M/T Arena - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945
M/T Arena
Updated Dec. 5-2012
To Arena on the "Ships starting with A" page.
Received from Helmer Henriksen, whose father served on Arena (as well as Kirsten B, Norfjell, Kaia Knudsen, Norholm and Tarn, as 2nd mate/radio operator). He says the picture was probably taken at the end of 1938, approaching Havana, and was used as a Christmas card to send home to family. His father's brother, Alf. G. Henriksen took part in the well known escape of Lidvard.
Picture of this ship when Svolder
Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.
Another picture is available on this external page (click in the little thumbnail to enlarge).
Owner: A/S Alida
Manager: Markus Chr. Stray. Kristiansand (Rudolf Kure Olsen)
Tonnage: 6392 gt
(Owned by A/S Alida, controlled by Markus Chr. Stray, and managed by R. K. Olsen).
Built in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1927. Previous name Svolder.
According to the external page that I've linked to above, she was delivered in Nov.-1927 as Svolder to Waages Tankrederi A/S (R. Waage & J. Stenersen), Oslo. Managed from Nov.-1936 by J. Stenersen, Oslo (same owners), no name change. From Oct.-1937, A/S Alida (Rudolf Kure Olsen), Kristiansand S., same name. Renamed Arena in July-1939.
Captain: Johan Martin Flak (died in an accident in Brooklyn, March-1943), later Vilh. K. Pallesen.
Related item on this website:
Guestbook message - From someone who served ont this ship in 1948, Thomas Smith.
Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
(unfortunately, some of the scans have information missing in the margin)
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5
Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
Voyage Record
From Nov-1940 to Dec.-1945:
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database).
Follow the convoy links provided for more information on them.
|
Departure |
From |
To |
Arrival |
Convoy |
Remarks |
|
|
1940 |
Nov. 3 |
Aden |
Suez |
Nov. 11 |
BN 8 |
A. Hague says: |
|
Dec. 1 |
Suez |
Jeddah |
Dec. 4 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Dec. 7 |
Jeddah |
– |
– |
BS 10 |
For Bahrein |
|
|
Dec. 11 |
Dispersed from BS 10 |
Bahrein |
Dec. 20 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Dec. 22 |
Bahrein |
Bombay |
Dec. 29 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
1941 |
Jan. 11 |
Bombay |
Bahrein |
Jan. 17 |
Independent |
– |
|
Jan. 21 |
Bahrein |
Aden |
Jan. 29 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 1 |
Aden |
– |
– |
BN 14 |
Dispersed in 10 05N 40E, Febr. 3. |
|
|
Febr. 3 |
Dispersed from BN 14 |
Suez |
Febr. 7 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 17 |
Suez |
Port Sudan |
– |
Independent |
Stop at Port Sudan not mentioned, Page 1 |
|
|
Febr. 20 |
Port Sudan |
– |
– |
BS 16 |
Dispersed Febr. 25 |
|
|
Febr. 25 |
Dispersed from BS 16 |
Bahrein |
March 4 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
March 11 |
Bahrein |
Aden |
March 19 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
March 24 |
Aden |
Suez |
March 31 |
BN 21 |
Convoy available at BN 21 |
|
|
Apr. 5 |
Suez |
Jeddah |
Apr. 9 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 10 |
Jeddah |
Aden |
– |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 12 |
Aden |
Bahrein |
Apr. 21 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 23 |
Bahrein |
Bombay |
Apr. 29 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 9 |
Bombay |
Bahrein |
May 16 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 18 |
Bahrein |
Karachi |
May 22 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 25 |
Karachi |
Bombay |
May 27 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
July 5 |
Bombay |
Bahrein |
July 12 |
Independent |
(See also Page 2) |
|
|
July 14 |
Bahrein |
Aden |
July 24 |
Independent |
Notional sailing date |
|
|
July 26 |
Aden |
Suez |
