Requisitioned Auxiliary – Polartank

pOLAR tANK 

Official Number:                     N/R

Laid down:

Builder:                                 Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd, Whiteinch

Launched:                             6 October 1930

Into Service:                          WW2

Out of service:                       1945

Fate:                                    9 June 1959 arrived Grimstad to be broken up

 

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of a group of additional Norwegian-flagged ships which served as Escort Oilers during WW2

Career Data:

6 October 1930 launched by Barclay, Curle & Co Ltd., Whiteinch as Yard Nr: 645 named Polartank for Havalfangerselskap Polaris A/S (Melsom & Melsom, Managers) Larvick

November 1930 completed

18 March 1940 sailed Cape Verde Islands independently to Freetown arriving 22 March 1940

22 March 1940 sailed Freetown in escorted convoy SL25 with a cargo of whale oil to Liverpool arriving 8 April 1940

30 April 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB139 until dispersal on 3 May 1940 and then independently to Trinidad arriving  15 May 1940

3 June 1940 sailed Trinidad to Aruba

7 June 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 13 June 1940

16 June 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX51 to Halifax where she joined convoy HX51 to Liverpool with a cargo of fuel oil arriving 2 July 1940

15 July 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB184 until dispersal on 18 July 1940 to New York arriving 28 July 1940

22 August 1940 sailed New York independently to Aruba arriving 28 August 1940

29 August 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Bermuda arriving 3 September 1940

4 September 1940 sailed Bermuda in escorted convoy BHX71 joining escorted HX71 on 9 September 1940 (the same day that war broke out in Norway) to the River Clyde arriving 20 September 1940

3 October 1940 sailed the River Clyde independently to Liverpool arriving the next day

15 October 1940 sailed Liverpool in escorted convoy OB229 until dispersal on 18 October 1940 and then independently to Cape Town arriving 13 November 1940

14 November 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 16 November 1940

1 December 1940 sailed Port Elizabeth to Abadan

22 December 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 11 January 1941

11 January 1941 sailed Port Elizabeth independently to Cape Town arriving 13 January 1941

19 January 1941 sailed Cape Town independently to Freetown arriving 1 February 1941

10 February 1941 sailed Freetown in escorted convoy SL65 to Swansea arriving 9 March 1941

22 March 1941 sailed Swansea independently to Milford Haven arriving the next day

23 March 1941 sailed Milford Haven joining in escorted convoy OB302 until dispersal on 30 March 1941 and then independently to New York arriving 6 April 1941. RFA ECHODALE also sailed in convoy OB302

11 April 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 14 April 1941

16 April 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX121 to the River Clyde arriving 1 May 1941. RFA DENBYDALE also sailed in this convoy

8 May 1941 sailed the River Clyde joining escorted convoy OB319 until dispersal on 13 May 1941 and then independently to New York arriving 24 May 1941

29 May 1941 sailed New York independently to Halifax arriving 1 June 1941

6 June 1941 sailed Haifax in escorted convoy HX131 to Londonderry arriving 22 June 1941

3 July 1941 sailed Londonderry joining escorted convoy OB341A to Halifax arriving 18 July 1941

 

1951 purchased by Skibs A/S Spervik (Rafen & Loennechen, Managers) Tonsberg and renamed Husvik

9 June 1959 arrived Grimstad for demolition

 

Notes: –

  1. Captain Adolf L. Christiansen and Chief Engineer Lars Jørgensen served on the ship throughout World War 2 without relief (Source – Warsailors.com)