The Cargo Ship
M/S TISNAREN
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- Commisioned by Rederiaktiebolaget Transatlantic (RABT) and launched 27 Jul 1918 at Götaverken Shipyard in Gothenburg, Sweden she measured 9450 dwt, 133m X 17m X 8m and was capable of making 12 knots. She was the second in line of Transatlantics new breed of Diesel boats, all named after lakes in Sweden.
- Six years later on 12 Aug 1924, off the Portuguese Coast she collided with the Spanish steamer Urumea carrying copper pyrites. The Urumea sank on the spot but Tisnaren managed to limp in to Lisbon with #3 cargo hold flooded.
- In 1938 she was almost lost to fire when her cargo of copra, the highly flammable white inside of cocoa nuts self-ignited and she needed to be flooded at the dock to put the fire out.
- One of her sister ships M/S Elmaren, built 1920 and on her way back from Australia was lost to a coral reef in May 1921 at Ile Sud-Est near Six Islands, south of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean, and M/S Tisnaren assisted in picking up the marooned crew from Ile Sud-Est.
- Another sister ship, M/S Yngaren was sailing from Bombay, India for Hull, UK in 1942 as part of convoy HX.168. She was carrying a cargo of 4696 tons copra, 3000 tons manganese ore, 80 tons trucks and 8 aircraft when she was, at dawn 12 Jan torpedoed and sunk by Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth's U-43 and 38 souls of 40 lost.
- In 30 Jul 1943, south-west of the Azores U-43 was sunk, with all 55 hands lost by a Fido homing torpedo from an Avenger aircraft of the escort carrier USS Santee (ACV-29).
- Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth was shot in the head on 13 May 1945, only a few days after the war in Europe ended by German sentry when he failed to identify himself or give the password.
- During World War II M/S Tisnaren was chartered by the British and went in convoy traffic mostly between the British Isles and West and South Africa.
- Records shows M/S Tisnaren being part of the following Allied convoys;
- CONVOY SL.16/SLF.16
- DEP: 8 Jan 1940 - Freetown, Sierra Leone
- ARR: 27 Jan 1940 - Liverpool, UK
- Ships: 17
- Losses: 0
- M/S Tisnaren, carrying lead, wool and flour parted from convoy 23 Jan 1940 with final destination unknown.
- Escorts:
- HMS Esperance Bay (F-67) - Armed Merchant Cruiser
- HMS Deptford (L-53 / U-53) - Sloop, Grimsby class
- More Naval history for 8 Jan:
- Heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk departed the Clyde for Rosyth where she arrived on the 10 Jan.
- Heavy cruiser HMS Suffolk and armed merchant cruiser HMS Scotstoun departed the Clyde on Northern Patrol.
- Light cruiser HMS Colombo departed Scapa Flow for Northern Patrol, which she left on 12 Jan for Devonport and arrived on 14 Jan. With her departure from Scapa Flow, the 11th Cruiser Squadron ceased to exist.
- Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo arrived at Chatham.
- Destroyer HMS Westminster completed her conversion to fast escort vessel. Following working up at Portland, she joined Convoy C operating from Rosyth, arriving on 30 Jan.
- Submarines HMS Seawolf and HMS Sealion departed Rosyth on patrol.
- Polish submarine ORP Wilk arrived at Rosyth after patrol.
- Submarines HMS Seal and HMS Narwhal departed Gosport, via the Downs where they spent the night of 8/9 Jan, for Rosyth. They arrived on 10 Jan escorted by sloop HMS Flamingo for duty as convoy escorts on the ON/HN convoy routes.
- HMS Narwhal departed Rosyth on 15 Jan with convoy ON.8.
- Convoy OA.69 departed Southend escorted by destroyer HMS Vanessa from 9 Jan to 11 Jan. Destroyer HMS Wivern also joined until detached on 11 Jan.
- Convoy OB.69 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyers HMS Mackay and HMS Witherington until 12 Jan. The convoy dispersed next day on 13 Jan.
