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M/S Fernwood To Fernwood on the "Ships starting with F" page. Lillesand Sjømannsforening's website has a picture - external links, click in the photo to make it larger). 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: Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.
(Received from Don Kindell - His source: The late Arnold Hague's database). Follow the convoy links provided for more information on each. Errors may exist, and several voyages are missing.
With a cargo of wheat for Dublin, Fernwood is listed as sailing in station 23 of Convoy HGF 23 from Gibraltar on March 17-1940. According to A. Hague, she arrived Dublin on March 24 (the Norwegian Svein Jarl also took part). The following month, we find her in Convoy OB 123, which originated in Liverpool on Apr. 4 and joined up with Convoy OA 123 on Apr. 6, the combined convoy forming the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 25F, which arrived there on Apr. 12. Fernwood, however, had detached from this convoy on Apr. 8, and arrived Bermuda on the 18th, proceeding to New York about a week later, according to Page 1. In other words, she was at sea when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9.
Fernwood's subsequent 1940 voyages are shown on Page 1, which also has some of her 1941 voyages. These continue on Page 2. Skipping now to Nov. 21-1941, when she's listed Convoy HX 161 from Halifax. She arrived Liverpool Dec. 7, heading back to Halifax later that month in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 50*, which left Liverpool on Christmas Eve and dispersed Jan. 3-1942, Fernwood arriving Halifax on Jan. 5. Charles Racine, Fagerfjell, Fjordheim (returned), Høegh Giant, Innerøy, Sama, Skandinavia, Strinda and Taborfjell are also listed in this convoy. On Febr. 7-1942, she joined Convoy HX 174 from Halifax, together with the Norwegian James Hawson (returned), Athos, Høegh Giant, Vanja, Thorsholm, Beth and Anderson (ran aground, follow link for details), as well as the Panamanian Norvinn (returned). Acanthus and Rose are named among the escorts. Fernwood arrived Liverpool on Febr. 22, later proceeding to Manchester, where she stayed for 2 months, according to Page 2. That spring, she made a voyage to New York, where she arrived on May 30, having sailed from Liverpool on May 15 in Convoy ON 95*, together with Abraham Lincoln, Daghild, Hardanger, Helgøy, Morgenen, N.T. Nielsen Alonso, Norbryn, Solstad, Stigstad and Trondheim. Her next Trans-Atlantic voyage was made in Convoy HX 209 from New York in Sept.-1942, for which Skiensfjord served as Commodore Vessel. Fernwood's destination is given as Manchester, where she arrived Oct. 13. With Albert L. Ellsworth, Anna Odland, Aun, Fagerfjell, Fernmoor, Gallia, Herbrand, Jenny (returned), Pan Aruba, Reinholt, Salamis, Samuel Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Skiensfjord, Trondheim and Ørnefjell, she now headed back across the ocean with Convoy ON 141* on Oct. 24, arriving New York Nov. 10. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 3. Later that month, she joined Convoy HX 217 from New York, general cargo for Glasgow. This convoy was attacked and 2 ships were sunk - the Commodore's narrative is also available. Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose were among the escorts. Other Norwegian ships taking part were Skiensfjord, Stiklestad, Polartank, Norsol and Noreg. All of them, except Norsol, later returned to the U.S. with Convoy ON 157 the following month, Skiensfjord serving as Commodore Vessel again. The convoy arrived New York on Jan. 15.-1943, having left Liverpool on Dec. 27. Fernwood headed back to the U.K. again on Jan. 30-1943 with Convoy HX 225 from New York, bound for Cardiff with general and explosives, station 84, arriving her destination on Febr. 15. She returned to the U.S. in March with Convoy ON 170, then on Apr. 6, she joined Convoy HX 233, again with a general cargo and explosives, as well as 4 aircraft. In May we find her, with Dageid, Gallia, Germa, Hiram, Ivaran, Oregon Express, Skiensfjord, Thorshov, Thorshøvdi and Villanger, in the westbound Convoy ON 182*, which departed Liverpool on May 6 and arrived New York May 22; Fernwood stopped at Halifax on the 19th, continuing the next day to Cape Cod Canal and New York, with arrival May 23 (Page 3), later joining Convoy HX 244 on June 15, general cargo for Liverpool, station 22 (Vice Commodore in Samuel Bakke). In July, she joined the westbound Convoy ON 193*, which originated in Liverpool on July 16 and arrived New York July 31; Fernwood arrived Baltimore that day. As usual, several Norwegian ships had taken part, namely Bralanta, Chr. Th. Boe, Fagerfjell, 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 (Norwegian managers). It looks like Fernwood spent over a month in