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Notable events involving Hurricane include:

24 Jun 1940
HrMs O 10 (Lt. G. Quint, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Portland together with HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) and HMS Olvina (Lt.Cdr. C.G. Cuthbertson, RNR). (1)

25 Jun 1940
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) picks up 40 survivors from the British tanker Saranac that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-51 about 270 nautical miles west-south-west of Lands End in position 48°24'N, 15°05'W.

25 Jun 1940
HrMs O 9 (Lt. H.A.W. Goossens, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Portland with HMS Camellia (Lt.Cdr. E.M. Mackay, RNR) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN). (2)

25 Jun 1940

Convoy HX 53.

This convoy departed Halifax on 25 June 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Aracataca (British, 5377 GRT, built 1925), Axel Johnson (Swedish, 4896 GRT, built 1925), Bjerka (Norwegian, 1893 GRT, built 1916), Boltonhall (British, 4824 GRT, built 1935), Botavon (British, 5848 GRT, built 1912), Crown Arun (British, 2372 GRT, built 1938), Dalcross (British, 4557 GRT, built 1930), Dimitrios Inglessis (Greek, 5275 GRT, built 1918), Dunsley (British, 3862 GRT, built 1929), Grigorios C. II (Greek, 2497 GRT, built 1919), Harlingen (British, 5415 GRT, built 1933), Humber Arm (British, 5758 GRT, built 1925), Janna (Norwegian, 2197 GRT, built 1919), Jersey City (British, 4986 GRT, built 1936), Langleebrook (British, 4246 GRT, built 1930), Manchester Brigade (British, 6042 GRT, built 1918), Pacific Shipper (British, 6290 GRT, built 1924), Penrose (British, 4393 GRT, built 1928), Rosenborg (Finnish, 1521 GRT, built 1919), Scoresby (British, 3843 GRT, built 1923), Silverfir (British, 4347 GRT, built 1924), Sovac (British (tanker), 6724 GRT, built 1938), Stalheim (Norwegian, 1298 GRT, built 1936), Taborfjell (Norwegian, 1339 GRT, built 1938), Taybank (British, 5627 GRT, built 1930), Thistleford (British, 4781 GRT, built 1928), Tilsington Court (British, 6910 GRT, built 1928), Valparaiso (Swedish, 3762 GRT, built 1917), Venetia (British, 5728 GRT, built 1927), Wentworth (British, 5212 GRT, built 1919) and Zannes Gounaris (Greek, 4407 GRT, built 1907).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) and the destroyers HMCS Assiniboine (Capt. G.C. Jones, RCN) and HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. E.R. Mainguy, RCN).

Around 2130P/25, the Canadian destroyers parted company to return to Halifax.

At dawn on 26 June the Janna was missing from the convoy. She arrived back at Halifax on 27 June.

Around 0800P/30, in position 41°30'N, 44°35'W, the Bermuda section of the convoy joined (convoy BHX 53), this was made up of the following merchant vessels; Athelempress (British (tanker), 8941 GRT, built 1930), Empire Gannet (British, 5630 GRT, built 1919), Katy (Norwegian (tanker), 6825 GRT, built 1931), Maria Stathatos (Greek, 6303 GRT, built 1922), Mataroa (British, 12390 GRT, built 1922), Severn Leigh (British, 5242 GRT, built 1919), Sommerstad (Norwegian (tanker), 5923 GRT, built 1926), Taranaki (British, 10534 GRT, built 1928), Thistlegarth (British, 4747 GRT, built 1929), Thorshavn (Norwegian (tanker), 6869 GRT, built 1930) and Whitford Point (British, 5026 GRT, built 1928).

They had been escorted to the rendezvous by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Comorin (Capt.(Retd.) J.I. Hallett, DSO, RN) which then parted company to proceed to Halifax where she arrived on 2 July 1940.

Around 0925N/7, in position 50°20'N, 13°33'W, HMS Alaunia parted company with the convoy to return to Halifax. She had just turned over the escort of the convoy to the destroyers HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Vanquisher (Cdr. C.B. Alers-Hankey, RN), HMS Winchelsea (Lt.Cdr. W.A.F. Hawkins, DSC, RN), HMS Sabre (Cdr.(Retd.) B. Dean, RN), HMS Scimitar (Lt. R.D. Franks, OBE, RN), sloop HMS Leith (Cdr. G.R. Waymouth, RN) and the corvette HMS Clarkia (Lt.Cdr. F.J.G. Jones, RNR).

At 0653A/8, the convoy was attacked by an enemy submarine in position 50°37'W, 09°38'W [another source gives 50°36'N, 09°24'W] during which the Humber Arm was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-99. The entire crew was picked up by HMS Scimitar and HMS Vanquisher.

On 9 July 1940 the following merchant vessels arrived in Barry Roads;
Jersey City, Katy, Maria Stathatos, Mataroa and Zannes Gounaris.

On 9 July 1940 the Rosenborg arrived at Dublin.

On 10 July 1940 the following merchant vessels arrived at Liverpool;
Aracataca, Axel Johnson, Dalcross, Dimitrios Inglessis, Empire Gannet, Pacific Shipper, Silverfir, Sovac, Stalheim, Taborfjell, Taranaki, Taybank and Tilsington Court.

On 10 July 1940, the Manchester Brigade arrived at Manchester.

On 10 July 1940, the Bjerka and Crown Arun and arrived at Preston.

On 10 July 1940, the Grigorios C. II arrived at Barrow in Furness.

On 10 July 1940, the Sommerstad arrived at Belfast.

On 10 July 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived in the Clyde;
Athelempress, Boltonhall, Botavon, Dunsley, Harlingen, Langleebrook, Penrose, Scoresby, Severn Leigh, Thistleford, Thistlegarth, Thorshavn, Valparaiso, Venetia, Wentworth and Whitford Point.

The escorts arrived as follows;
HMS Scimitar and HMS Clarkia arrived at Milford haven on 9 July.
HMS Hurrican, HMS Vanquisher and HMS Winchelsea arrived at Liverpool on 10 July.
HMS Sabre and HMS Leith arrived in the Clyde on 10 July. (3)

27 Jun 1940
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) picks up 28 survivors from the Dutch tanker Leticia that was sunk earlier that day by the German U-boat U-47 in position 50°11'N, 13°15'W about 150 nautical miles west-south-west of Mizen Head.

HMS Hurricane and her sister ship HMS Havelock (Capt. E.B.K. Stevens, DSC, RN) also pick up 27 survivors from the Norwegian merchant Lenda that was sunk about 160 nautical miles south-west of Fastnet, Ireland in position 50°00'N, 13°24'W by gunfire from German U-boat U-47.

29 Jun 1940
About 05.00 hours on 29 June 1940, the unescorted British merchant Empire Toucan was torpedoed by German U-boat U-47 190 nautical miles south-west of Fastnet and broke in two. The U-boat sank the after part by gunfire. The bow section was sunk by gunfire by the British destroyer HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), which picked up the master and 30 crew members and landed them at Plymouth.

6 Aug 1940

Convoy WS 2.

This convoy departed Liverpool / the Clyde on 6 August 1940 for the far east.

The Liverpool section of the convoy was made up of the following troopships / transports; Aska (British, 8323 GRT, built 1939), Batory (Polish, 14287 GRT, built 1936), Clan Macaulay (British, 10492 GRT, built 1936), Empress of Britain (British, 42348 GRT, built 1931), Monarch of Bermuda (British, 22424 GRT, built 1931), Orion (British, 23371 GRT, built 1935), Ormonde (British, 14982 GRT, built 1917), Otranto (British, 20026 GRT, built 1925), Strathaird (British, 22281 GRT, built 1932), Stratheden (British, 23722 GRT, built 1937) and Waiwera (British, 12435 GRT, built 1934).

They were escorted by the heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall (Capt. C.F. Hammill, RN), HMS Havelock (Capt. E.B.K. Stevens, DSC, RN), HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, RN), HMS Highlander (Cdr. W.A. Dallmeyer, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN).

The Clyde section of the convoy was made up of the following troopships / transports; Andes (British, 25689 GRT, built 1939), Empress of Canada (British, 21517 GRT, built 1922), Franconia (British, 20175 GRT, built 1923), Lanarkshire (British, 9816 GRT, built 1940), Memnon (British, 7506 GRT, built 1931) and Suffolk (British, 11063 GRT, built 1939).

They were escorted by the heavy cruiser HMS Shropshire (Capt. J.H. Edelsten, RN), light cruiser HMS Emerald (Capt. F.C. Flynn, RN) and the destroyers HMS Fortune (Cdr. E.A. Gibbs, DSO, RN), HMS Fury (Lt.Cdr. T.C. Robinson, RN), HMS Vortigern (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Howlett, RN) and HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. E.C.L. Day, RN).

Both sections made rendezvous around 1200A/6 and then the convoy was formed in position 55°30'N, 06°00'W.

Around 1430A/6, the troopship Orion, was ordered to proceed to the Clyde as she had developed engine defects.

At 2118A/7, the destroyers HMS Vortigern and HMS Watchman were detached in response to an SOS signal. [This was from the torpedoed Mohamed Ali El-Kebir.]

At 2359A/7, HMS Emerald and the remaining destroyers parted company with the convoy.

Around dawn on the 8th the convoy split up in a 'fast' and a 'slow' section. The fast section was made up of the Andes, Batory, Empress of Britain, Empress of Canada, Monarch of Bermuda, Strathaird and Stratheden. They were escorted by HMS Cornwall. The other ships formed the 'slow' section escorted by HMS Shropshire.

The 'fast' section arrived at Freetown on 15 August 1940. The 'slow' section arrived at Freetown on 16 August 1940.

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On 16 August 1940 the 'fast' section departed Freetown for Capetown. It was now made up of the troopships / transports Andes, Batory, Empress of Britain, Empress of Canada, Strathaird and Stratheden under the escort of HMS Cornwall.

The 'slow' section, now made up of the troopships / transports Clan Macaulay, Franconia, Lanarkshire, Memnon, Ormonde, Otranto, Suffolk and Waiwera under the escort of HMS Shropshire.

The fast section arrived at Capetown on 25 August 1940, the slow section on 28 August 1940.

Both cruisers proceeded to Simonstown after delivering the convoy at Capetown, HMS Cornwall arriving there on 25 August and HMS Shropshire on 28 August.

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On 30 August 1940 the troopships / transports Andes, Clan Macaulay, Empress of Britain, Empress of Canada, Lanarkshire, Memnon, Otranto, Strathaird, Suffolk and Waiwera departed Capetown for Aden / Suez. They were escorted by HMS Shropshire. This convoy was now known as WS 2A.

On 2 September 1940, while off Durban, this convoy was joined by the troopships / transport Franconia and Llangibby Castle (British, 11951 GRT, built 1929) which had been escorted out of Durban by the HMS Kanimbla (A/Capt. F.E. Getting, RAN). These ships had departed Durban the day before.

The Llangibby Castle was detached from the convoy around noon on 7 September for Mombasa where she arrived on 8 September being escorted from them moment she had been detached by the light cruiser HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN).

The convoy arrived near Aden on 12 September 1940 where it split into two sections around 2145C/12. The 'fast' section was escorted by light cruiser HMAS Hobart (Capt. H.L. Howden, RAN), AA cruiser HMS Coventry (Capt. D. Gilmour, RN) and the destroyers HMS Kandahar (Cdr. W.G.A. Robson, RN) and HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, RN). HMS Shropshire remained with the 'slow' section but was reinforced by the destroyer HMS Kimberley (Lt.Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, RN) and sloop HMS Flamingo (Cdr. J.H. Huntley, RN).

Around 2310C/13, HMS Kandahar parted company with the fast section to proceed to Port Sudan to fuel.

Around 0130C/14, HMS Coventry and HMS Kingston were detached from the fast section, they were also to proceed to Port Sudan to fuel.

Around 0600C/14, HMAS Hobart parted company with the fast section which then continued its passage to Suez unescorted.

Around 1300C/14, HMS Kimberley parted company with the slow section.

Around 1930C/14, HMS Shropshire and HMS Flamingo parted company with the slow section which then continued its passage to Suez unescorted.

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One day later, 31 August 1940, the troopships / transports Batory, Orion (which by now had also arrived at Capetown, Ormonde and Stratheden departed Capetown for Bombay. They were escorted by HMS Cornwall. This convoy was now known as WS 2B.

The escort of convoy WS 2B was taken over by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Kanimbla (A/Capt. F.E. Getting, RAN) in position 35°08'S, 34°27'E at 1200/3. Half an hour later HMS Cornwall parted company with the convoy.

Convoy WS 2B arrived at Bombay in the morning of September 15th. (4)

10 Aug 1940

Convoy ZA.

The troopships Empress of Australia (British, 21833 GRT, built 1914) and Samaria (British, 19597 GRT, built 1921) departed Liverpool on 10 August. They were being escorted by the destroyers HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) and HMS Walker (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN).

On 11 August the troopships Antonia (British, 13867 GRT, built 1921), Duchess of York (British, 20021 GRT, built 1929), Georgic (British, 27759 GRT, built 1932) and Oronsay (British, 20043 GRT, built 1925). They were escorted by the battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) and the destroyers HMS Ashanti (Cdr. W.G. Davis, RN), HMS Griffin (Lt.Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, DSO, RN), HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. E.C.L. Day, RN) and HMS Vortigern (Lt.Cdr. R.S. Howlett, RN).

The troopships were evacuating children from the U.K. to Canada. HMS Revenge had £ 14.5 million in gold bullion on board.

On the 12th, HMS Hurricane lost touch with the convoy in the bad visibility. She was not seen again by the convoy.

The troopship Orion (British, 23371 GRT, built 1935) and armed merchant cruiser HMS Asturias (Capt. J.R.S. Haines, RN) also were with the convoy, having sailed with it from the Clyde, until 0800A/13, when they parted company on reaching 20°W and set course for Freetown. The remaining destroyers were also detached around this time.

The convoy arrived at Halifax on 19 August 1940. (5)

10 Sep 1940

Convoy AP 3.

This convoy departed Liverpool on 10 September 1940 for Suez where it arrived on 22 October 1940.

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Athlone Castle (British, 25564 GRT, built 1936), Brisbane Star (British, 12791 GRT, built 1937), Brittanic (British, 26943 GRT, built 1930), Clan Campbell (British, 7255 GRT, built 1937), Clan MacArthur (British, 10528 GRT, built 1936), Dominion Monarch (British, 27155 GRT, built 1939), Durban Castle (British, 17388 GRT, built 1938), Glaucus (British, 7596 GRT, built 1921), Imperial Star (British, 12427 GRT, built 1935) and Ulster Prince (British, 3791 GRT, built 1930).

On departure from the U.K. the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Havelock (Capt. E.B.K. Stevens, DSC, RN), HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, RN), HMS Highlander (Cdr. W.A. Dallmeyer, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Volunteer (Lt.Cdr. N. Lanyon, RN) and HMS Wolverine (Cdr. R.H. Craske, RN). They remained with the convoy until 12 September.

In the morning of 11 September the light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.A.A. Larcom, RN) joined the convoy until 0745/12 when she returned to the Clyde after having been ordered to do so.

Ocean escort joined around the time the destroyers left and was made up of the armed merchant cruisers HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) V.B. Cardwell, OBE, RN) and HMS Wolfe (A/Capt.(Retd.) W.G.A. Shuttleworth, RN). They remained with the convoy until it arrived at Freetown on 23 September 1940.

On 25 September 1940 the convoy departed Freetown escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) H.N.M. Hardy, DSO, RN).

Around noon on the 27th, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Canton (Capt. G.D. Belben, DSC, AM, RN) also joined coming from Freetown.

The convoy arrived at Capetown on 4 October 1940

On departure from Capetown on 6 October 1940, the convoy was escorted by HMS Canton until 1140B/9 when she was relieved by HMS Carthage (Capt.(Retd.) B.O. Bell-Salter, RN) which had joined the convoy around 0900B/9. This armed merchant cruiser remained with the convoy until 1220C on 15 October when she was relieved by the heavy cruiser HMS Shropshire (Capt. J.H. Edelsten, RN) which remained with the convoy until 20 October.

On 18 October the convoy was near Aden and the AA cruiser HMS Carlisle (Capt. G.M.B. Langley, OBE, RN), destroyers HMS Kandahar (Cdr. W.G.A. Robson, RN), HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, RN) and sloop HMS Flamingo (Cdr. J.H. Huntley, RN) joined.

The escort parted company with the convoy on 20 October except HMS Kandahar which remained with the convoy until it's arrival at Suez two days later. On arrival at Suez two more ships were escorting the convoy, these were the sloop HMIS Clive (Cdr. H.R. Inigo-Jones, RIN) and the minesweeper HMS Stoke (Cdr.(Retd.) C.J.P. Hill, RN). Presumably these had joined on 20 October.

10 Sep 1940

Convoy SL 47.

This convoy departed Freetown on 10 September 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Baron Belhaven (British, 6591 GRT, built 1925), British Engineer (British (tanker), 6993 GRT, built 1922), British Science (British, 7138 GRT, built 1931), City of Exeter (British, 9654 GRT, built 1914), Clan MacNab (British, 6076 GRT, built 1920), Clan Skene (British, 5214 GRT, built 1919), Conakrian (British, 4876 GRT, built 1937), Coracero (British, 7252 GRT, built 1923), Corinaldo (British, 7131 GRT, built 1921), Dionyssios Stathatos (Greek, 5168 GRT, built 1919), Egyptian Prince (British, 3490 GRT, built 1922), Empire Success (British, 5988 GRT, built 1921), Gemstone (British, 4986 GRT, built 1938), Hartlebury (British, 5082 GRT, built 1934), Jedmoor (British, 4392 GRT, built 1928), Kerma (British, 4333 GRT, built 1928), Langleecrag (British, 4909 GRT, built 1929), Lynton Grange (British, 5029 GRT, built 1937), Malancha (British, 8124 GRT, built 1937), Michael Jebsen (British, 2323 GRT, built 1927), Mountpark (British, 4648 GRT, built 1938), Nagara (British, 8791 GRT, built 1919), Oswestry Grange (British, 4684 GRT, built 1935), Panama (British, 6650 GRT, built 1915), Peisander (British, 6225 GRT, built 1925), Shrewsbury (British, 4542 GRT, built 1924), Skaraas (Norwegian (tanker), 9826 GRT, built 1936), Temple Yard (British, 5205 GRT, built 1937), Thode Fagelund (Norwegian, 5757 GRT, built 1920), Tymeric (British, 5228 GRT, built 1919), Volturno (British, 3420 GRT, built 1914), Welsh Trader (British, 4974 GRT, built 1938) and West Wales (British, 4353 GRT, built 1925).

On departure from Freetown the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carnarvon Castle (Capt.(Retd.) H.N.M. Hardy, DSO, RN).

At daylight on the 11th the following merchant vessels joined the convoy. They had sailed later from Freetown with orders to overtake and join the convoy at sea; Baron Graham (British, 3242 GRT, built 1925), British Gunner (British (tanker), 6894 GRT, built 1922), British Power (British (tanker), 8451 GRT, built 1936), Hopecastle (British, 5178 GRT, built 1937), Neleus (British, 6685 GRT, built 1911) and Tabaristan (British, 6251 GRT, built 1914).

Around 1450N/14, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Mooltan (Capt.(Retd.) G.E. Sutcliff, RN) joined and took over from HMS Carnarvon Castle which then left the convoy around 1530N/14 and proceeded to patrol to the north-west of Dakar.

Around 1700N/25, the destroyers HMS Highlander (Cdr. W.A. Dallmeyer, RN), HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. C.M. Thornton, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) joined the convoy.

Around 0900Z/27, the sloop HMS Weston (Cdr.(Retd.) J.G. Sutton, RN) joined the convoy.

Around 1135Z/27, the destroyer HMS Shikari (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, RN) joined the convoy.

Around 2000Z/27, the east coast section of the convoy parted company.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 28 September after which thee ships proceeded to their destinations in several sections. (6)

18 Sep 1940
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) picks up 105 survivors from the British passenger ship City of Benares that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-48 253 nautical miles west-south-west of Rockall in position 56°43'N, 21°15'W.

HMS Hurricane also picks up 20 survivors from the British merchant Marina that was also torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-48 253 nautical miles west-south-west of Rockall in position 56°46'N, 21°15'W.

30 Sep 1940
Around 0630N/30, the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (Capt. C.S. Holland, RN), heavy cruiser HMAS Australia (Capt. R.R. Stewart, RN) and the destroyers HMS Greyhound (Cdr. W.R. Marshall A'Deane, DSO, DSC, RN), HMS Forester (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Tancock, RN) and HMS Fortune (Cdr. E.A. Gibbs, DSO, RN) departed Freetown for the Clyde.

Around 1900Z/3, the destroyers parted company to return to Freetown.

At 1525A/4, HMS Ark Royal flew off seven Swordfish aircraft for an air search on the line Azores - Cape Finisterre as reports had been received about a possible German invasion of the Azores. The aircraft returned about two hours later having seen nothing.

Around 2200A/4, HMAS Australia parted company to patrol off the Azores. HMS Ark Royal now proceeded on unescorted.

Around 0830A/6, HMS Ark Royal made rendezvous with the aircraft carrier HMS Argus (Capt. E.G.N. Rushbrooke, DSC, RN) and the destroyers HMS Havelock (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Thomas, RN and HMS Highlander (Cdr. W.A. Dallmeyer, RN). Shortly afterwards the destroyers HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) and a little later HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. C.M. Thornton, RN) also joined company.

Around 2200Z/6, HMS Harvester was detached to go to the aid of the torpedoed British tanker British General. She did however not sight the tanker and the ship was lost with the entire crew.

Around 0500A/8, HMS Argus parted company and proceeded up the Clyde to Greenock taking HMS Hurricane with her.

HMS Ark Royal arrived at Liverpool in the afternoon where she was then immediately docked in the Gladstone Dry Dock for a refit. She had flown off all her aircraft during the day.

HMS Havelock and HMS Highlander then went on to Plymouth where they arrived later on the 8th as did HMS Harvester. (7)

3 Oct 1940

Convoy WS 3A (Slow).

This convoy departed Liverpool on 3 October 1940.

This convoy was made up of the following transport vessels; Clan Cameron (British, 7243 GRT, built 1937), Dorset (British, 10624 GRT, built 1934), Highland Brigade (British, 14134 GRT, built 1929), Oropesa (British, 14118 GRT, built 1920), Perthshire (British, 10496 GRT, built 1936) and Port Chalmers (British, 8535 GRT, built 1933).

Also the destroyer tender HMS Woolwich (Capt.(Retd.) J. Fawcett, RN) was with the convoy.

On departure from Liverpool the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. C.M. Thornton, RN), HMS Havelock (Lt.Cdr. E.H. Thomas, RN), HMS Highlander (Cdr. W.A. Dallmeyer, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN).

At 1315A/3, the destroyers HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Palmer, RN), HMS Viscount (Lt.Cdr. M.S. Townsend, OBE, DSC, RN) and HMS Versatile (Cdr.(Retd.) J.H. Jauncey, RN) joined coming from the Clyde.

Cover for the convoy was provided by the light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.A.A. Larcom, RN) which had also departed the Clyde on the 3rd.

[For the moment we have no details regarding the exact movements of the destroyers. HMS Witherington, HMS Viscount and HMS Versatile arrived at Londonderry on 6 October. HMS Harvester, HMS Havelock and HMS Highlander arrived at Plymouth on 8 October. HMS Hurricane arrived at Greenock on the same day].

Around 1645N/9, HMS Sheffield parted company with the convoy to patrol off the Azores due to fear of a German invasion. She parted company after having been relieved by the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland (Capt. G.H.E. Russell, RN).

The convoy arrived at Freetown on 16 October 1940.

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The convoy departed Freetown for South Africa on 17 October 1940.

Composition of the convoy was the same. Escort was still HMS Cumberland.

The convoy arrived at Capetown on 27 October 1940. HMS Cumberland then went on to Simonstown but she returned to Capetown the following day.

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The convoy departed Capetown on 29 October 1940 still made up of the same transports with two additions; Erinpura (British, 5143 GRT, built 1911) and Khedive Ismail (British, 7290 GRT, built 1922).

HMS Woolwich did not sail with the convoy.

Escort was still provided by the heavy cruiser HMS Cumberland until she was relieved around 0700C/1 by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Carthage (Capt.(Retd.) B.O. Bell-Salter, RN).

The convoy merged in the morning of 3 November 1940 with convoy WS 3B (Fast). (8)

1 Nov 1940

Convoy WS 4A.

This convoy departed Liverpool / the Clyde on 1 / 2 November 1940 for the far east.

The Liverpool section of the convoy departed Liverpool on 1 November and was made up of the following troopships / transports; Abosso (British, 11330 GRT, built 1935), Akaroa (British, 15130 GRT, built 1914), City of Manchester (British, 8917 GRT, built 1935), Duchess of Richmond (British, 22022 GRT, built 1928), Dunedin Star (British, 11168 GRT, built 1936), Malancha (British, 8124 GRT, built 1937), Scythia (British, 19761 GRT, built 1920) and Stirling Castle (British, 25550 GRT, built 1936).

From the Bristol Channel three ships joined this convoy, these were; Delius (British, 6065 GRT, built 1937), Martand (British, 7967 GRT, built 1939) and Port Wyndham (British, 11005 GRT, built 1937).

It was being escorted by the destroyers HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) and ORP Garland (Lt.Cdr. K.F. Namiesniowski). This last destroyer had been escorting the three ships that came from the Bristol Channel.

The Clyde section of the convoy departed the Clyde on 2 November was made up of the following troopships / transports;

Almanzora (British, 15551 GRT, built 1914), Clan Chattan (British, 7262 GRT, built 1937), Clan Lamont (British, 7250 GRT, built 1935), Highland Monarch (British, 14139 GRT, built 1928) and Warwick Castle (British, 20107 GRT, built 1930).

They were escort by the heavy cruiser HMS Cornwall (Capt. C.F. Hammill, RN), AA cruiser HMS Cairo (Capt. P.V. McLaughlin, RN) and the destroyers HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. E.R. Mainguy, RCN), HMCS Saguenay (Cdr. G.R. Miles, RCN), HMCS Skeena (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Hibbard, RCN), HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN), HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Wright, RN) and HMS Bulldog (Lt.Cdr. F.J.G. Hewitt, RN).

The convoy merged around 1000/2 in position 55°45'N, 07°21'W.

HMS Bulldog and ORP Garland left the convoy around 1200/3 in position 54°25'N, 14°39'W to go to the aid of the troopship Windsor Castle which had been damaged by German aircraft bombs in position 54°12'N, 13°18'W.

HMS Cairo left the convoy at 1830/3 in position 54°12'N, 16°13'W.

HMS Hesperus and HMS Hurricane left the convoy around 1900/3 to go to the aid of the torpedoed armed merchant cruiser HMS Laurentic.

HMS Beagle, HMCS Saguenay and HMCS Skeena parted company with the convoy at 0300/4 in position 52°30'N, 19°00'W.

HMCS Ottawa and HMS Harvester parted company with the convoy at 1600/4 in position 52°30'N, 22°25'W.

At 0310/5 the Duchess of Richmond parted company with the convoy in position 52°10'N, 26°05'E to proceed to her destination independently.

At 0630/9 the Akaroa parted company with the convoy in position 32°44'N, 22°58'W to proceed to Trinidad.

At 0855/11 the Almanzora, Abosso, City of Manchester, Darius, Malancha and Martland were detached ('slow' group) were detached in position 23°47'N, 22°15'W under the escort of the armed merchant cruiser HMS Pretoria Castle (Capt.(Retd.) E.J. Shelly, RN) which had just joined the convoy.

The 'fast' section of the convoy arrived at Freetown on 14 November escorted by HMS Cornwall.

The 'slow' section of the convoy arrived at Freetown on 15 November escorted by HMS Pretoria Castle.

----------------------------------------------------

The convoy, now made up of troopships / transports Almanzora, City of Manchester, Clan Chattan, Clan Lamont, Delius, Dunedin Star, Highland Monarch, Malancha, Martand, Port Wyndham, Scythia, Stirling Castle and Warwick Castle, departed Freetown for South Africa around 1630 hours on 17 November 1940.

They were escorted by HMS Cornwall and HMS Pretoria Castle.

At 0805 hours on 26 November the Scythia and Warwick Castle parted company with the convoy in position 22°55'S, 09°03'E to proceed to Capetown. They were escorted by HMS Pretoria Castle.

These ships arrived off Capetown on 29 October. The troopships both entered the harbour but Scythia only briefly to take on board water.

HMS Pretoria Castle rejoined to convoy around 1200 hours on 29 November. Scythia rejoined about 45 minutes later.

At 1500 hours on 2 December, while in position 32°15'S, 29°35'E, the Almanzora, City of Manchester, Delius, Malancha and Martand were left astern to enable to other ships to arrive at Durban early the next day. HMS Pretoria Castle remained with these five ships while HMS Cornwall went ahead with the others.

Pretoria Castle arrived with the five ships that had split off at Durban some hours after the others. The convoy then entered harbour while HMS Pretoria Castle set course for Capetown.

----------------------------------------------------

The convoy, now made up of troopships / transports City of Manchester, Clan Chattan, Clan Lamont, Delius, Dunedin Star, Highland Monarch, Malancha, Martand, Port Wyndham and Stirling Castle, departed Durban for Aden around 1030 hours on 5 December 1940.

There was one more ships in the convoy, this was the troopship Dunera (11162 GRT, built 1937) who had taken over the troops of the Scythia and took her place in the convoy.

Escort was once again HMS Cornwall but she was now with the armed merchant cruiser HMS Kanimbla (A/Capt. F.E. Getting, RAN).

----------------------------------------------------

In the morning of 18 December 1940 the convoy arrived near Aden and was transferred to the Red Sea escort. HMS Cornwall and HMS Kanimbla parted company with the convoy at 0925/18 in position 11°53'N, 45°08'E. The then proceeded to Aden where they arrived around 1300/18.

The Red Sea escort joined the convoy as follows; sloops HMIS Indus (Cdr. E.G.G. Hunt, RIN) and HMAS Yarra (Lt.Cdr. W.H. Harrington, RAN) joined the convoy at 0730/18 in position 11°53'N, 45°34'E.

Light cruiser HMAS Perth (Capt. P.W. Bowyer-Smith, RN) and AA cruiser HMS Carlisle (Capt. G.M.B. Langley, OBE, RN) joined at 0945/18 in position 11°55'N, 45°03'E.

And the last ship to join, the destroyer HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, RN) joined at 1023/18 in position 11°57'N, 44°56'E.

Two more troopships / transports joined the convoy at 1130/18 in position 12°02'N, 44°45'E. These were the City of Agra (British, 6361 GRT, built 1936) and Melbourne Star (British, 11076 GRT, built 1936).

HMS Carlisle parted company with the convoy at 1650/20 in position 20°33'N, 38°45'E.

HMIS Indus and HMAS Yarra parted company with the convoy at 1730/20 in position 20°42'N, 38°41'E.

At 1200/21, the Dunedin Star, Melbourne Star and Stirling Castle, escorted by HMS Kingston proceeded ahead. They arrived at Suez at 1500/22.

The remaineder of the convoy arrived at Suez at 0700/23 escorted by HMAS Perth. (8)

14 Nov 1940

Convoy HX 87.

This convoy departed Halifax on 14 November 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Acavus (British (tanker), 8010 GRT, built 1935), Barrington Court (British, 4910 GRT, built 1924), Charles F. Meyer (British (tanker), 10516 GRT, built 1938), Corner Brook (British, 5767 GRT, built 1925), Edward F. Johnson (British (tanker), 10452 GRT, built 1937), Edwy R. Brown (British (tanker), 10455 GRT, built 1938), El Mirlo (British (tanker), 8092 GRT, built 1930), Generton (British, 4797 GRT, built 1936), Gitano (British, 3956 GRT, built 1921), John A. Brown (British (tanker), 10455 GRT, built 1938), Kelso (British, 3956 GRT, built 1924), Narragansett (British (tanker), 10389 GRT, built 1936), Nemea (Greek, 5101 GRT, built 1919), Nicolaou Virginia (Greek, 6869 GRT, built 1920), Ostende (Belgian, 4528 GRT, built 1903), Rapana (British (tanker), 8017 GRT, built 1935) and Rockpool (British, 4892 GRT, built 1927).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) and the destroyers HMCS Columbia (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) S.W. Davis, RN) and HMCS St.Francis (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Pullen, RCN).

Around 1700Q/15, both Canadian destroyers parted company to return to Halifax.

The Sydney section of the convoy (SHX 87) was to join around 1200Q/16 but it would take about a day before all ships had joined due to the thick fog encountered around this time. The Sydney section was made up of the following merchant vessels; Augvald (Norwegian, 4811 GRT, built 1920), Barrdale (British, 5072 GRT, built 1925), Bradburn (British, 4736 GRT, built 1930), Brant County (Norwegian, 5001 GRT, built 1915), Hel (Polish, 1066 GRT, buil 1935), Hercules (Dutch, 2317 GRT, built 1914), Lekhaven (Dutch, 4802 GRT, built 1921), Montreal City (British, 3066 GRT, built 1920), Nyanza (British, 4974 GRT, built 1928), Selvik (Norwegian, 1557 GRT, built 1920), Thirlby (British, 4888 GRT, built 1928) and Weirbank (British, 5150 GRT, built 1925).

