M/T Morgenen
Updated June 22-2010

To Morgenen on the "Ships starting with M" page.


From Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.


From the webmaster of Riversea International (George Robinson - external link), who has also provided some of the Post War info.

Misc. Convoy Voyages – 1940-1945:

For information on voyages made in between those mentioned here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and Hague's Voyage Record above. Follow the convoy links provided for further details; the Commodore's notes and/or narrative are also available for some of them and several Norwegian ships took part.

As can be seen from Page 1 of the archive documents, Morgenen was on her way from Abadan to Norway when war broke out there on Apr. 9-1940, but was diverted to Southampton. Via Suez and Port Said, she proceeded to Gibraltar and from there she joined Convoy HG 28 on Apr. 29, cargo of gas oil, kerosene and benzine, station 73, and arrived Southampton on May 8 (the only other Norwegian ship in this convoy was Sandar). The following month she's listed in Convoy OA 152, which left Southend on May 20 and dispersed on the 22nd - see external link provided in the Voyage Record. Her destination is not given, but according to the archive document, she arrived Port Arthur on June 8, having started out from Falmouth on May 21. From Port Arthur, she proceeded to Bermuda 2 days later and was scheduled for the Bermuda portion of Convoy HX 52 on June 20, but did not sail. She shows up again in Convoy HX 59 the following month, bound for Clyde with a cargo of aviation spirits. Later that year we find her in Convoy OB 233, leaving Liverpool on Oct. 23, dispersed Oct. 27, Morgenen arriving Table Bay on Nov. 24. Carmelfjell, Leka and Sophocles are also listed in this convoy; again, ref. link in the table above.

In Febr.-1941 she sailed in Convoy SL 65, which left Freetown on Febr. 10 and arrived Liverpool on March 8; Morgenen, however, stopped at Belfast Lough on March 5 (according to A. Hague, she had become a straggler), later proceeding to Avonmouth, with arrival there on March 9. The Norwegian Belita, Belinda, Bur (damaged - follow link for info), Fernlane, Senta and Polartank are also listed (see link in Voyage Record). A. Hague now has Morgenen, together with Emma Bakke, Garonne and Sveve, in Convoy OB 299, which originated in Liverpool on March 19 and dispersed on the 25th, Morgenen arriving New York on Apr. 7 (she had joined from Milford Haven). She returned to the U.K. in May in Convoy HX 126 from Halifax, in which M/T John P. Pedersen and several other ships were sunk. Morgenen, sailing in station 82, had a cargo of gasoline; her destination is given as Barry Roads where she arrived on May 29, before proceeding to Avonmouth. Follow the links for a lot more details on this convoy; several reports are available. The following month she shows up, with destination Curacao, in Convoy OB 334, which originated in Liverpool on June 11 and arrived Halifax on the 25th; Morgenen arrived Curacao on July 3, having started out from Milford Haven on June 10 - A. Hague says she had been detached from the convoy on June 20. Bur, Chr. Th. Boe, Nova, Petter, President de Vogue, Stigstad and Vardefjell are also listed (again, ref. link provided in the Voyage Record)

Tony Cooper, a visitor to my website (who has provided a lot of the convoy information on this site) has told me that Morgenen was in station 124 of Convoy HX 142* in Aug.-1941, together with the Norwegian Siljestad (76), Kristianiafjord (86) and Nyholt (56). A. Hague has also included Sama. Corvus was also initially in this convoy but was sent to join up with Convoy SC 39* because she was too slow for HX 142. The HX convoy departed Halifax on Aug. 1 and arrived Liverpool on the 18th (Morgenen stopped at Belfast Lough on the 17th, later arriving Barrow on Aug. 20 - Page 2). According to Tony's information 63 ships sailed from Halifax in this convoy, while 8 sailed from Sydney, C.B. Kirkpool and Scottish Musician had engine defects and were sent back to Halifax. Like Corvus, the Dutch Hercules was also sent to join SC 39 because of her slow speed. Rotterdam, Murena, Hjelmaren and Narragansett went missing in the fog (from HX 142). Empire Sailor did not join HX 142 till Aug. 6. Perth was the rescue ship for this convoy.

The following comes from the Commodore's notes:
Delayed in sailing by fog which persisted during the whole convoy. First count was on August 4th when four ships were missing. On Aug. 5 Sydney portion of 8 ships and SC 39 of 27 ships joined HX 142. SC 39 parted company with HX 142 on Aug. 13. (For info, the slow convoy had also left Halifax on Aug. 1, arrived Liverpool on the 19th).