Aug. 1 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Aug. 10 |
Suez |
Bahrein |
Aug. 23 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Aug. 24 |
Bahrein |
Bombay |
Aug. 31 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Sept. 4 |
Bombay |
Bahrein |
Sept. 11 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Sept. 12 |
Bahrein |
Aden |
Sept. 22 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Sept. 22 |
Aden |
Suez |
Oct. 9 |
Independent |
Arrived Port Said same day |
|
|
Oct. 13 |
Port Said |
Haifa |
Oct. 14 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
1942 |
Jan. 13 |
Suez |
Aden |
Jan. 23 |
Independent |
– |
|
Jan. 23 |
Aden |
Bahrein |
Febr. 4 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 6 |
Bahrein |
Karachi |
Febr. 13 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 15 |
Karachi |
Bombay |
Febr. 19 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
May 7 |
Bombay |
Bahrein |
May 15 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 17 |
Bahrein |
East London |
June 19 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
July 5 |
East London |
Port Elizabeth |
July 6 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
July 6 |
Port Elizabeth |
Trinidad |
Aug. 13 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Aug. 18 |
Trinidad |
Guantanamo |
Aug. 25 |
TAW SL/1 |
Convoy available at TAW SL/1 |
|
|
Aug. 28 |
Guantanamo |
Key West |
Sept. 3 |
TAW S (1) |
(Stop at Guantanamo not mentioned, Page 2). |
|
|
Sept. 6 |
Key West |
New York City |
Sept. 29 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
1943 |
Jan. 12 |
New York City |
Gitmo |
Jan. 18 |
NG 336 |
Convoy available at NG 336 |
|
Jan. 18 |
Gitmo |
Curacao |
Jan. 22 |
GAT 38 |
Convoy available at GAT 38 |
|
|
Jan. 25 |
Curacao |
Cristobal |
Jan. 28 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Jan. 29 |
Balboa |
Walvis Bay |
March 9 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
March 10 |
Walvis Bay |
Saldanha Bay |
March 20 |
– |
Notional sailing date |
|
|
March 23 |
Capetown |
Port Elizabeth |
March 25 |
CD 11 |
||
|
Apr. 5 |
Port Elizabeth |
Durban |
Apr. 6 |
CD 12 |
Convoy available at CD 12 |
|
|
Apr. 10 |
Durban |
– |
– |
DN 32 |
Dispersed Apr. 12 |
|
|
Apr. 12 |
Dispersed from DN 32 |
Beira |
Apr. 17 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 24 |
Beira |
Bahrein |
May 9 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 14 |
Bahrein |
Aden |
May 22 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
May 23 |
Aden |
Suez |
May 30 |
Independent |
To Port Said July 14 |
|
|
July 15 |
Port Said |
Alexandria |
July 16 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
July 18 |
Alexandria |
Malta |
July 24 |
MWS 38 |
Convoy available at MWS 38 |
|
|
Aug. 20 |
Malta |
Tunis |
Aug. 22 |
– |
Notional departure date |
|
|
Sept. 1 |
Tunis |
Malta |
– |
Independent |
Page 3 gives arrival Sept. 2 |
|
|
Sept. 19 |
Malta |
Tripoli, Libya |
Sept. 20 |
– |
– |
|
|
Sept. 26 |
Tripoli |
Malta |
Sept. 28 |
– |
– |
|
|
Oct. 12 |
Malta |
Tripoli |
Oct. 13 |
– |
– |
|
|
Oct. 31 |
Tripoli |
Malta |
Nov. 1 |
Escorted |
– |
|
|
Dec. 20 |
Malta |
Bizerta |
Dec. 21 |
– |
– |
|
|
1944 |
Jan. 12 |
Bizerta |
Gibraltar |
Jan. 16 |
GUS 27 |
Convoy available at GUS 27 |
|
Febr. 2 |
Gibraltar |
Malaga |
Febr. 3 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 9 |
Malaga |
Gibraltar |
Febr. 10 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Febr. 17 |
Gibraltar |
Augusta |
Febr. 23 |
KMS 41 |
Missing movements, Page 3 |
|
|
Febr. 28 |
Augusta |
Malta |
Febr. 29 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
March 23 |
Malta |
Augusta |
March 24 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
March 30 |
Augusta |
Malta |
Apr. 1 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 5 |
Malta |
Augusta |
Apr. 6 |
Independent |
– |
|
|
Apr. 11 |
Augusta |
Malta |
Apr. 12 |
Escorted |
– |
|