At dawn on 22 November 1940, some ships were missing from the convoy but all except the Rockpool managed to rejoin the convoy. The Rockpool arrived at St. John's, Newfoundland with weather damage on 26 November 1940.

Around 1030O/22, the merchant vessels Helle (Norwegian, 2467 GRT, built 1918) and Michalis (Greek, 5685 GRT, built 1919) joined after they had become separated from convoy HX 88 in fog.

At dawn on the 24th, the Brant County (arrived in the Clyde on 28 November 1940), Helle (arrived in the Clyde on 28 November 1940) and Nemea (arrived at Liverpool on 29 November 1940) were seen to be missing from the convoy.

At dawn on the 25th, the Barrington Court and Selvik were seen to be missing from the convoy. They both arrived independently at Oban [exact date not known but possibly 2 December 1940].

Around 1100N/25, in position 55°02'N, 21°41'W, HMS Alaunia parted company to return to Halifax.

Around 1315Z/26, in position 55°50'N, 18°18'W, the Charles F. Meyer straggled from the convoy due to engine trouble. At 1220A/26, she reported having been attacked and damaged by a U-boat in position 56°00'N, 13°52'W. The destroyers HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Palmer, RN) and HMS Verity (Cdr. R.H. Mills, RN) reported at 1244A/26 being in position 55°31'N, 15°11'W. HMS Verity was then detached to go to the aid of the damaged tanker but eventually could not find her [HMS Verity's signal timed 1931A/27]. At 1206A/28, the Charles F. Meyer reported that she was still being chased by the enemy submarine in position 55°33'N, 08°47'W but that the enemy was now dropping astern. Another submarine report was made by the Charles F. Meyer at 2145A/28 but this was false and soon cancelled. On 2 December 1940, it was reported that the damaged Charles F. Meyer had meanwhile arrived safely at Rothesay Bay. The attacker of the Charles F. Meyer must have been the German submarine U-104 which failed to return from patrol and is thought to have been mined in minefield SN 44 in approximate position 55°30'N, 08°00'W shortly afterwards. [This minefield had been laid by the 1st Minelaying Squadron on 8 November 1940.]

Around 1600Z/26, in approximate position 56°00'N, 17°00'W, the destroyers HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, RN), HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) joined the convoy as A/S escort.

Also part of the A/S escort were the destroyers HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Palmer, RN), HMS Broke (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, RN) and the corvettes HMS Anemone (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Boys-Smith, DSO, RNR) and HMS Mallow (Lt.Cdr. W.B. Piggott, RNR). [No further details are given in the convoy report.] HMS Broke, HMS Anemone and HMS Mallow were detached on 27 November 1940 to convoy HX 88.

On 28 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived at Oban; Augvald, Barrdale, Bradburn, Gitano, Hercules, Kelso and Nyanza.

On 28 (29 ?) November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived in the Clyde; Generton, Hel, Nicolaou Virginia, Ostende and Rapana.

On 28 November 1940, the following Thirlby arrived in Belfast Lough.

On 29 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived at Liverpool; Corner Brook, Edward F. Johnson, El Mirlo, John A. Brown, Lekhaven, Michalis and Weirbank.

On 20 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived in Barry Roads; Acavus, Edwy R. Brown, Montreal City and Narragansett.

Of the escort; HMS Havelock, HMS Hesperus and HMS Hurricane arrived at Liverpool on 29 November 1940. HMS Witherington arrived there on 30 November 1940. (9)

22 Nov 1940
HMS H 43 (Lt. H.R.B. Newton, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Holyhead with HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN). (10)

14 Feb 1941

Convoy SLG 1A.

This convoy departed Gibraltar on 14 February 1941.

It was made up of the following transports; Kenya (British, 9890 GRT, built 1930) and Sobieski (Polish, 11030 GRT, built 1939).

The convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Dunedin (Capt. R.S. Lovatt, RN) and the destroyers HMS Foresight (Cdr. J.S.C. Salter, RN), HMS Fortune (Lt.Cdr. E.N. Sinclair, RN), HMS Wishart (Cdr. E.T. Cooper, RN) and HMS Vidette (Lt. E.N. Walmsley, RN).

At 2230A/14, HMS Wishart and HMS Vidette parted company to proceed to Freetown.

At 2100A/17, HMS Foresight and HMS Fortune parted company to return to Gibraltar where they arrived on the 19th.

At 1330A/20, the destroyers HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN), HMS Hesperus (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), Piorun (Cdr. E.J.S. Plawski) and ORP Garland (Lt.Cdr. K.F. Namiesniowski, ORP) joined.

The convoy arrived in the Clyde on 22 February 1941.

18 Feb 1941

Convoy WS 6B.

This convoy was assembled near Oversay on 18 February 1941.

On assembly the convoy was made up of the following (troop) transports; Adda (British, 7816 GRT, built 1922), Burma (British, 7821 GRT, built 1914), Llanstephan Castle (British, 11340 GRT, built 1914), Northumberland (British, 11558 GRT, built 1915) and Yoma (British, 8131 GRT, built 1928).

The convoy was escorted by the light cruiser HMS Mauritius (Capt. W.D. Stephens, RN), armed merchant cruiser HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) V.B. Cardwell, OBE, RN) and the destroyers HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN), HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), Piorun (Kmdr.por. (Cdr.) E.J.S. Plawski) and ORP Garland (Kmdr.ppor. (Cdr.) K.F. Namiesniowski).

At 1150A/18, in position 55°53'N, 07°38'W, the Burma parted company to return to the Clyde due to condenser trouble.

At 1200A/20, in position 53°14'N, 21°12'W, HMS Cilicia was detached to proceed independently to Freetown.

At the same time all five destroyers were also detached to join northbound convoy SLG 1A.

Around 1045A/2, south of the Cape Verde Islands, in position 13°44'N, 24°53'W, the corvettes and HMS Clematis (Cdr. Y.M. Cleeves, DSC, RD, RNR) and HMS Calendula (Lt.Cdr. A.D. Bruford, RNVR) joined the convoy.

The convoy arrived at Freetown late in the morning of 5 March 1941. (8)

19 Feb 1941

Convoy HX 110.

This convoy departed Halifax on 19 February 1941.

On departure from Halifax the convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alchiba (Dutch, 4427 GRT, built 1920), Almaha (British, 1352 GRT, built 1938), Asbjorn (British, 4387 GRT, built 1935), Atlantic (British, 5414 GRT, built 1939), Barnby (British, 4813 GRT, built 1940), British Faith (British (tanker), 6955 GRT, built 1928), Brockley Hill (British, 5287 GRT, built 1918), Cetus (Norwegian, 2614 GRT, built 1920), Charles Racine (Norwegian (tanker), 9957 GRT, built 1937), Drammensfjord (Norwegian, 5339 GRT, built 1920), Empire Meteor (British, 7457 GRT, built 1940), Generton (British, 4797 GRT, built 1936), Grayburn (British, 6342 GRT, built 1938), Hektoria (British, (whale factory ship / tanker), 13834 GRT, built 1899), Kirkpool (British, 4840 GRT, built 1928), Leiv Eiriksson (Norwegian (tanker), 9952 GRT, built 1936), Montreal City (British, 3066 GRT, built 1920), Nailsea Meadow (British, 4962 GRT, built 1937), Prince de Liege (Belgian, 2588 GRT, built 1938), Scorton (British, 4813 GRT, built 1939), Skiensfjord (Norwegian, 5922 GRT, built 1922), Stad Haarlem (Dutch, 4518 GRT, built 1929), Stigstad (Norwegian (tanker), 5964 GRT, built 1927), Tacoma City (British, 4738 GRT, built 1929) and Wentworth (British, 5212 GRT, built 1919).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was not escorted.

Shortly after departure the Empire Meteor returned to Halifax arriving there on 20 February.

In the evening of the 19th, the Stad Haarlem had to hove to due to damaged boats that needed to be secured. She was not seen again and she returned to Halifax for repair arriving there on 20 February.

Around 1300P/21, in position 42°51'N, 55°46'W, the battleship HMS Ramillies (Capt. A.D. Read, RN) joined the convoy.

Around 1730P/23, in position 43°31'N, 48°03'W, convoy BHX 110, coming from Bermuda merged with convoy HX 110. This convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Athelcrown (British (tanker), 11999 GRT, built 1929), Athelnight (British (tanker), 8940 GRT, built 1930), Baron Elphinstone (British, 4635 GRT, built 1937), Bente Maersk (British (tanker), 5772 GRT, built 1928), Brasil (Norwegian (tanker), 8130 GRT, built 1935), British Fusilier (British (tanker), 6943 GRT, built 1923), Clavella (British (tanker), 8097 GRT, built 1939), El Grillo (British (tanker), 7264 GRT, built 1922), Elusa (Dutch (tanker), 6235 GRT, built 1936), F.J. Wolfe (British (tanker), 12190 GRT, built 1932), Ferncourt (British (tanker), 9918 GRT, built 1938), Hindustan (British, 5245 GRT, built 1940), Holmside (British, 3433 GRT, built 1930), Juno (Dutch, 1753 GRT, built 1908), Koenjit (Dutch, 4551 GRT, built 1929), Lavington Court (British, 5372 GRT, built 1940), Torvanger (Norwegian, 6564 GRT, built 1920), Trader (British, 6087 GRT, built 1940) and Vimeira (British, 5728 GRT, built 1927).

Convoy BHX 110 had been escorted from Bermuda to the rendezvous position by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) which then parted company to proceed to Halifax.

During the night of 26 February 1941 the Clavella dropped out of the convoy due to unknown reasons. She subsequently proceeded to Halifax arriving there on 2 March 1941. She reported having dropped out of the convoy due to engine trouble.

Around 1515O/3, in position 59°15'N, 33°50'W, HMS Ramillies parted company to join a westbound special convoy.

At 1230Z/7, in position 61°53'N, 12°45'W, the merchant vesssel Silverlarch (British, 5064 GRT, built 1924) joined the convoy coming from Reykjavik. with her were the destroyers HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, DSC, RN), HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN) and HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN) which now joined the convoy as A/S escorts.

The destroyer HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) joined on the 8th. She came from the Clyde but had been diverted en-route to pick up survivors from the whale factory ship Terje Viken (British, 20638 GRT, built 1936) and was thus late in joining.

The Brockley Hill arrived at Stornoway on 9 March 1941.

The following ships arrived at Loch Ewe on 9 March 1941; Athelcrown, Athelknight, Atlantic, Barnby, Baron Elphinstone, British Fusilier, Cetus, Hindustan, Kirkpool, Nailsea Meadow, Prince de Liege, Scorton, Vimeira and Wentworh.

The following ships arrived in the Clyde on 11 March 1941; F.J. Wolfe, Generton, Grayburn, Juno and Leiv Eiriksson.

The Brasil arrived at Belfast on 10 March 1941.

The Alhama arrived at Larne on 10 March 1941.

The following ships arrived at Liverpool on 11 March 1941; Asbjorn, Bente Maersk, British Faith, Charles Racine, El Grillo, Elusa, Hektoria, Holmside, Koenjit, Lavington Court, Silverlarch, Stigstad, Tacoma City, Torvanger and Trader. The Tacoma City was mined in the Mersey River on 13 March 1941.

The following ships arrived in Barry Roads on 12 March 1941; Alchiba, Drammensfjord, Montreal City and Skiensfjord.

The escort vessels arrived in U.K. ports as follows; HMS Hurricane arrived at Greenock on 10 March 1941 and HMS Havelock, HMS Harvester and HMS Hesperus arrived at Liverpool on 11 March 1941. (11)

27 Feb 1941
Around 1330A/27, the troop transport Rimutaka (British, 16576 GRT, built 1923) departed Liverpool for Trinidad. She was escorted by the destroyer HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN).

Around 2300A/27, the submarine depot ship HMS Forth (Capt. G.C.P. Menzies, RN) and the troop transport Batory (Polish, 14287 GRT, built 1936) departed Greenock for Halifax. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN).

The two groups joined company off Oversay around 0745A/28. They then set course to proceed northwards through the Hebrides.

Around 1900A/28, the destroyer HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, DSC, RN) joined coming from Loch Ewe.

The destroyers parted company around 1930Z/2 to the south of Iceland in approximate position 61°55'N, 23°40'W. (12)

1 Mar 1941

Convoy SL 67.

This convoy departed Freetown on 1 March 1941 and arrived at Liverpool on 26 March 1941.

This convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alphard (Dutch, 5483 GRT, built 1937), Anadyr (British, 5321 GRT, built 1930), Ashworth (British, 5227 GRT, built 1920), Banffshire (British, 6479 GRT, built 1912), Baron Belhaven (British, 6591 GRT, built 1925), Baron Cawdor (British, 3638 GRT, built 1935), Beaconstreet (Detached to Gibraltar on 11 March) (British, 7467 GRT, built 1927), Bolton Castle (British, 5203 GRT, built 1939), British Captain (British (tanker), 6968 GRT, built 1923), British Diligence (British (tanker), 8408 GRT, built 1937), British Hope (Detached to Gibraltar on 11 March) (British (tanker), 6951 GRT, built 1928), British Integrity (British (tanker), 8412 GRT, built 1927), British Security (British (tanker), 8470 GRT, built 1937), Celtic Monarch (British, 5824 GRT, built 1929), City of Cairo (British, 8034 GRT, built 1915), City of Dunkirk (British, 5861 GRT, built 1912), City of Kimberley (British, 6169 GRT, built 1925), City of Nagpur (British, 10146 GRT, built 1922), City of Rangoon (British, 6635 GRT, built 1914), Clan Macbean (British, 5000 GRT, built 1918), Copeland (British (rescue vessel), 1526 GRT, built 1923), Deebank (British, 5060 GRT, built 1929), Defender (British, 8258 GRT, built 1915), Dunkwa (British, 4752 GRT, built 1927), Friesland (Dutch, 2662 GRT, built 1930), Godfrey B. Holt (British, 3585 GRT, built 1929), Guido (British, 3921 GRT, built 1920), Harmodius (British, 5229 GRT, built 1919), Harpefjell (Norwegian, 1333 GRT, built 1939), Helder (Dutch, 3629 GRT, built 1920), Henrik Ibsen (Norwegian, 4671 GRT, built 1906), Hindpool (British, 4897 GRT, built 1928), Inneroy (Norwegian (tanker), 8260 GRT, built 1936), King Edwin (British, 4536 GRT, built 1927), Lahore (British, 5304 GRT, built 1920), Llangollen (British, 5056 GRT, built 1928), Martaban (British, 4161 GRT, built 1934), Mendoza (British, 8233 GRT, built 1919), Nagina (British, 6551 GRT, built 1921), Nardana (British, 7974 GRT, built 1919), Nebraska (British, 8261 GRT, built 1920), Ogmore Castle (British, 2481 GRT, built 1919), Peisander (British, 6225 GRT, built 1925), Queen Anne (British, 4937 GRT, built 1937), Recorder (British, 2276 GRT, built 1902), Roxane (British (tanker), 7813 GRT, built 1929), Sansu (British, 5446 GRT, built 1939), Sire (British, 5664 GRT, built 1938), Solfonn (Norwegian (tanker), 9925 GRT, built 1939), Taxiarchis (Greek, 4221 GRT, built 1913), Tielbank (British, 5084 GRT, built 1937), Tunisia (British, 4337 GRT, built 1927), Turkistan (British, 6935 GRT, built 1939), Umberleigh (British, 4950 GRT, built 1927), Urbino (British, 5198 GRT, built 1918), Winsum (Dutch, 3224 GRT, built 1921) and Zamalek (British (rescue vessel), 1567 GRT, built 1921).

[It is possible some of these ships did not sail from Freetown but joined the convoy at sea.]

On departure from Freetown the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) V.B. Cardwell, OBE, RN), corvette HMS Asphodel (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) K.W. Stewart, RN) and the auxiliary A/S trawlers HMS Kelt (T/Lt. W.T. Hodson, RNVR), HMS Spaniard (Lt.Cdr. F.J. Webster, RNR) and HMS Turcoman (Skr. A.G. Day, RNR).

At 1700/3 the battleship HMS Malaya (Capt. A.F.E. Palliser, DSC, RN) and the destroyers HMS Faulknor (Capt. A.F. de Salis, RN) and HMS Forester (Lt.Cdr. E.B. Tancock, DSC and Bar, RN) joined the escort of the convoy.

At 1800/4 the three A/S trawlers parted company with the convoy.

In the early morning hours of 8 March 1941 the convoy was attacked by the German submarines U-105 and U-124. Five ships of the convoy were sunk, these were the Harmodius, Hindpool, Lahore, Tielbank and Nardana.

At 1330/8 HMS Forester, which was well to the west of the convoy, briefly sighted the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau steaming towards the convoy. The German ships were also sighted around the same time by HMS Malaya's Swordfish aircraft. Following the report of the sighting HMS Malaya and HMS Faulknor left the convoy to join HMS Forester to put themselves between the convoy and the enemy.

At 1645/8 hours HMS Malaya and the Scharnhorst sighted each other and the German battlecruisers turned away being chased briefly by HMS Malaya and the destroyers. As Malaya's speed was much lower contact was soon lost and the battleship and the destroyers then returned to the convoy. At 1900 hours they rejoined the convoy

In the afteroon of March, 10th, the battlecruiser HMS Renown (Capt R.R. McGrigor, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral J.F. Somerville, KCB, DSO, RN) and aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal (Capt. C.S. Holland, RN) joined the escort of the convoy. HMS Malaya then parted company with the convoy and set course for Gibraltar.

At 1730/11, HMS Asphodel parted company with the convoy with the tankers Beaconstreet and British Hope which she then escorted to Gibraltar.

At 1000/13, HMS Faulknor and HMS Foresight parted company with the convoy and set course for Gibraltar.

At 1000/19, HMS Kenya (Capt. M.M. Denny, CB, RN) joined the convoy to take over the escort. At 1600/19, HMS Renown, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Cilicia parted company with the convoy.

On 21 March the escort of the convoy was reinforced with the destroyers HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, DSC, RN), HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Veteran (Cdr. W.T. Couchman, OBE, RN), HMS Verity (Cdr. R.H. Mills, RN), HMS Wolsey (Lt.Cdr. C.H. Campbell, DSC, RN), HMS Salisbury (Lt.Cdr. H.M.R. Crichton, RN), HNoMS Mansfield (Cdr. F. Ulstrup, RNorN), the corvettes HMS Arbutus (T/Lt. A.L.W. Warren, RNR), HMS Camellia (Lt.Cdr. A.E. Willmott, RNR) and the catapult ship HMS Pegasus (Capt.(Retd.) P.G. Wodehouse, RN). HMS Kenya parted company with the convoy in the afternoon and proceeded to join convoy HG 56.

HMS Havelock and HMS Verity parted company with the convoy on 24 March as did HMS Veteran on the 25th.

7 Mar 1941
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) picks up 99 survivors from the British whale factory ship Terje Viken that was torpedoed and damaged by the German submarines U-47 and U-99 south-east of Iceland in position 60°00'N, 12°50'W. The wreck of the Terje Viken was scuttled by gunfire of a British salvage tug.

6 Apr 1941

Convoy HX 119

This convoy departed Halifax on 6 April 1941 in two sections, convoy HX 119A and convoy HX 119B. They merged in the morning of April 13th.

Convoy HX 119A was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Argos Hill (British, 7178 GRT, built 1922), Bendoran (British, 5567 GRT, built 1910), Bra-Kar (Norwegian, 3778 GRT, built 1928), British Consul (British (tanker), 6940 GRT, built 1924), British Tenacity (British (tanker), 8439 GRT, built 1939), Brittany (British, 4772 GRT, built 1928), Ceronia (British (tanker), 4955 GRT, built 1929), Clan MacIlwraith (British, 4839 GRT, built 1924), Cliona (British (tanker), 8375 GRT, built 1931), Curacao (British, 8269 GRT, built 1930), Cymbula (British (tanker), 8082 GRT, built 1938), Davila (British (tanker), 8053 GRT, built 1938), Dolius (British, 5507 GRT, built 1924), Dromus (British (tanker), 8036 GRT, built 1938), Goolistan (British, 5851 GRT, built 1929), Induna (British, 5086 GRT, built 1925), Kentar (British, 5878 GRT, built 1920), Lista (British, 3671 GRT, built 1920), Lobos (British, 6479 GRT, built 1921), Mangkalihat (Dutch, 8457 GRT, built 1928), Mount Helmos (Greek, 6481 GRT, built 1923), Oscilla (Dutch (tanker), 6341 GRT, built 1939), Port Auckland (British, 8789 GRT, built 1922), Port Sydney (British, 9129 GRT, built 1914), Radmanso (Swedish, 4280 GRT, built 1914), Reaveley (British, 4998 GRT, built 1940), Robert Maersk (British, 2290 GRT, built 1937), San Eliseo (British (tanker), 8042 GRT, built 1939), Schuylkill (British (tanker), 8965 GRT, built 1928), Spondilus (British (tanker), 7402 GRT, built 1927), Toorak (British (tanker), 8627 GRT, built 1927), Trevalgan (British, 5299 GRT, built 1937), Tucurinca (British, 5412 GRT, built 1926) and West Totant (British, 5628 GRT, built 1919).

On departure from Halifax convoy HX 119A was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Aurania (A/Capt. I.W. Whitehorn, RN) and the corvettes HMCS Chambly (T/A/Cdr. J.D. Prentice, RCN) and HMCS Orillia (T/Lt.Cdr. W.E.S. Briggs, RCNR). The corvettes were detached to return to Halifax the next day.

The convoy was joined by the battleship HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) around 0900Q/8.

Around 1400P/11, HMS Revenge parted company with the convoy to return to Halifax.

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Convoy HX 119B was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Alphacca (British, 5759 GRT, built 1928), Barberrys (British, 5170 GRT, built 1920), Braddock (British, 6619 GRT, built 1919), Edward Blyden (British, 5003 GRT, built 1930), Gard (Norwegian (tanker), 8259 GRT, built 1938), Glaiglas (British, 4312 GRT, built 1940), Hermiston (British, 4813 GRT, built 1939), Idefjord (Norwegian, 4287 GRT, built 1921), Kars (British (tanker), 8888 GRT, built 1939), Leerdam (Dutch, 8815 GRT, built 1921), Maasdam (Dutch, 8812 GRT, built 1921), Maihar (British, 7563 GRT, built 1917), Merchant Prince (British, 5229 GRT, built 1939), Mercier (Belgian, 7556 GRT, built 1915), Peder Bogen (British (tanker), 9741 GRT, built 1925), Rio Azul (British, 4088 GRT, built 1921), San Ernesto (British (tanker), 8078 GRT, built 1939), Soekaboemi (Dutch, 7051 GRT, built 1923), Southgate (British, 4862 GRT, built 1926) and Tureby (British, 4372 GRT, built 1936).

On departure from Halifax convoy HX 119B was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Montclare (Capt.(Retd.) H.M. Spreckley, RN) and the corvettes HMCS Cobalt (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.B. Campbell, RCNR) and HMCS Collingwood (T/Lt. W. Woods, RCNR). The corvettes were detached to return to Halifax the next day.

Around 0900P/13, Convoy HX 119B merged with convoy HX 119A.

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At 1215Z/14, the convoy was joined by the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. A.J.L. Phillips, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker CB, OBE, RN).

At 1210Z/15, the armed merchant cruisers HMS Aurania and HMS Montclare parted company with convoy HX 119 (now combined).

At 1815Z/15, the destroyers HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) joined the convoy. Followed during the night of 15/16 April by the destroyers HMCS Restigouche (Cdr. H.N. Lay, OBE, RN) and HMCS Saguenay (Lt. P.E. Haddon, RCN).

At 2130Z/16, HMS Norfolk parted company with the convoy to proceed to Hvalfjord.

On the 17th, destroyer HMS Viscount (Lt.Cdr. M.S. Townsend, OBE, DSC and Bar, RN), sloop HMS Scarborough (Lt. A.P. Northey, DSC, RN) and corvettes HMS Auricula (T/Lt. W.W. White, RNR), HMS Campanula (Lt.Cdr. R.V.E. Case, DSC and Bar, RD, RNR), HMS Hibiscus (Lt. H. Roach, RNR), HMS Pimpernel (Lt. F.H. Thornton, RNR) and HMS Rhododendron (Lt.Cdr. W.N.M. Faichney, DSO, RNR) joined the convoy.

On the 18th, destroyer HMS Rockingham (Lt. A.H.T. Johns, RN) and corvette HMS Freesia (Lt.Cdr. T.P.G. Crick, RN) joined the convoy.

On the 19th, corvette HMS Hollyhock (Lt. T.E. Davies, OBE, RNR) joined the convoy

On the 20th, HMS Havelock, HMS Hurricane, HMS Restigouche and HMS Saguenay parted company with the convoy.

On the 21st, HMS Viscount and corvette HMS Freesia parted company with the convoy.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 22 April.

26 Apr 1941

Convoy WS 8A

This convoy departed the Clyde on 26 April 1941 for various ports in the Far East and Mediterranean (see below).

The convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels and troop transports; Abbekerk (Dutch, 7889 GRT, built 1939), Aronda (British, 8328 GRT, built 1941), Clan Campbell (British, 7255 GRT, built 1937), Clan Chattan (British, 7262 GRT, built 1937), Clan Lamont (British, 7250 GRT, built 1939), Dominion Monarch (British, 27155 GRT, built 1939), Empire Song (British, 9228 GRT, built 1940), Empress of Asia (British, 16909 GRT, built 1913), Empress of Russia (British, 16810 GRT, built 1913), Highland Chieftain (British, 14135 GRT, built 1929), New Zealand Star (British, 12436 GRT, built 1935), Reina del Pacifico (British, 17702 GRT, built 1931), Sobieski (Polish, 11030 GRT, built 1939) and Strathaird (British, 22281 GRT, built 1932).

The armed merchant cruiser HMS Pretoria Castle (A/Capt.(Retd.) A.V. Hemming, RN) also took passage in the convoy.

On departure from the Clyde the convoy was escorted by the battlecruiser HMS Repulse (Capt. W.G. Tennant, CB, MVO, RN), light cruiser HMS Naiad (Capt. M.H.A. Kelsey, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN) and the destroyers HMS Harvester (Lt.Cdr. M. Thornton, DSC, RN), HMS Havelock (Cdr. E.H. Thomas, DSC, RN) and HMS Hesperus (Lt.Cdr. A.A. Tait, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Legion (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, RN), HMS Beagle, (Lt.Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN), HMCS Ottawa (Cdr. E.R. Mainguy, RCN), HMCS Restigouche (Cdr. H.N. Lay, OBE, RN), HMCS Saguenay (Lt. P.E. Haddon, RCN), ORP Piorun (Kmdr.por. (Cdr.) E.J.S. Plawski) and the escort destroyer HMS Eridge (Lt.Cdr. W.F.N. Gregory-Smith, RN).

Around 1015A/30, in position 53°46'N, 25°30'W, HMS Beagle and HMS Eridge were detached to join the escort of convoy SL 71.

Around 1100A/29, HMS Hurricane was detached to search for the survivors of the liner City of Nagpur that had been torpedoed and sunk earlier that day.

Around 0400A/30, HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Restigouche, HMCS Saguaenay, HMS Legion and ORP Piorun parted company.

At 0850A/4, HMS Repulse, HMS Harvester, HMS Havelock and HMS Hesperus had parted company with the convoy taking the transports Clan Campbell, Clan Chattan, Clan Lamont, Empire Song and New Zealand Star with them to Gibraltar.

Around 1300A/2, the light cruiser HMS Mauritius (Capt. W.D. Stephens, RN) joined north of the Azores in position 40°17'N, 24°18'W. HMS Naiad was then detached and proceeded to Gibraltar where she arrived around 0900A/4.

The remainder of the convoy continued southwards escorted by HMS Mauritius and HMS Pretoria Castle (A/Capt.(Retd.) A.V. Hemming, RN).

Around 1645A/5, in position 23°20'N, 22°55'W, the destroyers HMS Duncan (Lt.Cdr. A.N. Rowell, RN) and HMS Wishart (Cdr. E.T. Cooper, RN) joined.

Around 1430A/6, in position 18°10'N, 20°52'W, two more destroyers; HMS Boreas (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Maitland-Makgill Crichton, DSC, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN).

The convoy arrived at Freetown in the morning of 9 May 1941.

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The convoy departed Freetown on 14 May having been joined by the Imperial Star (British, 12427 GRT, built 1934). The Highland Chieftain was unable to depart on the 14th. She sailed one day later to overtake the convoy. She was being escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Cilicia (Capt.(Retd.) V.B. Cardwell, OBE, RN).

On leaving Freetown A/S protection was given by the destroyers Highlander, HMS Duncan, HMS Boreas and HMS Wishart.

Around 0810N/15, in position 04°55'N, 11°32'W, HMS Boreas stopped due to engine defects. HMS Wishart was ordered to stand by the stricken ship.

Around 1700N/15, HMS Wishart rejoined the convoy but after about an hour she too had to be detached with engineering defects.

Around 0815N/16, in position 01°36'N, 07°53'W, Highlander and HMS Duncan were detached to return to Freetown with orders to investigate the area near position 05°03'N, 19°02'W where an enemy U-boat attack had been reported earlier that morning. [This referred to the Rodney Star which had been sunk by U-105.]

Around 1930AB/23, in approximate position 31°30'S, 15°15'E, the Strathaird was detached to proceed ahead of the convoy to Capetown.

Around 1405AB/24, in position 35°14'N, 17°10'E, HMS Mauritius was relieved by HMS Hawkins (Capt. H.P.K. Oram, RN). HMS Mauritius then set course for Simonstown.

The convoy arrived at Durban on 27 May minus the Empress of Asia, Imperial Star and Strathaird that had been detached to Capetown on the 23rd or 24th. The Strathaird departed Capetown on the 25th to rejoin the convoy off Durban.

The remainder of the convoy arrived at Durban on 27 May escorted by HMS Hawkins.

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On 31 May the Abbekerk, Aronda, Empress of Russia, Sobieski and Strathaird departed Durban escorted by HMS Hawkins. They arrived at Aden on 10 June after which the troopships / transports proceeded to Suez independently. (13)

29 Apr 1941
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) rescued the master, 170 crew members, eight gunners and 273 passengers from the British steam passenger ship City of Nagpur which was sunk in position 52°30'N, 26°00'W by German U-boat U-75. The survivors were landed at Greenock.

30 Apr 1941
HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN) picks up 3 survivors from the British merchant Henri Mory that was torpedoed and sunk by the German U-boat U-110 about 330 nautical miles west-north-west of Blasket Islands, Ireland.

9 May 1941
In the morning, HMS Mauritius (Capt. W.D. Stephens, RN), HMS Pretoria Castle (A/Capt.(Retd.) A.V. Hemming, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Duncan (Lt.Cdr. A.N. Rowell, RN), HMS Boreas (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Maitland-Makgill Crichton, DSC, RN) and HMS Wishart (Cdr. E.T. Cooper, RN) arrived at Freetown with convoy WS 8A. (14)

14 May 1941
In the morning, HMS Mauritius (Capt. W.D. Stephens, RN), HMS Hurricane (Lt.Cdr. H.C. Simms, RN), HMS Duncan (Lt.Cdr. A.N. Rowell, RN), HMS Boreas (Lt.Cdr. D.H. Maitland-Makgill Crichton, DSC, RN) and HMS Wishart (Cdr. E.T. Cooper, RN) departed Freetown with convoy WS 8A.

[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy WS 8A ' for 26 April 1941.] (14)

2 Apr 1942
HMS H 50 (Lt. M.L.C. Crawford, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Beagle (Lt.Cdr. R.T. White, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Anchusa (A/Lt.Cdr. D.M. Gibb, RNR), HMS Sunflower (Lt.Cdr. J.T. Jones, RD, RNR), HMS Fleetwood (Cdr. D.T.M. Williams, RNR), HMS Philante (Cdr.(Retd.) H.J.R. Paramore, RN) and HMS Hurricane (Cdr. C.D. Howard-Johnston, DSO, DSC, RN). (15)

23 Aug 1942
HMS H 43 (Lt. J.C.Y. Roxburgh, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Bulldog (Cdr. M. Richmond, OBE, DSO, RN), HMS Achates (Lt.Cdr. A.H.T. Johns, RN), HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN) and HMS Watchman (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Rodgers, RN). (16)

1 Jul 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN), HMS Rockingham (Lt.Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC, RD, RNR), HMCS Restigouche (A/Lt.Cdr. D.W. Groos, RCN), HMS Nasturtium (Lt. C.D. Smith, DSC, RNR), HMCS Collingwood (T/Lt. R.J.C. Pringle, RCNVR) and another vessel [unable to read the name in the log of H 28]. (17)

13 Jul 1943

Convoy SL 133.

