Английская Википедия:Convoy HX 79
Шаблон:Use British English Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Infobox military conflict
HX 79 was an Allied convoy in the North Atlantic of the HX series, which sailed east from Halifax, Nova Scotia. The convoy took place during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. One ship dropped out and returned to port, leaving 49 to cross the Atlantic for Liverpool. Two armed merchant cruisers and a submarine escorted the convoy to protect it from German commerce raiders.
The oceanic escorts detached from the convoy at noon on 18 October, in the Western Approaches, where Convoy SC 7 had been attacked by a Wolfpack on the night of 18/19 October, which sank many ships and scattered the survivors. The Admiralty sent the ten ships and a submarine escorting Convoy OB 229 to defend Convoy HX 79, which arrived from Шаблон:Nowrap to noon on 19 October.
During the night of 19/20 October, U-boats attacked the convoy and sank twelve ships. The convoy escorts were inexperienced and not trained in common anti-submarine tactics, the four corvettes were new and crewed with inexperienced wartime recruits; the submarine got in the way and was attacked twice by the ships. The U-boats, having expended their torpedoes turned for home.
German military communiqués exaggerated the results of the attacks on Convoys SC 7 and HX 79, claiming an even greater victory than the one achieved. The British began to revise their tactics and organisation, creating permanent escort groups and hurrying the provision of new equipment like R/T for anti-submarine ships and aircraft to communicate.
Background
U-boats
From 22 September the U-boats Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS and Шаблон:GS to pick off ships sailing independently and attack convoys in the area between the North Channel and the Rockall Bank. The first attempt to intercept a convoy with a line of U-boats on 7 October failed but several independents were sunk, including three from Convoy SC 6.Шаблон:Sfn
Convoy SC 7
SC 7 was a slow convoy which departed Sydney on 5 October 1940, ahead of the faster Convoy HX 79, bound for Liverpool with 34 ships. On 17 October, four of the ships had straggled and it had been met by the sloops Шаблон:HMS and Шаблон:HMS with the corvette Шаблон:HMS. The U-boat Шаблон:GS sank two ships before Coastal Command flying boats forced the U-boat to withdraw.Шаблон:Sfn
Convoy HX 79
Convoy HX 79 was an east-bound convoy which sailed from Halifax on 8 October 1940 making for Liverpool.Шаблон:Sfn Twenty ships joined at Halifax, nineteen from Sydney, Nova Scotia and then ten ships from Bermuda, one ship dropped out and returned early.Шаблон:Sfn The meagre ocean escort of the armed merchant cruisers HMS Alaunia and Шаблон:HMS with the Netherlands submarine Шаблон:HNLMS accompanied the convoy in case of attack by a surface raider.Шаблон:Sfn
Prelude
Attack on Convoy SC 7
Having received the sighting report from U-48, Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Шаблон:Lang (Commander, U-boats) established another patrol line with Шаблон:GS, U-46, U-123, Шаблон:GS, Шаблон:GS. During the night of 17/18 October U-38 attacked twice, sinking one ship befire being forced to retire by the corvette Шаблон:HMS, which, with the sloop Шаблон:HMS, had joined the convoy. Later in the evening, the convoy reached the U-boat patrol line and the escorts present, Leith, Fowey and Bluebell were unable to challenge U-101, U-46, U-99 (attacking from inside the convoy), U-123 and U-100 which overwhelmed the convoy escorts with massed attacks and sank sixteen ships, damaged one and scattered the survivors.Шаблон:Sfn On 19 October, the 49 ships of Convoy HX 79 entered the Western Approaches, where the slow Convoy SC 7 had been attacked.Шаблон:Sfn
In the late morning of 19 October Alaunia and Montclare turned west, handing over Convoy HX 79 to the 1st Escort Group (1st EG).Шаблон:Sfn The Admiralty expected an attack on Convoy HX 79 after the disaster befalling Convoy SC 7 and sent the 1st EG, the escorts of Convoy OB 229, to reinforce the convoy; eleven ships arrived from Шаблон:Nowrap until noon.Шаблон:Sfnm The escort group consisted of the destroyers Шаблон:HMS (Lieutenant-Commander Archibald Russell, escort leader) and Шаблон:HMS, the minesweeper Шаблон:HMS, the corvettes Шаблон:HMS, Шаблон:HMS, Шаблон:HMS and Шаблон:HMS with the anti-submarine trawlers Шаблон:HMT, Шаблон:HMT and Шаблон:HMT. The submarine Шаблон:HNLMS had also joined during the morning of 19 October.Шаблон:Sfnm
Action
Day: 19 October
