Convoy ON 153

Last updated

Convoy ON.153
Part of World War II
Date11 December 1942 – 31 December 1942
Location
North Atlantic
Result German tactical victory
Belligerents
War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945.svg Germany Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Canada
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE
Strength
13 U-boats 45 merchant ships
6 escorts
Casualties and losses
3 ships sunk
1 Damaged
249 killed

Convoy ON 153 was the 153rd of the numbered series of ON convoys of merchant ships Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The World War II convoy departed Liverpool on 11 December 1942 and was met on 12 December by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. Two merchant ships and the escort group leader were sunk in a North Atlantic battle with U-boat Wolf pack Raufbold before reaching the Western Ocean Meeting Point (WOMP) where the Western Local Escort Force assumed responsibility for the convoy on 23 December. Surviving ships reached New York City on 31 December. [1]

Contents

Escorts

The convoy was protected by Escort Group B-7 comprising

  • Royal Navy - HMS Alisma, HMS Pink, HMS Snowflake, HMS Sunflower
  • British Lady

and by a Western Local Escort Force of

  • Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Buctouche, HMCS Edmundston, HMCS Timmins
  • Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Minas

U-boats

The convoy was attacked by 13 U-boats from Wolfpack Raufbold, namely

Ships in the convoy

Name [1] FlagTonnage (GRT) Notes
HMS Alisma Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette
Amstelkerk (1929)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 4,457Bound for Freetown
HMCS Annapolis Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Dec - 27 Dec. Destroyer
Antilochus (1906)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,082Bound for South Africa
Argolikos (1921)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,786Bound for St John's, Newfoundland
Asbjorn (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,387Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Bello (1930)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,125Sunk by U-610 [2] On 16 Dec. 33 of 40 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Pink (K137)
Bornholm (1930)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,177Returned
British Lady (1923)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,098 Replenishment oiler
HMCS Buctouche Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette
Canada (1921)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 5,52712 passengers
HMS Chesterfield Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 19 Dec. Destroyer
City of Hongkong (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,609150 passengers. Bound for Karachi
City of Lille (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,588Bound for Basra
Comedian (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,122Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia
HMCS Edmundston Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 23 Dec - 29 Dec. Corvette
Emile Francqui (1929)Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 5,85911 Passengers. Sunk by U-664 [3] on 16 Dec. 46 dead.
Empire Grenadier (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,811Bound for New York City
Empire Highway (1942)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,166Bound for Beira
HMS Firedrake Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 17 Dec. Destroyer. Sunk by U-211 [4] on 17 Dec. Broke in two in heavy weather. 170 of 196 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Sunflower
Geo W McKnight (1933)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,502Bound for New York City
Gulf of Mexico (1917)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,807Bound for New York City
Hilary (1931)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,403365 Passengers, Bound for Freetown
Idefjord (1921)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,287Bound for Halifax
Jan Van Goyen (1919)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,704Fell Out Disabled
Kaldfonn (1936)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,931
Mafuta (1920)Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 6,322Bound for Freetown
Magdala (1931)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 8,248Bound for New York City
Mahana (1917)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10,951Bound for New York City
Marquesa (1918)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 8,979Bound for Montevideo
HMCS Minas Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Dec - 31 Dec. Minesweeper
Norbris (1930)Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 7,619Bound for New York City
North Gaspe (1938)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 888
Nueva Granada (1937)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,968Bound for New York City
Otina (1938)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,217Straggled
Pandorian (1941)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,159Bound for New York City. Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE (Commodore)
HMS Pink Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 20 Dec. Corvette
Regent Lion (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,551Tanker. Torpedoed and damaged by U-610 [5] on 16 Feb. Hulk towed to Falmouth, Cornwall, arriving 5 Jan 43
Robert F Hand (1933)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,197Bound for New York City
Saint Bertrand (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,522Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick
Salamis (1939)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 8,286Bound for New York City
San Andres (1921)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,975Returned
Sandanger (1938)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,432Bound for New York City
Santos (1928)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,639Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia
HMS Snowflake Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette
Solstad (1927)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 5,952Bound for New York City
Sovac (1938)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,724Bound for New York City
HMS Sunflower Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette
Tetela (1926)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,38910 Passengers, Bound for New York City. Vice-commodore is Ship's Master
HMCS Timmins Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette
Torr Head (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,021Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick
Tortuguero (1921)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,28510 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Tucurinca (1926)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,41210 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia
Vaalaren (1936)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 3,406Bound for New York City
Vestfold (1931)Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 4,547Bound for New York City
Villanger (1929)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4,884Bound for New York City
Walter Jennings (1921)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 9,564Bound for New York City

References

  1. 1 2 "Convoy ON.153". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  2. ↑ "Bello – Norwegian motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Emile Francqui – Belgian steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "HMS Firedrake (H79) – British Destroyer". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Regent Lion – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.

Bibliography

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