Requisitioned Auxiliary – Anna Knudsen

 Anna Kn

 

Official Number:                       N/R

Laid down:

Builder:                                     Gotaverken A/B, Gothenburg

Signal Letters:                          LDSZ

Launched:                                16 May1931

Into Service:                             1939

Out of service:                          1945

Fate:                                          March 1960  scrapped

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of an additional group of ships requisitioned by the Admiralty during WW2 to augment the ships of the RFA

Career Data:

16 May 1931 launched by Gotaverken A/B, Gothenburg as Yard Nr: 442 named ANNA KNUDSEN for
D/S A/S Jeanette Skinner (Knut Knudssen O.A.S, Manager) Haugesund

18 December 1931 undertook trials achieving 12.25 knots loaded. Her maiden voyage will be to Antartica for whale oil transportation 

WW2  fitted out as and served as an Escort Oiler, name unchanged

7 February 1942 sailed Seidisfjord, Iceland for Loch Ewe esorted by the armed trawlers HMS’s
PAYNTER and THIRLMERE

9 February 1942 torpedoed and damaged by U-586 in position 59.50 N 09.40 W but remaine afloat despite a large hole in her after part

10 February 1942 the tug FREEBOOTER arrived from Stornoway to assist and took the damaged ship in tow in position 59.27 N 09.45 W

12 February 1942 the tow parted and an additional tug was requested

13 February 1942  tug TENACITY arrived and tow was reconnected.

14 February 1942 all five ships arrived Rothesay.

August 1942 after extensive repairs at Scotstoun, she re-entered service

22 October 1942 sailed from Guantanamo Bay in unescorted convoy GAT16 for Trinidad arriving 28 October 1942

8 November 1942 sailed from Guantanamo Bay in unescorted convoy GN18 for New York arriving 17 November 1942

9 February 1943 sailed from Guantanamo Bay in unescorted convoy GAT43 for Curaçao arriving 15 February 1943

18 February 1943 sailed from Guantanamo Bay in unescorted convoy GN42 to New York arriving 26 February 1943

4 July 1943 sailed Methil in  unescorted convoy EN251 to Loch Ewe arriving 6 July 1943

3 October 1943 sailed Aden in ballast in escorted Convoy AP47 for Abadan to load cargo

5 October 1943 torpedoed and damaged by Japanese submarine I-10 in the Gulf of Aden in position 14.30°N 50.57°E. Her crew managed to trim her to enable her to steam under her own power

7 October 1943 arrived Aden.

14 October 1943 sailed Aden for Port Tewfik then Suez

21 October 1943 arrived Suez for temporary repairs.

17 May 1944 arrived Liverpool for permanent repairs.

25 October 1944 repairs completed and re-entered service.

1947 – 1959 acted as bunkering tanker to the Norwegian whale factory ship SUDEROY during the

latter’s expeditions to the Antarctic

February 1960 sold for scrap

21 MArch 1960 arrived Inverkeithing for demolition by T.W. Ward Ltd