Convoy HX 231

Last updated

Convoy HX.231
Part of the Second World War
North Atlantic Ocean laea relief location map.jpg
North Atlantic Ocean map
Date25 March – 10 April 1943
Location
Belligerents
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Germany
Commanders and leaders
Karl Dönitz
Strength
11 U-boats
  • 67 merchant ships
  • 19 escorts
Casualties and losses
2 U-boats sunk 6 ships sunk

Convoy HX 231 was the 231st of the numbered series of Second World War HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 25 March 1943 and were met on 31 March by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. The convoy was found on 4 April and attacked by eleven U-boats of the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th U-boat flotillas, from Brest, La Rochelle, St Nazaire and Lorient, respectively. These U-boats formed wolfpack Löwenherz (Lionheart). The U-boats sank six ships before losing contact on 7 April, U-632 and U-635, were sunk. The convoy reached Liverpool on 10 April.

Contents

Background

Convoy organisation 1942

In 1942, convoys west of 26° West came under the command of the US Vice-Admiral Arthur Bristol along with the escort forces in the western North Atlantic as Task Force 24. The Canadian Western Local Escort Force (WLEF, also Task Group 24.18) was under the tactical command of the Commanding Officer Atlantic Coast, Rear-Admiral Leonard Murray at Halifax, Nova Scotia, comprising 25 Canadian and 13 British destroyers and corvettes that escorted convoys from Halifax to the Western Ocean Meeting Point (WOMP) at 49° West when SC convoys began sailing from Halifax. [1]

The Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) was based at St John's Newfoundland and Londonderry and Liverpool in the British Isles and became Task Group 24.1, with seven British, four Canadian and one US Navy escort groups. The MOEF escorted HX, SC, ON and ONS convoys to the Eastern Ocean Meeting Point (EASTOMP) at about 20° West where the convoy was handed over to the Eastern local Escort Groups. Ships to Iceland the base for Task Group 24.6 with two US escort groups, detached at about 25° West (ICOMP). The mainly old coastguard ships escorting convoys on the Sydney to Greenland leg came under Task Force 24 as Task Group 24.9. [1]

When the US established the Interlocking Convoy System along the east coast and the Caribbean, the northern termination was at New York and from September 1942 the port became the departure point for transatlantic convoys. The Western Atlantic escort forces were insufficient for the leg from New York to the WOMP and a new Halifax Ocean Meeting Point (HOMP) was created around 61° West, where the eventual twelve WLEF groups (Task Group 24.18) were relieved. After April 1942 an attempt had been made to keep the Ocean Escort Groups together to reap the benefits of teamwork and experience and in the summer of 1942 led to EASTOMP being moved west to accommodate British escorts being sent to the Caribbean. The British escort groups B1 to B7 became based permanently in Britain and the Canadian groups C1 to C4, with the US group A3, at St John's. to the west of 26° West, the Change of Operational Control (CHOP) line, operational control of convoys was vested in the Commander in Chief of the United States Fleet, through the commander of Task force 24 and east of that line control devolved to the British Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches based in Liverpool. [2]

Convoys in 1943

After Convoy RA 53 in March, Arctic convoys were suspended for the summer and destroyers on the Arctic run were transferred to Support Groups in the North Atlantic. The 20th Escort Group with eight aged destroyers and Hunt-class destroyers with the 22nd, 23rd and 34th Escort Groups, each of four corvettes were scheduled for refurbishment. Convoy cycles in the North Atlantic were shortened in March to accommodate more traffic, an HX and a SC convoy departing New York each week, that required 12 ocean escort groups were needed, each of three destroyers, a frigate and six corvettes. [3]

