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Notable events involving Pasteur include:

12 Dec 1939

Convoy HX 12.

This convoy departed Halifax on 12 December 1939.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Athelchief (British (tanker), 10000 GRT, built 1939), Athelprincess (British (tanker), 8882 GRT, built 1929), Baron Maclay (British, 6317 GRT, built 1924), Barrgrove (British, 5222 GRT, built 1918), Bengore Head (British, 2609 GRT, built 1922), Botwey (British, 5106 GRT, built 1916), Box Hill (British, 5677 GRT, built 1920), British Science (British (tanker), 7138 GRT, built 1931), Caledonian Monarch (British, 5851 GRT, buil 1928), Christoph v. Doornum (British (former German), 3845 GRT, built 1928), Corabella (British, 5682 GRT, built 1937), Domby (British, 5582 GRT, built 1932), Dunaff Head (British, 5258 GRT, built 1918), Elona (British (tanker), 6192 GRT, built 1936), Frederick S. Fales (British (tanker), 10525 GRT, built 1939), Geo H. Jones (Panamanian (tanker), 6689 GRT, built 1919), James McGee (Panamanian (tanker), 9859 GRT, built 1917), King James (British, 5122 GRT, built 1925), Mactra (British (tanker), 6193 GRT, built 1936), Medon (British, 5444 GRT, built 1923), Merchant Royal (British, 5008 GRT, built 1928), Montrolite (British (tanker), 11309 GRT, built 1926), Nailsea Moor (British, 4926 GRT, built 1937), Niceto de Larrinaga (British, 5591 GRT, built 1916), Pacific Exporter (British, 6734 GRT, built 1928), Riley (British, 4993 GRT, built 1936), Rockpool (British, 4892 GRT, built 1927), San Diego (French, 6013 GRT, built 1930), San Felix (British (tanker), 13037 GRT, built 1921), Sandsend (British, 3612 GRT, built 1925), Scholar (British, 3940 GRT, built 1922), Scottish Star (British, 7224 GRT, built 1917), Sirikishna (British, 5458 GRT, built 1936) and Temple Yard (British, 5205 GRT, built 1937).

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Arndale (8296 GRT, built 1937) was also part of the convoy.

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ausonia (Capt. C.T.M. Pizey, RN), destroyers HMCS Saguenay (Lt.Cdr. G.R. Miles, RCN), HMCS Skeena (Lt.Cdr. E.P. Tisdall, RCN) and the submarine Pasteur (Lt. P.E.A.E. Mertz).

Due to the bad weather conditions on leaving harbour the Merchant Royal (arrived Liverpool on 29 December) and Sirikishna (returned Halifax with weather damage on 13 December) never joined the convoy.

The two Canadian destroyers arrived back at Halifax on the 15th, having parted company with the convoy, most likely, around dusk on the 13th.

From the afternoon of the 14th until dawn on the 15th bad weather conditions and fog were encountered and the following merchant vessels straggled from the convoy;
Athelprincess, Baron Maclay, Botwey, Californian Monarch, Domby, King James, Nailsea Moor, San Felix and Scottish Star.

At daylight on the 17th, when the convoy was in position 45°38'N, 46°12'W, the following merchant vessels were seen to have straggled from the convoy during the night.
Mactra and Sandsend.

On 19 December, in position 48°36'N, 40°20'W, the Baron Maclay caught up with the convoy coming from astern.

On 20 December, the Pasteur had to stop to make engine repairs. The Elona was detailed to stand by and this merchant vessel did not rejoin the convoy. She later arrived independently at Liverpool.

At daylight on the 21st, when the convoy was in position 50°01'N, 32°16'W, the following merchant vessels were seen to have straggled from the convoy during the night.
Baron Maclay, Box Hill, Christoph v. Doornum, Medon and Temple Yard.

On 22 December the Temple Yard managed to rejoin the convoy from astern.

Around 0900Z/25, in position 50°51'N, 14°22'W, the destroyers HMS Walpole (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Bowerman, RN), HMS Wessex (Lt.Cdr. W.A.R. Cartwright, RN), HMS Windsor (Lt.Cdr. P.D.H.R. Pelly, RN) and sloop HMS Enchantress (Cdr. A.K. Scott-Moncrieff, RN) joined. HMS Ausonia then parted company to return to Halifax. Around this time also the merchant vessels Baron Maclay and Domby rejoined the convoy.

Around 1600Z/25, the convoy split.

The Irish Sea / West coast section was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Arndale (arrived at Liverpool 27/28 December), Baron Maclay (arrived in the Clyde 29 December), Bengore Head (arrived at Belfast on 28 December), Corabella (arrived at Liverpool 27/28 December), Domby (arrived at Cardiff on 27 December), Dunaff Head (arrived at Dublin on 27 December), Riley (arrived at Cardiff on 27 December), Scholar (arrived at Liverpool 27/28 December) and Temple Yard (arrived at Avonmouth on 28 December). They were escorted by HMS Walpole and Wessex.

Around 1010Z/27, HMS Wessex parted company and arrived at Milford Haven around 1300A/27.

HMS Walpole arrived at Liverpool around 0200Z/28.

The Channel / East coast section was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Athelchief (arrived at Le Havre on 28 December), Barrgrove (arrived in the Downs on 28 December), British Science (arrived in the Downs on 28 December), Frederick S. Fales (arrived at Le Havre on 28 December), Geo H. Jones (arrived at Southampton on 27/28 December), James McGree (arrived at Le Havre on 28 December), Montrolite (arrived at Southampton on 27/28 December), Niceto de Larrinaga (arrived in the Downs on 28 December), Pacific Exporter (arrived in the Downs on 28 December), Rockpool (arrived in the Downs on 28 December) and San Diego (arrived in the Downs on 28 December). They were escorted by HMS Windsor and HMS Enchantress which both arrived in the Downs on 28 December. HMS Windsor had refuelled at Plymouth on the 27th though before rejoining the convoy.

All ships that had straggled from the convoy and that had not managed to rejoin arrived safely at their destinations. (1)