Convoy HX 231
| Convoy HX.231 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Germany |
 United Kingdom | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | Admiral Sir C G Ramsey KCB (Commodore) | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| 11 U-boats |
67 merchant ships 19 escorts | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 6 ships sunk | |||||
Convoy HX 231 was the 231st of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 25 March 1943 and were met on 31 March by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. The convoy was found on 4 April and attacked by eleven U-boats of the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th U-boat flotillas, operating out of Brest, La Rochelle, St Nazaire and Lorient, respectively. The U-boats sank six ships before losing contact on 7 April. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 10 April.[1]
Ships in the convoy[2]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Alisma (K185) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Mar – 09 Apr. Corvette | |
| Amastra (1935) |  United Kingdom |
8,031 | |
| Ancylus (1935) | United Kingdom |
8,017 | |
| Aruba (1929) |  Netherlands |
3,979 | Arrived with rudder damage |
| Asbjorn (1935) | United Kingdom |
4,387 | |
| Athelregent (1930) | United Kingdom |
8,881 | |
| Athos (1937) |  Norway |
8,267 | |
| Atlantida (1924) |  Honduras |
4,191 | |
| Beaverhill (1928) | United Kingdom |
10,041 | |
| Blitar (1923) | Netherlands |
7,065 | Romped and sunk by U-632[3] On 6 Apr, after an earlier unsuccessful attack the previous day by U-229. 26 Dead |
| British Ardour (1928) | United Kingdom |
7,124 | Escort Oiler. Sunk by U-706[4] On 5 Apr. 0 Dead |
| British Confidence (1936) | United Kingdom |
8,494 | |
| HMS Buxton (H96) | Royal Navy |
Escort 27 Mar – 31 Mar. Destroyer | |
| HMCS Chicoutimi |  Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 27 Mar – 31 Mar. Corvette | |
| City of Lyons (1926) | United Kingdom |
7,063 | |
| Clan Cameron (1937) | United Kingdom |
7,243 | |
| HMS Eclipse | Royal Navy |
Escort 06 Apr – 08 Apr. Destroyer | |
| Eli Whitney (1942) |  United States |
7,181 | |
| Empire Chief (1897) | United Kingdom |
8,040 | Tanker carrying fuel oil |
| Empire Coleridge (1942) | United Kingdom |
9,798 | Tanker carrying petrol. Fitted with <ABBR title=“Anti-Torpedo Net Device">AND |
| Empire Dickens (1942) | United Kingdom |
9,819 | Tanker carrying petrol |
| Empire Marvell (1941) | United Kingdom |
9,812 | Tanker carrying petrol & paraffin |
| Erin (1932) | United Kingdom |
5,841 | |
| Esso Dover (1921) | United States |
8,880 | |
| F J Wolfe (1932) | United Kingdom |
12,190 | Escort Oiler. Returned |
| Fort Finlay (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,134 | |
| Fort Jemseg (1943) | United Kingdom |
7,134 | |
| Fort Thompson (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,134 | |
| HMS Fury | Royal Navy |
Escort 06 Apr – 08 Apr. Destroyer | |
| Geo W McKnight (1933) | United Kingdom |
12,502 | |
| Georgian (1920) | United States |
5,825 | |
| HMS Icarus | Royal Navy |
Escort 06 Apr – 08 Apr. Destroyer | |
| HMS Inglefield | Royal Navy |
Escort 06 Apr – 08 Apr. Destroyer | |
| Jamaica Planter (1936) | United Kingdom |
4,098 | Vice-Commodore |
| Joel R Poinsett (1943) | United States |
7,176 | |
| Katy (1931) | Norway |
6,825 | |
| HMCS Kenora (J281) | Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 25 Mar – 28 Mar. Minesweeper | |
| Kent (1918) | United Kingdom |
8,697 | |
| Lady Rodney (1929) | United Kingdom |
8,194 | Halifax to St John’s, Newfoundland |
| Laurelwood (1929) | United Kingdom |
7,347 | |
| Lochmonar (1924) | United Kingdom |
9,412 | Returned |
| HMS Loosestrife (K105) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Mar – 09 Apr. Corvette Landed 72 Survivors from Waroonga at Londonderry on 9 Apr 43 | |
