M/T Ferncourt - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Misc. War Voyages:

Ferncourt, bound for Dunkirk, was in the Halifax-U.K. Convoy HXF 13 at the end of Dec.-1939. The Norwegian Italia is also listed.

In Febr./March-1940 she's listed in Convoy HX 23, again with destination Dunkirk. She's also listed in Convoy HX 36 in Apr./May-1940, subsequently joining Convoy OA 150, which left Southend on May 18, joined up with Convoy OB 150 on the 19th, the combined convoy forming the Gibraltar bound Convoy OG 30. Ferncourt, however, was bound for Trinidad, so probably left this convoy at some point to proceed to her destination. See also my page naming ships in all OG convoys. In Nov. that same year she sailed in Convoy HX 86, fuel oil for Clyde, station 22.

In Jan.-1941 she's listed as bound for Curacao in Convoy OB 274, leaving Liverpool on Jan. 14, dispersed on the 19th. (The external site that I've linked to below has more on the OA and OB convoys mentioned here).

"Nortraships flåte" mentions an episode on March 15-1941 when Ferncourt had a narrow escape. She had just arrived the U.K. with Convoy HX 110, having joined this convoy from Bermuda with a cargo of fuel oil for Clyde. 2 mines had been discovered in the Clyde, and after the area was believed to have been made safe again permission was given for a tug to tow Ferncourt into Cart (river). When a mine detonated very close by, the tug was damaged enough to where it had to be beached. Later that month she shows up in Convoy OB 301, leaving Liverpool on March 23, dispersed on the 27th; no destination is given for her (again, see the external link below).

In June-1941 she sailed in Convoy HX 131 from Halifax, bound for Avonmouth with diesel oil in station 82 of the convoy.

On July 7-1941 Ferncourt was hit by 4 bombs, port side of deck, and a torpedo from aircraft while in convoy off Milford Haven near South Bishop (Convoy OB 343, which had left Liverpool on July 6 - later dispersed on July 21). The torpedo also hit on the port side, resulting in a gaping hole below the waterline. 2 were killed (not Norwegian - see * below), 1 injured. Everyone except the captain, 1st mate and an able seaman went in the lifeboats. Ferncourt didn't sink, and as the captain didn't want to give up his ship he got 11 volunteers to reboard. The tug Schelde was called upon to tow her to Milford Haven, then to Swansea, where she was kept for repairs for 10 months. The captain later received the following from Winston S. Churchill:
"By the King's Order the name Syvert Birkenes, Master of the Ferncourt, was placed on record on 29th of August 1941 as commended for brave conduct in the Merchant Navy. I am charged to express His Majesty's high appreciation of the service rendered. Winston S. Churchill, Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury."

* On the Commonwealth War Graves Comm. website there's a Canadian Roy Edgar Benjamin listed as having died on Ferncourt on July 7-1941 (external link). I came across him by chance; I don't know the name of the other casualty.

In June-1942 Ferncourt is listed as bound for Curacao in the westbound North Atlantic Convoy ON 103*, which left Liverpool on June 12. In Aug.-1942 she can be found among the ships in Convoy HX 205 from Halifax, returning across the Atlantic the following month with the westbund Convoy ON 131* (departure Liverpool Sept. 18, arrival New York, Ferncourt's destination on this occasion, on Oct. 4). Later on, she was used in the Torch operations which commenced in Nov.-1942 - see Athos for a list of Norwegian sips taking part.

