M/T Sommerstad
Updated May 14-2010

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


Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.

Misc. Convoy Voyages – 1940-1945:

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. Follow the links provided for more convoy information; the Commodore's notes are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

From Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that Sommerstad was on her way from Aruba to Bergen, Norway when war broke out on Apr. 9-1940, but was diverted to Clyde. She arrived Halifax on Apr. 17, joining Convoy HX 37 from there on Apr. 22, arriving Greenock on May 7 (having become a straggler on Apr. 23, according to A. Hague). A few days later, she's listed in Convoy OB 147, which originated in Liverpool on May 12 and dispersed on the 14th (Sommerstad joined from Clyde). Her destination is given as Baytown, Texas and she had station 53 of the convoy. However, she experienced engine trouble on May 13, causing her to lose touch and she did not catch up. She arrived Galveston on June 5, and having made a voyage to Port Arthur, she proceeded to Bermuda, subsequently joining the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 53, lub. oil for Sunderland, via Belfast for degaussing, station 56. Together with Akabahra, Fidelio, Gulhaug, Isbjørn, Slemmestad and Tai Yin, she later joined Convoy OA 196, which left Methil on Aug. 9 and dispersed on the 15th, Sommerstad arriving Houston on Sept. 2. See the external links provided in the Voyage Record for more info on the OB and OA convoys.

"Nortraships flåte" claims that she was in Convoy HX 84 in Oct.-1940 (attacked by Admiral Scheer - see Solfonn), but this appears to be an error; she's not included on the convoy form for HX 84, as will be seen when following the link to this convoy (see also a message in my Guestbook). She is, however, listed in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 12 on Nov. 13. According to Page 1, she arrived Liverpool on Dec. 1, later proceeding to Eastham and Manchester.

Early in 1941 she appears, together with Ferncourt, Harpefjell, Leiv Eiriksson, Stigstad and Torfinn Jarl, in Convoy OB 274, which left Liverpool on Jan. 14 and dispersed on the 19th. Her destination is not given (ref. link in the table above), but going back to the archive document referred to above, we see that she arrived Mobile on Febr. 10. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 114 from Halifax on March 11 (in which Hidlefjord and others were sunk, and Kaia Knudsen damaged), but instead joined HX 117 on March 27, and arrived Clyde on Apr. 15, Bowling that same day, later proceeding to Liverpool and Manchester. The following month, she joined Convoy OB 318, departing Liverpool on May 2, dispersed May 10. The Norwegian D/S Eastern Star was torpedoed and sunk but the other Norwgian ships, Borgfred, Høyanger, Iron Baron(?) and Sommerstad reached their destinations unharmed. According to Page 2 of the archive documents, Sommerstad arrived Philadelphia on May 22. (It was in this convoy battle that U-110 was captured and the commander, Fritz-Julius Lemp died - see the external links provided at the end of this page for more on this event).

Sommerstad headed back to the U.K. on June 1 with Convoy HX 130 from Halifax, bound for Manchester with lub. oil, station 82; cruising order/Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy. Sommerstad arrived Manchester (via Liverpool) on June 26, and a few days later she's listed, along with Brisk, Evanger, Fana, Leikanger, Novasli, Nueva Granada, Nyholt, Polartank, Ringstad, Thorøy, Thorshavn, Thorsholm and Vigsnes, in Convoy OB 341, leaving Liverpool on June 30, dispersed on July 6, Sommerstad arriving Baytown on July 25. She commenced her voyage back across the Atlantic in station 93 of Convoy HX 144 from Halifax on Aug. 10, along with the Norwegian Polartank, Orwell, Hallanger, Eidanger, Havprins, Grena, Evanger, Norse King, Vinland, Ranja and Suderøy. Sommerstad stopped at Belfast Lough on Aug. 29 before proceedig to Liverpool, then on to Ince, Barton, Manchester and Stanlow. She subsequently made a voyage to Curacao, joining the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 15 on Sept. 11. She arrived Curacao on Oct. 3, the convoy having been dispersed on Sept. 16. She was scheduled to return with the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 51 on Oct. 23, but did not sail (also appears to have been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 50*). She joined the next convoy on Oct. 29, SC 52, but returned to port (as did all the other ships in this convoy), and later got away with SC 54 on Nov. 10.

