M/S Bernhard
Updated July 21-2008

To Bernhard on the "Ships starting with B" page.

Further to the above:

(Please note that Transatlantic voyages only are mentioned here - for voyages in between those discussed below, please go back to the Voyage Record).

Bernhard, with a cargo of steel and trucks for Ardrossan, was scheduled for the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HX 80 in Oct.-1940, but did not sail. Follow the link for more details on this convoy (several Norwegian ships took part). The following month she was scheduled for the slow Sydney (C.B.)-U.K. Convoy SC 12, but again cancelled. She subsequently joined Convoy SC 13 and rescued 16 shipwrecked men from Lisieux on November 28-1940. This convoy had departed Sydney C. B. on Nov. 22 and encountered bad weather 200 n. miles east of New Foundland. Bernhard had heard the distress signals from the ship and went out of the convoy to search for them. The men in the lifeboats, 15 in one and 1 in the other, had left their ship in such a hurry they were barely dressed, and wouldn't have lasted much longer in the storm and terrible cold. Bernhard turned back and landed the survivors at St. John's on Dec. 1.

* The Greek ships Eugena Cambanis and Kolchis also foundered in this storm, with the latter losing 23 men. "Nortraships flåte" says Lisieux was French and had lost 10 men, while Arnold Hague says she was British, and states there were no casualties from this ship. She had foundered on Nov. 27, while the Greek ships foundered on the 28th and 23rd respectively.

After having landed the survivors at St. John's, Bernhard left again the following day for Sydney, C. B. with arrival Dec. 6, leaving again on the 10th for Halifax, arriving there on Dec. 12 with a cracked cylinder head. This was presumably repaired, because she did not leave again until Jan. 22-1941 with Convoy SC 20 (she had originally been scheduled for Convoy SC 15 at the beginning of Dec.-1940), but returned to Halifax with a sick seaman on Febr. 3, as well as damage to davits, deck rail and degaussing gear. She's said to have joined Convoy SC 22, only to return to port, but note that she's not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy. She left Halifax for Ardrossan in Convoy SC 24 on Febr. 28-1941, but again put back to Halifax for repairs to engines and dynamo on March 1. Left Halifax for Ardrossan with Convoy SC 28 on Apr. 9-1941, but returned to port (originally scheduled for SC 26). There's a note in the report for SC 28 saying that she hoisted "Not Under Control" balls, but hauled them down and appeared to be coming up well. However, she disappeared during the night. She's said to have been scheduled for the next convoy, SC 29, but as can be seen she's not mentioned in the documents for that convoy.

Following repairs to engines and steering gear, she departed Halifax on May 19, arriving New York on the 23rd, where she was dry docked for a complete overhaul; cargo discharged. Having been repaired, she finally left New York on Aug. 31-1941 for Sydney, C.B, arriving there on Sept. 5, joining convoy SC 43 that same day for Ardrossan, where she arrived on Sept. 20. This convoy is not available among the SC convoys included on my own site, but I've linked directly to it in the above table. As will be seen, it had several Norwegian ships, namely Astrell, Atle Jarl, Bonde, Bjørkhaug, Erica, Fjord, Fjordheim, Galatea, Ingerfem, Solstad, Torfinn Jarl and Vigsnes. With Bello, Daghild, Gefion, Helgøy, James Hawson, Kollbjørg, Lise, Nueva Granada, Orwell, Slemmestad, Solstad, Thorsholm and Vivi, Bernhard subsequently joined the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 22*, which originated in Liverpool on Oct. 2-1941, Bernhard arriving Galveston independently on Oct. 27 after having straggled from the convoy on Oct. 12. The Norwegian corvette Eglantine is named among the escorts for this convoy. Bernhard returned to the U.K. in the middle of Nov.-1941 with Convoy SC 55, cargo of sulphur for Glasgow (convoy left Sydney, C.B. on Nov. 16, arrived Liverpool Dec. 5).

In Jan.-1942, she took station 101 of Convoy OS 16, voyaging in ballast from Clyde to Galveston. The convoy originated in Liverpool on Jan. 5 and arrived Freetown on the 23rd, but Bernhard had detached on the 13th in order to proceed to her destination. See the external link provided in the table above; Brønnøy, Kattegat, L. A. Christensen, Rio Branco, and Slemmestad are also listed, as is the Panamanian Norvinn, which had Norwegian managers and is, therefore, included under the N's on this website. Bernhard headed back to the U.K. at the end of March with the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 77, cargo of phosphates for Tyne, station 42 (listed as cancelled from Convoy SC 71 the previous month).

