| History | |
|---|---|
| Name |
|
| Namesake | Prince Harald of Norway |
| Owner |
|
| Operator |
|
| Port of registry | |
| Builder | William Doxford & Sons Ltd |
| Launched | 23 September 1941 |
| Completed | January 1942 |
| Out of service | 20 November 1942 |
| Identification |
|
| Fate | Torpedoed and sunk |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Cargo ship |
| Tonnage | |
| Length | 128 feet 8 inches (39.22 m) |
| Beam | 56 ft 8 in (17.27 m) |
| Draught | 27 ft 4.75 in (8.35 m) |
| Depth | 34 ft 9 in (10.59 m) |
| Installed power | 516nhp |
| Propulsion | Diesel engine, single screw propeller |
Prins Harald was a 7,244 GRTcargo ship that was built asEmpire Field in 1941 byWilliam Doxford & Sons Ltd,Sunderland for theMinistry of War Transport (MoWT). She was transferred to the Norwegian Government in October 1942 and renamedPrins Harald. She was torpedoed and sunk on 20 November 1942 byU-263 with the loss of three of her crew.
The ship was acargo ship built in 1941 byWilliam Doxford & Sons LtdSunderland, County Durham, United Kingdom.[1]
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 atwo-stroke Single Cycle, Single Actiondiesel engine, which had three cylinders of 235⁄8 inches (60 cm) diameter by 915⁄16 inches (232 cm) stroke driving a screwpropeller. The engine was built by William Doxford & Sons Ltd. It was rated at 516nhp.[2]
The ship was built byWilliam Doxford & Sons LtdSunderland, County Durham United Kingdom. She was launched on 23 September 1941 and completed in January 1942. Built for the MoWT,[1] she was placed under the management of Haldin & Phillips Ltd. The United KingdomOfficial Number 169008 andCode Letters BCVL were allocated. Her port of registry was Sunderland.[2]
Empire Field departed from Sunderland on 28 January 1942, arriving at theTyne later that day. She departed on 31 January to join Convoy FN 618,[3] which had departed fromSouthend,Essex the previous day and arrived atMethil,Fife on 1 February.[4] In ballast,[5] she then joined Convoy EN 41,[3] which departed from Methil on 3 February and arrived atOban,Argyllshire two days later.[5] She left the convoy atLoch Ewe.[3] She then joined Convoy ON 65, which departed fromLiverpool,Lancashire on 8 February. Her destination wasNew York, United States,[6] where she arrived on 25 February.Empire Field departed from New York on 12 March forCape Town,South Africa, arriving on 10 April. She departed two days later forKarachi,India, arriving on 2 May.[3]
Empire Field departed from Karachi on 6 June forColombo,Ceylon, arriving on 12 June. She sailed on 24 July for Cape Town, where she arrived on 15 August, departing the same day forFreetown, Sierra Leone. She arrived on 31 August.[3] Carrying tea and general cargo, and 47 bags of mails,Empire Field departed from Freetown on 3 September with Convoy SL 121, which arrived atLiverpool,Lancashire on 21 September.[7] She left the convoy at theBelfast Lough and sailed toHolyhead,Anglesey. She then joined Convoy HM 25, which sailed on 22 September and arrived atMilford Haven,Pembrokeshire the next day.Empire Field then joined Convoy WP 223,[3] which sailed from Milford Haven on 24 September and arrived atPortsmouth,Hampshire on 26 September.[8] She then sailed toSouthampton, Hampshire, arriving the next day.[3] She was a member of Convoy PW 230, which departed from Portsmouth on 9 October and arrived at Milford Haven on 12 October.[9] She left the convoy atPortland, 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 atCardiff,Glamorgan that day.[3]
On 15 October,Empire Field was transferred to the Norwegian Government and renamedPrins Harald, afterPrince Harald of Norway.[11] Her port of registry wasOslo and the Code Letters LLPC were allocated. She was operated under the management ofNortraship.[12] She departed from Cardiff on 17 October forSwansea, Glamorgan, arriving later that day.[13] Carrying war materials for use inOperation Torch,[11] she departed on 3 November for theClyde, arriving on 5 November.[13]Prins Harald was a member of Convoy KMS 3G, which departed from the Clyde on 8 November and arrived atBône,Algeria on 25 November.[14] On 20 November, she was torpedoed and in theAtlantic Ocean 240 nautical miles (440 km) west ofGibraltar (35°55′N10°14′W / 35.917°N 10.233°W /35.917; -10.233) byU-263. The ship exploded and sank about half an hour later with the loss of two of her 38 crew and one of her tenDEMS gunners. There were 55 survivors; the ship's dog also survived. Those who died are commemorated on thePlymouth Naval Memorial, United Kingdom and theMinnehallen,Stavern, Norway.[11]