|
Apr. 16 |
Malta |
Augusta |
Apr. 17 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
June 7 |
Augusta |
Malta |
June 8 |
Escorted |
Missing voyages, Page 4 |
|
|
July 11 |
Malta |
Augusta |
July 12 |
Escorted |
– |
|
|
July 16 |
Augusta |
Malta |
July 17 |
Escorted |
Missing voyages, Page 4 |
|
|
July 29 |
Malta |
Augusta |
July 30 |
Escorted |
Left Augusta, same day |
|
|
Aug. 6 |
Catania |
Malta |
Aug. 6 |
Escorted |
Missing voyages, Page 4 |
|
|
Aug. 23 |
Malta |
Augusta |
Aug. 24 |
Escorted |
Missing voyages, Page 4 |
|
|
Oct. 26 |
Malta* |
Taranto |
Oct. 28 |
– |
*From Augusta |
|
|
Oct. 29 |
Taranto |
Patras |
– |
HP 2 |
Convoy available at HP 2 |
|
|
1945 |
Jan. 20 |
Salonika |
Alexandria |
Jan. 24 |
Independent |
– |
|
Febr. 27 |
Alexandria |
Gibraltar |
March 7 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
Apr. 11 |
Gibraltar |
Casablanca |
Apr. 12 |
Independent |
A. Hague says: |
|
|
Dec. 1 |
Gibraltar |
Kristiansand, Norway |
Dec. 14 |
Independent |
(Via Kirkwall - Page 5). |
According to Page 1 of the archive documents, Arena was on her way from Suez to Aden when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document.
She transported, among other things, fresh water to dried out places, especially Malta and Gibraltar. Sailed without mishaps through the war, except for occasional trouble with the motors (and apart from the collision in March-1945). As motors on ships were still not universally common in those days, the biggest problem was finding parts, or someone who had the right knowledge and skill to repair them if they malfunctioned. Very often the crew members, with the help of the skillful engineers on board, managed to repair or recreate the broken parts themselves, by using ingenious ideas, tools and methods, so that unnecessary delays could be avoided. In cases where these methods failed, a Norwegian engineer, Sigurd Golten, was often contacted. He started making some of the vital parts, which the crew could not make on board, and which could not be found elsewhere, in a basement in Brooklyn. His foresight was the basis for a worldwide company which still exists today; I came across it just by chance on the Internet, see the external link provided below.
It'll be noticed, when gong to the various archive documents, that she occasionally had long stays in port.
As mentioned in her Voyage Record, Arena sailed in Convoy KMS 41, which departed Gibraltar on Febr. 17-1944 and had Port Said as its final destination. Arena, however, was bound for Augusta, where she arrived on Febr. 23. This convoy will be added to an individual page in my Convoys section in due course, along with further info on it; in the meantime, see the section naming ships in all KMS convoys.
I have a snippet of information saying that Arena was in Malta on July 29-1944, and in Augusta the following month, departing the latter for Malta on Aug. 10. Some of this agrees with the info in her Voyage Record, but the departure Augusta for Malta on Aug. 10 is not mentioned. This voyage is, however, mentioned on Page 4 of the archive documents, though departure date is given as Aug. 12 with arrival Malta on the 13th.
This external page states she was owned by Skibs A/S Alida (H. Angel Olsen & Co.), Harstad from 1953, still as Arena. Sold the the U.K. for breaking up in 1955.
Related external link:
Goltens
Back to Arena on the "Ships starting with A" page.
An earlier Arena: Norway lost a steamship by this name to WW I, 1042 gt, built 1883 for English owners. Had the name Radyr 1897-1907, became Norwegian Arena for L. B. Rafen, Holmestrand in 1907. Shelled and sunk by the German U-70 in the North Sea on Apr. 2-1916, voyage Fredrikstad-Hull, owned by A/S Rudolf Olsen & Ugelstad at the time.
The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Skip of menn", Birger Dannevik, "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, and misc.