In Jan.-1942 she joined the westbound Convoy ON 59*, but returned to port, arriving Belfast Lough on Jan. 26, later joining ON 62* from there at the beginning of the following month, bound for Curacao, where she arrived on Febr. 25, the convoy having been dispersed on Febr. 15. Astrell, Koll, Leikanger, Maud and Snar (returned) are also listed. In March we find her in station 53 of the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 74, destination Glasgow and Mersey - again, see Page 2, as well as Page 3 for details on her movements in this period. The following month, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 84* in order to sail to New York, where she arrived on Apr. 27. Grado, Skottland, Spero and Veni also took part. Sommerstad subsequently went back to the U.K. in May with Convoy SC 83 from Halifax, and in June she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 103*, and arrived New York on June 27. This convoy also included the Norwegian Ferncourt, Frontenac, Garnes, Idefjord, Kaia Knudsen, Kong Haakon VII, Lista, Maud, Mirlo, Noreg, Scebeli, Thorshøvdi, Tijuca and Troubadour, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). In July she sailed in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 93. Her destination is given as Thameshaven, and she arrived there (via misc. other ports) on Aug. 12, returning to the U.S. with the westboud Convoy ON 123, which departed Liverpool on Aug. 21; Sommerstad joined from Loch Ewe and arrived New York on Sept. 5.

Rick Pitz, a visitor to my website, has informed me via this message in my Gustbook that Sommerstad was part of Convoy HK 106 in Sept.-1942. Her destination is given as Port Arthur. Again, see Page 3 for info on her movements in this period. The external site that I've linked to in the Voyage Record has more on this convoy. Arnold Hague later has her, together with Primo and Sirehei, in Convoy SC 106*, which left New York on Oct. 16 and arrived Liverpool Nov. 5 (strangely, he has also included the Norwegian Mimona, but as will be seen when following the link, this was a Homefleet ship). From Liverpool, she proceeded to Stanlow and Manchester, and her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy ON 152, for which Bonneville served as the Commodore Vessel. Sommerstad was bound for New York in ballast - see Page 4.

On Jan. 12-1943 she joined Convoy SC 117* from New York, but returned to port, joining the next convoy on Jan. 24, SC 118* (the Norwegian Daghild was sunk, follow the link for more info. Annik, Bestik, Cetus, Glarona, Grey County, Maud, Norbryn and Petter II also took part). Sommerstad went back to New York again the following month in Convoy ON 169 (Commodore in Geisha), joining Convoy SC 126 from Halifax on Apr. 8, and early in May, we find her in the westbound Convoy ONS 7. Sommerstad arrived New York on May 28, proceeding to Baltimore the next day and judging from the information found on the archive document, she remained there for almost a month before going back to New York, then on to Boston and Halifax. She was scheduled for Convoy SC 136 from Halifax on July 8, but instead joined the next convoy on July 19, SC 137, subsequently returning to New York on Aug. 19 with the westbound Convoy ONS 16*, arriving on Sept. 4 (Ferncliff, Fjordheim, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Lago and Ravnefjell are also listed). Later that month she was scheduled for Convoy SC 142, but made that voyage in SC 143, departing Halifax on Sept. 28 (see also Page 5). On Oct. 22 she's listed, along with Ferncliff, Gausdal, Henrik Ibsen, Maud, Norhauk, Para, Petter II and Suderøy, in Convoy ONS 21*. Sommerstad was again bound for New York, where she arrived on Nov. 8, then on Nov. 19, we find her leaving Halifax for the U.K. in Convoy SC 147. 1943 was rounded off by sailing back across the Atlantic in the westbound Convoy ONS 25*, departing Liverpool on Dec. 15, Sommerstad arriving New York on Jan. 7-1944. Other Norwgian ships were Brønnøy, Danio, Minerva and Veni.