- Convoy FS.67 departed the Tyne, escorted by sloops HMS Auckland and HMS Stork, and arrived at Southend on 9 Jan.
- Steamers Gitano (3956grt) and Tyneholm (628grt) collided in fog with the loss of Tyneholm. Ten survivors were picked up by Gitano.
- U-19 sank Norwegian steamer Manx (1343grt) in 58'30N, 01'33W. Thirteen crew were lost and 6 crew rescued.
- U-56 laid mines off Cross Sands near Yarmouth. One steamer was lost.
- Convoy HG.14 departed Gibraltar with 33 ships escorted by destroyer HMS Keppel. The convoy was turned over to ocean escort Sloop HMS Enchanttress and French destroyers FNFL Valmy and FNFL Chevalier Paul outside the Gibraltar approaches, and arrived on 17 Jan.
- Battlecruiser HMS Renown and destroyers HMS Hero and HMS Hasty departed Freetown and joined aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal off Sierra Leone. The destroyers detached on 10 Jan for refuelling. * Light cruiser HMS Neptune departed Dakar on patrol, and stopped and boarded the Q-Ship HMS Botlea (X15) disguised as S/S Lambridge off Freetown without discovering her true identity. After her patrol, HMS Neptune arrived at Freetown on 20 Jan.
- French light cruiser FNFL Émile Bertin departed Toulon on 8 Jan and proceeded to Casablanca, joined by destroyer FNFL Épervier which departed Bizerte on 9 Jan. Both ships arrived at Casablanca on 12 Jan. They then relieved heavy cruisers FNFL Dupleix, FNFL Foch and destroyer FNFL Cassard, and conducted a surveillance patrol off the Canary Island en route and arrived at Dakar on 19 Jan. On 20 Jan, they set off for another patrol off the Canaries. Meanwhile, FNFL Dupleix and FNFL Foch left for Halifax on escort duty with a convoy at the beginning of February, while FNFL Cassard departed Dakar on 21 Jan and arrived at Casablanca on 25 Jan, where she was under repair until 14 Feb. She then departed Casablanca and arrived at Toulon on 17 Feb. Destroyer FNFL Milan remained on station.
- Convoy SL.16 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Esperance Bay until 25 Jan. Next day, sloop HMS Deptford joined the convoy as escort until its arrival on 27 Jan.
- Light cruiser HMS Dauntless departed Singapore on patrol duties as a unit of the 5th Cruiser Squadron, and arrived back on 17 Jan.
- German steamer Sao Paulo (4977grt) had departed Pernambuco on 16 Nov 1939 and arrived at Cabedelo the next day. Leaving there on 8 Jan, she safely arrived at Cuxhaven on 3 Mar.
- HMS Viscount (D-92) - Destroyer, Admiralty V & W class
- HMS Gleaner (J-83) - Minesweeper, Halcyon class
- HMS Bluebell (K-80) - Corvette, Flower class (*) HMS Clarkia (K-88) - Corvette, Flower class
- HMS Maloja (F-26) - Armed Merchant Cruiser - former RMS Maloja of the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co Ltd. (*) HMS Bluebell (Lt. Geoffrey Herbert Walker, DSC, RNVR) was later torpedoed and sunk by Kptlt. Hans-Günther Lange's U-711 on 17 Feb 1945 off the Kola Inlet, Russia. On 4 May 1945 U-711 was sunk during the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Operation "Judgement", which was actually aimed at the depot ships Black Watch and Senja lying at Kilbotn, south of Harstad, Norway. Bombs from Avenger aircrafts, operating off HMS Trumpeter and HMS Queen, destroyed her, leaving 40 dead and 12 survivors. She sank after attempts by Kptlt. Hans-Günther Lange and ten other crew members to separate her from the Black Watch and to keep her afloat. The rest of the crew had already gone on board the Black Watch and were killed as she went down. Only a few hours earlier the captain had received the signal from Germany ordering all U-boats to cease attacks on allied shipping.
