Convoy SC 104

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Convoy SC 104
Part of World War II
HMS Fame 1942 IWM FL 13040.jpg
HMS Fame (September 1942)
Date12–16 October 1942
Location
Result German tactical victory
Belligerents
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Germany Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
CinC:Admiral Karl Dönitz Commodore: CAPT F H Taylor RN
Escort: CDR R Heathcote
Strength
8 U-boats 48 freighters
2 destroyers
4 corvettes
Casualties and losses
2 U-boats sunk
2 U-boats damaged
50 dead
8 freighters sunk
2 destroyers damaged
216 dead

Convoy SC 104 was the 104th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. [1] During October 1942, a U-boat wolf pack sank eight ships from the convoy. The convoy escorts sank two of the attacking submarines.

Contents

Background

As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the second happy time, Admiral Karl Dönitz the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU) or commander in chief of U-boats, shifted focus to the mid-Atlantic to avoid aircraft patrols. Although convoy routing was less predictable in the mid-ocean, Dönitz anticipated that the increased numbers of U-boats being produced would be able to effectively search for convoys with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3. [2] However, only 20 percent of the 180 trans-Atlantic convoys sailing from the end of July 1942 until the end of April 1943 lost ships to U-boat attack. [3]

Forty-seven ships departed New York City on 3 October 1942 and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-6 consisting of the E and F-class destroyer Fame and V and W-class destroyer Viscount, with the Norwegian-manned Flower-class corvettes Potentilla, Eglantine, Montbretia, and Acanthus and the convoy rescue ship Goathland.

Opposing this force was the U-boat Wolf pack Wotan comprising 8 boats: U-221, U-258, U-356, U-607, U-618, U-661, U-353, and U-254. [4] [5]

Action

The convoy was found and reported by U-258 on 11 October, and the other Wotan boats were ordered to join. By the evening of 12 October, U-258 had been joined by U-221 and U-356, and during the night of 12/13 October these boats attacked. U-258 and U-356 were unsuccessful, being driven off by the escorts, but U-221 was able to sink three ships: the Norwegian freighters Senta, [6] and Fagersten, and the British freighter Ashworth.

On the 13th the three U-boats continued to shadow the convoy, and were joined during the day by five other boats. On the night of the 13/14 October the wolf pack attacked again. This time U-221 sank two ships: the American freighter Susana and the British whale factory ship Southern Empress. U-607 torpedoed the Greek freighter Nellie, which later sank, but was itself attacked and severely damaged, and was forced to return to France for repairs. U-661 torpedoed the Yugoslavian freighter Nikolina Matkovic, and U-618 torpedoed the Empire Mersey.

Throughout 15 October the Wotan boats shadowed SC 104, but were unable to mount any successful attacks that night. On 15 October, Viscount detected U-661 in fog, and attacked with gunfire, ramming and depth charges. U-661 was destroyed, but Viscount was also damaged, and had to finish the voyage as part of the convoy.

On 16 October U-353 was sighted by Fame, which attacked and destroyed her by ramming, again suffering damage in the process. Command of the escort passed to LtCdr C.A. Monsen in Potentilla, who was able to make an attack on a contact later that day. No identification was made, or result credited, but post-war examination shows that U-254 was severely damaged in this attack and forced to retire to base.

On 16 and 17 October SC 104 came in range of allied air patrols, long–range B-24 Liberators and Catalina flying boats. These were able to break up any further attacks and on the 17th, Dönitz ceased further operations against SC 104. [5] [7] The remainder of the voyage was unhindered, and the convoy reached Liverpool on 21 October. SC 104 lost 8 ships of 44,000 tons, with 2 escorts damaged, and saw the destruction of 2 U-boats with the damaging of 2 more.

