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M/S Fernbrook
Updated Aug. 6-2011

To Fernbrook on the "Ships starting with F" page.


Source: Received from R. W. Jordan (his own collection).


This one was received from Historical Department, MAN B&W Diesel, Copenhagen
(probably at trials)


Source: Bjørn Milde's postcard collection.

Manager: Fearnley & Eger, Oslo
Tonnage:
4633 gt

Built by Burmeister & Wains Maskin og Skipsbyggeri, Copenhagen in 1932.

Her voyages are listed on these original images from the Norwegian National Archives:
Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4

Please compare the above voyages with Arnold Hague's Voyage Record below.

Voyage Record
From Apr.-1940 to July-1945:

(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 some voyages are missing.

Departure From To Arrival Convoy Remarks
1940 Apr. 5 Wanganui Nauru Apr. 17 Independent
Apr. 20 Nauru Melbourne Apr. 30 Independent
May 7 Melbourne Adelaide May 8 Independent
May 18 Adelaide Capetown June 8* Independent *Page 1 gives arrival June 11
June 21 Capetown Freetown July 3 Independent
July 4 Freetown Liverpool July 21 SL 38F Convoy available at SL 38F
(external link)
Aug. 6 Liverpool OB 194 Dispersed 54 36N 18 02W, Aug. 10.
Convoy available at OB 194
(external link)
Aug. 10 Dispersed from OB 194 Tampa Aug. 23 Independent
Aug. 25 Tampa Houston Aug. 27 Independent
Sept. 1 Houston New Orleans Sept. 3 Independent See also Page 1
Sept. 3 New Orleans Cristobal Sept. 10 Independent A. Hague says:
Then Pacific trade to June 4-1941.
Missing voyages, Page 1
1941 May 28 Cristobal Baltimore June 4 Independent
June 10 Baltimore Boston June 12 Independent
June 19 Boston New York City June 21 Independent
Sept. 5 New York City Capetown Oct. 4 Independent
Oct. 13 Capetown Aden Oct. 29 Independent
Nov. 1 Aden Suez Nov. 7 Independent
Nov. 9 Port Said Alexandria Nov. 10 Independent
Nov. 22 Alexandria Port Said Nov. 23 Independent
Dec. 4 Port Said Alexandria Dec. 5 Independent
Dec. 17 Alexandria Port Said Dec. 18 Independent Left Port Said Dec. 20
(Page 2).
Dec. 22 Suez Aden Dec. 27 Independent
Dec. 28 Aden Capetown Jan. 11-1942 Independent
1942 Jan. 14 Capetown New York City Febr. 10 Independent
Febr. 19 New York City Philadelphia Febr. 20 Independent
Febr. 26 Philadelphia New York City Febr. 27 Independent
Apr. 23 New York City New York City Apr. 23 Independent Put back
Apr. 25 New York City New York City Apr. 27 Independent Put back
May 1 New York City Capetown May 30 Independent
June 15 Capetown Aden July 1 Independent
July 1 Aden Massawa July 4 Independent
July 4 Massawa Assab July 4 Independent
July 5 Assab Massawa July 6 Independent
July 10 Massawa Suez July 13 Independent
Aug. 4 Suez Aden Aug. 8 Independent
Aug. 15 Aden Port Elizabeth Aug. 30 Independent
Sept. 3 Port Elizabeth Capetown Sept. 5 Independent
Sept. 7 Capetown Takoradi Sept. 17 Independent
Oct. 16 Takoradi Freetown Oct. 22* TS 22 Convoy available at TS 22
(external link)
*Page 2 gives arrival Oct. 24
Oct. 27 Freetown FTT 1 Detached Nov. 10.
Convoy available at FTT 1
(external link)
Nov. 10 Detached from FTT 1 Charleston, SC Nov. 15 Independent
Nov. 15 Charleston, SC New York City Nov. 22 Independent
Dec. 18 New York City Gitmo Dec. 25 NG 330 For Cristobal.
Convoy available at NG convoys
(external link)
Dec. 26 Gitmo Cristobal Dec. 29 GZ 17 Convoy available at GZ convoys
(external link)
Dec. 31 Balboa Durban Febr. 5-1943 Independent
1943 Febr. 6 Durban DN 15 Dispersed Febr. 8.
