Convoy JW 54A

Convoy JW 54A was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in November 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. JW 54A was the first out-bound Arctic convoy of the 1943–44 winter season, following their suspension during the summer. All ships arrived safely.

Forces

JW 54A consisted of 19 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 15 November 1943. Close escort was provided by the destroyers Inconstant and Whitehall, and two other vessels. These were supported by seven Home Fleet destroyers led by Onslow (Capt.JA McCoy commanding). The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by a local escort from Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising Kent (R.Adm AFE Palliser), Jamaica and Bermuda also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units. Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force comprising the battleship Anson, the US cruiser Tuscaloosa and four US destroyers.

JW 54A was opposed by a U-boat force of five boats in a patrol line, code-named Eisenbart, in the Norwegian Sea. A surface force comprising the battleship Scharnhorst and five destroyers was also available, stationed at Altenfjord.

Voyage

JW 54A departed Loch Ewe on 15 November 1943, accompanied by its local escort, of three destroyers, and its close escort. Three days later, on 18 November, it was joined by the ocean escort, while the local escort departed. At the same time the Cruiser Force and the Distant Cover Force from Scapa Flow also put to sea, taking station in the Norwegian Sea.

The convoy was not sighted by German reconnaissance aircraft, nor by any of the Eisenbart U-boats, and crossed the Norwegian and Barents Seas without incident.

On 24 November JW 54A arrived safely at Kola Inlet.

Conclusion

JW 54A was a successful start to the 1943–44 convoy season, with the safe arrival of 19 merchant ships and the war materiel they carried.

Ships involved

Allied ships

Merchant ships

Copeland
Daniel Drake
Edmund Fanning
Empire Carpenter
Empire Celia
Empire Nigel
Fort Yukon
Gilbert Stuart
Henry Villard

James Gordon Bennet
James Smith
Junecrest
Mijdrecht
Norlys
Ocean Vanity
Ocean verity
Park Holland
Thomas Sim Lee
William Windom

Close escort

Ocean escort

Cruiser cover force

Distant cover force

Axis ships

U-boat force

Surface force

Scharnhorst
Z-29
Z-30
Z-33
Z-34
Z-38

Notes

References

Clay Blair : Hitler's U-Boat War [Volume 2]: The Hunted 1942-1945 (1998) ISBN 0-304-35261-6 (2000 UK paperback ed.)
Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
Paul Kemp : U-Boats Destroyed ( 1997) . ISBN 1-85409-515-3
Axel Neistle : German U-Boat Losses during World War II (1998). ISBN 1-85367-352-8
Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5
Bernard Schofield : (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford ISBN (none)
JW 54A at Convoyweb

Arctic convoys of World War II

1941

Outbound	Dervish PQ 1 PQ 2 PQ 3 PQ 4 PQ 5 PQ 6
Homebound	QP 1 QP 2 QP 3

1942

Outbound	PQ 7a PQ 7b PQ 8 PQ 9 PQ 10 PQ 11 PQ 12 PQ 13 PQ 14 PQ 15 PQ 16 PQ 17 PQ 18 Operation FB JW 51A JW 51B
Homebound	QP 4 QP 5 QP 6 QP 7 QP 8 QP 9 QP 10 QP 11 QP 12 QP 13 QP 14 QP 15 RA 51

1943

Outbound	JW 52 JW 53 JW 54A JW 54B JW 55A JW 55B
Homebound	RA 52 RA 53 RA 54A RA 54B RA 55A RA 55B

1944

Outbound	JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58 JW 59 JW 60 JW 61 JW 61A JW 62 JW 63
Homebound	RA 56 RA 57 RA 58 RA 59 RA 59A RA 60 RA 61 RA 61A RA 62 RA 63

1945

Outbound	JW 64 JW 65 JW 66 JW 67
Homebound	RA 64 RA 65 RA 66 RA 67

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