Convoy HX 79 was sighted by Шаблон:GS (Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien) Prien transmitted a sighting report and shadowed the convoy. The U-boats Шаблон:GS, U-101 and U-123 had fired all their torpedoes in the attack on Convoy SC 7 and sailed for home; those still operational were directed to the scene; Шаблон:GS (Joachim Schepke), Шаблон:GS (Engelbert Endrass) and Шаблон:GS which had failed to reach Convoy SC 7 in time and Шаблон:GS (Heinrich Liebe) and Шаблон:GS (Heinrich Bleichrodt) were guided to Convoy HX 79 by U-47, joining during the day.Шаблон:Sfn U-boats which failed to reach Convoy HX 79 in time continued to attack ships sailing independently. At the back of the port column, the British Brocklebank liner Matheran was torpedoed by U-38 outside the convoy. The torpedo hit No. 3 hold and the ship sank in seven minutes, with its cargo of Шаблон:Cvt of iron and Шаблон:Cvt of zinc, grain, machinery and general cargo. Captain J. Greenhall and eight crew were killed and 72 men abandoned ship and were picked up later by Loch Lomond, which was acting as a rescue ship. U-38 entered the convoy and six minutes later fired a second salvo of torpedoes at the Maclay & McIntyre tramp Uganda in the third column, carrying Шаблон:Cvt of steel and Шаблон:Cvt of wood. Only one lifeboat was not destroyed by the explosion but there were no casualties, Captain C. Mackinnon and the 39 crew being rescued by Jason. U-47 attacked, also on the surface, sinking first the Dutch Шаблон:Lang general cargo-vessel, Bilderdijk, loaded with Шаблон:Cvt of grain and general cargo, the crew of 39 men surviving.Шаблон:Sfn
Having sunk the second vessel in column two, U-47 torpedoed the Baltic Trading Company vessel, Shirak, the sixth ship in the second column, carrying Шаблон:Cvt of petroleum products. The crew abandoned ship and Captain L. R. Morrison with his crew were rescued by Blackfly; as the convoy sailed on, U-48 finished Shirak off.Шаблон:Sfn U-47 attacked the new Ropner tramp steamer Wandby, on its first journey, with Шаблон:Cvt of lead, zinc and Шаблон:Cvt of wood from Vancouver; the crew being rescued by Angle. Wandby sank slowly going down on 21 October. U-46 had also fired at Wandby and close to midnight torpedoed the British tramp steamer Ruperra full of steel scrap and aircraft, the ship sinking quickly with the captain, D. T. Davies, 29 crew members and a naval gunner being killed; seven men were rescued by Induna. U-100 sank two tankers of the British Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company. Caprella (Captain P. Prior, from Curaçao with a cargo of Шаблон:Cvt of heavy fuel oil .was hit at Шаблон:Nowrap The fuel did not explode but the torpedo hit it between the bridge and the engine room, breaking the ship’s back. Lifeboats amidships and aft were lowered, without the chief officer, who had been on the bridge and was killed by the torpedo explosion. As Captain Prior and his crew abandoned ship, they could see Shirak burning nearby. The 52 survivors were picked up by Lady Elsa after about two hours. U-100 attacked Sitala, also bound for Stanlow with Шаблон:Cvt of crude oil, killing a member of the engine-room staff; Captain J. L. Morgans and 42 crew were rescued by Lady Elsa.Шаблон:Sfn
Night 19/20 October
It was now after midnight, and Prien fired at Buries Markes’s cargo-vessel La Estancia. Again one man below was lost, along with the Шаблон:Cvt of sugar, Captain J. Meneely, 24 members of the crew and a passenger were rescued by Coreopsis and seven men taken on by Induna. U-47 still on the surface, torpedoed Whitford Point at the back of the convoy, carrying Шаблон:Cvt of steel and sinking quickly with the Captain J. E. Young and 35 men; a survivor was rescued by Sturdy. After stopping to rescue the survivors of Matheran, the Maclay & McIntyre ship, Loch Lomond, carrying Шаблон:Cvt of wood and Шаблон:Cvt of steel, was attacked and sunk by U-100, Captain W. J. Park, the 38 crew and the survivors from Matheran were picked up by Jason. A straggler, the Swedish Johnson Line oil-tanker, Janus, a new 9,965 GRT ship, was sunk by U-46. Janus was the last ship of Convoy HX 79 to be sunk but U-47 damaged the tanker Athelmonarch, which made port. Convoy HX 79 arrived at Liverpool without further loss on 23 October.Шаблон:Sfn Convoy HX 79 had lost twelve ships out of 49, a total tonnage of Шаблон:GRT for no loss to the U-boats.Шаблон:Sfn
Aftermath
Analysis
Based on short signals and the confusion of massed night attacks, Dönitz at U-boat headquarters in Paris announced exaggerated figures for ships sunk, some later being amended after U-boat crews returned and gave more detailed accounts. Seventeen sinkings were claimed against a post-war analysis by Jurgen Rohwer of twelve ships sunk.Шаблон:Sfn Despite the number of escorts, their anti-submarine effort had been ineffective; the ships were uncoordinated, the four corvettes were new, with inexperienced hostilities-only crews, the ships were not used to working together and used different tactics. The escorts had arrived singly and command went to the senior officer present and could change if a new arrival was commanded by a more senior officer. Tactics had to be made on the spot and communicated by signal lamp to each ship in turn. The failure of the escort led to a number of changes in policy. Permanent escort groups were formed with a leader, allowing consistent tactics and better teamwork.Шаблон:Sfn In the German semi-official history, Germany and the Second World War (2015), Bernd Stegemann wrote that the U-boats had their best success pe-day-at-sea in October 1940, a period that the submariners called the Happy Time. During the winter of 1940–1941 the U-boats had less success due to the seasonal weather, the British–US destroyers-for-bases deal, the arrival of more corvettes, the addition of radar sets and radio-telephones to British destroyers and the (slow) increase in the number of Coastal Command aircraft.Шаблон:Sfn
Casualties
Amongst the casualties, Caprella suffered one man killed and 51 survivors, Matheran suffered nine men killed, thirty men wee killed and seven survived on Ruperra, one man was killed and 43 survived on Sitara and there were three survivors and 36 men killed on Whitford Point.Шаблон:Sfn The U-Boats sank 21 ships of 79,592 GRT in Convoy SC 7 and stragglers; the U-boats then sank 12 ships in Convoy HX 79 of 75,069 GRT** and damaged a tanker. The six GRT discrepancy in the U-boat claims table is accounted for by it coming from an edition of Axis Submarine Successes 1939–1945 (1983) by Jürgen Rohwer and the larger figure being taken from Chronology of the War at Sea (2005) by Rohwer and Hümmelchen.Шаблон:Sfn
Tonnage lost
| U-boat | Sunk | GRT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-48 | 6 | 37,083 | 1 damaged by U-47 (6,032 GRT) |
| U-101 | 4 | 14,562 | 1 shared with U-100 and U-123 (4,155 GRT), 1 damaged with U-100 (5,458 GRT) |
| U-93 | 3 | 13,214 | |
| U-124 | 5 | 20,061 | |
| U-46 | 5 | 22,966 | 1 shared with U-47 (4,947 GRT) |
| U-99 | 6 | 27,396 | 1 shared with U-123 (4,144 GRT) |
| U-100 | 3 | 19,900 | 1 shared with U-101 and U-123 (4,155 GRT), 1 damaged with U-101 (5,458 GRT) |
| U-47 | 3 | 17,065 | 1 shared with U-48 (6,023 GRT), 1 shared with U-46 (4,947 GRT), 1 damaged (8,995 GRT) |
U-boat claims
| U-boat | Captain | Dönitz | GRT | Rohwer | GRT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-38 | Heinruch Liebe | 2 | 13,000 | 2 | 12,619 |
| U-46 | Engelbert Endrass | 3 | 23,000 | 2½* | 16,987 |
| U-47 | Günter Prien | 8 | 50,500 | 4 | 22,552 |
| U-48 | Heinrich Bleichrodt | 1 | 7,000 | ½* | 3,011 |
| U-100 | Joachim Schepke | 3 | 19,600 | 3 | 19,894 |
| Totals | * shared with U-47 | 17 | 113,100 | 12 | **75,063 |
Orders of battle
Allied merchant ships
Twenty ships joined at Halifax, nineteen from Sydney, Nova Scotia and then ten ships from Bermuda, one ship having returned early.Шаблон:Sfn
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athelmonarch (1928) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 8,995 | Damaged by Шаблон:GS no casualtiesШаблон:Sfn |
| Atland (1910) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,203 | |
| Axel Johnson (1925) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,915 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Baron Carnegie (1925) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,178 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Benwood (1910) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,931 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Biafra (1933) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,405 | |
| Bilderdijk (1922) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 6,856 | Sunk by Шаблон:GS, no casualtiesШаблон:Sfnm |
| Blairnevis (1930) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,155 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Brittany (1928) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,772 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Cadillac (1917) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 12,062 | |
| Cairnvalona (1918) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,929 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Campus (1925) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,667 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Cape Corso (1929) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,807 | |
| Caprella (1931) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 8,230 | Sunk by Шаблон:GS one killed, 51 survivorsШаблон:Sfnm |
| City Of Lancaster (1924) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,041 | |
| Egda (1939) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 10,050 | |
| Шаблон:Ship (1921) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 7,964 | |
| Empire Trader (1908) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 9,990 | Joined Ex BHX 79 |
| Enseigne Maurice Prehac (1924) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,578 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Erna III (1930) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 1,590 | Returned early |
| Flowergate (1911) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,161 | |
| Gunda (1930) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 1,770 | |
| Harbury (1933) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,081 | |
| Harlesden (1932) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,483 | |
| Hoyanger (1926) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,624 | Joined Ex BHX 79 |
| Induna (1925) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,086 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Janus (1939) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 9,965 | Sunk by Шаблон:GS all 38 crew survivedШаблон:SfnmШаблон:Sfn |
| Kiruna (1921) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,484 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| La Estancia (1940) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,185 | Joined Ex BHX 79, Sunk by Шаблон:GSШаблон:Sfn |