After unloading her cargo, Morgenen joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 10, which left Liverpool on Aug. 27-1941 and dispersed on Sept. 11, Morgenen arriving Halifax on the 13th (see Page 2), returning to the U.K. with Convoy HX 151 (station 93) along with the Norwegian Sama, San Andres, Meline, Dagrun, Belinda, Thorshøvdi, Sophocles, Tigre, Hardanger, Leiv Eiriksson and Laurits Swenson. This convoy left Halifax on Sept. 22 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 7; Morgenen stopped at Belfast Lough on Oct. 5, later proceeding to Avonmouth, where she arrrived Oct. 9. Later that month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 28*, which originated in Liverpool Oct. 20 and dispersed Nov. 3 and also included Beth, Brant County, Grena, Laurits Swenson, Polartank and Ringstad. Morgenen arrived New York Nov. 6, having started out from Milford Haven on Oct. 19. She headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 161 from Halifax on Nov. 21, and together with Bello, Brasil, Kaia Knudsen, Katy, Mosli, Nyholt, Solsten, Stigstad, Thorshøvdi, Tungsha and Vanja, she later joined the westbound Convoy ON 52* (originated in Liverpool Dec. 31, dispersed Jan. 11-1942), and arrived New York Jan. 21-1942. Montbretia and Rose are named among the escorts (see ON escorts).

She was scheduled for Convoy HX 182 from Halifax on March 27-1942, but instead joined the next convoy on Apr. 2, HX 183, and arrived Liverpool on the 15th, proceeding to Manchester a few days later. In May she's listed, along with Abraham Lincoln, Daghild, Fernwood, Hardanger, Helgøy, N.T. Nielsen Alonso, Norbryn, Solstad, Stigstad and Trondheim, in the westbound Convoy ON 95*, departing Liverpool May 15. Morgenen was bound for Port Arthur, where she arrived, via New York and Hampton Roads, on June 17. She now made some voyages around the U.S. (Page 2), before proceeding to Halifax in order to join Convoy HX 200 from there on July 27, arriving Liverpool on Aug. 7, later continuing to Eastham and Manchester; Acanthus, Montbretia and Potentilla are named among the escorts. Morgenen went back in the other direction again on Aug. 21 in the westbound Convoy ON 123, and arrived New York Sept. 6. According to the Commodore's notes for this convoy (follow link), she experienced problems with smoke on this voyage. Page 3 shows her subsequent voyages; convoy information for some of these can be found in the Voyage Record above.

In Oct.-1942 she was scheduled for Convoy HX 212 from New York, in which Kosmos II was sunk and Frontenac damaged, but joined the next convoy on Oct. 26, HX 213, cargo of gasoline for Grangemouth, station 21, arriving her destination on Nov. 12. Later that month we find her, together with Evita, Høyanger, N. T. Nielsen Alonso, Vanja and Vinga, as well as the Panamanian Norlys (Norwegian managers and included under the N's of this website) in the westbound Convoy ON 149*, which originated in Liverpool on Nov. 26 and arrived New York on Dec. 12; Morgenen, however, was bound for Curacao, where she arrived, via Guantanamo Bay, on Dec. 22. According to A. Hague, she had been detached from the ON convoy on Dec. 2 and arrived Guantanamo Bay on the 16th. From there, he has included her in Convoy GAT 30 on Dec. 18. He also has her, voyage Curacao to Gitmo, in the returning Convoy TAG 31, which started out in Trinidad on Christmas Eve and arrived Guantanamo on the 28th, Morgenen had sailed from Curacao on Dec. 26. From Guantanamo, she now continued to New York on Dec. 28 in Convoy GN 31, and arrived New York on Jan. 4-1943 - all 3 links are external. Again, see also Page 3.