- More Naval history for 2 Aug:
- At 08:00 A.M., the destroyers under Rear Admiral Home Fleet destroyers were reorganised. 3rd Destroyer Flotilla; HMS Inglefield, HMS Isis, HMS Duncan, HMS Echo, HMS Eclipse, HMS Electra and HMS Encounter on her return to England. 4th Destroyer Flotilla; HMS Cossack, HMS Zulu, HMS Sikh, HMS Maori, HMS Fame, HMS Fortune. Temporarily attached HMS Fury and HMS Firedrake, and on return to England HMS Foxhound. 6th Destroyer Flotilla; HMS Tartar, HMS Ashanti, HMS Matabele, HMS MAashona, HMS Bedouin, HMS Punjabi, HMS Eskimo, HMS Somali. 12th Destroyer Flotilla; HMS Keppel, HMS Douglas, HMS Aarrow, HMS Achates, HMS Activa, HMS Anthony, HMS Amazon. Temporarily attached destroyers HMS Vortigern and HMS Watchman.
- Destroyers HMS Maori and HMS Mashona departed Lerwick for an anti-submarine sweep north of the Shetlands. No contact was made.
- Destroyers HMS Bedouin and HMS Punjabi departed Scapa Flow at 01:15 P.M. to search in the area of North Minch, then join convoy WN.4. The destroyers would stay with WN.4 until Rattray Head when they were detached to join convoy OA.193.
- British minefield BS.30 was laid by minelayers HMS Plover and HMS Willem van dr Zaan along with destroyers HMS Express, HMS Esk, HMS Icarus, HMS Intrepid and HMS Impulsive.
- Anti-submarine trawler HMS Cape Finisterre (590grt) was sunk by German bombing off Harwich.
- Convoy OG.40 of twenty one ships departed Liverpool. The convoy was escorted by sloop HMS Enchabtress from 2 Aug to 14 Aug. Destroyer HMS Westcott escorted the convoy from 2 Aug to 7 Aug when she was detached to convoy HG.40. The convoy arrived at Gibraltar on 14 Aug.
- Convoy FN.240 departed Southend. The convoy arrived at the Tyne on 4 Aug.
- Convoy MT.128 departed Methil. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on 2 Aug.
- Convoy FS.239 departed the Tyne, escorted by destroyers HMS Vega and HMS Westminster. The convoy arrived at Southend on the 3 Aug. Convoy FS.240 was cancelled.
- Dutch submarine O-22, attached to the Brittish 9th Flotilla in Dundee attacked german submarine U-37 or U-38 in the North Sea without result.
- British steamer City of Brisbane (8006grt) was attacked by German bombers off South Longsand Buoy, Thames Estuary in 51'32'30N, 1'23'30E, and went ashore at South Longsand with eight crew were lost. she was still afire on 5 Aug.
- U-99 damaged Norwegian tanker Strinda (10,973grt) in 55'10N, 17'16W and British tankers Lucerna (6556grt) in 55'18N, 16'39W and Alexia (8016grt) in 55'30N, 15'30W. * British drifter Embrace (94grt) was lost after stranding at Loch Alsh.
- German armed merchant cruiser Atlantis captured Norwegian steamer Tallyrand (6732grt) in 30S, 67E. The Tallyrand was scuttled on 3 Aug in 32'03S, 66'36E. and the crew were transferred to steamer Tirranna. When Tirranna was lost, three of Tallyrand's crew was lost.
- Convoys SL.42 and SLF.42 departed Freetown escorted by light cruiser HMS Delhi untill 8 Aug when she was relieved by armed merchant cruiser HMS Maloja. The light cruiser refuelled at St Vincent on 11 Aug and arrived at Freetown on 20 Aug, patrolling en route. On 18 Aug corvettes HMS Bluebell and HMS Clarkia and escort vessel HMS Gleaner joined the convoy. On 19 Aug destroyer HMS Viscount joined. Armed merchant cruiser HMS Maloja was detached on 20 Aug The convoy arrived on the 21 Aug at Liverpool.
- M/S Tisnaren joined in the Bristol Channel and went on to Durban, South Africa carrying ballast.