She headed back to the U.K. on Jan. 29-1944 in the slow Convoy SC 152 from Halifax, and with Evanger, Henrik Ibsen, Para and Veni, she later joined the westbound Convoy ONS 30* (convoy left Liverpool Febr. 27 and arrived Halifax March 13; Sommerstad arrived New York March 16, having started out from Loch on Febr. 28). In Apr.-1944 she's listed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 288, for which Laurits Swenson served as Commodore Vessel, returning in May with the westbound Convoy ON 236*, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Buenos Aires, Fjordaas, Montevideo, Norholm, Norvarg, Rena, Solsten, Thorshov, Titanian and Vera (convoy left Liverpool on May 11 and arrived New York on the 27th - Sommerstad sailed from Belfast Lough on May 12 and arrived Philadelphia on the 27th). She was scheduled for Convoy HX 294 from New York at the beginning of June that year, but instead joined the next convoy on June 10, HX 295, for which Elisabeth Bakke acted as the Commodore Vessel.

Together with Geisha, Grey County, Kaia Knudsen, Mosli, Norden, Noreg, Norse Lady, Reinholt, Rutenfjell, Skaraas, Sørvard and Velma, she now joined the westbound Convoy ON 243* at the beginning of July. According to Page 6, she arrived Philadelphia on July 18, then returned to the U.K. the following month in Convoy HX 303 with 16 other Norwegian ships, namely Tanafjord, Dalfonn, Noravind, Atlantic, Romulus, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Thorhild, Petter, Stirlingville, Rena, Para, Titanian, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady. With Brasil, Emma Bakke, Ferncliff, James Hawson, Norefjord, Norse Lady and Stirlingville, Sommerstad subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 254*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 16, arriving New York on Oct. 5, then headed back to the U.K. on Oct. 18 in the slow Convoy SC 159 from Halifax. On Nov. 13 she's listed, together with Evanger, Geisha, Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Marie Bakke, Minerva, Snar, Tropic Star, Velox, Veni and Vinga, in the westbound Convoy ONS 36*, and arrived her destination New York on Dec. 4. Christmas that year was celebrated while in Convoy SC 163 from Halifax to the U.K., arriving Liverpool on New Year's Eve.

She joined the westbound Convoy ONS 40* on Jan. 12-1945, but returned to port, later joining ONS 41* at the end of that month, destination New York, with arrival Febr. 24. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Atlantic, Evanger, Gausdal, Geisha, Maud, Titanian, Veni and Vinland. Arnold Hague has now included her, along with Germa and Velma, in the eastbound Convoy SC 169* from Halifax on March 7. Acanthus and Buttercup are named among the escorts (see SC convoy escorts). The following month she's listed in Convoy ONS 46*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 2 (with Ferncliff, Alaska, Hardanger and Lago in its ranks), Sommerstad arriving New York on the 22nd, and it looks like she was still there on VE Day - see Page 7. According to A. Hague, she headed back in the other direction with Convoy SC 177* from Halifax on May 26. Geisha, Germa, Hardanger, Heimgar, Lago, Orwell, Sir James Clark Ross, Slemmestad, Strix and Velma were also in company.

* All the ON and ONS 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, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys and on the page for ships in all ONS convoys. Note also that the entire SC series will be updated and completed, including the already existing convoys (some have already been updated), but for now, see ships in all SC convoys.

For more details on the other Norwegian ships named on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index

Related external links:
Ships in Convoy HX 84 - 37 ships are listed in 9 columns, Sommerstad is not mentioned - see also my own page about HX 84.

OB-318, 7-10 May 1941
Fritz-Julius Lemp | The secret capture of U-110

Military History on line - battle of the Atlantic - has info on the Enigma and Ultra, raiders, U-boats, the convoy system, and all aspects of the battle.

Back to Sommerstad on the "Ships starting with S" page.

This company had also lost a Sommerstad to WW I (steamship), built in Newcastle in 1906, 3850 gt (later remeasured 1914, 3875 gt) - converted to factory in 1913 and hired to United States Whaling until 1920 - sunk by a German U-boat in the Western Atlantic on Aug. 12-1918, voyage Bergen-New York in ballast. There used to be a picture of this ship on the website for divers, Seeker, but I'm not sure if it's still there.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Misc. sources, incl. "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland.