M/T Thorhild
Updated Jan. 18-2011

To Thorhild on the "Ships starting with T" page.


Source: Roger W. Jordan collection.

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

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

Thorhild was on Japanese charter, in service between Japan and the west coast of the U.S. As will be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, she was in Yokohama when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. From the fall of 1941(?) until the end of the war she was in service in the Atlantic. Her 1941 voyages are also shown on this document, and it'll be noticed that she spent quite a long time in Los Angeles that year. She had arrived there from Yokohama on Apr. 17 and departure is given as June 9. There's also a long gap in her voyages later on, from Sept. 13-1941, when she arrived Baltimore, to Dec. 27, when she left Baltimore for Curacao, with arrival Jan. 3-1942.

From Curacao, she later headed to Halifax in order to join Convoy HX 171 to the U.K. on Jan. 20-1942, for which Acanthus and Rose served as escorts for a while. Together with Belinda, Eidanger (sunk - follow link or details), Finnanger, Glittre, Hamlet (from Iceland), Idefjord, Nueva Andalucia, Sama (sunk), Skandinavia and Strinda, she subsequently joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 67*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 14 and arrived Halifax March 1; Thorhild, however, was bound for Curacao, where she arrived March 8, having been detached from the convoy on Febr. 26 according to A. Hague. She headed back to the U.K. again on Apr. 2 in Convoy HX 183 from Halifax, which arrived Liverpool on Apr. 15, and on the 22nd of that month, she joined convoy OS 26 (Lise was sunk). Thorhild was bound for Curacao in ballast (station 95), arriving her destination on May 11, proceeding to Freetown on May 26, according to Page 2. In June she can be found in station 82 of Convoy SL 113, departing Freetown on June 15. The webmaster of the site about the OS convoys and the SL convoys that I've linked to within the Voyage Record above has told me that when she left Curacao she had a cargo 14 256 tons whale oil in bulk, 1390 drums sperm oil and whale oil, bound for Bromborough. The archive document gives arrival Liverpool July 5. The Norwegian Fagerfjell, Thorshavet and Vanja are also named, but the latter did not sail. Follow the links provided for more convoy information.

Thorhild now joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 113*, departing Liverpool on July 17-1942, arriving Halifax July 31, but Thorhild was bound for New York, where she arrived Aug. 2. Abraham Lincoln, Evita, Harpefjell, Norsol, Pan Aruba, Salamis, Solsten and Vav are also listed in this convoy. Rick Pitz, a visitor to my website, has informed me via this Gustbook message that Thorhild was part of Convoy HK 106 Subsidiary, leaving Pilottown, LA on Sept. 27-1942, to join the main body of Convoy HK 106 (left Bolivar Roads on Sept. 25). This convoy, which is available via the link provided in the table above, sailed to Key West, Florida, arriving Sept. 29 (B.P. Newton and Sommerstad are also included). Thorhild continued to New York that same day, her final destination was the U.K. and in fact, she's listed among the ships in Convoy HX 211 from New York on Oct. 8, but she lost touch in a gale during the night of Oct. 17/18 and did not rejoin; she arrived Holyhead on Oct. 22. The following month, we find her in Convoy ON 145, together with the Norwegian Mosli, Skaraas, Ørnefjell, Askepot (both from Halifax) and Brant County (the latter ship had also been in HX 211). Thorhild acted as the Vice Commodore's ship for this convoy, which according to "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague left Liverpool on Nov. 9 with 35 ships and arrived New York on Nov. 25. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 2, convoy information can be found in Hague's Voyage Record.

She returned to the U.K. again in Jan.-1943 in Convoy HX 222 from New York (Vestfold was sunk), heading back across the ocean with Convoy ON 164 on Febr. 1, arriving New York Febr. 19. As can be seen when going back to Page 2 above, she now remained in New York for quite some time; departure is given as Apr. 1. I have a little snippet of information saying she was fitted out with an extra deck to enable her to carry aircraft in early 1943, and equipment for supplying escorts with oil and depth charges at sea was also installed - perhaps this was done in New York in this time period(?). She often acted as escort oiler in the convoys. A. Hague has her returning to the U.K. in Convoy HX 232*, departing New York on Apr. 1, arriving Liverpool Apr. 16. He has also included Belinda, California Express, Heranger, Skandinavia, Thorshøvdi, Tigre, Tungsha and Ørnefjell. About a week later we find her, along with Belinda, California Express, Norsktank, Norsol, Reinholt (Commodore Vessel), Skandinavia, Skjelbred and Velma, in Convoy ON 180*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 24 and arrived New York May 14 (according to A. Hague, she carried 60 depth charges), and on May 19, she can be found among the ships leaving New York in Convoy HX 240. Her destination is given as Avonmouth, and she had station 61 of the convoy, arriving her destination, via Belfast Lough, on June 6 - again, see Page 2. She subsequently joined Convoy ON 188*, which left Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 26th (Thorhild sailed from Milford Haven June 9). She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Bajamar, Bañaderos, Belinda, Duala, Evita, G. C. Brøvig, Gylfe, Kaia Knudsen, Kaldfonn, Montevideo, Mosdale, Skandinavia, Strinda, Vav and Velma.

