Convoy | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of World War II | |||||||
| |||||||
Belligerents | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
12 U-boats | 42 merchant ships | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
12 merchant ships sunk |
Convoy SL 125 was the 125th of the numbered series of World War II SL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean travelled independently to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. [1] Thirty-seven merchant ships departed Freetown on 16 October 1942 and were joined at sea by five more. [2]
German cryptographers decoded message traffic containing tactical information about convoy SL 125, and wolf pack Streitaxt (battle axe), [3] consisting of U-103, U-134, U-203, U-409, U-440, U-509, U-510, U-572, U-604, and U-659 [4] was assembled 23 October to intercept the convoy west of the Canary Islands. [3] The only United States merchant ship and escorting sloop HMS Bridgewater, Isles-classtrawler HMS Copinsay and Free French corvette Commandant Drogou had been detached by the time U-203 found the convoy on 25 October. [2] U-203 was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the straggling British tanker Anglo Maersk. [3] The tanker was subsequently shadowed by U-134 and damaged by U-509. [3]
The armed merchant cruiser and troopship HMS Esperance Bay was detached with the Shakespearian-classtrawler HMS Juliet, tugboat HMS Salvonia, and repair ship HMNZS Kelantan [2] when U-409 found and reported the main convoy of 37 ships on 27 October. [4] Forty-one merchant ships [5] were left in the care of Flower-class corvettes Petunia, [4] Cowslip, Crocus, HMS Dahlia,[ citation needed ] and Woodruff. [3] [6] U-659 was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the convoy. After moonrise, U-604 sank the damaged Anglo Maersk [3] while U-509 torpedoed the British freighters Pacific Star and Stentor. [4]
After unsuccessful submerged daylight attacks on 28 October, U-509 sank the British freighter Nagpore and damaged the British freighter Hopecastle after sunset. U-203 sank the damaged Hopecastle before dawn. [7]
U-509 sank the British freighter Britanny during foul weather on the night of 29–30 October. [7] The British tanker Bullmouth (sailing in ballast) was damaged by U-409 and sunk by U-659. [7] The British freighter Corinaldo was damaged by both U-509 and U-659 before being sunk by U-203. [7]
Improved weather brought coordinated attacks on the night of 30–31 October. U-409 torpedoed the British freighter Silverwillow while U-604 torpedoed the British transport President Doumer and the British freighter Baron Vernon. [7] The British freighter Tasmania was damaged by U-659 and sunk by U-103. [7] The Norwegian freighter Alaska was damaged by U-510, but reached England safely with the help of newly arriving escorts. [7]
Long-range bombers of RAF Coastal Command arrived over the convoy on 31 October. [4] Admiral Dönitz cancelled operations on the morning of 1 November. [3] The convoy was reinforced with eleven more escorts [2] and reached Liverpool on 9 November. [5] It had suffered the greatest loss of any SL convoy, [8] but its timing focused the available U-boats in the area away from the Operation Torch convoys for the allied invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942. [4] Some historians have suggested that the trade convoy SL 125 was an intentional tactical diversion to keep U-boats away from the loaded troop transports. [9] Eleven of the ships surviving this convoy sailed two months later with convoy ON 154, in which four of them were sunk. [10]
Name [2] | Flag [2] | Dead [11] | Tonnage (GRT) [2] | Cargo [11] | Notes [2] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alaska (1918) | 5,681 | Torpedoed and damaged by U-510 [12] on 31 Oct, while picking up survivors from Président Doumer and Tasmania which had been sunk earlier. She reached Lisbon safely on 11 Nov | |||
Alexandre Andre (1928) | 5,322 | ||||
Amstelkerk (1929) | 4,457 | Romped 30 Oct | |||
Anglo Maersk (1930) | 7,705 | Straggled 19 Oct; torpedoed by U-509 26 Oct but survived; sunk by U-604 [13] 27 Oct | |||
Baron Elgin (1933) | 3,942 | Detached to Funchal; survived this convoy, convoy ON 154, convoy SC 122 & convoy ONS 5 | |||
Baron Kinnaird (1927) | 3,355 | ||||
Baron Vernon (1929) | 0 | 3,642 | 5,500 tons iron ore | Sunk by U-604 [14] 30 Oct. 0 dead. Survivors picked up by Baron Elgin | |
Belnor (1926) | 2,871 | Joined at sea 19 Oct | |||
Bornholm (1930) | 3,177 | Survived this convoy, convoy ON 154, & convoy ONS 5 | |||
Bothnia (1928) | 2,407 | Joined at sea 23 Oct, survived this convoy & convoy HX 228 | |||
British Ardour (1928) | 7,124 | Joined at sea 19 Oct as escort oiler | |||
Brittany (1928) | 14 | 4,772 | 7,132 tons general cargo | Veteran of convoy HX 79; sunk by U-509 [15] 28 Oct | |
Bullmouth (1927) | 50 | 7,519 | Ballasted tanker | Torpedoed and damaged by U-409, then finally sunk by U-659 [16] on 30 Oct. 50 of the 56 crew died. | |
Calgary (1921) | 7,206 | Survived this convoy & convoy ON 154 | |||
Clan Murray (1918) | 5,953 | ||||
Corinaldo (1921) | 8 | 7,131 | 5,141 tons frozen meat | Damaged by both U-509 and U-659, then finally sunk by U-203 [17] on 30 Oct. 8 dead. Survivors picked up by HMS Cowslip (K196) | |
Debrett (1940) | 6,244 | ||||
Dundrum Castle (1919) | 5,259 | Veteran of convoy SC 42; survived this convoy & convoy ON 154 | |||
Empire Cougar (1919) | 5,758 | Arrived with engine defects & later survived convoy ON 154 | |||
Empire Simba (1919) | 5,691 | Survived this convoy & convoy ON 154 | |||
Germa (1920) | 5,282 | ||||
Guinean (1936) | 5,205 | ||||
Henry Stanley (1929) | 5,026 | ||||
Hopecastle (1937) | 5 | 5,178 | 5,500 tons general cargo | Sunk by U-509 & U-203 29 Oct | |
King Edward (1919) | 5,224 | Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154 | |||
Lafonia (1911) | 1,961 | ||||
Lynton Grange (1937) | 5,029 | Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154 | |||
Mano (1925) | 1,418 | Joined at sea 23 Oct; survived this convoy & convoy ONS 5 | |||
Marquesa (1918) | 8,979 | ||||
Nagpore (1920) | 19 | 5,283 | 1,500 tons copper & 5,500 tons general cargo | Carried convoy commodore RADM Sir C N Reyne KBE; sunk by U-509 28 Oct | |
Pacific Star (1920) | 0 | 7,591 | 5,037 tons refrigerated meat & general cargo | Sunk by U-509 27 Oct | |
Président Doumer (1934) | 260 | 11,898 | 63 passengers & general cargo | Troopship. Joined at sea 19 Oct; sunk by U-604 30 Oct | |
San Francisco (1915) | 4,933 | ||||
Sembilan (1922) | 6,566 | ||||
Silver Willow (1930) | 5 | 6,373 | 9,000 tons general cargo | Sunk by U-409 30 Oct | |
Stentor (1926) | 44 | 6,148 | 6,000 tons West African produce | Carried convoy vice commodore Capt R H Garstin CBE RIN; sunk by U-509 27 Oct | |
Tasmania (1935) | 2 | 6,405 | 8,500 tons food & iron | Sunk by U-103 31 Oct | |
Tynemouth (1940) | 3,168 | Veteran of convoy SC 94; survived this convoy & convoy ON 154 | |||
Ville de Rouen (1919) | 5,083 | Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154 | |||
Welsh Trader (1938) | 4,974 | ||||
West Kebar (1920) | 5,620 | Detached 20 Oct | |||
Zarian (1938) | 4,871 | Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154 |
German submarine U-509 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard in Hamburg as yard number 305. She was launched on 19 August 1941, and commissioned on 4 November 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Heinz Wolff.
German submarine U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.
Vorwärts was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated from 25 August to 26 September 1942, in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. They attacked several convoys, principally Convoy ON 127, sailing from Liverpool to New York, and sank fifteen ships for a total of 79,331 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged nine (81,141 GRT).
