Convoy JW 51B

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Convoy JW 51B
Part of the Second World War
Barents Sea map.png
The Norwegian and the Barents seas, site of the Arctic convoys
Date30 December 1942 – 3 January 1943
Location
Arctic Ocean
Result British victory
Belligerents
Flag of Germany (1935-1945).svg  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Strength
  • 2 light cruisers (after 3 hours)
  • 6 destroyers
  • 2 corvettes
  • 1 minesweeper
  • 2 trawlers
  • 2 heavy cruisers
  • 6 destroyers
Casualties and losses
  • 250 killed
  • 1 destroyer sunk
  • 1 destroyer damaged
  • 1 minesweeper sunk
  • 330 killed
  • 1 cruiser damaged
  • 1 destroyer sunk

Convoy JW 51B was an Arctic convoy sent from United Kingdom by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during the Second World War. It sailed in late December 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports in early January 1943.

Contents

Convoy JW 51B came under attack by German surface units, engaged in Operation Regenbogen, on 31 December. In the engagement, a British minesweeper and a British destroyer were sunk and a German destroyer were sunk; no ships were lost from the convoy in what became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea.

Background

Convoy escorts

Convoy JW 51A consisted of 15 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942. Close escort was provided by the minesweeper HMS Bramble, two corvettes and two armed trawlers. The close escort was supported by six Home Fleet destroyers led by HMS Onslow (Captain Robert Sherbrooke). The convoy sailed with a local escort group from Britain and was joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising HMS Jamaica, HMS Sheffield and two destroyers, was also at sea, from Kola Inlet, to guard against attack by surface units. Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force from Iceland comprising the battleship HMS Anson, the cruiser Cumberland and five destroyers.

German forces

Convoy JW 51B was opposed by four U-boats in a patrol line in the Norwegian Sea and the aircraft of Luftflotte 5 based in Norway. A surface force comprising the heavy cruisers Admiral Hipper, Lützow and the destroyers Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt, Z4 Richard Beitzen, Z6 Theodor Riedel, Z29, Z30, Z31 was stationed at Altenfjord.

Prelude

Convoy JW 51B departed Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942, accompanied by its local escort, of four destroyers, and its close escort. Three days later, on 25 December, it was joined by the ocean escort, while the local escort departed. On 27 December the convoy ran into a gale, which scattered the convoy over the next two days into several groups across a wide area. Dover Hill was forced to return with weather damage and five ships and two escorts had become separated. Three of the ships rejoined on 30 December, but Chester Valley, in company with the armed trawler Vizalma, and another, with the destroyer Oribi, remained separated. During 30 December, Bramble detached from the main body of the convoy to search for the stragglers.

Action

On 24 December the convoy had been sighted by a patrolling aircraft, but was lost later during the storm. On 30 December it was found again by U-354, and Operation Regenbogen began. On 31 December the German ships, in two sections, met the ocean escort of Convoy JW 51B, and after a sharp engagement, which left the minesweeper Bramble and the destroyer Achates sinking and Onslow, damaged; the attacking force was driven off. The destroyer, Eckoldt was sunk and the cruiser Hipper was damaged. No further attacks developed, and on 1 January 1943 Vizalma and her charge rejoined the convoy. On 2 January Convoy JW 51B was met by its eastern local escort, two minesweepers from Murmansk. On 3 January the main body arrived in Kola Inlet, joined the following day by Oribi and her charge.

Aftermath

Analysis

The 15 ships of Convoy JW 51B arrived at Murmansk without loss, though one had been damaged. Despite the loss of two warships, the convoy was a success and the failure of the German surface force against the convoy caused a loss of confidence by Hitler in the Kriegsmarine and its commander, Admiral Erich Raeder, which led to him resigning. [1] Thereafter, the main threat to the Allied convoy system was from U-boats.

Allied order of battle

Merchant ships

Freighters, 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943 [2]
NameYearFlag GRT Notes
SS Ballot 1922Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 6,131
SS Calobre 1919Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 6,891
SS Chester Valley 1919Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,078
SS Daldorch 1930Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,571
SS Dover Hill 1918Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 5,815
SS Empire Archer 1942Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 7,031Captain Robin Melhuish, convoy commodore
SS Empire Emerald 1941Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,032
SS Executive 1920Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 4,978
SS Jefferson Myers 1920Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,582
SS John H. B. Latrobe 1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,191
SS Pontfield 1940Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Merchant Navy 8,319
SS Puerto Rican 1919Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 6,076
SS Ralph Waldo Emerson 1942Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176
SS Vermont [3] 1919Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,670
SS Yorkmar 1919Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 5,612

Western escort

Western escort [4]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Bulldog Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy B-class destroyer 22–23 December 1942
HMS Blankney Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hunt-class destroyer 22–25 December 1942
HMS Chiddingfold Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hunt-class destroyer 22–25 December 1942
HMS Ledbury Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hunt-class destroyer 22–25 December 1942

Close escort

Close convoy escort [2]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Hyderabad Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943
HMS Rhododendron Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943
HMS Bramble Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper 22–29 December 1942
HMT Northern Gem Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW trawler 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943
HMT Vizalma Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW trawler 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943

Ocean escort

Ocean convoy escort [2]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Achates Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy A-class destroyer 25 December 1942 – 3 January
HMS Obdurate Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 25 December – 3 January 1943
HMS Obedient Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 25 December – 3 January 1943
HMS Onslow Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 25 December – 3 January 1943
HMS Oribi Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 25–31 December 1942, separated, sailed independently
HMS Orwell Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 25 December – 3 January 1943

Force R

Cruiser covering force [4]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Jamaica Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Fiji-class cruiser 27–31 December 1942, from Kola Inlet
HMS Sheffield Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Town-class cruiser 27–31 December 1942, from Kola Inlet
HMS Matchless Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy M-class destroyer 27–29 December 1942, from Kola Inlet
HMS Opportune Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 27–29 December 1942, from Kola Inlet

Distant cover

Distant covering force [2]
ShipFlagTypeNotes
HMS Anson Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy King George V-class battleship
HMS Cumberland Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy County-class cruiser
HMS Forester Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy F-class destroyer
HMS Icarus Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy I-class destroyer
HMS Impulsive Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy I-class destroyer
HMS Blankney Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hunt-class destroyer
HMS Chiddingfold Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Hunt-class destroyer

Allied submarines

Allied submarines [4]
NameFlagTypeNotes
HMS Sea Nymph Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy S-class submarine Patrolled vicinity Bear Island
HMS Taurus Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy T-class submarine Patrolled vicinity Bear Island
HMS Torbay Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy T-class submarine Patrolled vicinity Bear Island
ORP Sokół Naval Ensign of Poland.svg  Polish Navy U-class submarine Patrolled vicinity Bear Island
HMS Trespasser Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy T-class submarine Norway inshore watch
HMS Seadog Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy S-class submarine Norway inshore watch
HMS Unruly Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy U-class submarine Norway inshore watch
HMS Graph Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Type VIIC submarine Norway inshore watch
O 14 Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg  Royal Netherlands Navy O 12-class submarine Norway inshore watch

German order of battle

U-boats

U-boats [5]
NameFlagClassNotes
U-354 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine
U-626 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type VIIC submarine

Surface force

Regenbogen flotilla [6]
ShipFlagTypeNotes
Admiral Hipper War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Admiral Hipper-class cruiser Sailed 30 December 1942
Lützow War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Deutschland-class cruiser Sailed 30 December 1942
Z16 Friedrich Eckoldt War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1934A-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942
Z4 Richard Beitzen War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1934-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942
Z6 Theodor Riedel War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1934A-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942
Z29 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1936A-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942
Z30 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1936A-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942
Z31 War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Type 1936A-class destroyer Sailed 30 December 1942

Footnotes

  1. Churchill 1950, pp. 231–232.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ruegg & Hague 1993, p. 48.
  3. Pearson 2007, p. 138.
  4. 1 2 3 Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, p. 219.
  5. Woodman 2004, pp. 313, 316.
  6. Woodman 2004, p. 316.

References

Further reading