Convoy SL 78

Last updated

Convoy SL.78
Part of World War II
Date18 June 1941 – 12 July 1941
Location
Belligerents
War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945.svg Germany Flag of Norway, state.svg  Royal Norwegian Navy
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz Vice-Admiral G T C P Swabey CB DSO
Strength
~4 U-boats 26 merchant ships
19 escorts
Casualties and losses
8 merchants sunk

Convoy SL 78 was the 78th 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 traveled independently to Freetown to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. Twenty-five merchant ships departed Freetown on 18 June 1941. [1] U-boats sank eight ships before the convoy reached Liverpool on 12 July. [2]

Contents

Ships in the Convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 26 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sierra Leone or later in the voyage. [3]

NameFlagTonnage (GRT) Notes
Aliakmon (1913)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,521
Arundo (1930)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 5,163
Atle Jarl (1919)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,173
Baron Napier (1930)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 3,559
Batna (1928)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,399
Blackheath (1936)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,637Collision with corvette escort HMS Arbutus (K86) on 11 July
Camerata (1931)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,875
Criton (1927)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,564Captured from the Vichy French by HMS Cilicia on 19 June, and being sailed back to Europe from West Africa. Intercepted by two Vichy French warships, Air France IV and Edith Germaine, near Freetown on 21 June and sunk by their gunfire. [4] [5] (see also Commander Bernard Peter de Neumann GM RN, second time sunk in the space of one month)
Empire Ability (1931)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 7,603Sunk by U-69 [6]
Esneh (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1,931
George J Goulandris (1913)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 4,345Sunk by U-66 [7] W of Canary Islands
Kalypso Vergotti (1918)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 5,686Straggler was sunk by U-66. [8] All 36 crew lost
Keilehaven (1919)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 2,968
Leonidas N Condylis (1912)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 3,923
Mary Slessor (1930)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,027 Convoy Vice commodore's ship
Michael Jebsen (1927)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 2,323Did Not Reform With Convoy
Oberon (1911)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,996Sunk by U-123 [9]
P.L.M.22 (1921)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,646Sunk by U-123 [10]
Parthenon (1908)Flag of Greece.svg  Greece 3,189
Rio Azul (1921)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 4,088Sunk by U-123 [11] post-dispersal from this convoy
River Lugar (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,423Sunk by U-69 [12]
Rolf Jarl (1920)Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 1,917
Sobo (1937)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,353 Convoy commodore's ship – Vice-Admiral G T C P Swabey CB DSO
St Anselm (1919)Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 5,614Sunk by U-66 [13]
Stad Arnhem (1920)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 3,819Joined Convoy HX 135 after dispersal
Venus (1907)Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1,855

Convoy escorts

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

NameFlagTypeJoinedLeft
HMS Arbutus (K86) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194111 Jul 1941
HMS Armeria (K187)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 18 Jun 194128 Jun 1941
HMS Asphodel (K56)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 18 Jun 194128 Jun 1941
HMS Aster (K188)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 18 Jun 194128 Jun 1941
HMS Begonia (K66) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Bridgewater (L01) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Bridgewater-class sloop 18 Jun 194128 Jun 1941
HMS Burdock (K126)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 18 Jun 194128 Jun 1941
HMS Chelsea (I35) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Town-class destroyer 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Convolvulus (K45) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Esperance Bay (F67)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Armed merchant cruiser and troopship18 Jun 194127 Jun 1941
HMS Fleur De Lys (K122)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 30 Jun 194130 Jun 1941
HMS Jasmine (K23)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Larkspur (K82) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HNoMS Mansfield (G76) Flag of Norway, state.svg  Royal Norwegian Navy Town-class destroyer 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Pegasus Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Fighter catapult ship 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Pimpernel (K71)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Rhododendron (K78)Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941
HMS Shropshire (73) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy County-class heavy cruiser 26 Jun 194127 Jun 1941
HMS Verity (D63) Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy Modified W-class destroyer 09 Jul 194112 Jul 1941

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">SL convoys</span>

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References

  1. Hague, pp.138&142
  2. Blair, pp.302&303
  3. 1 2 "Convoy SL.78". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  4. "Merchant Seamen as Prisoners of War – British Merchant Navy Graves in Timbuktu – SS Criton". Gordon Mumford (MN). Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  5. "SS Criton [+1941]". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  6. "Empire Ability – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  7. "George J Goulandris – Greek Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  8. "Kalypso Vergotti – Greek Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  9. "Oberon – Dutch Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  10. "P.L.M.22 – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  11. "Rio Azul – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  12. "River Lugar – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  13. "St Anselm – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.

Bibliography