MV Prins Harald

Coordinates: 35°55′N 10°14′W / 35.917°N 10.233°W / 35.917; -10.233
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

History
Name
  • Empire Field (1941–42)
  • Prins Harald (1942)
Namesake
Prince Harald of Norway
Owner
  • Ministry of War Transport (1941–42)
  • Norwegian Government (1942)
Operator
  • Haldin & Phillips Ltd (Jan–Oct 1942)
  • Nortraship (Oct–Nov 1942)
Port of registry
BuilderWilliam Doxford & Sons Ltd
Launched23 September 1941
CompletedJanuary 1942
Out of service20 November 1942
Identification
  • United Kingdom
    Official Number
    169008 (1941-42)
  • Code Letters BCVL (1941–42)
  • Code Letters LLPC (1942)
FateTorpedoed and sunk
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
Length128 feet 8 inches (39.22 m)
Beam56 ft 8 in (17.27 m)
Draught27 ft 4.75 in (8.35 m)
Depth34 ft 9 in (10.59 m)
Installed power516
nhp
PropulsionDiesel engine, single screw propeller
MV Prins Harald is located in North Atlantic
MV Prins Harald
Location where Prins Harald was torpedoed and sunk

Prins Harald was a 7,244 

Sunderland for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). She was transferred to the Norwegian Government in October 1942 and renamed Prins Harald. She was torpedoed and sunk on 20 November 1942 by U-263
with the loss of three of her crew.

Description

The ship was a

The ship was 428 feet 8 inches (130.66 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 3 inches (17.15 m). She had a depth of 35 feet 2 inches (10.72 m) and a draught of 27 feet 4.75 inches (8.35 m). She was assessed at 7,244 GRT, 5.099 NRT,[2]

The ship was propelled by a

nhp.[2]

History

The ship was built by

Code Letters BCVL were allocated. Her port of registry was Sunderland.[2]

Empire Field departed from Sunderland on 28 January 1942, arriving at the

Argyllshire two days later.[5] She left the convoy at Loch Ewe.[3] She then joined Convoy ON 65, which departed from Liverpool, Lancashire on 8 February. Her destination was New York, United States,[6] where she arrived on 25 February. Empire Field departed from New York on 12 March for Cape Town, South Africa, arriving on 10 April. She departed two days later for Karachi, India, arriving on 2 May.[3]

Empire Field departed from Karachi on 6 June for

Portland, Dorset on 9 October, sailing two days later to join Convoy PW 231,[3] which had departed from Portsmouth on 11 October and arrived at Milford Haven on 14 October.[10] She arrived at Cardiff, Glamorgan that day.[3]

Prince Harald of Norway

On 15 October, Empire Field was transferred to the Norwegian Government and renamed Prins Harald, after

DEMS gunners. There were 55 survivors; the ship's dog also survived. Those who died are commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, United Kingdom and the Minnehallen, Stavern, Norway.[11]

References

  1. ^ .
  2. ^ a b c "LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "EMPIRE FIELD". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Convoy FN.18 / Phase 7". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  5. ^ a b "Convoy EN.41 (Series 2)". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  6. ^ "ON Convoys – 1941-1945, Convoy ON 1 through ON 100". Warsailors. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Convoy SL.121". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Convoy WP.223". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  9. ^ "Convoy PW.230". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Convoy PW.231". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  11. ^ a b c "M/S Prins Harald". Warsailors. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  12. ^ "LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS" (PDF). Plimsoll Ship Data. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  13. ^ a b "PRINS HARALD". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  14. ^ "Convoy KMS.3G". Convoyweb. Retrieved 25 January 2014.