The external site that I've linked to below also has her in Convoy HX 227, which left New York on Febr. 18-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 6. This convoy is not available on my own site. She subsequently returned to New York the following month in the westbound Convoy ON 173*, which left Liverpool on March 13, and was then scheduled to head back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 236 from New York in Apr.-1943, but did not sail. She's not listed in the Advanca Sailing Telegram for the next convoy, HX 237, however, she's mentioned in the Commodore's list of ships in this convoy, but I can't be entirely sure she actually sailed. Also, it looks like she was scheduled for Convoy HX 244, which left New York on June 15. Again, she's not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for that convoy, but is crossed out from station 37 on the convoy form. She joined the next convoy on June 23, Convoy HX 245, bound for Clyde with petroleum products, station 32. In July she joined the westbound Convoy ON 192* in order to return to New York, leaving Liverpool on July 9, arriving New York on the 22nd, and at the end of that month she was ready to return to Clyde with Convoy HX 250. Towards the end of Aug. we find her in the westbound Convoy ON 198*, which left Liverpool on Aug. 21, arrived New York, Ferncourt's destination, on Sept. 4. Later that month she took station 53 of Convoy HX 256. (As will be seen when following the links provided, some of the ships in HX 245 were detached to form a faster portion of the convoy, and Ferncourt acted as Vice Commodore ship for this portion, her station was 33. She was also detached from HX 256 with other ships, forming a fast section). She headed back across the Atlantic early in Oct. with the westbound Convoy ON 205* (departure Liverpool Oct. 5, arrival New York Oct. 23). No destination is given for Ferncourt on this occasion. The external site already mentioned subsequently has her in Convoy HX 267, which left New York on Nov. 19-1943 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 3. This convoys is not available on my own site. Christmas that year was spent while in the westbound Convoy ON 216*, which departed Liverpool on Dec. 16 and arrived New York on Jan. 3-1944.

She was scheduled to return to the U.K. in Convoy HX 276 from New York in Jan.-1944, but joined HX 277 instead, then headed back in the other direction again with Convoy ON 225*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 22 and arrived New York on March 8. Later that month she joined Convoy HX 283, and the following month she was one of 15 Norwegian ships represented in the westbound Convoy ON 231*. The others were: Østhav, Haakon Hauan, Spinanger, Vav, Solstad, Idefjord, President de Vogue, Heranger, Bernhard, Kong Haakon VII, Thorsholm, Skaraas, Høyanger and Nordanger - all these ships are listed on this website, see the alphabet index at the end of this page. This convoy departed Liverpool on Apr. 7, and arrived New York on the 24th. Already on the 26th she's said to have joined Convoy HX 289 from New York to the U.K., and in May she's listed in the westbound Convoy ON 237* (departure Liverpool on May 19, arrival New York on June 3). In July-1944 Ferncourt, bound for Mersey and Manchester, sailed in Convoy HX 300 from New York, and early in Aug. she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 248(F)*, which left Liverpool on Aug. 6 and arrived New York on the 20th. Already on Aug. 25 she joined Convoy HX 305, bound for Purfleet, returning in Sept. with the westbound Convoy ON 256* (left Liverpool Sept. 28, arrived New York Oct. 12). In Oct. she sailed in Convoy HX 314, destination is again given as Purfleet, and at the beginning of the following month she appears in the westbound Convoy ON 264*, which left Southend on Nov. 3 and arrived New York on the 21st. Just a few days later she headed back to the U.K. in Convoy HX 322, and rounded off that year by sailing in the westbound Convoy ON 272*, leaving Southend on Dec. 14, arriving New York on Jan. 1-1945.

She was scheduled for the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 330 early in Jan.-1945, but instead joined the next convoy, HX 331, heading in the other direction again at the beginning of Febr. in Convoy ON 282*, which left Liverpool on Febr. 1 and arrived New York on the 19th. Going back to the external site below we now find her in Convoy HX 340, departing New York on Febr. 23-1945, arriving Liverpool on March 10. A week later she shows up in the westbound Convoy ON 291* (left Southend on March 17-1945, arrived New York on Apr. 6). She's also listed in Convoy HX 358 (departure New York May 23-1945, arrival Liverpool June 6) - again, see the external link to this convoy provided below.

For information on some voyages in between those mentioned in my text, please follow the instructions at the external link below.

* All the ON convoys mentioned here are available and will be added to individual pages in my Convoys section in due course, along with further details on each. In the meantime, please go to these convoys in the section listing ships in all ON convoys. As will be seen, they all had several Norwegian ships.

POST WAR:

Sold in 1954 to Ramon Mari-Pino, Panama, renamed Amilcar. Sold in 1957 to Daisy Tankers Corporation Inc., Panama (manager Ramon Mari-Pino, Lisbon) and renamed Daisy (Panamanian flag). Sold to Spanish breakers for breaking up at Castellon, where she arrived on June 20-1964.

Related external links:
OB convoys - OB 301 is included. Note also that by going to this section of the same site and clicking on the link to "Ships search", typing "Ferncourt" in the search field, several more convoys that are not mentioned in my own text will come up, including some local U.K. convoys and many others. Here are OA 150, OB 274, OB 343, HX 227, HX 267, HX 340 and HX 358, all mentioned in my text above.