This convoy departed Freetown on 13 July 1943.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Adrastus (British, 7905 GRT, built 1923), Amstelkerk (Dutch, 4457 GRT, built 1929), Baron Maclay (British, 6317 GRT, built 1924), Bendoran (British, 5567 GRT, built 1910), Benledi (British, 5943 GRT, built 1930), Carlton (British, 7210 GRT, built 1942), City of Exeter (British, 9654 GRT, built 1914), Cochrane (British, 7203 GRT, built 1923), Cypria (Norwegian, 4366 GRT, built 1931), David Livingstone (British, 5013 GRT, built 1930), Desirade (British, 9645 GRT, built 1921), Egyptian Prince (British, 3490 GRT, built 1922), Empire Addison (British, 7010 GRT, built 1942), Empire Buckler (British, 7046 GRT, built 1942), Empire Cougar (British, 5758 GRT, built 1919), Empire Forest (British, 7025 GRT, built 1942), Empire Simba (British, 5691 GRT, built 1919), Empire Trent (British, 5006 GRT, built 1927), Fort Douglas (British, 7129 GRT, built 1942), Fort Tremblant (British, 7128 GRT, built 1942), Gambian (British, 5452 GRT, built 1937), Gascony (British, 4716 GRT, built 1925), John Holt (British, 4964 GRT, built 1943), Kaipara (British, 5882 GRT, built 1938), Mafuta (Belgian, tanker, 6322 GRT, built 1920), Malayan Prince (British, 8953 GRT, built 1926), Maplewood (British, 4566 GRT, built 1930), Mount Rhodope (Greek, 5182 GRT, built 1919), New Northland (Canadian, 3445 GRT, built 1926), Norma (Norwegian, 4487 GRT, built 1930), Ocean Hope (British, 7173 GRT, built 1942), Pinzon (British, 1365 GRT, built 1922), Rhesus (British, 6530 GRT, built 1911), Stuyvesant (Dutch, 4249 GRT, built 1918), Troilus (British, 7422 GRT, built 1921) and Wearpool (British, 4982 GRT, built 1936).

On departure from Freetown the convoy was escorted by the sloops HMS Enchantress (Cdr. A.E.T. Christie, OBE, DSC, RN), HMS Leith (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) A.W. Preston, RN), destroyer HMS Amazon (Lt.Cdr. D.H.P. Gardiner, DSC, RN), corvettes HMS Anchusa ( T/Lt. H.V. Gordon, RNVR), HMS Columbine (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.J. Griffiths, RNR), HMS Coreopsis (T/Lt. B.C. Hamilton, RNR), HMS Violet (Lt. C.N. Stewart, RNR) and the armed boarding vessel HMS Corinthian (Cdr. E.J.R. Pollitt, RD, RNR).

Around 0600Z/15, in position 10°49'N, 17°02'W, the Wearpool was detached to proceed to Buenos Aires.

Around 1900Z/15, HMS Enchantress was detached to fuel at Dakar.

Around 0230Z/15, HMS Amazon was detached to fuel at Dakar.

Around 0600Z/16, the merchant vessel Kaipara was torpedoed and damaged by the German U-boat U-306. She was able to proceed to Dakar under her own power escorted by HMS Violet until this corvette was relieved by HMS Yestor (Lt. R.C. Holt, RNVR).

Around 1230Z/16, in approximate position 14°34'N, 17°47'W, the merchant vessel Bactria (British, 2407 GRT, built 1928) joined the convoy coming from Bathurst.

Around 1330Z/16, in position 14°36'N, 17°47'W, the merchant vessel New Northland was detached to Dakar. The Fort Douglas was also detached to Dakar with engine defects at the same time. They were escorted to Dakar by the ASW trawler HMS Fandango (T/Lt. A.G. Fisher, RNR) which had also brought out the Dakar section of the convoy (see below).

Around 1330Z/16, in position 14°36'N, 17°47'W, the merchant vessels El-Biar (French, 4678 GRT, built 1927), Finistere (French, 1158 GRT, built 1909) and Grand Quevilly (French, 2844 GRT, built 1914) joined the convoy coming from Dakar.

Around 1430Z/16, in position 14°35'N, 17°50'W, HMS Enchantress and HMS Amazon returned from fuelling at Dakar.

Around 0830Z/22, in position 29°12'N, 18°48'W, HMS Columbine and HMS Coreopsis were detached to fuel at Casablanca.

Around 2030Z/22, in position 30°08'N, 17°00'W, HMS Anchusa and HMS Violet were detached to fuel at Casablanca.

Around 1200Z/24, in position 33°54'N, 09°46'W, HMS Columbine and HMS Coreopsis returned from fuelling at Casablanca. HMS Leith was then detached to fuel at Casablanca. She rejoined on the 25th.

Around 1400Z/24, in position 34°04'N, 09°46'W, the El-Biar, Finistere and Grand Quevilly were detached to Casablanca. The patrol vessels USS PC-474 (Lt. A.D. Weekes, Jr., USNR), USS PC-482 (Lt. N.P. Hallowell, Jr., USNR) and USS PC-473 (Lt. D.F. Welch, USNR) had come out from Casablanca to escort them.

Around 1500Z/24, in position 34°14'N, 09°35'W, HMS Amazon was detached to Gibraltar where she arrived the following day.

Around 1200Z/24, in position 34°17'N, 10°30'W, HMS Anchusa and HMS Violet returned from fuelling at Casablanca.

Around 1700B/24, in position 35°45'N, 11°15'W, the convoy merged with convoy MKS 18G coming from Gibraltar.
This convoy was made up of the following ships; Antonio (British, 5225 GRT, built 1918), Badjestan (British, 5573 GRT, built 1928), Cape Wrath (British, 4512 GRT, built 1940), Clearpool (British, 5404 GRT, built 1935), Eastern City (British, 5185 GRT, built 1941), Empire Darwin (British, 6765 GRT, built 1941), Empire Tide (British, 6978 GRT, built 1941), Empire Wolfe (British, 2888 GRT, built 1941), Explorer (British, 6235 GRT, built 1935), Fauzon (French, 4376 GRT, built 1938), Gerard Dou (Dutch, 7242 GRT, built 1941), Hopestar (British, 5267 GRT, built 1936), Kingsland (British, 3669 GRT, built 1930), Schiaffino (French, 3236 GRT, built 1929), Stanhope (British, 2337 GRT, built 1919), Star (Norwegian, 1531 GRT, built 1922) and Vinriver (British, 3881 GRT, built 1917).

The landing ship Ennerdale (British, 8280 GRT, built 1941) and the tug HMRT Allegiance towing the damaged escort destroyer Derwent (Lt. P.R.C. Higham, RN) was also part of the convoy.

They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN), HMS Rockingham (Lt.Cdr. N.W. Duck, DSC, RD, RNR) and the corvettes HMS Borage (T/Lt.Cdr. A. Harrison, RNR), HMS Dahlia (T/Lt. M.S. Work, RNR), HMS Meadowsweet (T/Lt. W.E. Saunders, RNVR) and HMS Monkshood (Lt. G.W. McGuiness, RNR). Off these, HMS Rockingham could only use one propeller and her speed was limited to 15 knots.

Around 0750B/28, in approximate position 41°30'N, 16°04'W, the light (AA) cruiser HMS Scylla (Capt. I.A.P. Macintyre, CBE, DSO, RN) joined the convoy.

In the evening of the 28th, the convoy was attacked by German FW 200 bombers / reconnaissance aircraft. No damage was done and one of the attackers was shot down. HMS Hurricane picked up six survivors of this aircraft. Four of them wounded.

Around 0930B/29, the light cruiser HMS Sheffield (Capt. C.T. Addis, RN) joined the convoy.

In the second half of the morning of the 29th, the convoy was once more attacked by German aircraft but again no damage was done though bombs landed near HMS Scylla, HMS Rockingham, HMS Borage and HMS Meadowsweet.

Around 2225B/29, in approximate position 46°30'N, 16°00'W, HMS Scylla parted company with the convoy to proceed to Gibraltar.

Around an hour before the departure of HMS Scylla eleven of the merchant vessels split off from the main convoy and formed the ' fast section '. These then proceeded ahead escorted by the original escort of the convoy which had been with the convoy on departure from Freetown (minus HMS Amazon which had been detached to Gibraltar earlier).

Around 2200B/30, in position 50°01'N, 15°24'W, HMS Enchantress was detached from the 'fast section' to proceed to the Clyde via the south of Ireland.

Around the same time, HMS Sheffield parted company from the 'slow section' to proceed to

The 'fast section' of the convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 2 July 1943.

The 'slow section' of the convoy arrived in U.K. waters on 3 July 1943. (18)

17 Aug 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Northern Pride (T/Lt. A.L.F. Bell, RNR), HMS Borage (T/Lt.Cdr. A. Harrison, RNR), HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN), HMS Wallflower (Lt. G.R. Greaves, RNR) and HMS Monkshood (Lt. G.W. McGuiness, RNR). (19)

18 Aug 1943

Combined convoy OG 92 / KMS 24.

This convoy assembled off Oversay on 18 August 1943. It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Auk (British, 1338 GRT, built 1921), Bactria (British, 2407 GRT, built 1928), Baron Semple (British, 4573 GRT, built 1939), Bodegraven (Dutch, 5541 GRT, 1929), Cape Brenton (British, 6044 GRT, built 1940), City of Hongkong (British, 9609 GRT, built 1924), City of Lancaster (British, 3041 GRT, built 1924), City of Lille (British, 6588 GRT, built 1928), Conakrian (British, 4876 GRT, built 1937), Delius (British, 6065 GRT, built 1937), Empire Mortimer (British, 7051 GRT, built 1943), Empire Rhodes (British, 7030 GRT, built 1941), Empire Service (British, 7067 GRT, built 1943), Empire Snow (British, 6327 GRT, built 1941), Empire Spey (British, 4292 GRT, built 1929), Empire Summer (British, 6949 GRT, built 1941), Empire Wolfe (British, 2888 GRT, built 1941), Eurybates (British, 6276 GRT, built 1928), Exilona (American, 5593 GRT, built 1919), Flaminian (British, 2711 GRT, built 1917), Fort Camosun (British, 7126 GRT, built 1942), Fort Coulonge (British, 7136 GRT, built 1943), Fort Fidler (British, 7127 GRT, built 1943), Fort Glenora (British, 7126 GRT, built 1943), Fort Thompson (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942), Highwear (British, 1173 GRT, built 1936), Howra (British, 6709 GRT, built 1922), Langleebrook (British, 4246 GRT, built 1930), Leonardia (Swedish, 1583 GRT, built 1906), Lightfoot (British, 1894 GRT, built 1922) Lom (Norwegian, 1268 GRT, built 1920), Macharda (British, 7998 GRT, built 1938), Manchester Exporter (British, 5277 GRT, built 1918), Mers el Kebir (French, 2052 GRT, built 1917), Ocean Angel (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942), Ocean Vestal (British, 7174 GRT, built 1942), P.L.M. 13 (British, 3754 GRT, built 1921) and Skeldergate (British, 4251 GRT, built 1930).