| Loch Lomond (1934) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,452 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia. Sunk by Шаблон:GS crew of 39 and 72 survivors rescued by Jason |
| Marathon (1919) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 7,926 | |
| Matheran (1919) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 7,653 | Sunk by Шаблон:GS, nine killedШаблон:Sfnm |
| Ravnefjell (1938) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 1,339 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Rio Blanco (1922) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,086 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Ruperra (1925) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,548 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia. Sunk by Шаблон:GS 30 killed seven survivorsШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn |
| Rydboholm (1933) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 3,197 | |
| Salacia (1937) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,495 | |
| San Roberto (1922) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,890 | |
| Sandanger (1938) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 9,432 | |
| Shirak (1926) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 6,023 | Joined Ex BHX 79. Sunk by Шаблон:GS & Шаблон:GS, no casualtiesШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn |
| Sir Ernest Cassel (1910) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 7,739 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Sitala (1937) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 6,218 | Joined Ex BHX 79. Sunk by Шаблон:GS, one killed, 43 survivorsШаблон:Sfnm |
| Thyra (1920) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 1,655 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Tiba (1938) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,239 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Tribesman (1937) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 6,242 | Joined Ex BHX 79 |
| Triton (1930) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 6,607 | Joined Ex BHX 79 |
| Шаблон:SS (1927) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,966 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia. sunk by Шаблон:GSШаблон:Sfn |
| Wandby (1940) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,947 | Joined Ex BHX 79. Sunk by Шаблон:GS, no casualties, wreck sank 21 OctoberШаблон:SfnШаблон:Sfn |
| Wellington Court (1930) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 4,979 | Sailed Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| Whitford Point (1928) | Шаблон:Flagcountry | 5,026 | Sunk by Шаблон:GS, three survivors, 36 killedШаблон:Sfnm |
Convoy escorts
Warships escorted the convoy at times during its journey. Data from Rohwer and Hümmelchen (2005) unless indicated.Шаблон:Sfn
| Name | Flag | Type | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS/HMT Angle | Шаблон:Navy | anti-submarine warfare (ASW) trawler | 19 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Шаблон:Sclass2 | 19–23 Oct 1940 |
| HMS/HMT Blackfly | Шаблон:Navy | ASW trawler | 19 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Flower-class corvette | 19–22 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMCS | Шаблон:Naval | Armed yacht | 8–9 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Flower-class corvette | 19–23 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Flower-class corvette | 19–23 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMCS | Шаблон:Naval | Armed yacht | 9–10 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Шаблон:Sclass | 9 Oct 1940 |
| HMS/HMT Lady Elsa | Шаблон:Navy | ASW trawler | 19 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Armed merchant cruiser | 9–18 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HNLMS | Шаблон:Navy | Шаблон:Sclass | 9–18 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMCS | Шаблон:Naval | Armed yacht | 9–10 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMCS | Шаблон:Naval | Шаблон:Sclass2 | 8–9 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Admiralty S-class destroyer | 20 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | S-class destroyer | 19 Oct 1940 |
| Шаблон:HMS | Шаблон:Navy | Modified W-class destroyer | 19–21 Oct 1940 |
U-boats
| U-boat | Captain | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U-38 | Heinrich Liebe | Type IX |
| U-46 | Engelbert Endrass | Type VIIB, bombed and damaged by three Hudsons of 233 Squadron Coastal Command, west of Stavanger on return journey, one man killed.Шаблон:Sfn |
| U-47 | Günther Prien | Type VIIB |
| U-48 | Heinrich Bleichrodt | Type VIIB |
| U-100 | Joachim Schepke | Type VIIB |
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book First published as North Atlantic Run: The Royal Canadian Navy and the Battle for the Convoys (1985) University of Toronto Press.
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
Further reading
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
- Шаблон:Cite book
External links
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