Convoy SC 19

Last updated

Convoy SC.19
Part of World War II
Date12 January – 2 February 1941
Location
Result German victory
Belligerents
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg  Kriegsmarine Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz
Strength
~4 U-boats 28 merchant ships
11 escorts (9 during attack)
Casualties and losses
7 ships sunk

Convoy SC 19 was the 19th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The trade convoy left Halifax, Nova Scotia on 12 January 1941 [1] and was found by U-boats of the 7th U-boat Flotilla on 29 January. Seven ships were sunk before the convoy reached Liverpool on 2 February. [2]

Contents

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 28 merchant vessels joined the slow convoy, composed of ships making 8 knots or less. [3]

NameFlagTonnage (GRT) Notes
Aikaterini (1913)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,9291 dead. 30 survivors. Sunk by U-93 [4]
Baltara (1918)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,292
Barrhill (1912)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,972
Basil (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,913Commodore: Capt R Gill CBE Rd RNR
Brynhild (1907)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,195
Carperby (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,890
Culebra (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,044
Dimitrios Chandris (1910)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,643Returned, must Dry-Dock
Grelrosa (1914)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,574Straggled, bombed & sunk by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft
King Robert (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,886Sunk by U-93 [5]
Kul (1907)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,310
Kyriakoula (1918)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,340
Merchant Royal (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,008
Penhale (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,071
Rockpool (1927)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,892Wrecked, then salved and became Empire Trent
Rushpool (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,125Straggled and sunk by U-94 [6]
Ruth IFlag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,531
Sesostris (1915)Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 2,962Straggled and sunk by U-106 [7]
Shirvan (1925)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,017
Snar (1920)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,176Ashore, re-floated, beached Bannatyne Cove
Stad Arnhem (1920)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,819
Tovelil (1925)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,225
Varanger (1925)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 9,305
Vestland (1916)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,934
Vigsnes (1930)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,599
W B Walker (1935)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 10,468Sunk by U-93 [8]
West Wales (1925)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,353Sunk by U-94 [9] after convoy had scattered
Winkleigh (1940)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,468

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey. [3]

NameFlagTypeJoinedLeft
HMS Antelope Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy A-class destroyer 27 Jan 194131 Jan 1941
HMS Anthony Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy A-class destroyer 27 Jan 194131 Jan 1941
HMCS Arrowhead Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette 12 Jan 194112 Jan 1941
HMS Aurania Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Armed merchant cruiser 12 Jan 194126 Jan 1941
HMS Heather Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 26 Jan 19411 Feb 1941
HMS Jackal Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy J-class destroyer 29 Jan 194129 Jan 1941
HMS/HMT Lady MadeleineNaval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy ASW (anti-submarine warfare) trawler 26 Jan 194131 Jan 1941
HMS Pegasus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Seaplane tender/prototype fighter catapult ship26 Jan 194131 Jan 1941
HMS Picotee Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 26 Jan 194101 Feb 1941
HMS Sardonyx Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Admiralty S-class destroyer 29 Jan 194130 Jan 1941
HMS Scimitar Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Admiralty S-class destroyer 29 Jan 194130 Jan 1941

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References

  1. Hague pp.133&134
  2. Rohwer & Hummelchen p.48
  3. 1 2 "Convoy SC.19". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  4. "Aikaterini – Greek Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  5. "King Robert – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  6. "Rushpool – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  7. "Sesostris – Egyptian Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  8. "W B Walker – British Motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  9. "West Wales – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2013.

Bibliography