M/T Gefion - Norwegian Merchant Fleet 1939-1945

Other pages on this website with information related to this text:
Convoy HX 215
Convoy HX 221
Convoy ON 162
Convoy HX 228
Convoy HX 234
Convoy HX 242
Convoy HX 248
Convoy HX 254
Convoy HX 320
Convoy ON 270
Convoy HX 328
Convoy HX 329
Convoy ON 279

Some War Voyages:

In service in the Atlantic but also for the US Navy in the Pacific.

The Norwegian version of my "Warsailor Stories" section has a story by Peder Kristoffer Langeland who served on this ship from Nov.-1941 till Sept.-1942. He confirms the ship was on charter to the U.S. Navy, and adds that they made several voyages Aruba – Halifax and Aruba – the Gulf, often in convoy north from Key West due to the increasing U-boat threat. He adds that when the news of the Pearl Harbor attack was received on Dec. 7-1941, they were in New York.

Gefion, bound for Avonmouth, can be found listed in the New York-U.K. Convoy HX 215 in Nov.-1942, then at the end of Dec. that year she sailed in Convoy HX 221 from New York, cargo of gasoline for Stanlow, station 83.

She returned to New York in Jan.-1943 with the westbound Convoy ON 162, and was scheduled to go back to the U.K. at the end of Febr. with Convoy HX 228 (in which Brant County was sunk), but did not sail. In Apr. that same year we find her in station 53 of Convoy HX 234, and she must have gone straight back to the U.S., because at the end of May she shows up in station 103 of Convoy HX 242 from New York, again bound for Avonmouth. She's also listed in Convoy HX 248, leaving New York on July 15-1943, and in HX 254, departing on Aug. 27-1943. Her destination on that occasion is given as Stanlow, and she had station 94 of the convoy.

In Nov.-1944 she was 1 of 3 Norwegian ships in Convoy HX 320; Gefion was bound for Stanlow with petroleum products. The others were Anna Knudsen and Dalfonn. Only a few days after arrival U.K. she embarked on her return voyage across the ocean with the westbound Convoy ON 270, and was scheduled to go back to England with Convoy HX 328 from New York, but did not sail and instead joined the next convoy, HX 329, on Dec. 29, bound for Avonmouth. She returned to the U.S. in Jan.-1945 with the westbound Convoy ON 279.

All the convoys mentioned here are available in my Convoys section - direct links have been provided above. As will be seen, several Norwegian ships sailed in them.