M/T Ferncourt - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Misc. Convoy Voyages:

(Only her Trans Atlantic voyages are discussed here - more convoy information will be added).

Follow the convoy links provided for more details on them; some also include the Commodore's notes.

Ferncourt, bound for Dunkirk, was in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HXF 13 at the end of Dec.-1939. The Norwegian Italia is also listed.

In Febr./March-1940 she sailed in Convoy HX 23, again with destination Dunkirk. She's also listed in Convoy HX 36 in Apr./May-1940, subsequently joining Convoy OA 150, which left Southend on May 18 (note that according to Page 1 of the archive documents, she had sailed from Dunkirk on May 16), joined up with Convoy OB 150 on the 19th, the combined convoy forming the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 30. Ferncourt, however, was bound for Trinidad, so probably left this convoy at some point to proceed to her destination, where she arrived on June 3, continuing the next day for Curacao. Bjerka, Bruse, Hadrian and Kaia Knudsen are also listed in OA 150, which is available via the external link provided at the end of this page. See also my page naming ships in all OG convoys. On Nov. 10 that same year, Ferncourt joined Convoy HX 86 from Halifax, fuel oil for Clyde, station 22, arriving Clyde on Nov. 26.

In Jan.-1941 she's listed as bound for Curacao in Convoy OB 274, originating in Liverpool on Jan. 14, dispersed on the 19th, Ferncourt arriving Curacao independently on Febr. 2, having joined from Clyde (also available via external link below - Harpefjell, Leiv Eiriksson, Sommerstad, Stigstad and Torfinn Jarl are also included).

"Nortraships flåte" mentions an episode taking place on March 15-1941 when Ferncourt had a narrow escape. She had just arrived the U.K. with Convoy HX 110, having joined this convoy from Bermuda with a cargo of fuel oil for Clyde. 2 mines had been discovered in the Clyde, and after the area was believed to have been made safe again permission was given for a tug to tow Ferncourt into Cart (river). When a mine detonated very close by, the tug was damaged enough that it had to be beached. Later that month she shows up, with Brant County, Kongsgaard, Ranja, Taurus and Torborg, in Convoy OB 301, originating in Liverpool on March 23, dispersed on the 27th, Ferncourt arriving New York independently on Apr. 7 (she had again joined the convoy from Clyde). Having made a voyage to Aruba in May, she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 131 from Halifax on June 6, bound for Avonmouth with diesel oil in station 82 of the convoy (arrived Avonmouth June 26).

On July 7-1941 Ferncourt was hit by 4 bombs, port side of deck, and a torpedo from aircraft while in convoy off Milford Haven near South Bishop (this was Convoy OB 343, which had left Liverpool on July 6 - Ferncourt had joined from Milford Haven. Arosa, Evviva, Fanefjeld, Grado, Henrik Ibsen, Idefjord, Måkefjell, Nesttun, Slemdal, Spurt, Star, Suderholm and Taborfjell are also listed in this convoy). The torpedo also hit on the port side, resulting in a gaping hole below the waterline. 2 were killed (not Norwegian - see * below), 1 injured. Everyone except the captain, 1st mate and an able seaman went in the lifeboats. Ferncourt didn't sink, and as the captain didn't want to give up his ship he got 11 volunteers to reboard. The tug Schelde was called upon to tow her to Milford Haven, later to Swansea (July 20), where she was kept for repairs for 10 months. The captain later received the following from Winston S. Churchill:
"By the King's Order the name Syvert Birkenes, Master of the Ferncourt, was placed on record on 29th of August 1941 as commended for brave conduct in the Merchant Navy. I am charged to express His Majesty's high appreciation of the service rendered. Winston S. Churchill, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury."

* On the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website there's a Canadian Roy Edgar Benjamin listed as having died on Ferncourt on July 7-1941 (external link). I came across him by chance; I don't know the name of the other casualty.

