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D/S Trolla To Trolla on the "Ships starting with T" page. Owner: Skibs-A/S Trolla Delivered in March-1923 from Laxevaag Maskin & Jernskibsbyggeri, Bergen (134) as cargo vessel Ringaas to A/S D/S Ringaas (Stephansen & Torgersen), Oslo. Steel hull, 245.9’ x 37.9’ x 15.7’, 1597 gt, 2400 tdwt, Triple Expansion (Laxevaag) 167nhp, 9 knots. Sold in July-1928 to Skibs-A/S Trolla (Karl Torkildsen), Trondheim, renamed Trolla, Captain Torleif Mauritz Torkildsen (owner's son). In North Sea service, typically with wood pulp, lumber, ore and minerals from Norway to the continent and U.K., carrying coal on her return voyages. Occasional voyages to the Mediterranean, or with lumber from Canada to the U.K. In June-1936 Leif Thorbjørnsen (Torleif M. Torkildsen's brother-in-law) took over as captain. Captain (at time of loss): Ole Grande. Related items on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Trolla, bound for Grimsby with pulp, is listed as sailing in Convoy HN 21 from Norway to the U.K. towards the end of March-1940. About 3 months later, we find her in Convoy OA 172, leaving Southend on June 21, dispersed June 25. Trolla's destination is given as Belfast, cargo of coal, station 54. This convoy was composed of 2 parts, OA 172(1) and OA 172(2), Trolla being in Part 1, as were the Norwegian Bonde and Vestland, while the Norwegian Evviva was in Part 2. There's a note in connection with this convoy (Part 1) stating that Bonde and Trolla were left behind as they could not maintain 5 knots in the fresh wind and sea. In Aug.-1940, she's listed in Convoy OA 193, departing Methil on Aug. 3, dispersed Aug. 7. Her destination is not given, but from Page 1 of the archive documents, we learn that she arrived Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 18. She headed back to the U.K. on Sept. 2 in the slow Convoy SC 3 from Sydney, C.B., from which the Norwegian Lotos was sunk, among others - follow the link for more details. Trolla had a cargo of pit props for Belfast and Immingham on that occasion. She arrived Belfast on Sept. 17, according to Page 2. In Nov.-1940, she's listed in Convoy OB 240, originating in Liverpool Nov. 8, disperesd Nov. 13. Again, no destination is given fro Trolla, but according to the archive document mentioned above, she arrived St. John's, N.F. on Nov. 27, having started out from Oban on the 9th. The external website that I've linked to below has more on the OA and OB convoys. She headed back to the U.K. again on Jan. 2-1941 in the slow Convoy SC 18 from Halifax, cargo of pit props for West Hartlepool. In March that year, we find her in Convoy OG 55*, which originated in Liverpool on March 7 and arrived Gibraltar March 21. Trolla, however, was not bound for Gibraltar. Her destination is given as Georgetown; according to the archive document, she arrived Demerara on March 31 (having sailed from Oban March 8), later proceeding to Trinidad (Georgetown is not mentioned). With a cargo of bauxite for Burntisland, she was scheduled to return to the U.K. with Convoy SC 29 from Halifax on Apr. 19, but instead joined the next convoy on Apr. 29, SC 30. According to the Commodore's notes, she was running short on fuel and had to be sent in to Iceland, where she arrived May 16. See also the Commodore's narrative/escort's report. The following month, she's listed in Convoy OG 65*, originating in Liverpool June 14-1941, arriving Gibraltar June 28. Trolla's destination is not given, but she arrived Villa Real on June 29, having started out from Oban June 15. According to Arnold Hague, she returned with Convoy HG 67, which left Gibraltar on July 8 and arrived Liverpool July 24; Trolla arrived Preston July 23, according to Page 3. This convoy is not available among the HG convoys included in my own Convoys section, but I've linked directly to Hague's listing below. She later joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 7; her destination is given as Quebec. She arrived Sydney, C.B. on Aug. 30, the convoy having been dispersed on Aug. 25 (Quebec is not mentioned for this time period on the archive document). A. Hague now has her returning to the U.K. in Convoy SC 45, departing Sydney, C.B. on Sept. 18-1941, arriving Liverpool Oct. 4; Trolla stopped at Loch Ewe that day. Again, this convoy is not yet available among the SC convoys included in my own Convoys section (will be added), but I've linked to Hague's listing below. In Apr.-1942, she's listed in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 86*, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 14. Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts. Trolla had started out in Milford Haven on Apr. 13 and arrived Boston on May 1 - see Page 4. She headed back to the U.K. again on May 14 in Convoy SC 84 from Halifax, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 102*, departing Liverpool on June 9, arriving Halifax June 25. On July 17, she joined Convoy SC 92 from Sydney, C.B., cargo of lumber, arriving Liverpool, via Belfast Lough, on Aug. 1, arrived Garston that same day, according to Page 5. Her return voyage proved to be her last, as will be seen from the next paragraph.
Related external links:
Trolla departed Liverpool in ballast in Convoy ON 122 on Aug. 15-1942, bound for Sydney, C.B. Torpedoed (fireroom) on Aug. 24 by U-438 (Franzius), 48 55N 35 10W. (The 1st mate's report gives the time of attack as 22:00 on Aug. 24; J. Rohwer gives the time as 02:01 on the 25th, German time). Other ships had already been torpedoed, so all on board had been called out and told to be prepared for attack. She sank by the stern within a minute. 5 died, including the captain, who had been seen running to the radio room, presumably to get the ship's papers. The other 4 on the bridge ran to the port lifeboat as did 6 of the crew and by the time they had all gotten in, the ship had sunk enough that all they had to do was cut the boat loose and float away. 4 men on the poop deck had been thrown overboard, 3 saved themselves on a raft from amidships, and were all picked up by the lifeboat. They rowed around the area in the hopes of finding the missing men, but no one was found. 17 had survived and were picked up 3 hours later by the Norwegian corvette Potentilla (Christian Monsen) which was one of the escorts. Chief Engineer Oskar Næss had been severely injured, and despite the efforts of a Norwegian and British doctor, who amputated one of his legs and gave him continuous blood transfusions, he later died at a hospital in St. John's on Aug. 28 and was buried the next day. Able Seaman Enger, Ordinary Seaman Nenningsland and Trimmer Johnsen had broken legs, and 2nd Engineer Henriksen, Donkeyman Akselsen, Cook Evensen, Ordinary Seaman Olafsen and Gunner Skitt were also injured, but not seriously. On arrival St. John's on the 27th they were all taken to a hospital. The maritime inquiry was held there on Aug. 31 with the 1st mate, the 2nd engineer, and Ordinary Seaman/Gunner Knutsen attending. Other escorts were the Norwegian corvettes Montbretia, Eglantine and Acanthus, as well as the British destroyer Viscount. Other ships lost were the British Empire Breeze (1 died), Katvaldis (3 died) and Sheaf Mount (31 died). Follow the convoy link provided above for more information, including the Commodore's report on the attacks, where Trolla is mentioned. (Charles Hocking adds Trolla was on a voyage from Garston to Sydney, N. S. when she was torpedoed about 800 miles east/northeast of Cape Race. According to Page 5, she had left Garston on Aug. 14). Crew List:
Related external links: Back to Trolla on the "Ships starting with T" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Sjøforklaringer fra 2. verdenskrig", Volume II (Norwegian Maritime Museum), and misc. (ref. My sources). Pre war history was received from T. Eriksen, Norway - his source: Article about Torkildsen's Rederi in "Skipet" 2.2003 by Dag Bakka Jr.
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