M/T Fagerfjell
Updated Sept. 9-2008

To Fagerfjell on the "Ships starting with F" page.


From Sverre Johansens' collection.

Related items on this website:
Forum message - from someone whose father, Thorleif Karlsen, was 1st mate on Fagerfjell during the war.
Another forum message - from someone whose father, Lars Karlo Birkeland, sailed on Fagerfjell in 1943.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6

Some Convoy Voyages:

(More convoy information will be added).

Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them; some also have the Commodore's notes. For voyages in between those noted here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway.

Fagerfjell was in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 160 in Nov.-1941, together with several other Norwegian ships, as will be seen when following the link. She arrived Lamlash on Nov. 30, having left Halifax on the 15th. The following month, she joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 50*, originating in Liverpool on Christmas Eve, dispersed Jan. 3-1942. Fagerfjell arrived Aruba independently on Jan. 11, having joined from Clyde. Charles Racine, Fernwood, Fjordheim (returned), Høegh Giant, Innerøy, Sama, Skandinavia, Strinda and Taborfjell are also listed.

She headed back to the U.K. again at the beginning of Febr.-1942 with Convoy HX 173, again in the company of several other Norwegian ships, subsequently joining the westbound Convoy ON 71*, departing Liverpool on Febr. 26, dispersed March 8, Fagerfjell arriving Curacao independently on March 19. Athos, Fjordaas, Gallia, Garonne, Høegh Giant, John Bakke, Malmanger, Skaraas, Solfonn and Velma are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norvik, which had Norwegian managers and is included under the N's on this website.

The external website that I've linked to at the end of this page has her in station 62 of Convoy SL 113 in June-1942. This convoy left Freetown on June 15 and arrived Liverpool on July 7. Mike Holdoway, the webmaster of the site, has told me that she had left Curacao on May 26 with a cargo of 11 612 tons of topped crude oil and 112 drums of oil residues, bound for Stanlow. Arrived Ardrossen on July 5, Stanlow the next day. The Norwegian Thorhild, Thorshavet and Vanja are also named, but the latter did not sail.

She joined the westbound Convoy ON 135* on Oct. 2-1942, but returned to port (Clyde), later joining ON 141*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 24 and arrived New York on Nov. 10 (Fagerfjell joined from Clyde, final destination Curacao, see Page 3). Both these convoys had other Norwegian ships, namely Glarona, Lynghaug, Ragnhild, Thorsholm and Villanger in ON 135, while Albert L. Ellsworth, Anna Odland, Aun, Fernmoor, Fernwood, Gallia, Herbrand, Jenny (returned), Ørnefjell, Pan Aruba, Reinholt, Salamis, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord and Trondheim sailed in ON 141. Fagerfjell was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 218, leaving New York on Dec. 5, but instead joined the next convoy on Dec. 13, HX 219, bound for Avonmouth with fuel oil in station 43, arriving her destination on Dec. 30 (via Belfast Lough).

At the beginning of the new year we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 161, which originated in Liverpool on Jan. 12-1943 and arrived New York on the 31st. Fagerfjell, which had joined the convoy from Milford Haven and was bound for Caracao again, detached for Guantanamo on Jan. 28, as did the Norwegian Vav. They both show up again in Convoy HX 228 from New York at the end of the following month, in which Brant County was sunk; follow the links for more information. A cruising order and the Commodore's notes are also available for this convoy, along with misc. reports and analysis of attacks. Fagerfjell's destination is given as Stanlow, and she had station 63 of this convoy, which left New York on Febr. 28-1943. She now joined Convoy ON 174*, departing Liverpool on March 20, arriving New York Apr. 8. She had station 52, serving as escort oiler, and also carried 60 depth charges. Other Norwegian ships were Norbryn, Nueva Granada, Trondheim and Troubadour. Later that month she was one of several Norwegian ships joining Convoy HX 235 from New York, and at the beginning of June she joined Convoy ON 187*, together with Annik, Athos, Braga, Bralanta, Elisabeth Bakke, Frontenac, Helgøy, Kronprinsen, Lista, Morgenen, Norbryn, Norefjord, O. B. Sørensen, President de Vogue, Toledo and Vanja, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn. ON 187 originated in Liverpool on June 1 (Fagerfjell joined from Clyde) and arrived New York on the 15th.

