Convoy SC 94

Last updated

Convoy SC 94
Part of Battle of the Atlantic
U-210 PA-037443.jpg
U-210 photographed from Assiniboine's deck, 6 August 1942
Date5–10 August 1942
Location
Result German tactical victory
Belligerents
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Canadian Red Ensign (1921-1957).svg Canada
Flag of Poland (1928-1980).svg Poland
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Germany
Commanders and leaders
VADM D F Moir
LCDR A. Ayer RNR [1]
BdU :Karl Dönitz
Strength
35 freighters
3 destroyers
6 corvettes
19 submarines
Casualties and losses
11 freighters sunk (50,780GRT)
1 destroyer damaged
1 corvette damaged
61 killed/drowned
2 submarines sunk
46 killed/drowned
42 captured

Convoy SC 94 was the 94th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool. [2] The ships departed Sydney on 31 July 1942 [3] and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group C-1.

Contents

Background

As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the Second Happy Time, Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (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 the area with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3. [4] 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. [5]

Battle

Discovery on 5 August

U-593 reported the convoy on 5 August and torpedoed the Dutch freighter Spar. [6]

Attack of 6 August

Assiniboine's Type 286 radar spotted U-210 in a heavy fog on 6 August. The destroyer closed on the contact and briefly spotted the submarine twice before losing her in the fog. The submarine reappeared crossing the destroyer's bow at a range of 50 yards (46 m), and both ships opened fire. The range was too close for Assiniboine's 4.7 in (119 mm) guns to engage, but her .50-calibre machine guns shot up the submarine's deck and conning tower. This kept the Germans from manning their 88 mm (3 in) deck gun, but the 20 mm (0.79 in) flak gun was already manned and firing. It punched holes through the destroyer's plating that set some petrol tanks on the deck afire and disabled 'A' gun. The destroyer was unable to ram U-210 until the rear 4.7-inch gun hit the conning tower, killing the entire bridge crew and the .50-caliber machine guns were able to silence the flak gun. This caused Lieutenant Sorber, the senior surviving officer, to order the submarine to dive, but this meant that she had to hold a straight course while doing so. Assiniboine was able to take advantage of this and rammed U-210 abaft the conning tower whilst she was diving. This caused the electric motors to fail, damaged her propellers and led to water entering the submarine, as a result of which Sorber ordered the ballast tanks to be blown and the submarine to be abandoned. The destroyer rammed her again when U-210 resurfaced, dropped a pattern of depth charges set to detonate at shallow depth and hit her one more time with a 4.7-inch shell before the submarine finally sank. [7]

Attack of 8 August

U-379 torpedoed the British freighter Anneberg and American freighter Kaimoku on the afternoon of 8 August while U-176 torpedoed the British freighters Kelso and Trehata and Greek freighter Mount Kassion. [8] Three undamaged ships were abandoned in the resulting panic. [6] One of them, the British freighter Radchurch, was later torpedoed by U-176. [6] The Shakespeare-class destroyer leader Broke and the Polish destroyer Błyskawica arrived to reinforce the escort, while Dianthus left the convoy to repair damage incurred while ramming and sinking U-379. [6]

Attack of 10 August

U-438 torpedoed the Greek freighter Condylis in daylight on 10 August while U-660 torpedoed the British freighters Cape Race, Empire Reindeer and Oregon. [8] The remainder of the convoy reached Liverpool on 13 August. [2]

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 35 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sydney or later in the voyage. [9] [8]

NameFlagDeadTonnage (GRT) CargoNotes
Aghios Spyridon (1905)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 3,338GrainSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 104
Anneberg (1902)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 02,5373,200 tons woodpulpSunk by U-379 8 Aug
Bifrost (1923)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 4,949Flour
Boston City (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,870General cargoSurvived this convoy, convoy ON 127, convoy SC 104 & convoy SC 122
Brisk (1923)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,594Flour & general cargo
Cape Race (1930)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 03,80713 passengers, 3,979 tons lumber & 1,040 tons steelSunk by U-660 10 Aug
Castilian (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,067General cargoVeteran of convoy HX 84
Condylis (1914)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 94,4396,924 tons grain & trucksSunk by U-660 & U-438 10 Aug
Daleby (1929)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,640General cargo
Drakepool (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,838(in ballast)Survived this convoy and convoy SC 122
Empire Antelope (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,945General cargoSurvived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy SC 107
Empire Moonbeam (1941)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 6,849PhosphatesSurvived to be sunk the following month in convoy ON 127
Empire Reindeer (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 06,2595,950 tons woodpulp & general cargoSunk by U-660 10 Aug
Empire Scout (1936)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,229GrainShip's master was convoy vice-commodore
Hagood (1919)Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6,866Diesel
Illinoian (1918)Flag of the United States.svg  United States 6,473Mail & general cargo
Inger Lise (1939)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,582LumberSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 104
Ingerfem (1912)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 3,987Iron oreSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 104
Kaimoku (1919)Flag of the United States.svg  United States 46,367US Army storesSunk by U-379 8 Aug
Kelso (1924)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 33,9562,000 tons ammunition & 2,618 tons general cargoSunk by U-176 8 Aug
Mars (1925)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,582FlourSurvived this convoy and convoy SC 104
Melmore Head (1918)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,273General cargoVeteran of convoy SC 7; survived to be sunk 4 months later in convoy ON 154
Mount Kassion (1918)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 05,2739,700 tons general cargoSunk by U-176 8 Aug
Mount Pelion (1917)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 5,655General cargoSurvived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy SC 107
Norelg (1920)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 6,103General cargo
Oregon (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 116,0081 passenger & 8,107 tons general cargoSunk by U-660 & U-438 10 Aug
Osric (1919)Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1,418Timber
Panos (1920)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,914Coal
Penolver (1912)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,721Grain & general cargo
Radchurch (1910)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 03,701Iron oreAbandoned undamaged & sunk by U-176 9 Aug
Spar (1924)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 33,616Mail & 4,900 tons general cargoSunk by U-593 5 Aug
Trehata (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 314,8173,000 tons steel & 3,000 tons foodCarried convoy commodore VADM Dashwood Fowler Moir DSO; sunk by U-176 8 Aug
Tynemouth (1940)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,168Lumber & steelSurvived this convoy, convoy SL 125 & convoy ON 154
Veni (1901)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 2,982Steel & woodpulpSurvived this convoy & convoy ON 154
Willemsplein (1910)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,489Iron oreSurvived this convoy & convoy ON 127

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey. [10] [9]

NameFlagTypeJoinedLeft
HMCS Assiniboine Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Canadian River-class destroyer 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942
HMCS Battleford Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942
ORP Błyskawica Naval Ensign of Poland.svg  Polish Navy Grom-class destroyer 8 Aug 194213 Aug 1942
HMS Broke Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Shakespeare-class destroyer leader 8 Aug 194213 Aug 1942
HMCS Chilliwack Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942
HMS Dianthus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 19428 Aug 1942, due to damage
from sinking U-379 [6]
HMS Nasturtium Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942
HMCS Orillia Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942
HMS Primrose Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 31 Jul 194213 Aug 1942

See also

Notes

  1. Milner pp.142-147
  2. 1 2 Hague 2000 p.133
  3. Hague 2000 p.135
  4. Tarrant p.108
  5. Hague pp.132, 137-138, 161-162, 164, 181
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 153
  7. Douglas pp. 505-507
  8. 1 2 3 Hague 2000 p.137
  9. 1 2 "SC convoys". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  10. Milner 1985 p.285

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of the Battle of the Atlantic</span> Timeline of a battle in World War II

This is a timeline for the Battle of the Atlantic (1939–1945) in World War II.

HMS <i>Kempenfelt</i> (I18) British C-class and afterward Canadian destroyer

HMS Kempenfelt was a C-class destroyer built for the Royal Navy in the early 1930s. A flotilla leader, she saw service in the Home Fleet before World War II and the ship made several deployments to Spanish waters during the Spanish Civil War, enforcing the arms blockade imposed by Britain and France on both sides of the conflict.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy ON 166</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy ON 166 was the 166th of the numbered ON series of merchant ship convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. Sixty-three ships departed Liverpool 11 February 1943 and were met the following day by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3 consisting of the Treasury-class cutters Campbell and Spencer and the Flower-class corvettes Dianthus, Chilliwack, Rosthern, Trillium and Dauphin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy SC 121</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy SC 121 was the 121st of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City 23 February 1943; and were met by the Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3 consisting of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Treasury-class cutter USCGC Spencer, the American Wickes-class destroyer USS Greer, the British and Canadian Flower-class corvettes HMS Dianthus, HMCS Rosthern, HMCS Trillium and HMCS Dauphin and the convoy rescue ship Melrose Abbey. Three of the escorts had defective sonar and three had unserviceable radar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy SC 118</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy SC 118 was the 118th of the numbered series of World War II slow convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 24 January 1943 and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-2 consisting of V-class destroyers Vanessa and Vimy, the Treasury-class cutter Bibb, the Town-class destroyer Beverley, Flower-class corvettes Campanula, Mignonette, Abelia and Lobelia, and the convoy rescue ship Toward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy SC 107</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy SC 107 was the 107th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 24 October 1942 and were found and engaged by a wolfpack of U-boats which sank fifteen ships. It was the heaviest loss of ships from any trans-Atlantic convoy through the winter of 1942–43. The attack included one of the largest non-nuclear man-made explosions in history, when U-132 torpedoed ammunition ships SS Hobbema and SS Hatimura - both were sunk, one exploded, with the German submarine also being destroyed in the explosion.