Convoy available at DN 15
(external link)
Febr. 8 Dispersed from DN 15 Aden Febr. 22 Independent
Febr. 22 Aden Port Sudan Febr. 24 Independent
Febr. 24 Port Sudan Suez Febr. 28 Independent Left Suez March 17
(Page 2 - Also, missing voyages)
March 31 Port Said Haifa Apr. 1 Independent
Apr. 5 Haifa Famagusta Apr. 6 Independent
Apr. 21 Famagusta Iskenderun Apr. 21 Independent
May 15 Iskenderun Haifa May 16 Independent
May 17 Haifa Port Said May 18 Independent Left Port Said May 20
(Page 3).
May 21 Suez Aden May 26 Independent
May 26 Aden Fremantle Independent Page 3 gives arrival June 16
June 17 Fremantle Balboa July 26 Independent
Aug. 2 Cristobal Gitmo Aug. 6 ZG 39 Convoy available at ZG convoys
(external link)
Aug. 7 Gitmo Baltimore Aug. 14 GN 76 Convoy available at GN convoys
(external link)
Aug. 20 Baltimore New York City Aug. 21 Independent
Sept. 12 New York City Hampton Roads Sept. 14 Independent
Sept. 15 Hampton Roads Port Said Oct. 13 UGS 18 For Port Said.
Convoy available at UGS 18
(external link)
See also narrative below
Oct. 14 Port Said Suez Oct. 15 Independent A. Hague says:
Hit Suez Canal bank, needs repairs
1944 Jan. 30 Suez Port Said Jan. 31 Independent On completion of collision repairs
Febr. 2 Port Said Beirut Febr. 3 Independent
Febr. 10 Beirut Famagusta Febr. 11 Independent
Febr. 14 Famagusta Famagusta Febr. 23 Independent A. Hgue says:
Voyage data unknown
(Page 3 indicates Port Said).
Febr. 24 Famagusta Alexandria Febr. 25 Independent Via Haifa
(Page 3)
March 6 Alexandria New York City Apr. 3 GUS 33 Alexandria to U.S.A.
Left New York Apr. 21
(Page 3).
Apr. 23 Hampton Roads Port Said May 19 UGS 40 For Port Said.
Convoy available at UGS 40
(external link)
See also narrative below
May 30 Port Said Haifa Independent Page 3 gives arrival May 31
May 31 Haifa Famagusta June 1 Independent
June 4 Famagusta Iskenderun June 5 Independent
June 8 Iskenderun Mersin June 9 Independent
June 16 Mersin Port Said June 21 Independent
June 24 Port Said Baltimore July 19 GUS 44 Port Said to U.S.A.
July 26 Baltimore New York City July 27 Independent
Aug. 10 New York City Hampton Roads Independent
Aug. 13 Hampton Roads Port Said Sept. 8 UGS 51 Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
Sept. 22 Port Said Iskenderun Sept. 24 Independent
Oct. 2 Iskenderun Famagusta Oct. 3 Independent
Oct. 5 Famagusta Mersin Oct. 10 Independent See also Page 3
Oct. 18 Mersin Port Said Oct. 20 Independent
Oct. 22 Port Said New York City* Nov. 18 GUS 56 Port Said to U.S.A.
*Arrived Baltimore.
Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
Nov. 30 Baltimore New York City Dec. 2 Independent
Dec. 18 New York City Passed Gibraltar Jan. 4-1945 UGS 64 Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
1945 Jan. 4 Passed Gibraltar Port Said Jan. 12 Independent
Jan. 20 Port Said Iskenderun Jan. 22 Independent
Febr. 4 Iskenderun Mersin Febr. 4 Independent
Febr. 15 Mersin Port Said Febr. 16 Independent
Febr. 16 Port Said Oran Febr. 23 Independent
Febr. 26 Oran Baltimore March 16 GUS 74 Convoy available at GUS convoys
(external link)
Apr. 16 Baltimore New York City Apr. 17 Independent
Apr. 27 New York City UGS 89 Dispersed May 12.
Convoy available at UGS convoys
(external link)
May 12 Dispersed from UGS 89 Port Said May 19 Independent
May 25 Port Said Alexandria May 26 Independent
June 1 Alexandria Iskenderun June 3 Independent
June 23 Mersin(?) Port Said June 24 Independent
June 25 Port Said Baltimore July 15 Independent Subequent voyages, Page 4