2 days later (Jan. 6-1943) she was scheduled for Convoy HX 222 from New York, but did not sail (Vestfold was sunk). She was also cancelled from HX 223, in which Kollbjørg and Nortind were lost, but eventually got away with HX 224 on Jan. 22. Via Liverpool and Eastham, she arrived Manchester on Febr. 10/11, subsequently heading back to New York with the westbound Convoy ON 168*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 21 and dispersed on March 12, Morgenen arriving New York on the 15th. She had again been in the company of several other Norwegian ships, namely Brajara, Brimanger, Egda, Gallia, Heranger, Lynghaug, Maud (returned), Meline, Reinholt, Slemmestad and Tigre. Having made voyages to Baltimore (where she stayed for over a month) and Philadelphia, she returned to New York, and on May 7 she can be found in station 41 of Convoy HX 238, bound for Manchester with lub. oil, arriving there on May 24. About a week later she joined Convoy ON 187*, which left Liverpool on June 1 and arrived New York on the 15th; Morgenen arrived Philadelphia the next day (Page 4). Annik, Athos, Braga, Bralanta, Elisabeth Bakke, Fagerfjell, Frontenac, Helgøy, Kronprinsen, Lista, Norbryn, Norefjord, O. B. Sørensen, President de Vogue, Toledo and Vanja are also named in this convoy, as is the Panamanian Norvinn (Norwegian managers). Some of these ships, including Morgenen, headed back across the Atlantic in Convoy HX 245 from New York on June 23. Morgenen's destination is given as Stanlow, cargo of oil; according to the archive document, she arrived Manchester on July 8/9.

She later joined the westbound Convoy ON 194*, bound for Philadelphia. This convoy, which also included Anna Odland, Belinda, Brimanger, Dagrun, Fernmoor, G. C. Brøvig, Germa, Heimvard, Kaia Knudsen, Lista, Noreg, Norheim and Skandinavia, left Liverpool on July 24 and arrived New York on Aug. 7 and had Acanthus, Potentilla and Rose as escorts for a while (see ON escorts). Morgenen arrived her destination on Aug. 10, returning to New York a few days later (see Page 4), and was scheduled for Convoy HX 252 (in which Santos was lost), but instead joined the next convoy on Aug. 20, HX 253 (station 44, bound for Birkenhead, also making another voyage to Manchester), then headed back to the U.S. on Sept. 15 with the westbound Convoy ON 202 (ONS 18), in which Oregon Express and Skjelbred were sunk - please follow the links for much more info on these events; several reports are included. Morgenen arrived Baltimore on Oct. 2, remaining there for over a month before proceeding to Philadelphia then on to New York, and according to Arnold Hague, she subsequently joined Convoy HX 266*, which left New York on Nov. 13 and arrived Liverpool on the 27th; Morgenen arrived Avonmouth the next day. Brimanger, Fernwood, Idefjord, Mosli and Thorhild are also listed. Just a few days later Morgenen appears, along with Geisha, Kristianiafjord, Montevideo, Sørvard and Thorhild, in the westbound Convoy ON 214* (departure Liverpool Dec. 2, arrival New York Dec. 20), and rounded off that year by sailing to the U.K. with HX 273 from New York on Dec. 29, spending the last day of 1943 at sea. She arrived Liverpool on Jan. 14-1944, continuing to Eastham and Manchester.

She's now listed, together with Kaldfonn, Spinanger (returned) and Villanger, in the westbound Convoy ON 221*, which left Liverpool on Jan. 24 and arrived New York on Febr. 11 (Acanthus is again named among the escorts). In March we find her in Convoy HX 282, returning at the end of that month with Convoy ON 230* which also had Duala, Pan Scandia and Villanger in its ranks (convoy left Liverpool March 30, arrived New York Apr. 17; Morgenen arrived Philadelphia that day). On Apr. 27 she joined Convoy HX 289 in order to go back to the U.K. Her voyages in this period are shown on Page 5. In May she joined the westbound Convoy ON 238*, which left Liverpool on May 26 and arrived New York on June 9; Morgenen arrived Philadelphia June 10. Bralanta, Fernwood, Jotunfjell, Skotaas and Thorsholm also took part. Later that month she joined Convoy HX 296 from New York, bound for Avonmouth and Mersey, and subsequently returned across the ocean in July with the westbound Convoy ON 244*, together with Buenos Aires, Herbrand and Thorsholm (departure Liverpool July 10, arrival New York July 23; Morgenen arrived Philadelphia that day).

On Aug. 4 she's listed in Convoy HX 302 from New York, her destination is given as Mersey and Manchester. According to the archive document mentioned above, she arrived Manchester on Aug. 21, remaining there until Oct. 5. Tony has told me that she on Oct. 7 that year sustained damage during heavy weather while on passage from Liverpool to Philadelphia; 7 shell plates were damaged. This must have been while in Convoy ON 258*, in which she's listed, together with Havkong, Idefjord, Pan Scandia, Vanja and the Panamanian Norlys (left Liverpool Oct. 6, arrived New York Oct. 24 - Morgenen arrived Philadelphia Oct. 25). In the middle of the following month she shows up, with destination Manchester, in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 161, returning with Convoy ON 273*, which left Liverpool on Dec. 18 and arrived New York on Jan. 4-1945 - Morgenen arrived Philadelphia the next day. Fridtjof Nansen, Glarona, Kaia Knudsen, Reinholt (returned), Skotaas and Sverre Helmersen are also listed in this convoy.

On the night of Jan. 21/22-1945, Morgenen was in collision with the American steamer M. J. Tracy (should this be M. & J. Tracy?) in New York harbour and grounded on Liberty Flats. At the time of the collision she was leaving Pier 54 North River harbour on passage from Philadelphia and New York to the U.K. loaded - going back to Page 5, we see that she had arrived New York from Philadelphia on Jan. 14. It appears her damages were not very serious, because about a week later we find her, with destination Mersey and Stanlow, in the slow Convoy SC 166, which left Halifax on Jan. 31 - she had arrived Halifax from New York, via Boston, on Jan. 29. According to Page 6, she arrived Stanlow on Febr. 18, and just 3 days later she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 286*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 21 and arrived New York on March 9 and also included Anna Knudsen, Anna Odland, Reinholt and Strinda.

From New York, she later sailed to Boston then on to Halifax, and with Arosa (returned), Evanger, Grey County, Henrik Ibsen, Ima, Norsktank, Norvarg and Vinga, A. Hague now has her in Convoy SC 171*, carrying lub. oil and aircraft, as well as 60 depth charges, sailing in station 63. This convoy left Halifax March 27 and arrived Liverpool Apr. 10; her arrival is given as Apr. 11, and she proceeded to Eastham and Manchester the next day. Her last Trans-Atlantic convoy voyage was made in the westbound Convoy ON 298*, together with Dalfonn, Fenris, Marit II, Reinholt, Thorsholm and the Panamanian Norlys (departure Liverpool Apr. 21, arrival New York May 7). On May 16 a survey was done in Brooklyn N.Y. in respect to the damages from the above mentioned incidents. Port and starboard bilge keels for 50 to 100 ft respectively were renewed as well as 9 plates. Morgenen headed back to Liverpool on June 17, but this time, no convoy was necessary.

As can be seen when going back to Page 6, she got to go home to Norway in the fall of 1945.

*The ON convoys are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section; in the meantime, the ships sailing in them (and escorts) are named in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. Note also that the entire SC series and the HX series will eventually be updated and completed, including the already existing convoys (some have already been updated); but for now, see ships in all SC convoys and ships in all HX convoys.

More details on the other Norwegian ships mentioned on this page can be found with the help of the alphabet index below, or go to the Master Ship Index

POST WAR:

Morgenen left Harstad, Norway in ballast for New York for orders on Aug. 27-1945. On the 30th she lost the propeller and tailshaft in position 60 57N 5 19W, and was taken in tow by a British tug on Sept. 1, arriving Longhope "Lyness" Orkney Islands the following day, continuing in tow to Greenock for repairs on Sept. 3, arriving the Clyde Anchorage on Sept. 5. Arrived Greenock on Sept. 12 (again, see also Page 6).
Morgenen was renamed Esperance in 1951 (Bjarne Ruud-Pedersen, Oslo), Titanian in 1955 (Hilmar Reksten, Bergen). Bow and cargo section incorporated into Fabian in 1961, converted to dry cargo. Stern/machinery broken up at Burcht in Nov.-1961.

Related external link:
A casualty - Cause is not given at this memorial, though under the heading "wrecked" is the date Aug. 24-1940. I assume that date refers to the day of Einar Emil Grandstrøm's death, however, the book "Våre falne", which names Norwegian casualties in WW II, says he died during an air attack on London on Aug. 28-1941 - no ship is mentioned in this book. (According to Page 2 of the archive documents, Morgenen was on her way from Barrow to Halifax on this date).

Back to Morgenen on the "Ships starting with M" page.

Norway had a barque (seal catcher) by this name back in the late 1800's, built Norway 1871, 292 gt - became British S/S Morning in 1900.