Already on June 30, we find her in Convoy HX 246 from New York, bound for Clyde, station 105, arriving Clyde July 13. As will be seen when following the link to this convoy, Acanthus, Rose and Potentilla are named among the escorts. Together with Bralanta, Chr. Th. Boe, Fagerfjell, Fernwood, Geisha, Harpefjell, Herbrand, Hiram, Idefjord, Maud, Meline, Norlom, O. B. Sørensen, Para, Samuel Bakke, Sandviken, Santos, Skaraas, Skjelbred, Stiklestad, Thorshov and Tungsha, as well as the Panamanian Norlys (Norwegian managers), she returned across the Atlantic with Convoy ON 193* (from Liverpool July 16, to New York July 31 - Thorhild, which again carried 60 depth charges, joined from Clyde). With a cargo of gas oil for Swansea, she left New York again with Convoy HX 251 on Aug. 7, station 53, arriving her destination, again via Belfast Lough, on Aug. 24, according to Page 3. The Norwegian Laurits Swenson acted as Commodore Vessel for this convoy, and Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts (see HX convoy escorts). Thorhild returned to the U.S. the following month with Convoy ON 202 (ONS 18), serving as Escort Oiler. Her destination is given as Wilmington; the archive document gives arrival Philadelphia on Oct. 1, having started out from Londonderry Sept. 16. This convoy lost several ships, including Oregon Express and Skjelbred - follow the links for further details. See also the Commodore's report and misc. other reports.

A. Hague has now included her, along with Buenos Aires, Heranger, Ivaran and Laurits Swenson, in Convoy HX 260*, which sailed from New York on Oct. 5-1943 and arrived Liverpool Oct. 20 - Thorhild arrived Heysham, via Belfast Lough, that day, having served as Escort Oiler, also carrying 60 depth charges. Just a few days later she appears, with Emma Bakke and Reinholt (Commodore Vessel), in Convoy ON 208* (departure Liverpool Oct. 24, arrival New York Nov. 7), returning with Convoy HX 266*, leaving New York on Nov. 13, arriving Liverpool Nov. 27. Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Fernwood, Idefjord, Morgenen and Mosli are also listed. Her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy ON 214*, together with Geisha, Kristianiafjord, Montevideo, Morgenen and Sørvard. The convoy departed Liverpool on Dec. 2 and arrived New York Dec. 20, so Thorhild's crew got to experience a New York Christmas. It looks like they got to experience a New York spring as well, because Page 3 now shows a big gap in her voyages, from arrival New York until she left again in March-1944 - see next paragraph.

On March 21-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 284 from New York to the U.K., for which Abraham Lincoln acted as Commodore Vessel. Thorhild's destination is given as Avonmouth, where she arrived Apr. 7. With Atlantic, Elg, Ferncliff, Kaia Knudsen, Norsktank, Olaf Bergh and Slemmestad, she later joined Convoy ON 233*, originating in Liverpool Apr. 20, arriving New York May 8 - it looks like Thorhild had joined this convoy from Belfast Lough; again, see Page 3. She headed back to the U.K. again on May 19 in Convoy HX 292, arriving Clyde June 2, returning to New York with Convoy ON 240*, which also had Dageid, Fagerfjell, Heranger, Høyanger (Vice Commodore), Para, Petter, Strinda, Vanja, Villanger and Østhav in its ranks (from Liverpool June 10, to New York June 28 - Thorhild joined from Clyde, her arrival New York is given as June 30). She sailed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 298 from New York on July 3, with destination Heysham and Barrow, arriving the former on July 18, the latter on the 21st. We now find her in Convoy ON 246*, which left Liverpool on July 25 and arrived New York Aug. 9, and included Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Dageid, Dalfonn, Danio, Fernwood, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Petter, Skotaas, Strinda, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell, Velox and Ørnefjell. Already on Aug. 11, she shows up in Convoy HX 303 with 16 other Norwegian ships, namely Romulus, Dalfonn, Noravind, Atlantic, Sommerstad, Skotaas, Geisha (Vice Commodore), Tanafjord, Petter, Stirlingville, Rena, Para, Titanian, Mui Hock, Fjordaas and Norse Lady.