That summer she shows up, together with Ada, Boreas, Grey County, Inger Elisabeth, Ingerfire, Norse King, Para, Rena, Rio Branco, Solitaire, Trolla, and Vest, in the westbound Convoy ON 102*, which originated in Liverpool on June 9-1942 and arrived Halifax on the 25th, Bernhard proceeding to her destination New York, where she arrived on June 28.

She was scheduled for Convoy HX 208 from New York in Sept.-1942, but did not sail. Instead, Arnold Hague has included her in the slow Convoy SC 104, which departed New York on Oct. 3-1942, and in which Fagersten and Senta and several others were sunk. Other Norwegian ships in SC 104, which had Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla and Montbretia among the escorts, were Bonde, Boreas, Garnes, Gudvor, Inger Lise, Ingerfem, Lido, Nea, Suderøy and Vinga. (Note that my page about Potentilla has an account on the battle for SC 104 - see also the link provided within the above Voyage Record). Christmas that year was celebrated while in the westbound Convoy ON 150*, which departed Liverpool on Dec. 1 and arrived New York on the 25th. Bernhard, bound for New York, had station 41 of the convoy and was again in the company of other Norwegian ships, namely Carrier, Rio Branco, Sirehei and Snar.

Towards the end of Febr.-1943 she was scheduled for the slow New York-U.K. Convoy SC 121, but did not sail. This is the convoy in which Bonneville and several others were sunk; follow the links for more info. She shows up again in station 32 of Convoy SC 126 from Halifax in Apr.-1943 - the Norwegian Hiram, Vinga, Sommerstad, Ragnhild and Marie Bakke also took part; again, follow the link for more convoy info.

That fall we find her, together with Acasta, Astrid, Hiram, Norse Lady, Novasli, Rena, and Titanian, in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ONS 19*, originating in Liverpool on Sept. 26-1943, arriving Halifax on Oct. 14. Bernhard was bound for New York, where she arrived, via Cape Cod Canal, on Oct. 17.

In Febr.-1944 she sailed in Convoy SC 154 which departed Halifax on Febr. 28-1944 and arrived Liverpool on March 15. The following month she joined the westbound Convoy ON 231* along with 14 other Norwegian ships, namely Østhav, Ferncourt, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger, all listed on this website. This convoy departed Liverpool on Apr. 7-1944 and arrived New York on the 24th. In July-1944 she joined the large Convoy HX 300 from New York, bound for Liverpool with a cargo of sugar, arriving Liverpool on Aug. 3. She returned across the Atlantic about a month later with the westbound Convoy ON 251*, departing Liverpool on Sept. 1-1944. Bernhard's destination is given as Sydney, C.B. and she had station 151 of this convoy, which also included the Norwegian Elg, Evanger, Ferncliff (returned), Fjordheim (sunk - follow link for details), Germa, Grey County, Heimgar, Henrik Ibsen, Rutenfjell, Snar, Thorhild, Tungsha, Veni and Vera, as well as the Panamaian Norbris, which had Norwegian managers and can be found under the N's on this website.

Bernhard was scheduled to go back to the U.K. in the Sydney, C.B. portion of Convoy SC 158, which originated in Halifax on Oct. 4, but instead joined the next convoy on Oct. 19, SC 159, cargo of pulp for London. At the end of Nov.-1944 she joined the westbound Convoy ONS 37*, together with Arosa, Norse Lady, and Toledo. This convoy originated in Liverpool on Nov. 28-1944 and arrived Halifax on Dec. 21. Bernhard's destination is given as New York, and she had station 35. As can be seen in her Voyage Record, she made a stop at Baltimore first, then arrived New York on Jan. 22-1945.

A little over a week later she shows up, with a cargo of coal for Hull, in the slow Halifax-U.K. Convoy SC 166, departing Halifax on Jan. 31-1945, again with a number of Norwegian ships - follow the link for more info. In March we find her in the westbound Convoy ONS 44*, which left Liverpool on March 12 and arrived Halifax on the 31st, and included the Norwegian Mui Hock, Orwell and Stirlingville. According to Arnold Hague, Bernhard joined this convoy from Belfast Lough.

She subsequently made some voyages to Puerto Rico, and in the fall of 1945 she could finally go home to Norway.

Back to Bernhard on the "Ships starting with B" page.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, E-mail from Tony Cooper, England re some of the ship's movements following the rescue of survivors, probably from Bernhard's movement card - and misc. other.