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M/S Fernwood To Fernwood on the "Ships starting with F" page. (A picture can be found via the external link at the end of this page). Manager: Fearnley & Eger, Oslo Built by A/S Nakskov Skibsvaerft, Nakskov, Denmark in 1930. Captain: William Thoresen. 1st mate on this ship from the spring of 1942 until the end of the war was Gunnar Album, see the text for B. P. Newton on my page about the Kvarstad Ships & Men (here's a crew list). In service mostly U.S.A.-The Far East up until the fall of 1941, then U.K.-U.S.A. Related items on this website: Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Follow the links provided for more details - some of the pages also include the Commodore's notes and/or narrative of passage. Fernwood, with a cargo of wheat for Dublin, is listed as sailing in Convoy HGF 23 (Gibraltar-Liverpool) in March-1940; follow the link for further convoy details (the Norwegian Svein Jarl also took part). A couple of months later she shows up in Convoy OA 168GF, which left Southend on June 15, then joined up with OB 168GF from Liverpool 2 days later to form Convoy OG 34F, arriving Gibraltar on June 24. Fernwood, however, was only bound for Portsmouth on that occasion (ref. external links at the end of this page - these convoys had many other Norwegian ships as well). The OG convoy will also be added to my own site; in the meantime, the ships sailing in it are named on the page listing ships in all OG convoys. In Nov.-1941 we find her in Convoy HX 161, departing Halifax on Nov. 21, arriving Liverpool Dec. 6. In Febr.-1942 she was in Convoy HX 174, together with the Norwegian James Hawson, Athos, Høegh Giant, Vanja, Thorsholm, Beth and Anderson, as well as the Panamanian Norvinn - all listed on this website. In Sept.-1942 she can be found in Convoy HX 209, and a couple of months later, at the end of Nov.-1942, she joined Convoy HX 217 from New York, general cargo for Glasgow. This convoy was attacked and 2 ships were sunk. Other Norwegian ships taking part were Skiensfjord, Stiklestad, Polartank, Norsol and Noreg. All of them, except Norsol, later returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 157 at the end of Dec. that year. She headed back to the U.K. again in Jan.-1943 with Convoy HX 225 from New York, bound for Cardiff with general and explosives, station 84. She returned to the U.S. in March with the westbound Convoy ON 170, then in Apr.-she went back to the U.K. with Convoy HX 233, again with a general cargo and explosives, as well as 4 aircraft. By June she was back in New York, joining Convoy HX 244 on June 15, general cargo for Liverpool, station 22, and in Sept. we find her in station 124 of Convoy HX 256, bound for Liverpool and carrying a general cargo as well as explosives. In Febr.-1944 she's listed in Convoy HX 278, destination Milford Haven and Southampton, general cargo. That summer, in June-1944, she was in Convoy HX 297 from New York, bound for Liverpool with general cargo, and in Aug. she sailed in Convoy HX 305, general cargo for Liverpool. In Oct./Nov.-1944 she's listed in Convoy HX 317, again bound for Liverpool with general cargo and in company of several other Norwegian ships. She was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 331 early in Jan.-1945, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 332 (in which Solør was torpedoed) - general cargo for Liverpool. On my page Warsailor Stories I've included the personal story of someone who was on board Fernwood at some point in the war - the first story on that page (there's also a link to the original, Norwegian version of the story). While there are no details on this ship, it's an interesting story about 5 brothers and a sister who served outside of Norway during the war; the brothers on 17 different ships altogether. Another sister was involved in "illegal" activities in Norway, as was the father. That page also holds another story from someone else who was on board Fernwood.
Sold in 1955 to I/S ms William (manager Pehrson & Wessel, Drammen), and renamed William. Sold in 1959 to Sigbjørn Birkeland Rederi, Bergen, and renamed Tine. Sold in 1963 to Compania Naviera Jezreel SA, Panama (Frederick Shipping Corp, Hong Kong, managers), and renamed Jezreel. On Sept. 16-1963 she went aground in Japan in 32 34N 130 06E shortly after leaving Misumi on a voyage to Pusan with a cargo of coal, steel and general. She later broke in two. On Oct. 14 the afterpart was cut free and refloated and on Oct. 21 she arrived in tow at Tanoura Moji. Related external links: Lillesand Sjømannsforening has a picture of this ship. There's also some information on a few of her crew members (the text is in Norwegian) Back to Fernwood on the "Ships starting with F" page.
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