- Escorts:
- HMS Skate (H-39) - Destroyer, Admiralty R class
- HMS Calendula (K-28) - Corvette, Flower class
- HMS Wellington (L-65 / U-65) - Sloop, Grimsby class
- Also: HMS Coreopsis (K-32) - Corvette, Flower class (*) HMS Gladiolus (K-34) - Corvette, Flower class (**) HMS Lady Lilian - Anti-Submarine Trawler (***) HMS Northern Gem (FY-194) - Anti-Submarine Trawler
- (*) In 1953 HMS Coreopsis (K-32) played the HMS Compass Rose in the film The Cruel Sea and was given the pennant number K-49. During World War II HMS Crocus had pennant number K-49.
- (**) HMS Gladiolus (Lt.Cdr. Harry Marcus Crews Sanders, DSO, DSC, RD, RNR) was later torpedoed and sunk (most likely) by Kptlt. Günther Krech's U-558 on 17 Oct 1941 south of Iceland while escorting convoy SC.48. She was ordered to pick up survivors from several torpedoed ships and in doing so fell behind the convoy. She was last seen about 0100 hours and was reported missing thereafter. It is also possible that the ship was sunk by Kptlt. Heinz-Otto Schultze's U-432 later that night. There were no survivors.
- (***) HMS Lady Lilian (T/Lt. W.K. Rous, RNVR) was later sunk by Luftwaffe on 16 Mar 1941 about 75 nautical miles west of Erris Head, Ireland.
- More Naval history for 27 Sep:
- Light cruiser HMS Kenya was completed and arrived at Scapa Flow on 29 Aug for assignment with the 10th Cruiser Squadron. She was sent to Freetown and departed Freetown on 27 Oct for Plymouth arriving on 5 Nov.
- Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Phoebe was completed and departed the Clyde on 2 Oct for Scapa Flow arriving on 4 Oct, assigned to the 15th Cruiser Squadron.
- Anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Cairo departed Scapa Flow at 04:00 P.M. to meet convoy WN.18 and escort it through to Methil. She then corrected defects at Rosyth.
- Destroyer HMS Sikh was damaged by British tug Flamer at Rosyth, and was temporary repaired on 29 Aug.
- Destroyer HMS Versatile departed Rosyth for the Tyne. At the Tyne, she met troopship HMS Empire Trooper and escorted her to Pentland Firth.
- Convoy OB.220 departed Liverpool escorted by destroyer HMS Skate, sloop HMS Wellington, corvette HMS Gladiolus, and anti-submarine trawlers Lady Lilian and HMS Northern Gem. All but HMS Wellington was detached on 30 Aug and HMS Wellington detached on 1 Oct.
- Convoy FN.292 departed Southend, escorted by destroyers HMS Vanity and HMS Wolfhound. The convoy arrived at Methil on 29 Aug.
- Convoy FS.293 departed Methil, escorted by destroyer HMS Winchester and sloop HMS Londonderry. The convoy arrived at Southend on 29 Aug.
- Submarine HMS Triumph, her repairs from mine damages in December completed, started patrols in Holy Loch. She departed Holy Loch on 6 Nov for the Mediterranean and arrived at Gibraltar on 16 Nov.
- Minesweeper HMS Halcyon was mined in the mouth of the Tees in the North Sea and badly damaged. Temporary Lt J. D. Worthington DSC RNVR, Paymaster Lt W. A Kibble RNR, and several others wounded. She was later repaired at Southbank, completed on 30 June 1941.
- Norwegian steamer Diana (1155grt) was sunk by a mine between Lizard and Fowey.
- U-31 sank Norwegian steamer Vestvard (4319grt) three hundred miles west of Ireland with one crewman killed.
- U-37 sank Egyptian steamer Georges Mabro (2555grt) in 52'00N, 19'00W.
- Convoy SC.6 departed Sydney, Australia escorted by Canadian armed yacht HMCS Elk and ocean escort Sloop HMS Enchantress. On 9 Oct, destroyers HMS Skate, HMS Vanquisher, and HMS Winchelsea, sloop HMS Hastings, and anti-submarine yacht HMS Philante joined the convoy. On 11 Oct, destroyer HMS Winchelsea was detached. The remainder of the escort arrived with the convoy at Liverpool on 12 Oct.
- U-46 on patrol in the Atlantic lost two crew overboard in heavy weather.
- Freetown, Sierra Leone 05:30 A.M., light cruiser HMS Dragon with transports Kenya, Karanja, Sobieski and Ettrick arrives. 06:15 A.M., destroyer HMS Escapade arrives. She sailed again at 10:20 A.M. to rejoin the ships at sea. 09:00 A.M., transports S/S Pennland and S/S Westernland, escorted by sloops FNFL Savorgnan de Brazza, FNFL Commandant Dominé and FNFL Commandant Duboc arrives. 02:30 P.M., light cruiser HMS Delhi arrives. 05:00 P.M., heavy cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Cumberland arrives. 06:15 P.M., French armed trawler FNFL President Houduce escorting the tankers and transport ships Ocean Coast, Casamance, Anadyr, Nevada, and Fort Lamy arrives.
- Convoy SL.49 departed Freetown escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Moreton Bay to 14 Octr. On 12 Oct, convoy SL.49 rendezvoused with convoy SLS.49. On 13 Octr, destroyer HMS Antelope and sloop HMS Aber deen joined the convoy. Corvette HMS Gloxinia and anti-submarine trawler HMS Northern Gem also escorted the convoy in Home Waters. The convoy arrived on 17 Oct.
- Ships: 32 Losses: 1, 14 Jan, the day after arrival in Liverpool S/S Buitzenzorg sank after hitting rocks at Grey Island, Sound of Mull.
- M/S Tisnaren went to Mersey carrying East African Produce. Escorts: HMS Wild Swan (D-62) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class * HMS Witch (D-89) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class HMS Esperance Bay (F-67) - Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Campanula (K-18) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Bridgewater (L-01 / U-01) - Sloop, Bridgewater class HMS Aberdeen (L-97 / U-97) - Sloop, Grimsby class HMS Periwinkle (K-55) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Gardenia (K-99) - Corvette, Flower class ** HMS Fleur de Lys (K-122) - Corvette, Flower class *** HMS Spaniard (FY-144) - Anti-Submarine Trawler **** HMS Bengali (FY-165) - Anti-Submarine Trawler **** HMS Cavina (F-33) - Ocean Boarding vessel - former S/S Cavina, a Banana Freighter for the Elders & Fyffes Co * HMS Wild Swan (Lt.Cdr. Claude Edward Lutley Sclater, RN) was later sunk by Luftwaffe on 17 Jun 1942 south of Ireland. ** HMS Gardenia was sunk off Oran, Algeria on 9 Nov 1942 in a collision with the minesweeping trawler HMS Fluellen. *** HMS Fleur de Lys (Lt. Alexander Collins, RNR) was later torpedoed and sunk on 14 Oct 1941 by Kptlt. Herbert Opitz's U-206 about 55 nautical miles west of Gibraltar. There were only three survivors. **** HMS Spaniard and HMS Bengali was later both sunk by an explosion at Lagos, Nigeria on 5 Dec 1942. More Naval history for 22 Dec:
- M/S Tisnaren; no information. However the War Diary of the South African Admiralty for 31 MAR 1941 has an entry for Air Operations, Port Elisabeth stating; "Air Escort was given to TISNAREN." Escorts: HMS Walker (D-27) - Destroyer, Admiralty V & W Class HMS Volunteer (D-71) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class HMS Vanoc (H-33) - Destroyer, Admiralty V & W Class HMS Pegasus - Fighter Catapult Armed Merchant ship (CAM), Pegasus class HMS Caldwell (I-20) - Destroyer, Town Class HMS Fleetwood (L-47 / U-47) - Sloop, Grimsby Class HMS Tulip (K-29) - Corvette, Flower Class More Naval history for 27 Feb:
- M/S Tisnaren carrying unknown cargo Escorts: HMS Malcolm (D-19) - Destroyer, Admiralty Leader class HMS Watchman (D-26) - Destroyer, Admiralty V & W class HMS Wolfe (F-37) - Armed Merchant Cruiser & Submarine Depot Ship HMS Scimitar (H-21) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Sardonyx (H-26) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Arabis (K-73) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Verbena (K-85) - Corvette, Flower class HMCS Annapolis (I-04) - Destroyer, Town class HMCS Niagara (I-57) - Destroyer, Town class HMCS Levis (K-115) - Corvette, Flower class * HMCS Napanee (K-118) - Corvette, Flower class HMCS Agassiz (K-129) - Corvette, Flower class HMCS Dauphin (K-157) - Corvette Flower class HMCS Mayflower (K-191) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Burnham (H-82) - Destroyer, Town class HMS Violet (K-35) - Corvette, Flower class HMCS Galt (K-163) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Northern Pride (FY-105) - Anti-Submarine Trawler HMS Northern Wave (FY-153) - Anti-Submarine Trawler HMS Northern Gem (FY-194) - Anti-Submarine Trawler * HMCS Levis (Lt C.W. Gilding, RCNR) was later hit by one torpedo on 19 Sep 1941 from Kptlt. Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat's U-74 east of Cape Farewell while escorting the convoy SC.44 as part of the 19th Escort Group. The ship was taken in tow by HMCS Mayflower (Lt.Cdr. G.Stephen, RCNR), but foundered later that day. 18 crew members went down with the ship. 91 survivors were picked up by the corvette. More Naval history for 5 Aug:
- M/S Tisnaren went from Oban to Freetown, Cape, Bombay and Karachi carrying General Stores. Escorts: HMS Vansittart (D-64) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class HMS Starwort (K-20) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Cyclamen (K-83) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Armeria (K-187) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Aster (K-188) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Sandwich (L-12 / U-12) - Sloop, Bridgewater class HMS Scarborough (L-25 / U-25) - Sloop, Folkestone class HMS Fleetwood (L-47 / U-47) - Sloop, Grimsby class HMS Black Swan (L-57 / U-57) - Sloop, Black Swan class HMS Bachaquero (LST-110) - Landing Ship, Tank HMS Hilary (F-22) - Ocean Boarding vessel - former RMS Hilary III HMS Burra (T-158) - Mine Sweeper Trawler, Isles class More Naval history for 1 Oct:
- M/S Tisnaren went to Clyde carrying General Goods and Mail Escorts: HMS Volunteer (D-71) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class HMS Keppel (D-84) - Destroyer, Shakespeare class HMS Sabre (H-18) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Scimitar (H-21) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Sardonyx (H-26) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Saladin (H-54) - Destroyer, Admiralty S class HMS Beverley (H-64) - Destroyer, Town class * HMS Brilliant (H-84) - Destroyer, B class HMS Mallow (K-81) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Hastings (L-27 / U-27) - Sloop, Folkestone class HMS Londonderry (L-76 / U-76) - Sloop, Grimsby class HMS Lulworth (Y-60) - Sloop, Banff class HMS Coreopsis (K-32) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Wallflower (K-44) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Wivern (D-66) - Destroyer, Admiralty Modified W class HMS Aubretia (K-96) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Burdock (K-126) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Coltsfoot (K-140) - Corvette, Flower class FNFL Commandant Detroyat (K-183) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Tamarisk (K-216) - Corvette, Flower class HMS Landguard (Y-56) - Sloop, Banff class Molde - Anti-Submarine Trawler - former Norwegian Whaler Kos XX * HMS Beverley (Lt.Cdr. Rodney Athelstan Price, RN) was later and sunk on 11 Apr 1943 by Kptlt. Siegfried Lüdden's U-188. There were only 4 survivors out of 155. More Naval history for 14 Mar:
- M/S Tisnaren was heading for Rio de Janeiro / Buenos Aries carrying General Goods including Scottish Whisky, and parted with her convoy and escort on 14 May 1942, five days before it arrived in Freetown.</ br>Escorts:
<< Home