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D/S Spes To Spes on the "Ships starting with S" page. Manager: T. Isaksen, Kristiansand Delivered from Trondhjems mek. Verksted in Jan.-1918 as Spes to S. O. Stray & Co., Kristiansand. "Våre gamle skip" gives tonnages as 1124 gt, 656 net, 1875 tdwt, 226.1' x 36.5' x 15.7', Triple exp. 170 nhp (by yard). Captain: Sten Bustvik. Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Spes is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 8 from Norway to the U.K. in Jan.-1940. At the end of Febr.-1940 she was in the U.K.-Norway Convoy ON 15. As will be seen when going to Page 1 above, she was also en route to Norway on the day of the German invasion (Apr. 9-1940), but was diverted to Bordeaux. Carrying 11 refugees to the U.K., she was the last ship to leave Sete, France during the chaotic days of June-1940 when the evacuations were taking place. Early the following month we find her in Convoy HG 37, which left Gibraltar on July 7-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 16th. In Sept.-1940 she's listed, together with the Norwegian Favorit, in Convoy OA 209, departing Methil on Sept. 4, dispersed on the 9th. Her destination is not given, but going back to the archive document mentioned above, we find that she arrived Yarmouth, N.S. on Sept. 23. At the end of Oct.-1940 she shows up, together with Svein Jarl and Gaston Micard, in the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 10, cargo of lumber for Preston, where she arrived Nov. 14. In the course of 1941 she mostly made voyages around the U.K., until that summer, when she's listed as bound for Nelson, N.B. in station 23 of Convoy OB 347, which left Liverpool on July 16-1941 and dispersed on the 31st, Spes arriving her destination on Aug. 3 (according to Page 3). The Norwegian Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Bjørkhaug, Fido, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga, Maridal, Orania, Siak, and Sveve are also listed in this convoy. According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, she subsequently joined Convoy SC 41, departing Sydney, C.B on Aug. 24-1941, arriving Liverpool on Sept. 11, again with Akabahra, Astra, Balduin, Gudrun, Hestmanden, Leka, Marga and Siak in company, as well as Audun, Blink, Carrier (returned), Einvik (sunk, follow link), Evviva, Fagersten, Fanefjeld, Grado, Heien, Hildur I, Ledaal, Lom, Nesttun, Orania (returned), and Reiaas. Going back to Page 3 of the archive documents, we see that Spes only went as far as St. John's, N.F. on this occasion, later joining Convoy SC 47, which originated in Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 29-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 20; Spes, cargo of lumber, station 62, arrived Oban Oct. 17. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were Berto, Bestik, Danio, Don, Fido, Heimgar, Ingertre, Marit II, Petter II, (returned), Veni, and Victo. Spes took part in Operation Neptune, arriving Normandy on June 8-1944 with ammunition, finished unloading on the 18th. The external website below has information on some of the convoys she was in during this time period. As can be seen on Page 13, she got to go home to Norway already in June-1945, making another voyage home the following month. For more information on all the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page, please see the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index.
Sold by T. Isaksen in 1951 to D/S A/S Havørn (Jacob Odland & Søn A/S), Haugesund, managed by Sverre Amundsen from 1954. Sold in May-1959 to Belgium for breaking up. Related external links: Back to Spes on the "Ships starting with S" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Våre gamle skip", Leif M. Bjørkelund & E. H. Kongshavn, and misc.
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