The U-boat arm

By the spring of 1943, had expanded to the size advocated by the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU, Commander of U-Boats) Rear-Admiral Karl Dönitz in 1939. In March, 400 U-boats were in service, 47 were close to completion, 245 were under construction and seven U-boats were being converted. Of the 400 boats, 52 (13 per cent) were training submarines, 119 (29.8 per cent) were working up, seven (1.7 per cent) were prototypes and 222 (55.5 per cent) were operational front-line submarines. Eighteen boats weer in the Arctic, 19 in the Mediterranean and three in the Black Sea, leaving 182 for operations in the Atlantic. Of the Atlantic boats, on 1 March, 114 (62.6 per cent) were at sea and 68 (37.4 per cent) were in French harbours. Of the U-boats at sea, 44 were in transit (24.2 per cent) and 70 (38.4 per cent) were on patrol in operational areas, 45 in the North Atlantic, 13 in the Central Atlantic, five in the Western Atlantic and seven in the South Atlantic. [4]

Prelude

Convoy HX 231 departed New York on 25 March with 61 merchant ships in an 8 nmi (15 km; 9.2 mi)-wide series of columns but the convoy lost cohesion in fog off the Grand Banks, an underwater plateau to the south-west of Newfoundland. The convoy rendezvoused with Escort Group B7 (Commander Peter Gretton) of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force at the MOMP to the south of Iceland, in the vicinity of 58° North and 35° West. The convoy had been sent northwards into cold and stormy weather. The wind in these high latitudes (closer to the North Pole) comes from the north and west, blowing freezing spray onto ship decks that has to be chipped off with picks and shovels. On the cargo-liner Shillong, the lifeboats along the port side got so icy that the davits bent and the lifeboats were disconnected and tied to the ship, to float free if the ship sank. Life rafts had been swept away along with the main mast that got so brittle in the cold that it snapped. The captain, J. H. Hollow, had to move out of position in the convoy to jettison the wreckage. [5]

Allied order of battle

Merchant ships

Merchant ships [6]
NameYearFlag GRT Notes
Amastra1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,031
Ancylus1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,017
Aruba1929Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,979Arrived with rudder damage
MS Asbjörn 1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 4,387
Athelregent1930Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,881
Athos1937Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 8,267
Atlantida1924Flag of Honduras (2022-).svg  Honduras 4,191
Beaverhill1928Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 10,041
Blitar 1923Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7,065Damaged, U-229 sunk 6 April, U-632, 57°45′N, 27°30′W, 26† 54 surv.
British Ardour1928Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,124Escort oiler, sunk 5 April, U-706, 58°08′N, 33°04′W 0† 54 surv.
British Confidence1936Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,494
City of Lyons1926Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,063
Clan Cameron1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,243
Eli Whitney1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,181
Empire Chief 1897Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,040Tanker
Empire Coleridge 1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,798Tanker equipped with Admiralty Defence Nets
Empire Dickens 1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,819Tanker
Empire Marvell 1941)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,812Tanker
Erin1932Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,841
Esso Dover1921Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 8,880
F J Wolfe1932Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 12,190Escort Oiler, turned back with engine trouble
Fort Finlay1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,134
Fort Jemseg1943Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,134
Fort Thompson1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,134
Geo W McKnight1933Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 12,502
Georgian1920Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,825
Jamaica Planter1936Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 4,098Vice-Convoy Commodore embarked
Joel R Poinsett1943Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176
Katy1931Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,826
Kent1918Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,697
Lady Rodney1929Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,194 Halifax to St John's, Newfoundland
Laurelwood1929Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,347
Lochmonar1924Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,412Returned
Manchester Port1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,468
USS Merak 1932Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 6,982Stores and 138 passengers
Mobilgas1937Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 9,860
Mosdale1939Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,022
Nassa1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,134Equipped with Admiralty Defence Nets
Noah Webster1943Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Turned back
Norheim1941Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,816
Norvinn1930Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 6,322
Ocean Volunteer1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,174
Ørnefjell1937Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,334Bound for Halifax
Pandorian1941Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 4,159
Pierre Soule1943Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,191
Pleiades1939Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 3,600
Port Sydney1914Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,129
Raphael Semmes1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,165
Reinholt1939Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,799
Salland1920Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 6,447
Saluta1906Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 6,261Fuel oil, returned
San Adolfo1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,365
San Ambrosio1935Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,410
Santa Maria1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,507
Scebeli1937Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,025Detached and independent, 1 April
Shillong 1939Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,529Damaged, U-635, 57°10′N, 35°30′W, sunk 5 April, U-630, 66† 7 surv.
Slemmestad1928Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,258
Sovac1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 6,724
Stephen C Foster1943Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,106
Sunoil 1927Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 9,005Damaged U-563, sunk 5 April, U-530, 58°15′N, 34°14′W, 43† 0 surv
Thomas Sumter1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,177Romped
Tjibadak1929Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7,083
Torr Head1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,021
Tulsa1919Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,083
Tyndareus1916Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 11,361Convoy Commodore, Admiral Sir Charles Ramsey embarked
Vaalaren 1936Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3,403Romped 4 April, sunk 5 April, U-229, 58°N, 34°W, 38† 0 surv.
Waroonga 1914Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 9,365Damaged, U-635, sunk 5 April, U-630, 19†
William Mulholland1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176
William Whipple1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,181

