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M/S Abraham Lincoln To Abraham Lincoln on the "Ships starting with A" page. Owner: A/S Ganger Rolf Delivered from Odense Staalskibsværft, Odense, Denmark (32) in Apr.-1929 as Abraham Lincoln to A/S Ganger Rolf (Fred. Olsen & Co.), Oslo, 5740 gt, 3501 net, 9500 tdwt, 435.9' x 56.2' x 27.7', two 8 cyl. 4T single acting DM (B & W, Copenhagen), 951 nhp. Captain: Sverre Holmsen.
See also my text further down on this page. Follow the links provided to available convoys for more information on each. Errors may exist and some voyages may be missing. Compare Arnold Hague's records with these original images from the Norwegian National Archives
Abraham Lincoln, general cargo for Liverpool, is listed among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 40 in May-1940 (having been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 39). Later that month she shows up in Convoy OB 158, departing Liverpool on May 30-1940. This convoy joined up with Convoy OA 158 on June 2, the combined convoys forming the Gibraltar bound convoy OG 32, which arrived there on June 7. Abraham Lincoln's destination is given as Cristobal, and she had station 83 of the convoy. The Norwegian Buesten, Kosmos II and Thorshavn are also included. The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page has more info on the OB convoys - see also the links in the Voyage Record as well as my own page listing ships in all OG convoys. Towards the end of Aug.-1940 she joined Convoy HX 68 (Bermuda portion). Her destination was Liverpool, but no information is given as to her cargo. The following month she shows up, with no voyage information, in Convoy OB 219, which left Liverpool on Sept. 25 and dispersed on the 30th - again, see the links in the Voyage Record. Christmas and New Years Eve of 1940 were celebrated while in Convoy HX 99, en route to Liverpool with a general cargo, as well as aircraft and acetone. She again joined the convoy from Bermuda, and is said to have been cancelled from the previous convoy, HX 98.
In Febr.-1941 she's listed as bound for Vancouver (via Cristobal) in Convoy OB 285, which left Liverpool on Febr. 11 and dispersed on the 17th. In May-1941 she sailed in Convoy HX 125, bound for Liverpool with pulp in station 74 of the A section of the convoy, subsequently joining Convoy OB 335, which left Liverpool on June 16 and arrived Halifax on July 2. Abraham Lincoln, however, was bound for Panama on that occasion. Again, follow the external link provided in the table above. She also sailed in Convoy HX 149, leaving Halifax on Sept. 10-1941, arriving Liverpool on the 25th, then joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 24*, in order to return to Vancouver (departure Liverpool on Oct. 8, dispersed Oct. 15). The year was rounded off by sailing to the U.K. in Convoy HX 167, which left Halifax on Dec. 27-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Jan. 11-1942. Other Norwegian ships in this convoy were O. A. Knudsen, Thorshavn, Suderøy, Meline, Noreg, O. A. Knudsen, Bralanta, Sandanger and several others.
In Febr.-1942 she's listed as bound for New York in the westbound Convoy ON 63*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 2, dispersed Febr. 13. In Apr.-1942 she can be found among the ships in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 184, subsequently returning to New York with Convoy ON 95* (departure Liverpool May 15), and in June that year she's listed in Convoy HX 195 from Halifax. She then headed back to New York again with the westbound Convoy ON 113*, which left Liverpool on July 17, returning to the U.K. in Aug. in HX 204. The following month we find her, with destination New York, in the westbound Convoy ON 131* (departure Liverpool Sept. 18, arrival New York Oct. 4), and in Oct. she was the Vice Commodore vessel for Convoy HX 212, in which Kosmos II was sunk. Abraham Lincoln's cargo is given as food, explosives and barges, and she was bound for Liverpool, station 93. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 147*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 17 and arrived New York, Abraham Lincoln's destination, on Dec. 4. She was scheduled to return with Convoy HX 220, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 221, on Dec. 29 (acting as Commodore vessel), general cargo for Glasgow, station 71.