 Some Convoy Voyages: 
For information on voyages made in between those discussed here, please see the documents received from the National Archives of Norway and A. Hague's Voyage Record above.

As can be seen when going to Page 1 of the archive documents, Fernbrook was en route from Wanganui to Nauru when war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940.

That summer, she's listed in Convoy SLF 38, departing Freetown for the U.K. on July 4. Fernbrook had a cargo of wheat and sailed in station 43 of the convoy. The following month, we find her in Convoy OB 194, which left Liverpool on Aug. 6 and also included Balla, Beth, Granli and Madrono. Fernbrook arrived Tampa independently on Aug. 23, the convoy having been dispersed on the 10th. Both these convoys are available via external links provided within the Voyage Record above. Her subsequent voyages are shown on Page 1. Her 1941 voyages also start on this document; it'll be noticed that she spent quite a long time in New York that year, from June 21 to Sept. 5. Page 2 has more 1941 voyages as well as her 1942 voyages (another 2 months were spent in New York that year, from Febr. 27 to Apr. 23) and some 1943 voyages, while the rest are shown on Page 3. Convoy information for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record.

On Oct. 4-1943, 7 aircraft came in over the convoy she was sailing in but were met by fierce fire from the ships (this was probably Convoy UGS 18, in which she's listed, having departed Hampton Roads on Sept. 15). Several more attacks followed that evening and bombs were dropped, one of which landed in the water near Fernbrook, causing her starboard engine to stop and some damages in the engine room, leading those who were present there to think she had received a direct hit. At about the same time a powerful explosion was heard, followed by a splash causing a tall column of oil-mixed water above the ship, before numerous aircraft parts landed on her deck. About half an hour later another 3 aircraft appeared, again met by fire from the ships and 2 were believed to have been shot down. According to the gunners' report 1010 projectiles were fired from Fernbrook that day, no one was injured in the incident. A direct link to this convoy has been provided in the table above and as will be seen, some ships were hit by aircraft. The Norwegian Egda, Fridtjof Nansen, G. C. Brøvig, Mosli, Petter, Selvik, Slemmestad and Vanja (returned) are also listed, but please note that some of them joined en route and were not present from the U.S. Convoy UGS 18 arrived Port Said Oct. 13, Fernbrook continuing to Suez the next day, and according to A. Hague she hit the Suez Canal bank and required repairs. She did not leave Suez again until Jan. 30-1944.

Skipping now to March-1944, when I have her in Convoy GUS 33. This convoy, which also had a number of Norwegian ships (follow the link for their names), departed Port Said on March 5 and arrived Hampton Roads on Apr. 4, but many ships had other destinations and left the convoy, while others joined along the way. In fact, Fernbrook joined from Alexandria on March 6; she arrived New York Apr. 3 - again, see Page 3.

German bombers were a serious threat to allied shipping in the Mediterranean from the new year of 1944, because about 100 modern bombers were stationed in the South of France, their primary goal being the large UGS convoys from U.S.A., carrying supplies to the allied forces in Italy. Fernbrook was in Convoy UGS 40 for Port Said (station 54), consisting of 77 ships ("Nortraships flåte" says 65 ships, A. Hague names 101 merchant ships), 17 escort vessels as well as the British cruiser Caledon. The convoy was attacked by a total of 62 aircraft off Cape Bengut in the evening of May 11-1944. The attack lasted for 40 minutes; no ships were hit, but 19 planes are said to have crashed in the sea, giving a convincing example of how important and useful it was to have decent armament on the merchant ships. According to a gunner's report from Fernbrook, 1 aircraft fell in the water on her port side between ship No. 34 and 35, and another came down in flames near No. 74 and 75. Gezina, Norelg, Pronto and Salamis are also named in UGS 40, which had departed Hampton Roads on Apr. 23 and arrived Port Said on May 19, but again, please note that they were not all present from the U.S. See the external link provided in the table above (as well as at the bottom of this page).

Some of the gunners on Fernbrook at that time were:
Gunnery Officer Erling Bostad, Gunners Robert Werner Larsen, Edvard Aasmund Nilssen, Per Ottar Fjørtoft, Arne John Eriksen, Hermann Georg Venheim and Harry Busk Halvorsen.

The following month, Fernbrook is listed in Convoy GUS 44, which left Port Said on June 24 and arrived Hampton Roads on July 18. This convoy also had other Norwegian ships, follow the link for info. Several ships joined along the way, while others parted company, but Fernbrook went all the way to the U.S., arriving Baltimore on July 19.

Her subsequent voyages are listed on Page 3 and Page 4 (to Apr.-1946), while convoy information for some of them can be found in the Voyage Record.

 POST WAR: 

Sold in 1959 to Santilana Compania Naviera SA, Panama, and renamed Kalamai (Greek flag). Transferred to MA Karageorgis, Piraeus in 1960. While at Alexandria on Jan. 20-1965, having arrived from Hamina, Finland with a cargo of sugar, steel bars and timber, she caught fire in the engine room and was scuttled. Later refloated and on Sept. 22-1965 berthed at Alexandria and condemned. Sold to Poul Christensen, Nakskov, Denmark, to be resold for breaking up. On Jan. 4-1967 she left Alexandria in tow for Piraeus, and arrived there on Jan. 11. Sold to Brodospas, for breaking up at Split, Yugoslavia.

Related external links:
Ships in UGS 40, including escorts (incomplete listing). A section of the Encyclopedia of WW 2 Naval Battles.

Convoy UGS 40 - More on the air attacks

Astrup Fearnley - The Fearnley company today

Back to Fernbrook on the "Ships starting with F" page.

Another Fernbrook was delivered in Oct.-1976 for the management of Fearnley & Eger, 9375 gt. Sailed as Hesperus for Helge R. Myhre, Stavanger from 1978, later as Kongsgas 1984 for Brødrene Olsen, Stavanger. Had various owners and managers before she was sold for breaking up around 2002.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Tilbakeblikk", E-mails from R. W. Jordan (post war info) and misc. - ref. My sources.

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