With Bernhard, Elg, Evanger, Ferncliff (returned), Fjordheim (sunk - follow link for details), Germa, Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Rutenfjell, Snar, Tungsha (Commodore Vessel), Veni and Vera, as well as the Panamaian Norbris (Norwegian managers), she subsequently joined Convoy ON 251*, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 1, arriving New York Sept. 19, and on Sept. 28, she can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 311. She was bound for Avonmouth, where she arrived Oct. 13, according to Page 4, and just a few days later, she joined Convoy ON 260*, which left Southend on Oct. 15 and arrived Halifax Oct. 30; Thorhild, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived Nov. 2, having started out from Milford Haven Oct. 17. Høyanger (Commodore Vessel), Molda, Skiensfjord (returned) and Strinda are also named (the escorting Rose was sunk - see also Buttercup and Tunsberg Castle). With destination Avonmouth, she now joined Convoy HX 318, arriving Avonmouth Nov. 20, and at the end of that month, she's listed in Convoy ON 269*, along with Fernwood, Heranger, Orwell, Polartank, Skaraas, Slemmestad and Sørvard (departure Liverpool Nov. 29, arrival New York Dec. 15 - Thorhild started out from Milford Haven Nov. 30). She was scheduled for Convoy HX 327 on Dec. 19, but did not sail, nor did she get away in HX 328 or HX 329, but is listed as bound for Avonmouth in Convoy HX 331 on Jan. 8-1945. She arrived Avonmouth on Jan. 22. The Commodore was in Montevideo (it'll be noticed when following the links to the other 3 convoys, that they all had Norwegian Commodore Vessesl).

A few days later, she joined Convoy ON 281*, together with Brasil, Cypria, Havprins, Tai Shan and the Panamanian Norlys. The convoy sailed from Liverpool on Jan. 26-1945 and arrived New York Febr. 12 (Thorhild had started out from Milford Haven Jan. 28). She headed back to the U.K. on Febr. 18 with Convoy HX 339 and in March, she's listed in Convoy ON 290*, which left Southend on March 11 and arrived New York March 29. Glarona and Kaldfonn are also listed.

From New York, she now headed to Augusta and Bari. Convoy information for this voyage and for her return voyage can be found in the Voyage Record above. See also Page 4 and Page 5 (to Apr.-1946).

POST WAR:

On Charter to British Tankers Co. Ltd. for 2 years from 1946. Sold in 1954 to Einar Rasmussen and renamed Polyrover. Broken up by Norsk Skibsopphugnings Co., Grimstad in 1959 (1960?).

Back to Thorhild on the "Ships starting with T" page.

Other ships by this name: O. Tønnevold had previously had another Thorhild, delivered in Apr.-1921. Sold to Denmark? After the war they had several more ships by this name. One was built at Rosenberg mekaniske Verksted and delivered Jan. 19-1956, 10 394 gt. Collided with a French ship near Hamburg in 1959 and damaged, but repaired. In May-1973 the company took over M/T Harry Borthen and named her Thorhild. Sold in 1974 to Fekete & Co., Tønsberg. The company's 5th Thorhild was the ex. Wilh. Wilhelmsen ship Tiberius, launched in Gothenburg on Sept. 13-1965, completed Jan. 14-1966, 43 572 gt, sold in March-1976 to Tønnevolds Tankrederi A/S (Olaf Tønnevold & Sønner A/S, managers) and renamed Thorhild. Broken up at Kaohsiung in Oct.-1978. See also list below.

Out of the blue, O. T. Tønnevold A/S sent me and E-mail with the following details (much appreciated, thank you!):
DS Thorhild - 4100 tdw - Blt 1921 (1923?) - Hull, UK
MT Thorhild - 15675 tdw - Blt 1935 - Gothenburg
MT Thorhild - 16202 tdw - Blt 1956 - Stavanger
MT Thorhild - 52500 tdw - Blt 1964 - Horten (ex Harry Borthen)
MT Thorhild - 77100 tdw - Blt 1966 - Gothenburg (ex Tiberius)
MS Thorhild - 55000 tdw - Blt 1979 - Uddevalla an OBO-carrier
MS Thorhild - 27183 tdw - Blt 1970 - Japan (ex Gull)
MS Thorhild - 6666 tdw - Blt 1983 - Japan (ex EW Aspen)

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Olaf Tønnevold & Sønner 1878-1978", Birger Dannevig and misc. as mentioned within above text (ref. My sources).