Laurence Ahearne – Merchant Navy - M.V. Austvard

Mess Boy Laurence Ahearne – Merchant Navy, M.V. Austvard

Voyage and Convoy Details

M.V. Austvard

The M.V. Austvard was a Norwegian merchant vessel of 3,677 tons, built in 1925 and operated under the Norwegian registry by Lauritz Kloster of Oslo. Throughout 1939–1940 she traded widely across the Atlantic and South Atlantic, visiting ports such as Montreal, Buenos Aires, the Cape Verde Islands, Trinidad, and Freetown.

In December 1940 the Austvard was in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo, Mozambique), where she loaded a cargo of iron ore destined for Immingham, England. From there she proceeded via Cape Town to Freetown, Sierra Leone, where she joined Convoy SL 62, which sailed for Liverpool on 10 January 1941. Like many heavily laden ore carriers, the Austvard travelled deeply loaded and had limited manoeuvrability—conditions that made such ships particularly vulnerable to submarine or air attack.

Convoy SL 62

Convoy SL 62 was part of the long-running Sierra Leone–UK convoy system, which brought essential cargoes—including iron ore, fuel products, foodstuffs, and raw materials—from West Africa and the South Atlantic to Britain. Freetown was one of the busiest Allied convoy assembly ports, receiving ships from South Africa, Mozambique, India, and South America before their onward passage to the UK.

SL convoys in early 1941 sailed under extremely hazardous conditions. The winter weather in the North Atlantic was severe, often causing ships to fall behind or become separated from the protective escort. At the same time, German U-boats and long-range Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor bombers were increasingly active in the Western Approaches, hunting for convoys and especially for isolated stragglers.

SL 62 left Freetown with a mixed group of British, Norwegian, Dutch, and Greek merchant vessels, many of them slow and heavily laden ore carriers. The convoy’s escort coverage was limited, especially in mid-Atlantic. Bad weather during the crossing caused several ships—including the Austvard—to become detached from the main formation, leaving them exposed to attack.

Cause of Loss

While sailing independently, having become separated from Convoy SL 62 due to storms, the Austvard was attacked on 30^th January 1941 approximately 130 nautical miles west of Galway. A German aircraft—likely a long-range Fw 200 Condor—bombed the ship. Laden with iron ore, the Austvard sank rapidly, reportedly in about seven minutes, giving the crew little chance to escape.

Of the ship’s company, 23 men were lost and only five survivors were later rescued. The loss of the Austvard was one of several suffered by the SL convoy series during this dangerous period of the Battle of the Atlantic.

Laurence Ahearne

Service on the Austvard

Laurence Ahearne, aged only 17, served aboard the Austvard as a Mess Boy. He was among those lost when the vessel was destroyed on 30 January 1941.

Possible Earlier Travel

There remains an open question regarding whether Laurence is the same individual recorded as a passenger on the Manhattan, arriving in New York in 1938. The Britain and Ireland Incoming Passenger Lists record a 17-year-old Laurence Ahearne, occupation “Presser”, with a home address recorded as 26 Chepistyll Street, Swansea.
If the two records refer to the same person, it suggests Laurence may have travelled or worked abroad before joining the Merchant Navy, though this cannot be confirmed from surviving records alone.

Death Record

Merchant Seamen Deaths

The Merchant Seamen Deaths register confirms the death of Laurence Ahearne of the M.V. Austvard, though it does not include a home address. His loss was recorded along with those of his shipmates who perished when the vessel was sunk on 30^th January 1941.

Commemoration

M.V. Austvard
Tower Hill Memorial, London
credit - Benjidog Historical Research Resources:
The Merchant Navy Memorial 

As Laurence has no known grave, his name is inscribed on the Tower Hill Memorial in London. This memorial honours the thousands of merchant seamen who died at sea during the Second World War and have no final resting place.

Legacy

Laurence Ahearne’s service reflects the courage and sacrifice of the many young men of the Merchant Navy who faced extreme danger while transporting vital supplies to Britain. His commemoration on the Tower Hill Memorial ensures that his name endures alongside those of the countless Merchant Navy personnel who gave their lives in the Battle of the Atlantic. Though only 17, Laurence’s role aboard the Austvard represents the essential contribution of civilian seafarers whose dedication kept Britain supplied during one of the most perilous phases of the war.