In June-1942 Ferncourt is listed as bound for Curacao in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 103*, which left Liverpool on June 12 and also included the Norwegian Frontenac, Garnes, Idefjord, Kaia Knudsen, Kong Haakon VII, Lista, Maud, Mirlo, Noreg, Scebeli, Sommerstad, Thorshøvdi, Tijuca and Troubadour, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). Ferncourt arrived Curacao, via New York and Key West, on July 21 (see Page 2). In Aug./Sept.-1942 she can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 205 from Halifax, returning across the Atlantic with the westbound Convoy ON 131* (departure Liverpool Sept. 18, arrival New York, Ferncourt's destination on this occasion, on Oct. 4). She had again been in company of a number of other Norwegian ships, namely Abraham Lincoln, Biscaya, Brasil, Helgøy, Høegh Scout, Katy, Thorshøvdi and Vardefjell. Later on, Ferncourt is said to have been used in the Torch operations which commenced in Nov.-1942 (I'm not entirely sure this is correct, as her subsequent 1942/early 1943 voyages do not seem to support this - again see Page 2 of the archive docs). Athos has a list of Norwegian sips taking part in these operations.

The external site that I've linked to at the end of this page also has her in Convoy HX 227, which left New York on Febr. 18-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 6. This convoy is not available among the HX convoys listed on my own site, but I've linked directly to it at the end of this page, and as will be seen, the Norwegian B. P. Newton, Belinda, Haakon Hauan, Kaldfonn, Mosli, Norholm, Pan Aruba, Polartank, Skaraas, Stiklestad, Strinda and Thorshov are also listed, while Acanthus and Eglantine are named among the escorts. She subsequently returned to New York in the westbound Convoy ON 173*, which left Liverpool on March 13, with B. P. Newton, Dageid, Emma Bakke, Frontenac, Haakon Hauan, Idefjord, Mosli, Pan Aruba, Skaraas, Stiklestad, Strinda and Thorshov among its ranks. Ferncourt had joined from Milford Haven and arrived New York on March 31. She was scheduled to head back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 236 from New York in Apr.-1943, but did not sail. She's not listed in the Advanca Sailing Telegram for the next convoy, HX 237, however, she's mentioned in the Commodore's list of ships in this convoy, but I can't be sure she actually joined (and returned?). It also looks like she was scheduled for Convoy HX 244, which left New York on June 15. Again, she's not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for that convoy, but is crossed out from station 37 on the convoy form. She joined the next convoy on June 23, Convoy HX 245, bound for Clyde with petroleum products, station 32, arriving Clyde on July 6. (As will be seen when following the link, some of the ships in HX 245 were detached to form a faster portion of the convoy, and Ferncourt acted as Vice Commodore ship for this portion, her station was 33).

Together with Anna Knudsen, Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke, Ferncourt, Ivaran, Laurits Swenson, Norholm, Petter, Reinholt, San Andres, Skaraas (returned), Tai Shan, Topdalsfjord, Vest, Villanger and the Panamanian Norvinn, she later joined the westbound Convoy ON 192* in order to return to New York, originating in Liverpool on July 9, arriving New York on the 22nd, and on July 30 she was ready to return to Clyde with Convoy HX 250, arriving Clyde on on Aug. 12. Towards the end of that month we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 198*, which left Liverpool on Aug. 21, arrived New York, Ferncourt's destination, on Sept. 4, and also included Katy, Norsktank, Nueva Granada, Petter, Skiensfjord, Vanja and Vinga. A few days later she took station 53 of Convoy HX 256 (again, she was detached from the convoy with other ships, forming a fast section - follow link for details). With Abraham Lincoln, Fernwood, Kaldfonn, Orwell, Skotaas and Spinanger, she headed back across the Atlantic early in Oct. with the westbound Convoy ON 205* (departure Liverpool Oct. 5, arrival New York Oct. 23). The external site already mentioned subsequently has her in Convoy HX 267, which left New York on Nov. 19-1943, arrived Liverpool on Dec. 3, and included Molda and San Andres. Christmas that year was spent while in the westbound Convoy ON 216*, which departed Liverpool on Dec. 16 and arrived New York on Jan. 3-1944. Other Norwegian ships were Fagerfjell (put back), Fernwood, Molda and Skiensfjord.

