Convoy HX 79

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Convoy HX.79
Part of The Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War
Western Approaches.PNG
Diagram of the area of the Western Approaches
Date19–20 October 1940
Location
Result German victory
Belligerents
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz
Strength
5 U-boats 49 ships (1 early return)
17 escorts (11 during attack)
Casualties and losses
None 12 ships sunk
1 damaged

HX 79 was an Allied convoy in the North Atlantic of the HX series, which sailed east from Halifax, Nova Scotia. The convoy took place during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. One ship dropped out and returned to port, leaving 49 to cross the Atlantic for Liverpool. Two armed merchant cruisers and a submarine escorted the convoy to protect it from German commerce raiders.

Contents

The oceanic escorts detached from the convoy at noon on 18 October, in the Western Approaches, where Convoy SC 7 had been attacked by a Wolfpack on the night of 18/19 October, which sank many ships and scattered the survivors. The Admiralty sent the ten ships and a submarine escorting Convoy OB 229 to defend Convoy HX 79, which arrived from 8:00 a.m. to noon on 19 October.

During the night of 19/20 October, U-boats attacked the convoy and sank twelve ships. The convoy escorts were inexperienced and not trained in common anti-submarine tactics, the four corvettes were new and crewed with inexperienced wartime recruits; the submarine got in the way and was attacked twice by the ships. The U-boats, having expended their torpedoes turned for home.

German military communiqués exaggerated the results of the attacks on Convoys SC 7 and HX 79, claiming an even greater victory than the one achieved. The British began to revise their tactics and organisation, creating permanent escort groups and hurrying the provision of new equipment like R/T for anti-submarine ships and aircraft to communicate.

Background

U-boats

Rockall, Rockall Bank and the North Channel Rockall topographic location map-en.svg
Rockall, Rockall Bank and the North Channel

From 22 September the U-boats U-29, U-43, U-31, U-32, U-46, U-37, U-38, U-137 and U-123 were to pick off ships sailing independently and attack convoys in the area between the North Channel and the Rockall Bank. The first attempt to intercept a convoy with a line of U-boats on 7 October failed but several independents were sunk, including three from Convoy SC 6. [1]

Convoy SC 7

SC 7 was a slow convoy which departed Sydney on 5 October 1940, ahead of the faster Convoy HX 79, bound for Liverpool with 34 ships. On 17 October, four of the ships had straggled and it had been met by the sloops HMS Scarborough and Fowey with the corvette HMS Bluebell. The U-boat U-48 sank two ships before Coastal Command flying boats forced the U-boat to withdraw. [2]

Convoy HX 79

Convoy HX 79 was an east-bound convoy which sailed from Halifax on 8 October 1940 making for Liverpool. [3] Twenty ships joined at Halifax, nineteen from Sydney, Nova Scotia and then ten ships from Bermuda, one ship dropped out and returned early. [4] The meagre ocean escort of the armed merchant cruisers HMS Alaunia and Montclare with the Netherlands submarine HNLMS O 14 accompanied the convoy in case of attack by a surface raider. [2]

Prelude

Attack on Convoy SC 7

HMS Aubrietia, an example of a flower-class corvette HMS Aubretia FL1199.jpg
HMS Aubrietia, an example of a flower-class corvette

Having received the sighting report from U-48, Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (Commander, U-boats) established another patrol line with U-101, U-46, U-123, U-99, U-100. During the night of 17/18 October U-38 attacked twice, sinking one ship before being forced to retire by the corvette HMS Heartsease, which, with the sloop HMS Leith, had joined the convoy. Later in the evening, the convoy reached the U-boat patrol line and the escorts present, Leith, Fowey and Bluebell were unable to challenge U-101, U-46, U-99 (attacking from inside the convoy), U-123 and U-100 which overwhelmed the convoy escorts with massed attacks and sank sixteen ships, damaged one and scattered the survivors. [2]

On 19 October, the 49 ships of Convoy HX 79 entered the Western Approaches, where the slow Convoy SC 7 had been attacked. [5] In the late morning of 19 October Alaunia and Montclare turned west, handing over Convoy HX 79 to the 1st Escort Group (1st EG). [5] The Admiralty expected an attack on Convoy HX 79 after the disaster befalling Convoy SC 7 and sent the 1st EG, the escorts of Convoy OB 229, to reinforce the convoy; eleven ships arrived from 8:00 a.m. until noon. [6] The escort group consisted of the destroyers HMS Whitehall (Lieutenant-Commander Archibald Russell, escort leader) and Sturdy, the minesweeper HMS Jason, the corvettes HMS Hibiscus, Heliotrope, Coreopsis and Arabis with the anti-submarine trawlers HMT Lady Elsa, Blackfly and Angle. The submarine HNLMS O 21 had also joined during the morning of 19 October. [6]

Action

Day: 19 October

Cross-section of a type VIIC U-boat VIIC uboat shaded.svg
Cross-section of a type VIIC U-boat

Convoy HX 79 was sighted by U-47 ( Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien) Prien transmitted a sighting report and shadowed the convoy. The U-boats U-99, U-101 and U-123 had fired all their torpedoes in the attack on Convoy SC 7 and sailed for home; those still operational were directed to the scene; U-100 (Joachim Schepke), U-46 (Engelbert Endrass) and U-28 which had failed to reach Convoy SC 7 in time and U-38 (Heinrich Liebe) and U-48 (Heinrich Bleichrodt) were guided to Convoy HX 79 by U-47, joining during the day. [2] U-boats which failed to reach Convoy HX 79 in time continued to attack ships sailing independently. At the back of the port column, the British Brocklebank liner Matheran was torpedoed by U-38 outside the convoy. The torpedo hit No. 3 hold and the ship sank in seven minutes, with its cargo of 3,000 long tons (3,000 t) of iron and 1,200 long tons (1,200 t) of zinc, grain, machinery and general cargo. Captain J. Greenhall and eight crew were killed; 72 men abandoned ship and were picked up later by Loch Lomond, which was acting as a rescue ship. [7]

U-38 entered the convoy and six minutes later fired a second salvo of torpedoes at the Maclay & McIntyre tramp Uganda in the third column, carrying 2,006 long tons (2,038 t) of steel and 6,200 long tons (6,300 t) of wood. Only one lifeboat was not destroyed by the explosion but there were no casualties, Captain C. Mackinnon and the 39 crew being rescued by Jason. U-47 attacked, also on the surface, sinking first the Dutch Holland–Amerika Lijn general cargo-vessel, Bilderdijk, loaded with 8,640 long tons (8,780 t) of grain and general cargo, the crew of 39 men surviving. [7] Having sunk the second vessel in column two, U-47 torpedoed the Baltic Trading Company vessel, Shirak, the sixth ship in the second column, carrying 7,771 long tons (7,896 t) of petroleum products. The crew abandoned ship and Captain L. R. Morrison with his crew were rescued by Blackfly; as the convoy sailed on, U-48 finished Shirak off. U-47 attacked the new Ropner tramp steamer Wandby, on its first journey, with 1,700 long tons (1,700 t) of lead, zinc and 7,200 long tons (7,300 t) of wood from Vancouver; the crew being rescued by Angle. Wandby sank slowly going down on 21 October. [7]

The Halcyon-class minesweeper HMS Jason, photographed in 1941 HMS Jason 1941 IWM FL 14225.jpg
The Halcyon-class minesweeper HMS Jason, photographed in 1941

U-46 had also fired at Wandby and close to midnight torpedoed the British tramp steamer Ruperra full of steel scrap and aircraft, the ship sinking quickly with the captain, D. T. Davies, 29 crew members and a naval gunner being killed; seven men were rescued by Induna. U-100 sank two tankers of the British Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company. Caprella (Captain P. Prior, from Curaçao with a cargo of 11,300 long tons (11,500 t) of heavy fuel oil .was hit at 11:15 p.m. The fuel did not explode but the torpedo hit it between the bridge and the engine room, breaking the ship's back. Lifeboats amidships and aft were lowered, without the chief officer, who had been on the bridge and was killed by the torpedo explosion. As Captain Prior and his crew abandoned ship, they could see Shirak burning nearby. The 52 survivors were picked up by Lady Elsa after about two hours. U-100 attacked Sitala, also bound for Stanlow with 8,444 long tons (8,580 t) of crude oil, killing a member of the engine-room staff; Captain J. L. Morgans and 42 crew were rescued by Lady Elsa. [8]

Night 19/20 October

It was now after midnight, and Prien fired at Buries Markes's cargo-vessel La Estancia. Again one man below was lost, along with the 8,333 long tons (8,467 t) of sugar. Captain J. Meneely, 24 members of the crew and a passenger were rescued by Coreopsis and seven men taken on by Induna. U-47 still on the surface, torpedoed Whitford Point at the back of the convoy, carrying 7,840 long tons (7,970 t) of steel and sinking quickly with the Captain J. E. Young and 35 men; a survivor was rescued by Sturdy. After stopping to rescue the survivors of Matheran, the Maclay & McIntyre ship, Loch Lomond, carrying 6,000 long tons (6,100 t) of wood and 1,858 long tons (1,888 t) of steel, was attacked and sunk by U-100. Captain W. J. Park, the 38 crew and the survivors from Matheran were picked up by Jason. A straggler, the Swedish Johnson Line oil-tanker, Janus, a new 9,965 GRT ship, was sunk by U-46. Janus was the last ship of Convoy HX 79 to be sunk but U-47 damaged the tanker Athelmonarch, which made port. Convoy HX 79 arrived at Liverpool without further loss on 23 October. [9] The convoy had lost twelve ships out of 49, with a tonnage of 75,069  gross register tons  (GRT) for no loss to the U-boats. [2]

Aftermath

Analysis

Photograph of Karl Donitz, Konteradmiral
(rear admiral) and Commander of the Submarines (Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
BdU) Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1976-127-06A, Karl Donitz (cropped)(2).jpg
Photograph of Karl Dönitz, Konteradmiral (rear admiral) and Commander of the Submarines (Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote BdU)

Based on short signals and the confusion of massed night attacks, Dönitz at U-boat headquarters in Paris announced exaggerated figures for ships sunk, some later being amended after U-boat crews returned and gave more detailed accounts. Seventeen sinkings were claimed against a post-war analysis by Jurgen Rohwer of twelve ships sunk. [10] Despite the number of escorts, their anti-submarine effort had been ineffective; the ships were uncoordinated, the four corvettes were new, with inexperienced hostilities-only crews, the ships were not used to working together and used different tactics. The escorts had arrived singly and command went to the senior officer present and could change if a new arrival was commanded by a more senior officer. [11]

Tactics had to be made on the spot and communicated by signal lamp to each ship. The failure of the escort led to a number of changes in policy. Permanent escort groups were formed with a leader, allowing consistent tactics and better teamwork. [11] In the German semi-official history, "Germany and the Second World War" (2015), Bernd Stegemann wrote that the U-boats had their best success per-day-at-sea in October 1940, a period that the submariners called the Happy Time. During the winter of 1940–1941 the U-boats had less success, due to the seasonal weather, the British–US destroyers-for-bases deal, the arrival of more corvettes, the addition of radar sets and radio-telephones to British destroyers and the slow increase in the number of Coastal Command aircraft. [12]

Casualties

Amongst the casualties, Caprella suffered one man killed and 51 survivors, Matheran suffered nine men killed, thirty men wee killed and seven survived on Ruperra, one man was killed and 43 survived on Sitara and there were three survivors and 36 men killed on Whitford Point. [13] The U-Boats sank 21 ships of 79,592 GRT in Convoy SC 7 and stragglers; the U-boats then sank 12 ships in Convoy HX 79 of 75,069 GRT** and damaged a tanker. The six GRT discrepancy in the U-boat claims table is accounted for by it coming from an edition of Axis Submarine Successes 1939–1945 (1983) by Jürgen Rohwer and the larger figure being taken from Chronology of the War at Sea (2005) by Rohwer and Hümmelchen. [2]

Tonnage lost

List of tonnage sunk from Convoy SC 7, Convoy HX 79, stragglers and scattered ships. [2]
U-boatFlagSunk GRT Notes
U-48 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 637,0831 damaged by U-47 (6,032 GRT)
U-101 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 414,5621 shared with U-100 and U-123 (4,155 GRT), 1 damaged with U-100 (5,458 GRT)
U-93 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 313,214
U-124 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 520,061
U-46 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 522,9661 shared with U-47 (4,947 GRT)
U-99 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 627,3961 shared with U-123 (4,144 GRT)
U-100 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 319,9001 shared with U-101 and U-123 (4,155 GRT), 1 damaged with U-101 (5,458 GRT)
U-47 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 317,0651 shared with U-48 (6,023 GRT), 1 shared with U-46 (4,947 GRT), 1 damaged (8,995 GRT)

U-boat claims

U-boat HQ claims against Convoy HX 79 and post-war analysis. [10]
CaptainFlagDönitzGRTRohwerGRT
U-38 Heinrich LiebeWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 213,000212,619
U-46 Engelbert EndrassWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 323,000*16,987
U-47 Günter PrienWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 850,500422,552
U-48 Heinrich BleichrodtWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 17,000½*3,011
U-100 Joachim SchepkeWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine 319,600319,894
Totals* shared with U-4817113,10012**75,063

Orders of battle

Allied merchant ships

Convoyed ships [4]
NameyearFlag GRT Notes
Athelmonarch 1928Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,995Damaged U-47, 0† [14]
Atland1910Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 5,203
Axel Johnson1925Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4,915Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Baron Carnegie1925Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,178Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Benwood1910Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,931Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Biafra1933Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,405
Bilderdijk 1922Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 6,856Sunk U-47, 0† [15]
Blairnevis1930Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,155Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Brittany1928Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,772Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Cadillac1917Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 12,062
Cairnvalona1918Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,929Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Campus1925Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,667Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Cape Corso1929Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,807
Caprella 1931Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,230Sunk U-100 1†, 51 survivors [16]
City Of Lancaster1924Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,041
Egda1939Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 10,050
Empire Swan 1921Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,964
Empire Trader 1908Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,990Ex-Convoy BHX 79
Enseigne Maurice Prehac1924Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,578Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Erna III1930Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,590Returned early
Flowergate1911Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,161
Gunda1930Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,770
Harbury1933Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,081
Harlesden1932Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,483
Hoyanger1926Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,624Ex-Convoy BHX 79
Induna1925Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,086Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Janus 1939Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 9,965Sunk U-46, 0† [17] [18]
Kiruna1921Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 5,484Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
La Estancia 1940Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,185Ex-Convoy BHX 79, Sunk U-47 [19]
Loch Lomond 1934Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,452Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia, sunk U-100, 33†, 72 surv, rescued Jason
Marathon1919Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 7,926
Matheran 1919Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,653Sunk U-38, 9† [20]
Ravnefjell1938Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,339Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Rio Blanco1922Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,086Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Ruperra 1925Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,548Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia, sunk by U-46, 30† 7 surv [21]
Rydboholm1933Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3,197
Salacia1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,495
San Roberto1922Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,890
Sandanger1938Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,432
Shirak 1926Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,023Ex-Convoy BHX 79, sunk by U-47, U-48, 0† [15]
Sir Ernest Cassel1910Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 7,739Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sitala 1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,218Ex-Convoy BHX 79, sunk by U-100, 1†, 43 surv [16]
Thyra1920Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,655Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Tiba1938Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,239Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Tribesman1937Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,242Ex-Convoy BHX 79
Triton1930Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,607Ex-Convoy BHX 79
Uganda 1927Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,966Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia, sunk U-38 [19]
Wandby 1940Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,947Ex-Convoy BHX 79, U-47, 0†, sank 21 October [22]
Wellington Court1930Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,979Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia
Whitford Point 1928Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,026Sunk U-47, 36†, 3 surv [23]

Convoy escorts

Convoy escorts (some in relays) [2]
NameFlagTypePeriodNotes
HMS/HMT Angle Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW trawler 19 October 1940
HMS Arabis Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 19–23 October 1940
HMS/HMT Blackfly Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW trawler19 October 1940
HMS Coreopsis Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 19–22 October 1940
HMCS French Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Armed yacht 8–9 October 1940
HMS Heliotrope Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 19–23 October 1940
HMS Hibiscus Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 19–23 October 1940
HMCS Husky Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Armed yacht 9–10 October 1940
HMS Jason Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper 9 October 1940
HMS/HMT Lady Elsa Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW trawler19 October 1940
HMS Montclare Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Armed merchant cruiser 9–18 October 1940
HNLMS O 14 Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg  Royal Netherlands Navy O 12-class submarine 9–18 October 1940
HMCS Reindeer Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Armed yacht 9–10 October 1940
HMCS Saguenay Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy River-class destroyer 8–9 October 1940
HMS Sardonyx Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy S-class destroyer 20 October 1940
HMS Sturdy Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy S-class destroyer19 October 1940
HMS Whitehall Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Modified W-class destroyer 19–21 October 1940

U-boats

U-boats attacking Convoy HX 79. Data from Rohwer and Hümmelchen (2005) unless indicated. [2]
CaptainFlagTypeNotes
U-38 Heinrich LiebeWar ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type IX submarine
U-46 Engelbert Endrass War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIB submarine Damaged by RAF on return journey, 1 killed. [24]
U-47 Günther Prien War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIB submarine
U-48 Heinrich Bleichrodt War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIB submarine
U-100 Joachim Schepke War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIB submarine

References

  1. Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, pp. 41–42.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, p. 44.
  3. Hague 2000, p. 127.
  4. 1 2 Edwards 2011, pp. 130–131.
  5. 1 2 Woodman 2013, p. 245.
  6. 1 2 Edwards 2011, p. 157; Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, p. 44.
  7. 1 2 3 Woodman 2013, pp. 246–247.
  8. Woodman 2013, p. 247.
  9. Woodman 2013, pp. 247–249.
  10. 1 2 Blair 2000, p. 342.
  11. 1 2 Milner 2011, p. 37.
  12. Stegemann 2015, p. 346.
  13. Edwards 2011, pp. 131–157.
  14. Edwards 2011, p. 156.
  15. 1 2 Hague 2000, p. 131; Edwards 2011, p. 138.
  16. 1 2 Hague 2000, p. 131; Edwards 2011, p. 142.
  17. Blair 2000, p. 343; Edwards 2011, p. 157.
  18. Edwards 2011, p. 158.
  19. 1 2 Hague 2000, p. 131.
  20. Hague 2000, p. 131; Edwards 2011, p. 135.
  21. Hague 2000, p. 131; Edwards 2011, p. 145.
  22. Hague 2000, p. 141; Edwards 2011, p. 138.
  23. Hague 2000, p. 131; Edwards 2011, p. 153.
  24. Woodman 2013, p. 249.

Bibliography

Further reading