Convoy HX 231

Last updated

Convoy HX.231
Part of World War II
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 Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Canada
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Karl Dönitz Charles Ramsay (Commodore)
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, operating out of Brest, La Rochelle, St Nazaire and Lorient, respectively. These U-boats formed the wolfpack Löwenherz (Lionheart). The U-boats sank six ships before losing contact on 7 April. Two U-boats, U-632 and U-635, were sunk. Surviving ships from the convoy reached Liverpool on 10 April.

Contents

Ships in the convoy

Name [1] Flag (GRT) Notes
HMS Alisma Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April Corvette
Amastra (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,031
Ancylus (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,017
Aruba (1929)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,979Arrived with rudder damage
Asbjorn (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,387
Athelregent (1930)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,881
Athos (1937)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 8,267
Atlantida (1924)Flag of Honduras.svg  Honduras 4,191
Beaverhill (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10,041
Blitar (1923)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7,065Romped and sunk by U-632 on 6 April after attack the previous day by U-229, 26 dead [2]
British Ardour (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,124Escort Oiler. Sunk by U-706 on 5 April, no casualties [3]
British Confidence (1936)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,494
HMS Buxton (H96) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 27–31 March, Destroyer
HMCS Chicoutimi Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 27–31 March, Corvette
City of Lyons (1926)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,063
Clan Cameron (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,243
HMS Eclipse Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
Eli Whitney (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,181
Empire Chief (1897)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,040Tanker carrying fuel oil
Empire Coleridge (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,798Tanker carrying petrol. Fitted with AND
Empire Dickens (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,819Tanker carrying petrol
Empire Marvell (1941)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,812Tanker carrying petrol & paraffin
Erin (1932)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,841
Esso Dover (1921)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 8,880
F J Wolfe (1932)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 12,190Escort Oiler. Returned
Fort Finlay (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,134
Fort Jemseg (1943)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,134
Fort Thompson (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,134
HMS Fury Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April, Destroyer
Geo W McKnight (1933)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 12,502
Georgian (1920)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,825
HMS Icarus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
HMS Inglefield Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
Jamaica Planter (1936)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,098Vice-Commodore
Joel R Poinsett (1943)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176
Katy (1931)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,825
HMCS Kenora Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–28 March Minesweeper
Kent (1918)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,697
Lady Rodney (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,194 Halifax to St John's, Newfoundland
Laurelwood (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,347
Lochmonar (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,412Returned
HMS Loosestrife Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April Corvette; landed 72 Survivors from Waroonga at Londonderry Port on 9 April 1943
Manchester Port (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,071
HMCS Milltown Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 27–31 March, Minesweeper
Mobilgas (1937)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 9,925
Mosdale (1939)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,022
NarvikEscort 9–10 April
Nassa (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,134Fitted with AND
Noah Webster (1943)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Returned
Norheim (1941)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,816
Norvinn (1930)Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 6,322
Ocean Volunteer (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,174
Ornefjell (1937)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,334Bound for Halifax
Pandorian (1941)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,159
Pierre Soule (1943)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,191
HMS Pink Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 29 March – 9 April, Corvette
Pleiades (1939)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 3,600
Port Sydney (1914)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,129
HMCS Quesnel Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–31 March, Corvette
Raphael Semmes (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,165
Reinholt (1939)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,799
Salland (1920)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 6,447
Saluta (1906)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,261Returned
San Adolfo (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,365
San Ambrosio (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,410
Santa Maria (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,507
HMCS Saskatoon Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–28 March, Corvette
Scebeli (1937)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,025Detached and independent 1 April
Shillong (1939)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,529Sunk by U-630 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack, 71 dead [4]
Slemmestad (1928)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,258
HMS Snowflake Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, corvette, landed 54 Survivors from British Ardour at Londonderry Port
Sovac (1938)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,724
Stephen C Foster (1943)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,106
Sunoil (1927)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 9,005Straggler zig-zagging on 4 April due to engine trouble. Sunk by U-530 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-563 in an earlier attack; lost with all 69 hands [5]
HMS Tay Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, Frigate
Thomas Sumter (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,177Romped
Tjibadak (1929)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 7,083
Torr Head (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,021
Tulsa (1919)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,083
Tyndareus (1916)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 11,361Admiral Sir Charles Ramsey (Commodore)
USS Merak Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy 6,982Stores and passenger ship. 138 passengers
Vaalaren (1936)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3,406Romped 4 April, sunk by U-229 on 5 April, lost with all 38 hands [6]
HMS Vidette Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, Destroyer
Waroonga (1914)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,365Sunk by U-630 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack. 19 dead [7]
William Mulholland (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176
William Whipple (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,181

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References

  1. "Convoy HX.231". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. "Blitar – Dutch Steam Merchant". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  3. "British Ardour – British Steam Tanker". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  4. "Shillong – British Motor Merchant". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  5. "Sunoil – American Motor Tanker". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  6. "Vaalaren – Swedish Motor Merchant". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  7. "Waroonga – British Steam Merchant". uboat.net. Retrieved 12 December 2023.

Bibliography

Further reading