OB 293 was a North Atlantic convoy which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was notable for seeing the loss to the Kriegsmarine (KM) of U-47, with her commander KL Günther Prien, the person responsible for the sinking of HMS Royal Oak two years previously.
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.
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.
Prior to World War II, the Indian Ocean was an important maritime trade route between European nations and their colonial territories in East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, British India, Indochina, the East Indies (Indonesia), and Australia for a long time. Naval presence was dominated by the Royal Navy Eastern Fleet and the Royal Australian Navy as World War II began, with a major portion of the Royal Netherlands Navy operating in the Dutch East Indies and the Red Sea Flotilla of the Italian Regia Marina operating from Massawa.
German submarine U-203 was a German Type VIIC submarine U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.
Convoy TM 1 was the code name for an Allied convoy during the Second World War. Nine tankers, escorted by Royal Navy warships, attempted to reach Gibraltar from Trinidad. The convoy was attacked by a U-boat wolf pack in the central Atlantic Ocean, and most of the merchant vessels were sunk. This was one of the most successful attacks on Allied supply convoys throughout the entire war. The convoy was defended by the destroyer HMS Havelock, and three Flower-class corvettes, HMS Godetia, HMS Pimpernel and HMS Saxifrage. Seven tankers were sunk during the attacks, two surviving to reach Gibraltar. Two U-boats were damaged during the attacks.
Convoy TAG 18 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 18th of the numbered TAG Convoys from Trinidad and Aruba to Guantánamo. The convoy was shadowed from 1 to 4 November by U-160 skippered by Kapitänleutnant Georg Lassen and joined on 5 November by U-129 – skippered by Hans-Ludwig Witt. The two U-boats sank six ships from the convoy.
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 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.
Convoy HX 126 was the 126th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed Halifax on 10 May 1941 and were escorted across the North Atlantic by the armed merchant cruiser Aurania intended to provide protection against merchant raiders. Aurania was poorly equipped to defend the convoy from attacks beginning on 19 May by U-boats of the 1st, 2nd and 7th Flotillas, operating out of Brest, Lorient and St Nazaire, respectively. U-boats sank nine ships prior to arrival of the 12th Escort Group on 21 May. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 28 May.
Convoy HX 65 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 65th of the numbered series of merchant convoy] run by the Allies from Halifax to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and aircraft, losing eight of its 51 ships sunk and a further three damaged. One U-boat was damaged.
Convoy OG 71 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 71st of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 13 August 1941 and was found on 17 August by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of Kampfgeschwader 40. Starting on August 19, it became the first convoy of the war to be attacked by a German submarine wolfpack, when reached by eight U-boats from 1st U-boat Flotilla, operating out of Brest. Ten ships comprising a total tonnage of 15,185 tons were sunk before the U-boats lost contact on 23 August.
Convoy HG 73 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 73rd of the numbered HG convoys Homeward bound to the British Isles from Gibraltar. The convoy departed Gibraltar on 17 September 1941 and was found on 18 September and was attacked over the next ten days. Nine ships were sunk from the convoy before the submarines exhausted their torpedo inventory on 28 September. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 1 October.
Convoy SC 100 was the 100th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The convoy departed Halifax on 12 September 1942 and was joined on 16 September by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3. The convoy had been scattered by an equinoctial storm when U-boats found it on 18 September. The ships of Group A-3 were not fast enough to catch surfaced U-boats; and the U-boats sank five scattered ships before losing contact on 25 September. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 28 September.
Convoy ON 115 was a trade convoy of 43 merchant ships with 12 escort ships during the second World War. The convoy departed Liverpool on 24 July 1942 and arrived at Boston 8 August. Three ships were lost to U-boats during the crossing and two were damaged.
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.
Convoy HX 47 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 47th of the numbered series of merchant convoys run by the Allies from HalifaX to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and lost three of its 58 ships.
HMS Weston was a Shoreham-class sloop of the British Royal Navy. Weston was built at Devonport Dockyard in 1931–1933.