Convoy HX 221, mentioned above, arrived Liverpool on Jan. 14-1943. On Febr. 1 she returned to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 164, arriving New York on Febr. 19. The following month she was witness to what has been dubbed the worst North Atlantic convoy battle of the war. Two eastbound convoys, SC122 and HX 229 were involved, and Abraham Lincoln was Commodore Vessel for the latter, which left New York on March 8-1943. The battle lasted for 5 days and when it was over on March 20, 22 merchant ships had been sunk with HX 229 being the hardest hit - please follow the links provided for more information (Elin K was one of the ships sunk) - only one U-boat was sunk by aircraft on March 19 (U-384). See also the external links at the end of this text for more information on this battle. A report by 2nd Mate Sven Johannesen says that the British Southern Express (he probably means Southern Princess) exploded right next to them (this ship was sailing in the next column in the position behind them), the force of the explosion knocking him over, and the heat of the flames taking their breath away. He adds that he saw a raft with survivors from the British Nariva being flung by a wave into a big hole in her side, but fortunately the same wave threw them back out and they were subsequently rescued. Gudvor, Askepot and Polarland had started out from New York in Convoy SC 122 on March 5, but only Askepot was still present when the attacks started, the other 2 having lost touch with the convoy in a storm and returned to port. Abraham Lincoln returned to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 177*, which left Liverpool on Apr. 6-1943 and arrived New York on the 23rd. She was scheduled to head back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 238 from New York on May 7, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 239, about a week later, subsequently returning with the westbound Convoy ON 188* (departure Liverpool June 10, arrival New York June 26. In July-1943 she sailed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 247, general cargo for Liverpool, then joined the westbound Convoy ON 195* at the end of that month in order to head back to New York (departure Liverpool July 31, arrival New York Aug. 13). In Sept. she sailed in Convoy HX 255, acting as Commodore Vessel again, general cargo for Avonmouth. She now shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 205*, which left Liverpool on Oct. 5 and arrived New York on the 23rd. Convoy HX 265 (departure New York Nov. 6-1943, arrival Liverpool Nov. 21), for which she was again Commodore Vessel, is not available to me at this time, but can be found via the external link provided in her Voyage Record. Christmas that year was celebrated at sea while in the westbound Convoy ON 215*, which had dpearted Liverpool on Dec. 9, arrived New York on the 28th.
In Jan.-1944 she's listed in Convoy HX 276, which left New York on Jan. 21 with Abraham Lincoln as Commodore's vessel - follow the link for more details. The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 225*, leaving Liverpool on Febr. 22, arriving New York on March 8. Towards the end of that month she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 284, again acting as the Commodore's ship, and in Apr. she joined the westbound Convoy ON 234* (departure Liverpool Apr. 26, arrival New York May 12). In June-1944 she's said to have been the Commodore's ship for Convoy HX 294 from New York (another Norwegian ship, Geisha, was Vice Commodore ship). However, there's some confusion here in that this is shown as being the American Abraham Lincoln in the Advance Sailing Telegram for Convoy HX 294 (Liberty Ship - 7191gt), while in a document I have naming all the Commodores for the various HX convoys, she's listed as the Norwegian Abraham Lincoln. This is also supported by the info in her Voyage Record. Towards the end of July that same year she joined the westbound Convoy ON 246*, which originated in Liverpool on July 25 and arrived New York on Aug. 9. Later that month she was the Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 305 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo, then joined the westbound Convoy ON 256*, which left Liverpool on Sept. 28 and arrived New York on Oct. 12. A couple of weeks later she can be found in Convoy HX 316, bound for Hull with general cargo, yet again acting as Commodore Vessel, with the Norwegian Brimanger as Vice Commodore ship. In Dec. she sailed back across the Atlantic in the westbound Convoy ON 270 (station 103).
She again served as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 332 in Jan./Febr.-1945 (Commodore F. H. Taylor R.N.), then joined the westbound Convoy ON 284*, leaving Liverpool on Febr. 11. She was also Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 345 in March/Apr.-1945 (departed New York March 19, arrived Liverpool Apr. 2 - Commodore N.L.P. Cox, R.N.R.), and in Apr. we find her listed in the westbound Convoy ON 297*, leaving Liverpool on Apr. 17, arriving New York May 2. Later that month she was again chosen to act as the Commodore's vessel, this time for Convoy HX 357 (Commodore Rear Admiral Sir A. T. Tillard). These 2 HX convoys are not available to me, but can be found via the external links provided within the Voyage Record.
Sold to Kouran Laiva O/Y (Vaasen Laiva O/Y, Helsinki, Finland) in 1952 (or 1953?) and renamed Korsholma. Sold to Japanese breakers and arrived at Mihara on March 30-1962 to be broken up. Related external links: See also this chronological list of HX 229, 16-19 March | SC 122, 17 -19 March - uboat net has 37 ships in HX 229 and 50 in SC 122, and a total of 22 ships sunk. More on this battle - Scroll down (the USMM website). To Abraham Lincoln on the "Ships starting with A" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, E-mails from Roger W. Jordan - and misc. other as named within the above text.
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