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M/S Tropic Star To Tropic Star on the "Ships starting with T" page. Manager: Alf Jakhelln, Oslo, Oslo Completed by W. Denny & Bros, Dumbarton, as Yomah for mv Yomah Co Ltd (manager P. Henderson & Co, Glasgow). Sold in 1927 to Australind Steam Shipping Co Ltd (manager Trinder, Anderson & Co. Ltd.), London. Sold in 1937 to Skibs-A/S La Plata (manager Alf Jakelln) and renamed Tropic Star. In 1942 the managing firm of Alf Jakelln A/S was bought by Fearnley & Eger together with Skibs-A/S Varild and Skibs-A/S La Plata (later united in Skibs-A/S Varild) and the ship Tropic Star. (Info received from Roger W. Jordan). Captain: G. Andersen.
Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
According to Page 1 above, Tropic Star was in Durban all through 1941. She had arrived there on Dec. 5-1940 from Table Bay, and did not leave again until Febr. 12-1942.
Tropic Star was on a voyage to Boston when a lifeboat under sail was spotted on Apr. 22-1942, 36 20N 66 20W. It turned out to be from the American S/S Pipestone County, which had been torpedoed the day before. The 10 occupants informed them that there should be another lifeboat not too far away, so Tropic Star changed course and found another 13 men. Both boats were taken on board, ready to launch again in case something should happen. On Apr. 24 a periscope was spotted by the lookout (40 50N 68 42W), and now the rescued American seamen came in very useful, in that 5 of them were gunners (Tropic Star did not have trained gunners at the time, though some of the crew had been instructed in the use of the armament). While they fired on this intruder*, which quickly submerged, the coast guard was notified, an aircraft was sent out for escort and Tropic Star reached Boston unharmed the following day. From Page 1, we learn that she had started out from Trinidad on Apr. 12. From Boston, she proceeded to New York, with arrival Apr. 29, and it now looks like she spent 2 months there - departure date is given as July 1.
Related external link:
According to Arnold Hague, Tropic Star joined Convoy SC 112, which left New York for the U.K. on Dec. 4-1942, but she returned to port, arriving Halifax on Dec. 8, according to Page 2. This convoy is not yet available among the SC convoys included in my own Convoys section (will be added), but I've linked directly to Hague's listing at the end of this page. She was later scheduled for the Halifax portion of Convoy HX 219, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 220, general cargo. Her destination is given as Belfast Dock and Cardiff. She became a straggler on Dec. 28; the Commodore says "evidently had to stop for short while during night and did not get alteration of route". She arrived Belfast Lough on Jan. 7-1943, later proceeding to Cardiff, with arrival there Jan. 11. In Febr.-1943, we find her in station 61 of the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 166, in which the Norwegian Stigstad, Ingria, N. T. Nielsen-Alonso and Glittre were sunk - follow the convoy link, as well as the links to the ships for more details (other Norwegian ships listed in this convoy are Molda, Skandinavia, Tai Shan and Brasil). This convoy arrived New York on March 3; Tropic Star arrived Halifax March 1. On June 5, she headed back to the U.K. again in Convoy SC 133 from Halifax, later returning with the westbound Convoy ONS 12*, which left Liverpool on July 3 and arrived Halifax July 18; Tropic Star, however, was bound for New York, where she arrived July 21. On Sept. 3 that year, she can be found in Convoy SC 141 from Halifax (having previously been cancelled from the fast convoys HX 252 and HX 253 from New York), subsequently returning across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ONS 20*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 9 and arrived Halifax Oct. 26; Tropic Star was again bound for New York, arriving there on Oct. 29, having started out from Milford Haven on the 9th. She headed back to the U.K. again on Dec. 2 in Convoy SC 148 from Halifax, and at the end of that month she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 26*, which originated in Liverpool on Dec. 29 and arrived Halifax Jan. 18-1944; Tropic Star arrived New York Jan. 22, having sailed from Milford Haven on Dec. 28, according to Page 3. At the end of Febr.-1944, we find her in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 154, general cargo for Liverpool, returning in the westbound Convoy ONS 32*, which left Liverpool on March 28 and arrived Halifax Apr. 18; Tropic Star arrived New York Apr. 20. Her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 3 above - convoy information for some of these can be obtained by following the instructions provided at the external link at the end of this page. Skipping now to Oct. 4-1944, when I have her in Convoy SC 158 from Halifax, general cargo for Liverpool. She later joined the westbound Convoy ONS 36*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 13 and arrived Halifax Dec. 3 - Tropic Star arrived New York Dec. 4. At the very beginning of Jan.-1945, she joined the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 164, and the following month, she's listed in the westbound Convoy ONS 43*, which departed Liverpool on Febr. 27 and arrived Halifax March 16 - Tropic Star arrived New York March 18, see Page 4. From this document, we also learn that she went home to Norway in Nov.-1945, and it looks like she headed home again in Jan.-1946. Again, to find convoy information for some of the voyages made in between those already mentioned here, as well as for her subsequent voyages, please follow the instructions provided at the external link below, then compare the results with the details found on the various archive documents.
Sold in 1947 to rederi A/B Atlanta, Helsinki, and renamed Anja. In 1952 owner's name changed to Finland-Sydamerika Linjen A/B. Sold in 1961 for breaking up at Valencia, Spain. (R. W. Jordan). Related external link: Back to Tropic Star on the "Ships starting with T" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc. as named within the text above - (ref. My sources).
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