Baltimore, before proceeding to New York on Sept. 6, joining Convoy HX 256 from there on Sept. 9, bound for Liverpool and carrying a general cargo and explosives (Commodore in Topdalsfjord, Vice Commodore in Brimanger). With Abraham Lincoln (Vice Commodore), Ferncourt, Kaldfonn, Orwell, Skotaas and Spinanger, she subsequently joined the westbound Convoy ON 205*, departing Liverpool on Oct. 5, arriving New York Oct. 23, then returned with Convoy HX 266*, which left New York on Nov. 13 and arrived Liverpool on the 27th and also included Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Idefjord (from Halifax), Morgenen, Mosli and Thorhild. Her last convoy voyage that year was made with the westbound Convoy ON 216*, departing Liverpool on Dec. 16, arriving New York Jan. 3-1944. Fagerfjell (returned), Ferncourt, Molda and Skiensfjord are also listed. On Febr. 5-1944, we find her in Convoy HX 278, destination Milford Haven and Southampton, general cargo. She arrived Milford on Febr. 20, Southampton on the 23rd. The following month, she appears among the ships in the westbound Convoy ON 228*, originating in Liverpool on March 15, arriving New York Apr. 1; Fernwood arrived Baltimore that day, having sailed from Belfast Lough on March 16. Buenos Aires, Emma Bakke, Herbrand, Laurits Swenson (Commodore Vessel), Solfonn, Somerville and Sørvard are also named. On Apr. 27, she's listed in Convoy HX 289 from New York; according to the original Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy, this was the British Fernwood, but when going to Page 4 of the archive documents, we see that the information fits with the Norwegian ship's voyages at this time. She arrived Liverpool on May 14, and a couple of weeks later she joined the westbound Convoy ON 238*, in order to sail to Philadelphia, where she arrived June 10 (convoy departed Liverpool May 26, arrived New York June 9). Bralanta (Commodore Vessel), Jotunfjell, Morgenen, Skotaas and Thorsholm are also listed. On June 24, she can be found in Convoy HX 297 from New York (Commodore in Brimanger), bound for Liverpool with general cargo, then in July, she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 246*, which left Liverpool on July 25 and arrived New York Aug. 9 and also included Abraham Lincoln, Alaska, Atlantic, Brimanger (Commodore Vessel), Dageid, Dalfonn, Danio, Ivaran, James Hawson, Kaldfonn, Leiv Eiriksson, Petter, Skotaas, Strinda, Thorhild, Tiradentes, Toronto, Vardefjell, Velox and Ørnefjell; Fernwood was again bound for Philadelphia, arriving there Aug. 10. On Aug. 25, she joined Convoy HX 305, general cargo for Liverpool (Commodore in Abraham Lincoln), returning to New York with Convoy ON 255* (from Liverpool Sept. 22, to New York Oct. 9). Brimanger (Commodore Vessel) and Ivaran had again been in company, as had Herbrand, Solfonn, Solør and Stiklestad. Fernwood is now listed in Convoy HX 317, which arrived Liverpool on Nov. 13, having sailed from New York Oct. 30. Her last Trans-Atlantic voyage that year was made in Convoy ON 269*, departing Liverpool on Nov. 29, arriving New York Dec. 15. Other Norwegian ships were Heranger, Orwell, Polartank, Skaraas, Slemmestad, Sørvard and Thorhild. With a general cargo for Liverpool, she was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 331 on Jan. 8-1945 (Commodore in Montevideo), but instead joined the next convoy on Jan. 13, HX 332 (in which Solør was torpedoed, follow the link for details). Abraham Lincoln again served as Commodore Vessel. The following month, Fernwood is listed, along with Abraham Lincoln (Commodore Vessel), Noreg, Norsol, Sverre Helmersen, Toronto, Troubadour and Velma, in Convoy ON 284* (from Liverpool Febr. 11, to New York March 1), and on March 14, she joined Convoy HX 344* back to the U.K. (A. Hague gives arrival Cardiff March 28). Anna Knudsen, Frontenac, Havkong and Topdalsfjord (Commodore Vessel) also took part. Fernwood subsequently headed to Quebec and Montreal, crossing the Atlantic in Convoy ON 297*, together with Abraham Lincoln, Brasil, Brimanger, Emma Bakke (Commodore Vessel), Geisha, Norsktank and Topdalsfjord. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Apr. 17 and arrived New York May 2; Fernwood arrived Quebec that day (having detached from the convoy on Apr. 28, according to A. Hague), proceeding to Montreal on the 15th, with arrival May 16 - again, see Page 4 (in other words, VE Day was celebrated while in Quebec). As will be seen when going to Page 5 of the archive documents, she got to go home to Norway in Aug.-1945, and again in Oct.-1945.
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. The afterpart was cut free and refloated on Oct. 14, and on Oct. 21 she arrived Tanoura Moji in tow. Related external link: Back to Fernwood on the "Ships starting with F" page.
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