Ferncourt was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 276 from New York on Jan. 21-1944, but instead joined HX 277 on Jan. 28, then headed back in the other direction again with Convoy ON 225*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 22 and arrived New York on March 8. Abraham Lincoln, Bralanta, Haakon Hauan, Lista, Marit II, Montevideo, Skiensfjord and Thorsholm are also listed, as is the Panamanin Norlys. (The corvette Buttercup, which was later transferred to Norway after the loss of Tunsberg Castle, is named among the escorts). A few days later, Ferncourt joined Convoy HX 283, arriving Liverpool on March 29, and the following month she was one of 15 Norwegian ships represented in the westbound Convoy ON 231*. The others were: Østhav, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Bernhard, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger. This convoy departed Liverpool on Apr. 7, and arrived New York on the 24th, and already on the 27th we find her in Convoy HX 289 from New York to the U.K., arriving Liverpool on May 15. Just 4 days later she's listed, together with Brimanger, Emma Bakke, Glarona, Herbrand, Laurits Swenson, Maud, Mosli, Norefjord, Noreg, Norma, Pan Scandia, Skaraas and Velma, in the westbound Convoy ON 237* (departure Liverpool on May 19 - Ferncourt arrived Baltimore June 5).

In July-1944 Ferncourt, bound for Mersey and Manchester, sailed in the large Convoy HX 300 from New York, arriving Liverpool on Aug. 2, and on Aug. 6 she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 248(F)*, which arrived New York on the 20th (for info, there was also a slower ON convoy with this number, leaving Liverpool Aug. 10). As usual, other Norwegian ships took part, namely Idefjord, John Bakke, Norsktank, Polarsol and Solfonn. 5 days later, she was ready to head back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 305, bound for Purfleet, returning with the westbound Convoy ON 256*, together with Abraham Lincoln, Egerø, Fagerfjell, Katy, Montevideo, Norsktank, Olaf Bergh, Sørvard and Thorsholm (ON 256 left Liverpool Sept. 28; Ferncourt arrived New York Oct. 13 - see Page 4). Shortly thereafter she joined Convoy HX 314, destination is again given as Purfleet, and at the beginning of the following month she appears, with Brasil, Egerø, Kronprinsessen, Lista, Nueva Granada, Solfonn, Stiklestad and Thorsholm, in the westbound Convoy ON 264*, which left Liverpool on Nov. 4 and arrived New York on the 21st. She headed back to the U.K. again just 3 days later in Convoy HX 322, and rounded off that year by sailing in the westbound Convoy ON 272*, leaving Southend on Dec. 14, arriving New York on Jan. 1-1945. Egerø again took part, as did Norsktank and Strix.

She was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 330 early in Jan.-1945, but instead joined the next convoy on Jan. 8, HX 331, arriving Liverpool on the 22nd, heading in the other direction again on Febr. 1 in Convoy ON 282*, which arrived New York on the 19th. Brimanger, Egerø, Fjordaas, Frontenac, Kaldfonn and Topdalsfjord are also listed in this convoy. Going back to the external site below we now find her, along with California Express, Fagerfjell, Fjordaas, Gefion (returned), Ivaran, Kaldfonn and Tungsha, in Convoy HX 340, departing New York on Febr. 23-1945, arriving Liverpool on March 10. A week later she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 291*, with Fagerfjell and Laurits Swenson (left Liverpool on March 18-1945, arrived New York on Apr. 6; Ferncourt arrived Baltimore that same day). Her last Trans Atlantic convoy voyage was made with Convoy HX 358 (departure New York May 23-1945) - again, see the external link below; Fosna, Gefion and Tungsha are also listed.

For information on subsequent voyages, and voyages in between those discussed in this narrative, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway.

* All the ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys.