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Requisitioned Auxiliary – Vinga

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 Vinga

 

Official Number:                       N/R  

Laid down:

Builder:                                   F Schichau GmbH, Danzig

Launched:                               September 1927

Into Service:                            WW2

Out of service:                         WW2

Fate:                                      March 1954 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:

  

September 1927  completed by F Schichau GmbH, Danzig as Yard Nr 1176 named VINGA for A/S J
Ludwig Mowinckels Rederi, Bergen 
 
9 April 1940 was on passage from Montevideo to Port Stanley, Falkland Islands when War broke out
in Norway

21 April 1940 arrived at Port Stanley, Falkland Islands

27 April 1940 sailed Port Stanley, Falkland Islands independently to Talara arriving 10 May 1940

13 May 1940 sailed Talara independently to Montevideo arriving 3 June 1940

13 June 1940 sailed Montevideo independently to Cape Town arriving 29 June 1940

3 July 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Abadan arriving 24 July 1940

26 July 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving 24 August 1940

5 September 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 7 September 1940

25 September 1940 sailed Port Elizabeth

15 October 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Cape Town arriving 12 November 1940

17 November 1940 sailed Cape Town independently to Durban arriving 20 November 1940

11 December 1940 sailed Durban

31 December 1940 sailed Abadan independently to Aden arriving 9 January 1941

30 January 1941 sailed Aden

11 February 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Trincomalee arriving 22 February 1941

24 February 1941 sailed Trincomalee

10 March 1941 sailed Abadan independently to Durban arriving 30 March 1941

5 April 1941 sailed Durban independently to Port Elizabeth arriving 7 April 1941

31 May 1941 sailed Port Elizabeth independently to Cape Town arriving 4 June 1941

5 June 1941 sailed Cape Town independently to Trinidad arriving 8 July 1941

10 July 1941 sailed Trinidad independently to Halifax arriving 21 July 1941

27 July 1941 sailed Halifax in convoy HX141 to the River Clyde arriving 10 August 1941

13 September 1941 sailed from the Clyde to join Convoy OS 5 but lagged behind owing
to engine problems
 
15 September 1941 was attacked on four occasions by a German bomber in position 58.01 N 13.20 W
with the loss of 8 lives and was initially abandoned by 28 survivors who later picked up a further
survivor. All were rescued by the destroyer HNMS CAMPBELTOWN and 25 of them were landed at
Londonderry
 
16 September 1941 remaining crew volunteers reboarded the ship as it was still afloat and tug
assistance was requested
 
17 September 1941 taken in tow by the Dutch tug ZWARTE ZEE and made for Rothesay, escorted by
the corvette HMS HEATHER

19 September 1941 arrived Rothesay

8 October 1941 arrived Glasgow for repairs

WW2  fitted as and served as an escort Oiler, name unchanged.

31 December 1941 repairs completed

27 July 1943 broke down 7 miles off Trevose Head. C in C Plymouth directed that she should make
passage to Milford Haven and sent HM Tug Dextrous to assist if necessary – source Admiralty War
Diary
 
16 July 1944 berthed at Lisahally and discharged into the Royal Naval Fuel Depot
 
1951 purchased by A/S Polarfront, Tromso / Hvalfangerselskapet Blaahval, Oslo & R.S. Platou A/S,
Oslo (A/S Polarfront, Managers) and renamed REIN
 

18 March 1954 arrived Rosyth for demolition by Shipbreaking Industries Ltd after a previous sale to Japanese breakers had fallen through