She headed to the U.K. again later that month in HX 245, cargo of Admiralty fuel, destination Scapa, station 62 (further dates on Page 4), and in July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 193* back to New York (she arrived New York July 30, having left Loch Ewe on the 16th). As usual, several Norwegian ships took part, namely Bralanta, Chr. Th. Boe, Fernwood, Geisha, Harpefjell, Herbrand, Hiram, Idefjord, Maud, Meline, Norlom, O. B. Sørensen, Para, Samuel Bakke, Sandviken, Santos, Skaraas, Skjelbred, Stiklestad, Thorhild, Thorshov and Tungsha, as well as the Panamanian Norlys, which had Norwegian managers and is, therefore, included under the N's of this website.

On Aug. 7-1943, Fagerfjell left New York with Convoy HX 251, bound for Milford Haven and Devonport with a cargo of Admiralty fuel, station 52 (again, see Page 4 for arrival dates). At the beginning of Sept.-1943 we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 200*, with Biscaya, Bralanta, Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke, Haakon Hauan, Herbrand, Ivaran, Laurits Swenson, Norden, Norheim, O. B. Sørensen, Reinholt and the Panamanian Norbris. Fagerfjell was bound for Philadelphia, where she arrived on Sept. 18. According to A. Hague she returned at the end of Oct. with Convoy HX 264. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys included on my own website, but I've linked directly to it at the end of this page, and as can be seen, the Norwegian Dageid, Kaldfonn, Lista, Montevideo, Samuel Bakke, Skaraas, Spinanger and Tungsha are also listed in this convoy, which left New York on Oct. 31; Fagerfjell arrived Loch Ewe on Nov. 17, later continuing to Scapa. She subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 216* (originated in Liverpool Dec. 16), but she returned to port, later joining ON 217*. Both had other Norwegian ships - Ferncourt, Fernwood, Molda and Skiensfjord are listed in ON 216, and Brimanger, Duala, John Bakke, Norheim, Pan Scandia and Reinholt are included in ON 217, wich originated in Liverpool on Christmas Eve (Fagerfjell joined from Clyde on both occasions) and arrived New York on Jan. 10-1944.

Already on Jan. 13-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 275 from New York, bound for Londonderry, where she arrived on the 28th. Together with Duala, Frithjof Nansen, Idefjord, Norheim and Tigre, she later joined the westbound Convoy ON 223*, which originated in Liverpool on Febr. 7 (Fagerfjell joined from Belfast Lough) and arrived New York on the 24th. She was scheduled for Convoy HX 281 a few days later, but instead joined the next convoy on March 6, HX 282, heading back across the Atlantic at the end of Apr. in Convoy ON 234*, with Abraham Lincoln, Estrella, Fernmoor, Garonne, Geisha, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Lista, Molda, Petter, Romulus, Samuel Bakke, Skiensfjord, Solfonn, Strinda, Vinland and the Panamanian Norlys. In May-1944 we find her in Convoy HX 292, returning in June with Convoy ON 240*, which also included Dageid, Heranger, Høyanger, Østhav, Para, Petter, Strinda, Thorhild, Vanja and Villanger. ON 240 left Liverpool on June 10 and arrived New York on the 28th.

Fagerfjell was scheduled for Convoy HX 298 in July-1944, but did not sail. She does not show up again until Convoy HX 307 on Sept. 6, along with 7 other Norwegian ships, namely Buenos Aires, Frontenac, Idefjord, John Bakke, Kaia Knudsen, Thorsholm and Stiklestad. Fagerfjell was on a voyage to Clyde with fuel, navy spec. and 70 depth charges in station 64. This convoy arrived Liverpool on Sept. 20, and a week later she's listed in Convoy ON 256*, and arrived New York on Oct. 13. Abraham Lincoln is again included, as are Egerø, Ferncourt, Katy, Montevideo, Norsktank, Olaf Bergh, Sørvard and Thorsholm. On Oct. 20 that same year Fagerfjell can be found in Convoy HX 315 from New York, this time bound for Portsmouth, with arrival there on Nov. 4, and later that month she's listed in Convoy ON 266*, with Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Katy and Vivi. This convoy arrived New York on Dec. 3, and already the next day she's listed in Convoy HX 324, which arrived Liverpool on Dec. 21 (Fagerfjell's destination was Clyde on that occasion).

She subsequently returned to New York with Convoy ON 278 in Jan.-1945 (station 82). Other Norwegian ships were Anna Knudsen (62), Vivi (42) and Lista (12). This convoy departed Southend on Jan. 12 and arrived New York on Jan. 31-1945, but Fagerfjell arrived New York, via Cape Cod Canal, on Febr.1, having left Clyde on Jan. 13. ("The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague says 47 ships were in this convoy, while Arthur Moore's book "A Careless Word - A Needless Sinking" gives the names of 49 - follow the convoy link for more details). Fagerfjell was scheduled to head back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 336 early the following month, but did not sail, and was also cancelled from HX 337 and HX 339, but eventually got away with Convoy HX 340, which left New York on Febr. 23-1945 and arrived Liverpool March 10. Other Norwegian ships were California Express, Ferncourt, Fjordaas, Gefion (returned), Ivaran, Kaldfonn, and Tungsha.

About a week after arrival U.K., Fagerfjell joined the westbound Convoy ON 291*, which arrived New York on Apr. 5-1945 and also had Ferncourt and Laurits Swenson in its ranks. Just 3 days later Fagerfjell joined Convoy HX 349, which arrived Liverpool on Apr. 23 and included Harald Torsvik, Høyanger and John Bakke. VE Day was celebrated while at sea, in the westbound Convoy ON 299*, which had left Liverpool on Apr. 27, arrived New York May 12, and included Buenos Aires, Glarona, Kaldfonn, Lektor Garbo, and Sophocles. Fagerfjell's last eastbound Trans Atlantic convoy voyage took place in Convoy HX 357, departing New York on May 19-1945. Abraham Lincoln, Brimanger, Jotunfjell, Kaldfonn, Montevideo, Østhav, Thorshavn and Tungsha had also been in company. The unlinked HX convoys mentioned here are available via the external links provided at the end of this page.

Her subsequent voyages, up to and including Apr.-1946, are listed on Page 6 of the documents received from the National Archives of Norway. As will be seen, she got to home to Norway in Nov.-1945.

Axel G. Axelson, Sweden (nickname Boras), who served on Fagerfjell until Oct.-1941, has sent me the following:
"It is of much interest for me to read about your father and all he had to go through (see my father's story). We, on Fagerfjell had a holiday compared to them who was right up in the tick of the war. Only when we sometime got a message mostly from an American ship that a German U-boat are close to you, we got a little exited. Fagerfjell was an old ship and the highest speed we could go was 13 knots, so maybe the U-boat captain did not think it was worth to bother with. Anyway he was not invited.

We had a couple of sailors who had been on ships who was sunken but the crew was saved and they did not like to go below deck when we had such messages, who can blame them. I am sending a couple of pictures and on one of them are Peter Rosberg (wearing a hat) and I in Montevideo febr. 18-41. He left the ship there and so did 7 more. He asked me to go too, but I did not like to go that way. Captain Christensen was plenty mad and said we are leaving now even if I have to steer the boat myself. Of course he depended on Axel to do that, as he always said, Axel is the only one who can keep a straight course, as he is always sober. Well for a Swede I got along well with everybody, but when the Germans invaded Norway some of them said; The Swedes should help Norway. I guess they helped them in other ways".

Back to Fagerfjell on the "Ships starting with F" page.

This company later had another Fagerfjell - ref. this posting to my Ship Forum.