Convoy SC 42 was the 42nd of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. SC 42 was attacked over a three night period in September 1941, losing 16 ships sunk and 4 damaged. This was the worst Allied loss following the attack on convoy SC 7 the previous year. Two attacking U-boats were destroyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy ON 154</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy ON 154 - also ON(S) 154 or ONS 154 - was a North Atlantic convoy of the ON series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 154th of the numbered series of merchant ship convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. It came under attack in December 1942 and lost 13 of its 50 freighters. One of the attacking U-boats was destroyed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy SC 130</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy SC 130 was a North Atlantic convoy which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 130th of the numbered series of Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. SC 130 was one of several convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month of May 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy SC 104</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

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. During October 1942, a U-boat wolf pack sank eight ships from the convoy. The convoy escorts sank two of the attacking submarines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid-Ocean Escort Force</span>

Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) referred to the organisation of anti-submarine escorts for World War II trade convoys between Canada and Newfoundland, and the British Isles. The allocation of United States, British, and Canadian escorts to these convoys reflected preferences of the United States upon their declaration of war, and the organisation persisted through the winter of 1942–43 despite withdrawal of United States ships from the escort groups. By the summer of 1943, United States Atlantic escorts were focused on the faster CU convoys and the UG convoys between Chesapeake Bay and the Mediterranean Sea; and only British and Canadian escorts remained on the HX, SC and ON convoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy ON 127</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy ON 127 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 127th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America and the only North Atlantic trade convoy of 1942 or 1943 where all U-boats deployed against the convoy launched torpedoes. The ships departed Liverpool on 4 September 1942 and were met at noon on 5 September by the Royal Canadian Navy Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group C-4 consisting of the Canadian River-class destroyer Ottawa and the Town-class destroyer St. Croix with the Flower-class corvettes Amherst, Arvida, Sherbrooke, and Celandine. St. Croix's commanding officer, acting Lieutenant Commander A. H. "Dobby" Dobson RCNR, was the senior officer of the escort group. The Canadian ships carried type 286 meter-wavelength radar but none of their sets were operational. Celandine carried Type 271 centimeter-wavelength radar. None of the ships carried HF/DF high-frequency direction finding sets.

Convoy ON 67 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 67th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed from Liverpool on 14 February 1942 with convoy rescue ship Toward, and were escorted to the Mid-Ocean Meeting Point by escort group B4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Local Escort Force</span> World War II-era escort group in the Royal Canadian Navy

Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) referred to the organization of anti-submarine escorts for World War II trade convoys from North American port cities to the Western Ocean Meeting Point near Newfoundland where ships of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF) assumed responsibility for safely delivering the convoys to the British Isles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UG convoys</span> Convoys during naval battles of the Second World War

The UG convoys were a series of east-bound trans-Atlantic convoys from the United States to Gibraltar carrying food, ammunition, and military hardware to the United States Army in North Africa and southern Europe during World War II. These convoys assembled in Hampton Roads near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay and terminated in various North African locations as Axis forces retreated from 1942 through 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy HX 212</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy HX 212 was the 212th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 18 October 1942 and were met on 23 October by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3 consisting of the United States Coast Guard Treasury-class cutter USCGC Campbell, the destroyer Badger and the Flower-class corvettes Dianthus, Rosthern, Trillium, Dauphin, Alberni, Summerside and Ville de Quebec. The first five escorts had worked together previously, but the last three corvettes were attached to the convoy only for passage to the eastern Atlantic in preparation for assignments on Operation Torch. Summerside was the only escort equipped with modern Type 271 centimeter-wavelength radar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Convoy ON 144</span> Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy ON 144 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 144th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed Liverpool on 7 November 1942 and were joined on 8 November by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-6 consisting of the Flower-class corvettes Vervain, Potentilla, Eglantine, Montbretia and Rose and the convoy rescue ship Perth. Group B-6 had sailed without the destroyers Fame and Viscount which had been damaged in the battle for eastbound convoy SC 104. The United States Coast Guard cutters Bibb, Duane, and Ingham accompanied the convoy from the Western Approaches with ships that detached for Iceland on 15 November.

Convoy ON 122 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 122nd of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The ships departed Liverpool on 15 August 1942 and were joined on 17 August by Escort Group B6 of the Mid-Ocean Escort Force.

Convoy Battles of World War II occurred when convoys of cargo ships assembled for mutual defense, and were attacked by enemy submarines, surface ships, and/or aircraft. Most were in the North Atlantic from 1939 to 1943, and involved attacks by U-boat wolfpacks. Convoy battles also occurred in the Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and western Pacific Ocean.

Convoy HG 53 was the 53rd of the numbered series of World War II HG convoys of Homeward bound merchant ships from Gibraltar to Liverpool. Convoy HG 53 lost nine ships during a coordinated attack in February 1941. HG 53 was one of the few Atlantic convoys to have ships sunk by submarines, by aircraft, and by surface ships.

References