Ships in convoy

Name [8] Flag [8] Dead [9] Tonnage gross register tons (GRT) [8] Cargo [9] Notes [8]
Senta (1917)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,785Steel & woodpulpSunk by U-221 12/13 October
Ashworth (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 495,227BauxiteSunk by U-221 13 October
Fagersten (1921)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 192,342Steel & lumberSunk by U-221 13 October
Susana (1914)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 385,929Valuable general cargoSunk by U-221 14 October
Southern Empress (1914)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4812,398Fuel oilSunk by U-221 14 October
Nellie (1913)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 324,826Steel & lumberSunk by U-607 14 October
Nikolina Matkovic (1918)Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia 143,672Sugar & lumberSunk by U-661 14 October
Empire Mersey (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 165,791General cargo including government storesSunk by U-618 14 October
Merchant Royal (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,008General cargoCarried convoy commodore Capt F H Taylor DSC RN
Mariposa (1914)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,807Explosives, steel & timberShip's master was convoy vice-commodore
Aghios Spyridon (1905)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 3,338GrainVeteran of convoy SC 94
Anna (1919)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 5,173Grain and general cargo
Anna N Goulandris (1921)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,358GrainSurvived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Bernhard (1924)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,563BauxiteSurvived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Bonde (1936)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,570General cargoReturned to Canada; sunk 7 months later in Convoy ONS 5
Boreas (1920)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,801Sugar
Boston City (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,870General cargo including explosivesVeteran of convoy SC 94 and convoy ON 127
British Progress (1927)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,581petrol
British Renown (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,997petrol
Campus (1925)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,667Steel and woodSurvived this convoy and convoy ONS 5
Carslogie (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,786Steel and wood
Charles Carroll (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,191Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Cydonia (1927)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,517GrainSurvived this convoy and convoy ONS 5
Disa (1918)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2,002Flour
Empire Lightning (1940)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,942phosphatesCollided with Milcrest of convoy ON 132
Empire Mouflon (1921)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,234Explosives & general cargoSurvived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Empire Waterhen (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,004General cargo
Garnes (1930)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,559Survived this convoy and convoy SC 107
George B. McClellan (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,181Vitriol, cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Georgios P (1903)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,052General cargoSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 122
Gothland (1932)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,286Rescue ship
Gudvor (1928)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,280Survived this convoy, convoy SC 122 and convoy ONS 5
Inger Lise (1939)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,582lumberVeteran of convoy SC 94
Ingerfem (1912)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,987GrainVeteran of convoy SC 94
John Hathorn (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Lido (1930)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,918Flour
Liverpool Loyalist (1932)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,416
Llangollen (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,056General cargo
Mars (1925)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,582FlourVeteran of convoy SC 94
Nea (1921)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,877lumberVeteran of convoy SC 26
Ozark (1919)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 2,689Lost rudder and diverted to Iceland
Peterston (1925)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,680Grain & lumber
Porjus (1906)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 2,965phosphatesReturned to Canada; also returned from convoy SC 121 and survived convoy SC 122
Prinses Maria-Pia (1938)Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 2,588Sugar & bombs
RamavaFlag of Latvia.svg  Latvia 2,141lumber
Reigh Count (1907)Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 4,657Explosives & valuable cargo
Robert Morris (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,176Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Rocha (1933)Flag of Panama.svg  Panama 1,471
Roxane (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,813Fuel oil
Saintonge (1936)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 9,386Fuel oilSurvived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Saluta (1906)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,261Fuel oil
Sinnington Court (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,910Survived this convoy and convoy SC 121
Souliotis (1917)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,299Steel & lumber
Suderoy (1913)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 7,562Fuel oilSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 121
Theomitor (1910)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,427Steel & lumber
Vinga (1927)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 7,321Furnace fuel oil
William Johnson (1942)Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 7,191Cased petrol & explosives Liberty Ship

Losses

U-boat losses [10]
DateNumberTypeCaptainCasualtiesPositionCauseBy
15 October 1942U-661VIICOberleutnant zur See Erich Lilienfeld [11] 44 53°42′N35°56′W / 53.700°N 35.933°W / 53.700; -35.933 Gunfire, depth charge, rammingHMS Viscount
16 October 1942U-353VIICKapitänleutnant Wolfgang Römer [12] 6 53°54′N29°30′W / 53.900°N 29.500°W / 53.900; -29.500 Depth chargeHMS Fame

See also

Notes

  1. Hague 2000 p. 133
  2. Tarrant p.108
  3. Hague pp.132, 137-138, 161-162, 164, 181
  4. Hague 2000 p.135
  5. 1 2 Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.167
  6. Showell 2002 p.113
  7. Blair p 39-41
  8. 1 2 3 4 "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  9. 1 2 Hague p.161
  10. Kemp p 92
  11. "Oberleutnant zur See Erich Lilienfeld". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  12. "Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Römer". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 31 October 2013.

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References