Local escorts

Western Local Escort Force (New York to Western Ocean Meeting Point)
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Buxton Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Clemson-class destroyer Escort 27–31 March
HNoMS Narvik Naval Jack of Norway.svg  Royal Norwegian Navy Hunt-class destroyer Escort 9–10 April
HMCS Chicoutimi Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 27–31 March
HMCS Quesnel Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 25–31 March
HMCS Saskatoon Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 25–28 March
HMCS Kenora Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Bangor-class minesweeper Escort 25–28 March
HMCS Milltown Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Bangor-class minesweeper Escort 27–31 March

Escort Group B7

Escort Group B7 (Task Unit 24.1.5) of the Mid-ocean escort force [7]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Ripley Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Clemson-class destroyer Ex-USS Shubrick, under repair at Liverpool
HMS Duncan Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy D-class destroyer Under repair at Tobermory
HMS Vidette Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy V-class destroyer Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Tay Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy River-class frigate Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Alisma Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Loosestrife Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Pink Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Snowflake Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Escort 31 March – 9 April
HMS Sunflower Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Under repair at Belfast

4th Support Group

4th Support Group (formed late March) [8]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Eclipse Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy E-class destroyer Escort 6–8 April
HMS Fury Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy F-class destroyer Escort 6–8 April
HMS Icarus Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy I-class destroyer Escort 6–8 April
HMS Inglefield Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy I-class destroyer Escort 6–8 April

RAF Coastal Command

Coastal Command squadrons [9]
SqnFlagGroupTypeNotes
86 Squadron Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force 19 Group Liberator Very Long Range Anti-submarine warfare aircraft
120 Squadron Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force 15 Group Liberator Very Long Range Anti-submarine warfare aircraft

German order of battle

U-boat wolfpack

Gruppe Löwehnerz [9]
NameFlagClassNotes
U-168 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type IXC/40 submarine
U-191 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type IXC/40 submarine
U-260 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-563 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-564 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-572 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-584 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-592 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-594 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine Damaged by Liberator E, 120 Squadron
U-630 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-632 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine Sunk by Liberator R, 86 Squadron
U-635 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine Sunk by Liberator L, 120 Squadron
U-706 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine

Other U-boats

Other U-boats involved [9]
NameFlagClassNotes
U-229 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-463 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type XIV submarine Milchkuh (Milch Cow)
U-532 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type IXC submarine

References

  1. 1 2 Rohwer 1977, pp. 27−28.
  2. Rohwer 1977, p. 28.
  3. Rohwer 1977, p. 38.
  4. Rohwer 1977, p. 47.
  5. Woodman 2004, pp. 645–646.
  6. Jordan 2006, pp. 11, 88, 100, 103, 105, 107, 109, 127, 132, 133, 134, 145, 150, 152, 154, 160, 166, 170, 174, 178, 180, 187, 197, 214, 274, 286, 302, 310, 312, 315, 324, 329, 331, 371, 383, 396, 418, 419, 422, 423, 450, 472, 482, 483, 489, 511, 520, 521, 550, 564, 573, 575, 586, 595; Mitchell & Sawyer 1990, pp. 33, 145, 147, 386.
  7. Rohwer 1977, p. 41.
  8. Rohwer 1977, p. 44.
  9. 1 2 3 Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, p. 243.

Bibliography

Further reading