stopped at Boston on Aug. 11, before proceeding to New York Sept. 4, with arrival next day; see Page 4. On Sept. 15 she joined Convoy SC 142 from Halifax, subsequently returning to New York with the westbound Convoy ONS 20*, which left Liverpool on Oct. 9 (arrived Halifax Oct. 26) and also had Arosa, Bestik, Cetus, Elg, Iron Baron, Snar, Tercero, Tropic Star and Vinland among its ranks. Solstad arrived New York on Oct. 29, and on Nov. 6 she again headed back to Liverpool with Convoy SC 146 from Halifax. At the end of that month she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 24* in order to return to New York (departure Liverpool Nov. 30, arrival Halifax Dec. 18 - Solstad arrived New York Dec. 20, see Page 5). Other Norwegian ships included in ONS 24 are Atlantic, Brush, Chr. Th. Boe, Evanger, Grey County and South America. New Years Eve that year was spent while sailing in the other direction in Convoy SC 150. At the end of Jan.-1944 she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ONS 28*, which left Liverpool on Jan. 28 and arrived Halifax on Febr. 15 (Arosa, Titanian and Velox are also listed in this convoy); Solstad arrived New York Febr. 18. She subsequently returned to the U.K. with the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 155 the following month. This convoy arrived Liverpool on March 29, and having made a voyage to Manchester and back to Liverpool, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 231*, together with Bernhard, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Østhav, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger. This convoy departed Liverpool on Apr. 7 and arrived New York on the 24th. At the beginning of June, she's listed in Convoy HX 294 from New York (for which Abraham Lincoln served as Commodore vessel, while the Vice Commodore was in Geisha), returning later that month, along with Ferncliff, Fernmoor, Fjordheim, Havkong, Marit II, Molda, Peik, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, Solsten, Stirlingville, Tercero, Thorshov and Vera, in the westbound Convoy ON 242*; departure Liverpool June 25, arrival New York July 11. About a week later, she joined the large New York-U.K. Convoy HX 300 in order to head back to Liverpool, where she arrived on Aug. 3, continuing to Manchester the next day (Page 6). Already on Aug. 10 we find her, together with Gausdal, Glarona, Hardanger, Iron Baron, Lago, Norvarg, Olaf Bergh, Peik, Vav, Villanger and Vinland, in the westbound Convoy ON 248(S)* which arrived New York on Aug. 27, and she was scheduled for Convoy HX 306 a few days later, but instead joined HX 309 on Sept. 16, for which Laurits Swenson served as the Vice Commodore's ship. Solstad's destination is given as Bowling, and she arrived there (via Clyde) on Oct. 3. At the end of that month she shows up, with destination New York, in the westbound Convoy ONS 35*, which departed Liverpool on Oct. 29 and arrived Halifax on Nov. 15 (Gausdal and Iron Baron are again included, as are Maud, Velma and Vera); Solstad joined from Clyde and arrived New York on the 19th. Her last eastbound voyage of that year was made in the slow Convoy SC 162 from Halifax on Dec. 2. She now appears, with Danio, Iron Baron, Lago, Norvarg, Orwell, Romulus, Sommerstad (returned), Vera and Vinga, in the westbound Convoy ONS 40*, originating in Liverpool on Jan. 12-1945, arriving Halifax on the 30th - Solstad, however, was again bound for New York, where she arrived Febr. 2, having joined from Belfast Lough (again, see Page 6 of the archive docs). She remained in New York for several weeks, before proceeding to Philadelphia on March 21. Having also made a voyage to Boston, she headed to Halifax, and according to A. Hague she subsequently returned to the U.K. with Convoy SC 172*, leaving Halifax on Apr. 6. In May she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ONS 50* (departure Liverpool May 11, arrival Halifax May 29; Solstad arrived New York on May 30). Norelg is also named in this convoy. Page 6 of the archive documents has info on some of her other 1945 voyages - the rest of her voyages, up to and including most of Apr.-1946, are shown on Page 7. As will be seen, she got to go home to Norway in the fall of 1945.
Related external link: Back to Solstad on the "Ships starting with S" page. Other ships by this name: This company had lost a steamship by the name Solstad to WW I, built 1916, 4300 gt - torpedoed and sunk by a U-boat in the Mediterranean on Apr. 5-1917. Klaveness also had a steamer named Solstad built 1899, lost that same year - this was a sistership of Fred Olsen's Balduin. Then another Solstad was built in Sandefjord in 1906, 1465 gt, sold to France in 1913 and renamed Malgache, Algerian Cathrine Schiaffino 1915, then Niko Matkovic of Split from 1928. In 1949, another Solstad (tanker) was built in Glasgow - the Clydebuilt Ships website has a picture and more details on this ship. Yet another Solstad was delivered for the management of A. F. Klaveness & Co. in Dec.-1968, 57 732 gt. Sold to Oslo in 1973 and renamed Fruen, then sold to Greece in 1975, renamed Alexandros M., later Avon Oil Trader from 1978. Sold for breaking up around 2002. Haugesund had a steamship by this name in 1921, originally delivered in Apr.-1911 as Burstad for C. Mathisen, Bergen, 956 gt. From 1917 R/A Vestlandske Lloyd, Stavanger. Taken over by D/S A/S Solvang in Apr.-1921, then sold in Dec. that year to D/S A/S John Knudsen, Haugesund and renamed Solstad. Sold in Nov.-1923 to Chile and renamed Apolo. Broken up in Chile at the end of 1955. Sweden also lost a ship named Solstad (steamship) in WW II, built 1924, 1408 gt - torpedoed and sunk off Mounts Bay by a German motor torpedoboat on Jan. 6-1944, voyage Swansea-London with coal. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. (ref. My sources).
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
