Alan-A-Dale was a cargomotor ship that was built in Denmark in 1938 as Nordvest (lit.: Northwest). In the Second World War the United States requisitioned her in 1941 and renamed her Alan-A-Dale. In December 1944 she was sunk by a German submarine off the coast of the Netherlands.
Building
Nakskov Skibsværft A/S built Nordvest at its yard in Nakskov for D/S Norden, completing her in June 1938. Her registered length was 401.4 ft (122.3 m), her beam was 57.3 ft (17.5 m), her depth 24.9 ft (7.6 m) and her tonnages were 4,702 GRT and 2,774 NRT. She had twin screws, each driven by a six-cylinder, single-acting, two-stroke diesel engine. Between them, her twin engines were rated at 808 NHP.[1]
After World War II began,[clarification needed]Nordvest remained in port in the United States. She was one of 84 foreign ships that the US Maritime Commission requisitioned under the Ship Requisition Act, Executive Order No. 8771, signed on 6 June 1941.[2]
The Maritime Commission renamed her Alan-A-Dale, transferred her registration to Panama, and her call sign was changed to HPWV. Her name is sometimes referred to as Alan A. Dale, but Lloyd's Register records her as Alan-A-Dale.[3]
Alan-A-Dale then took part in operations following Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, sailing between Hampton Roads and Oran three times between December 1942 and July 1943. The ship then returned to Atlantic crossings, making four more return voyages between the East Coast of the United States and ports in Britain between August 1943 and June 1944.[5]
In July 1944, after sailing from New York to Liverpool, she moved to the south coast of England, crossing the English Channel to the Baie de Seine after the Normandy landings, and returning to New York in September 1944. She sailed once more between New York and Liverpool and back in October – November 1944, before sailing from New York in October to the Solent. From there, on 21 December, she sailed as part of Convoy TAM 26, bound for Antwerp.[5]