| Manchester Port (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,071 | |
| HMCS Milltown (J317) | Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 27 Mar – 31 Mar. Minesweeper | |
| Mobilgas (1937) | United States |
9,925 | |
| Mosdale (1939) | Norway |
3,022 | |
| HMS Narvik (LST3044) | Royal Navy |
Escort 09 Apr – 10 Apr. Tank Landing ship | |
| Nassa (1942) | United Kingdom |
8,134 | Fitted with AND |
| Noah Webster (1943) | United States |
7,176 | Returned |
| Norheim (1941) | Norway |
9,816 | |
| Norvinn (1930) |  Panama |
6,322 | |
| Ocean Volunteer (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,174 | |
| Ornefjell (1937) | Norway |
1,334 | Bound For Halifax |
| Pandorian (1941) | United Kingdom |
4,159 | |
| Pierre Soule (1943) | United States |
7,191 | |
| HMS Pink (K137) | Royal Navy |
Escort 29 Mar – 09 Apr. Corvette | |
| Pleiades (1939) | United States |
3,600 | |
| Port Sydney (1914) | United Kingdom |
9,129 | |
| HMCS Quesnel | Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 25 Mar – 31 Mar. Corvette | |
| Raphael Semmes (1942) | United States |
6,165 | |
| Reinholt (1939) | Norway |
4,799 | |
| Salland (1920) | Netherlands |
6,447 | |
| Saluta (1906) | United Kingdom |
6,261 | Returned |
| San Adolfo (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,365 | |
| San Ambrosio (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,410 | |
| Santa Maria (1942) | United States |
6,507 | |
| HMCS Saskatoon | Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 25 Mar – 28 Mar. Corvette | |
| Scebeli (1937) | Norway |
3,025 | Detached and independent 1 Apr |
| Shillong (1939) | United Kingdom |
5,529 | Sunk by U-630[5] On 5 Apr, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack. 71 Dead |
| Slemmestad (1928) | Norway |
4,258 | |
| HMS Snowflake (K211) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Mar – 09 Apr. Corvette Landed 54 Survivors from British Ardour At Londonderry | |
| Sovac (1938) | United Kingdom |
6,724 | |
| Stephen C Foster (1943) | United States |
7,106 | |
| Sunoil (1927) | United States |
9,005 | Straggler zig-zagging on 4 Apr due to engine trouble. Sunk by U-530[6] On 5 Apr, after being damaged by U-563 in an earlier attack. All 69 Crew Dead |
| HMS Tay | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Mar – 09 Apr. Frigate | |
| Thomas Sumter (1942) | United States |
7,177 | Romped |
| Tjibadak (1929) | Netherlands |
7,083 | |
| Torr Head (1937) | United Kingdom |
5,021 | |
| Tulsa (1919) | United States |
5,083 | |
| Tyndareus (1916) | United Kingdom |
11,361 | Admiral Sir C G Ramsey KCB (Commodore) |
| USS Merak | United States Navy |
6,982 | Stores and passenger ship. 138 Passengers |
| Vaalaren (1936) |  Sweden |
3,406 | Romped 4 Apr. Sunk by U-229[7] On 5 Apr. All 38 crew dead |
| HMS Vidette | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Mar – 09 Apr. Destroyer | |
| Waroonga (1914) | United Kingdom |
9,365 | Sunk by U-630[8] On 5 Apr, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack. 19 Dead |
| William Mulholland (1942) | United States |
7,176 | |
| William Whipple (1942) | United States |
7,181 | |
References
- ↑ Gretton, Peter (1974). Crisis Convoy. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-925-1.
- ↑ "Convoy HX.231". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Blitar – Dutch Steam Merchant". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "British Ardour – British Steam Tanker". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Shillong – British Motor Merchant". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Sunoil – American Motor Tanker". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Vaalaren – Swedish Motor Merchant". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
- ↑ "Waroonga – British Steam Merchant". Www.Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
Bibliography
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.