The escort oiler Scottish American (British (tanker), 6999 GRT, built 1920) and rescue vessel Zamalek (British, 1567 GRT, built 1921) were also part of the convoy.

On assembly off Oversay the convoy was escorted by the desroyers HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN, HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Whinney, RN) and the corvettes HMS Borage (T/Lt.Cdr. A. Harrison, RNR), HMS Hydrangea (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.S. Howell, RNR), HMS Monkshood (Lt. G.W. McGuiness, RNR) and HMS Wallflower (Lt. G.R. Greaves, RNR). Also part of the escort was the sloop HMS Cygnet (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Proudfoot, RN) which initially was part of the A/S escort but after the convoy would cross 46°00'N she was to act as AA ship during daylight being stationed astern of the convoy and she was to be part of the A/S escort during the night.

The merchant vessel Zaanstroom (Dutch, 1646 GRT, built 1920) sailed late and joined the convoy around 1030A/19 in position 55°08'N, 10°00'W, with the corvette HMS Dahlia (T/Lt. M.S. Work, RNR) which had remained behind to escort her.

Around 1815A/18, the Exilona was detached to the Clyde as ordered by the C-in-C Western Approaches.

During the night of 18/19 August 1943, the Highwear developed engine trouble and then detached from the convoy to return to the U.K.

Around 0015A/21, HMS Wanderer was detached to search for a missing aircraft as ordered in the C-in-C Western Approaches signal timed 2323A/20. She rejoined the convoy around 1925A/21 having seen nothing.

On 22 August 1943, HMS Hurricane and HMS Wanderer fuelled from the escort oiler Scottish American.

On 22 August 1943, HMS Wallfolower fuelled from the escort oiler Scottish American.

At 0320A/25, HMS Wanderer obtained a small radar echo on her port bow at a range of 14000 yards. She then proceeded to close this contact at 20 knots. Her contact faded at a range of 3800 yards. Asdic contact was then gained and a depth charge attack was carried out. HMS Wallflower was then ordered to join her in the A/S hunt. Meanwhile HMS Wanderer carried out another depth charge attack after which contact was lost. Later HMS Wanderer and HMS Wallflower regained contact after which HMS Wallflower carried out two depth charge attacks. Contact was then again lost. About an hour later HMS Wanderer again regained contact and carried out a Hedgehog attack. One explosion was heard. This was followed ten minutes later by a depth charge attack by HMS Wanderer and seven minutes later the U-boat surfaced. HMS Wanderer and HMS Wallflower opened fire and hits were obtained. The U-boat then sank and thirty-seven survivors, including the Commanding Officer, were then picked up. Four of these were seriously wounded and were subsequently transferred to the Zamalek. Fifteen others were transferred by HMS Wallflower to HMS Hurricane.

On 26 August 1943, HMS Wanderer, HMS Cygnet and HMS Hydrangea fuelled from the escort oiler Scottish American.

Around 2100A/28, the following merchant vessels were detached from the convoy to proceed to Lisbon; Empire Mortimer, Empire Rhodes, Empire Service, Empire Wolfe, Flaminian, Fort Coulonge, Leonardia, Lightfoot, Ocean Angel and Skeldergate. They were escorted by HMS Cygnet, HMS Wanderer and HMS Wallflower. They arrived at Lisbon on the 29th.

Around 05305A/30, in position 36°01'N, 05°23'W the following merchant vessels were detached to Gibraltar (where convoy OG 92 ended); Bactria, City of Lancaster, Empire Spey, Fort Fidler, Fort Thompson, Lom, Mers el Kebir and PLM 13. Also detached were the Scottish American, Zamalek. They were escorted by HMS Hydrangea and HMS Monkshood. They arrived at Gibraltar later the same day.

Around 0800A/30, in position 36°14'N, 04°30'W the following merchant vessels joined the convoy coming from Gibraltar; Charles M. Conrad (American, 7181 GRT, built 1942), Elihu Yale (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Hallfried (Norwegian, 2968 GRT, built 1918), Louisa M. Alcott (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943), Lublin (Polish, 1409 GRT, built 1932) and Solomon Juneau (American, 7176 GRT, built 1943). Also joining from Gibraltar were the tugs Weazel, Empire Griffin and the boom defence vessel HMS Barndale (T/Lt. R.L. Jones, RNR). Also the light (AA) cruiser HMS Delhi (Capt. A.T.G.C. Peachey, RN) and corvettes HMS Bergamot (Lt. R.T. Horan, RNR), HMS Bryony (T/Lt. T. Hand, RNR), HMS Camellia (T/Lt. R.F.J. Maberley, RNVR), HMS La Malouine (Lt. W.A. Ives, RNR) and the patrol vessel RHS Vasilefs Georgios II joined. HMS Borage and HMS Dahlia then parted company to proceed to Gibraltar.

At 1055A/30, HMS Hurricane parted company to proceed to Gibraltar.

In the afternoon the corvette HMS Bluebell (Lt. G.H. Walker, RNVR) overtook and joined the convoy after having been delayed due to defects.

Around 0930B/31, the following merchant vessels joined the convoy off Oran; Chelma (French, 4968 GRT, built 1920), Lorraine (French (tanker), 9512 GRT, built 1937), Tintern Abbey (British, 2471 GRT, built 1939), Ulla (British, 1575 GRT, built 1930) and Ville de Bougie (French, 1237 GRT, built 1907). Lorraine however almost immediately returned to Oran.

At 0915B/1, the following merchant vessels were detached to Algiers; Auk, Chelma, Elihu Yale, Louisa M. Alcott, Hallfried, Lublin, Solomon Juneau, Zaanstroom. The tugs HMS Weazel and Empire Griffin were also detached.

At the same time the following merchant vessels joined the convoy coming from Algiers; British Character (British (tanker), 8453 GRT, built 1941), Crackshot (British, 2379 GRT, built 1924), Empire Dace (British (ferry), 716 GRT, built 1942), Fort la Traite (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942), Fort Pitt (British, 7133 GRT, built 1942), Gallium (French, 1775 GRT, built 1924), Prosper Schiaffino (French, 1634 GRT, built 1931), Spero (Norwegian, 3619 GRT, built 1919) and Ville de Djidjelli (French, 1132 GRT, built 1907). Also joining was the submarine HMS Tally-Ho (Lt.Cdr. L.W.A. Bennington, DSO, DSC, RN).

During the night of 1/2 September 1943, the Empire Dace, Ville de Bougie and Ville de Djidjelli were detached to Bougie while two merchant vessels joined the convoy coming from Bougie, these were the; Alcinous (Dutch, 6189 GRT, built 1925) and Prometheus (British, 6095 GRT, built 1925).

Around 1330B/2, the merchant vessel British Character parted company off Philippeville while the following merchant vessels joined the convoy; Chloris (British, 1171 GRT, built 1910) and Portsea (British, 1583 GRT, 1938).

At 2000B/2, the merchant vessels Baron Semple, Fort Glenora and Langleebrook parted company off Bone while the following merchant vessels joined the convoy coming from Bone; British Purpose (British (tanker), 5845 GRT, built 1943), Como (British, 1295 GRT, built 1910), Odysseus (Dutch, 1057 GRT, 1922), Ousel (British, 1533 GRT, built 1922) and Selvik (Norwegian, 1557 GRT, built 1920).

At 0900B/3, the following merchant ships parted company off Bizerta; Alcinous, Como, Ousel, Prometheus, Tintern Abbey and Ulla. The following merchant vessels joined the convoy coming from Bizerta, these were the; A.C. Bedford (British (tanker), 9485 GRT, built 1918), Badarpur (British, 8079 GRT, built 1922), Eildon (British, 1447 GRT, built 1936), Empire Opal (British (tanker), 9811 GRT, built 1941), Empire Thackeray (British, 2865 GRT, built 1942). Also joining the convoy was the boom defence vessel HMS Barmond (T/Lt. L.J. Essery, RNR), the gasoline tanker USS Aroostook and the self propelled fuel barge USS Anticline.

At 1330B/3, the following ships were detached to Tunis, Eildon, Prosper Schiaffino, USS Aroostook and USS Anticline.

Around 1800B/3, the Selvik parted company to proceed to Sfax.

Around 1330B/4, in position 35.10'N, 13.30'E the following merchant vessels were detached to Malta; Crackshot, Empire Thackeray, Gallium, Odysseus and Spero. Also detached were HMS Delhi, HMS Bergamot, HMS Barmond and HMS Barndale. Joining from Malta were the following merchant vessels; Afghanistan (British, 6992 GRT, built 1940), Clan Murdoch (British, 5950 GRT, built 1919), Debrett (British, 6244 GRT, built 1940), Empire Kamal (British, 7862 GRT, built 1938), Empire Patrol (British, 3334 GRT, built 1928), Fort Lajoie (British, 7134 GRT, built 1942), Highland Prince (British, 7043 GRT, built 1942), Neuralia (British, 9182 GRT, built 1912), President de Vogue (Norwegian (tanker), 9320 GRT, built 1935) and Suiyang (British, 2590 GRT, built 1917). With these ships the escort destroyer HMS Rockwood (Lt. S.R. Le H. Lombard-Hobson, RN) and the A/S whaler HMSAS Southern Maid also joined.

At the same time these ships were detached and joined from Malta the Augusta / Syracusa portion of the convoy parted company. They were to proceed to their destination via Malta. It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Chloris, Conakrian, Empire Snow, Empire Summer, Manchester Exporter and Portsea.

Around 1100C/5, in position 34°26'N, 17°05'E, HMS Tally-Ho parted company to proceed independently to Port Said.

Around 1200C/6, in position 33°07'N, 20°52'E, the merchant vessel Sofala (British, 1031 GRT, built 1937) joined the convoy coming from Benghazi.

Around 1215C/6, in position 33°08'N, 20°53'E, HMSAS Southern Maid parted company to proceed to Benghazi.

Around 1130C/7, the merchant vessels Kwai Sang (British, 2320 GRT, built 1917) and Lee Sang (British, 1655 GRT, built 1907) joined the convoy coming from Tobruk.

Around 0745C/9, the following merchant vessel were detached to Alexandria; Cape Brenton, City of Hongkong, City of Lille, Clan Murdoch, Empire Kamal, Fort la Traite, Fort Lajoie, Kwai Sang, Neuralia, Sofala and Suiyang. Also detached were HMS Rockwood, HMS Camellia, HMS La Malouine and RHS Vasilefs Georgios II.

Around 0630C/9, the sloop HMIS Sutlej (A/Cdr. A.H. Watt, RIN) joined in position 31°20'N, 29°39'E.

The remainder of the convoy arrived at Port Said on 10 September 1943. (20)

5 Nov 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. D.G. Kent, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Dahlia (Lt. M.S. Work, RNR), HMS Hurricane (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN) and HMS Wanderer (Lt.Cdr. R.F. Whinney, RN). (21)

16 Dec 1943
HrMs O 10 (Lt.Cdr. A. van Altena, RNN(R)) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Summerside (T/Lt. G. St. A.Mongenais, RCNVR) and HMS Hurricane (Cdr. C.E.E. Paterson, RN). (22)

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