The steel steamship Skard was launched from the yard of Fredrikstad MV, Fredrikstad, Finland (Yard No 181) on 26th January 1915 for A/S Skule of Christiana (present day Oslo) . She measured 265.0′ x 42.1′ x 17.9′ and her tonnage was 1825 gross tons. 1065 net tons. She was powered by a triple expansion steam engine by Fredrickstad MV delivering 216 neominal horse power. In August 1931 she was sold to A/S Hakedal who continued to operate her out of Christiana but sold her only months later in January 1932 to A/S Furulund of the same port who renamed her Kollskegg. In March 1936 she was sold again, this time to Finnish company J A Zachariassen of Nystad who renamed her Rolfsborg.
Steamship Rolfsborg dockside
This company operated on various North Sea routes and continued to do so after the outbreak of war in September 1939. The complexities of Finnish politics and allegiances in the war meant that, in August 1941 the ship became an enemy vessel as Finland, fearing aggression from Russia, temporarily aligned with Nazi Germany. The Rolfsborg was therefore seized by the British authorities off Orkney and handed over to Richard Jones and Co Ltd., to be managed as part of the British wartime merchant fleet. Records then become a little confused but it appears that she may have been handed back to her Finnish owners in 1943 when Finland again changed allegiance back to the Allies.
Builders drawing – Lloyd’s Register Foundation
In any case, July 1945 found the Rolfsborg in the Firth of Forth en route from Immingham to Aarhus, Denmark with a full load of coal. In the early hours of the morning of 13 July, in dense fog, she was run down at anchor, by the British steamship Empire Swordsman (9850t) resulting in a huge gash on her port quarter. She quickly filled and sank. Her twenty six crewmen escaped unhurt, and after boarding the Empire Swordsman were transported to Methil.
Lloyd’s casualty report – LRF
The wreck of the Rolfsborg lies in position 56° 08.253’N, 002° 52.013’W and oriented 070/250 degrees in 45 metres with a least depth clearance of 36 metres, Divers describe the wreck as fairly in tact lying on its starboard side on a muddy seabed. The collision damage to her port quarter is clearly visible. The forward and mid sections are the most in tact but stern holds are also visible although there is some collapse near the collision damage. The bow section, often obscured by nets, is in tact with the anchor chain still run out on the seabed.
We would like to thank Lloyd’s Register Foundation – Heritage & Education Centre for allowing us to reproduce documents from their archive in this article.
