Page 1 of 1

SIREFJELL

PostPosted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:09 pm
by teesships
SIREFJELL entering the River Tees. (Photograph: Teesside Branch WSS Weller Negative Collection)
phsirefjell.jpg
Ship no. 6 in my personal sightings recorded, in pouring rain, in walking round Middlesbrough Dock after school on Monday, 21 November 1961. A ship which turns out to have had a most interesting history!

SIREFJELL: 8,589gt.
6.1936: completed by Eriksbergs M/V A/B - Goteborg as KOLLGRIM for O. Berg, Norway.
1939: sold and renamed PICARDIE for Ministere de la Marine Marchande (Government of France). Operated in the fleet of Societe Francaise De Transports Petroliers (SFTP).
1.2.1940: struck a submerged object and broke in two. The forepart sank, but the afterpart was towed to Oran, later to be badly damaged by gunfire.
1949: stern section purchased by A/S Falkefjell, Norway, from French Government, new fore part built at Kiel, rebuilt and renamed SIREFJELL.
12.1955: converted from tanker to ore carrier at Spezia.
2.10.1961: arrived at Hirao, Japan, for demolition, having initially been sold to Bermudan buyers.

There is an account of the rescue of crew from the PICARDIE in February 1940 on the excellent Warsailors site (Norwegian Merchant Ships of WW2). See: http://www.warsailors.com/singleships/samuelbakke.html about three-quarters down the page.

Ron

Re: SIREFJELL

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:53 am
by teesships
I'm so disappointed this is the best I can get from Albert Weller's original negative! Still, better than nothing!
sirefjellxawneg.jpg
Ron