Convoy GUS 33 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Because of the very nature of the GUS (and UGS) convoys my pages for them will inevitably seem rather messy. But by adding all the information available to me on these convoys, I'm hoping these pages can at least be used as a basis for further research.
One of the documents (Page 1) is rather blurry and difficult to decipher, some guessing has taken place. Also, some ships appear to have been misspelt; I've attempted to correct these.
The documents available to me only cover events up to March 15; other ships may have joined from (or left at) other ports later on. Please scroll down to the bottom of this page for possible, additional ships.
When working with several different documents from 2 sources, as I have done in this case, the details given in one don't always agree with those found in the other, but I've included all of them, again as a basis for further research.
The following ships left Port Said on March 5-1944:
Collegian, with Commodore C. G. Brodie - destination River Plate. Said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, leaving again on the 25th, final destination is now given as Buenos Aires.
For the U.S.:
William H. Aspinwall (voyage from Port Said - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Joseph A. Brown (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Maria Mitchell (voyage from Khorram Shahr - arrived New York Apr. 3).
William S. Clark (voyage from Calcutta - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
James J. Pettigrew (voyage from Port Said - arrived New York Apr. 3).
William Coddington (voyage from Port Said - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Cleveland Abbe (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Miguel Hidalgo (voyage from Bombay - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
Thomas Nuttall (voyage from Suez - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Henry D. Thoreau (voyage from Calcutta - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
Benjamin Holt (arrived New York Apr. 3).
John Bidwell (voyage from Calcutta - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Charles D. McIver (arrived New York Apr. 3).
William W. Mayo (voyage from Colombo - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Cyrus T. Brady (voyage from Calcutta - arrived New York Apr. 3).
John S. Casement - Westbound (voyage from Calcutta - later arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3. Listed as Jonson Casement in the convoy document)
Hutchinson I. Cone - Westbound (voyage from Abadan - later arrived New York Apr. 3).
Karmt - As mentioned, the document is a bit blurry, but it looks like Karmt, which was Norwegian. She's said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, leaving again on the 25th, final destination is now given as Buenos Aires.
Fort Pine - Bizerta
For Augusta:
Pan Aruba
British Energy.
Good Gulf
British Lord
Athos
Empire Heritage
Comedian - Augusta / Naples.
Some of the above ships were British, but the majority were American Liberty Ships (see the links at the bottom of this page). Good Gulf was a Belgian vessel, sailing under the Panamanian flag.
For info, the following ships are also said to have left Port Said on March 5 (but they are not mentioned in the convoy documents for GUS 33):
Aghia Thalassini, British Sovereign (both bound for Haifa), Foudieh (for Alexandria), Cape Hawk (for Bizerta).
At 14:30 the next day, March 6, the following ships joined from Alexandria:
Eridan - later parted company for Tripoli.
For the U.S.:
Nonsuco (voyage from Abadan - arrived New York Apr. 3).Frederick H. Newell (voyage from Bandar Shapur - arrived New York Apr. 3).Fernbrook (voyage from Alexandria - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Billy Sunday (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Nuculana, Egda - both bound for Western Mediterranean (the latter ship is listed as Edga in the convoy document)
Ocean Liberty, Fort Glenlyon, Samnebra - according to Tony's document, these 3 had destination Taranto.
Vasco, Newbrough - both bound for South Italy
Lanrick - for Augusta
(Flora Nomicou also left Alexandria on March 6, but destination is given as Port Said).
At 06:15 on March 11, these ships parted company for Augusta: Lanrick, Newbrough, Nuculana, Fort Glenlyon, Samnebra, Empire Heritage, Vasco, Ocean Liberty and Comedian.
(Tony's document lists the following as arriving Augusta on March 11:
Lanrick, Comedian, Empire Heritage, British Energy, Athos, Good Gulf, Pan Aruba, and British Lord. Note that only 3 of these are mentioned in the convoy document in the portion said to have parted company for Augusta, while some of the others are listed in the portion leaving for Tunis, others in the section parting company for Algiers - see below).
while these joined from Augusta at 07:00 that same day:
Empire Copperfield, Stancleve - both bound for Bone (Stancleve is said to have parted company for Tunis in the convoy document - see below).
Var, Octane, Thomas Sully - all for Bizerta. The convoy document actually lists the latter as Thomas Lilly, but I believe it must have been Thomas Sully, which is listed as leaving the convoy for Tunis on March 12, as is Octane - see below.
Homer Lea - for Oran.
Bound for Algiers:
Fort Fidler
Fort la Traite
Fort Brandon
Fort Glenora
Fort Remy
Empire Cameron
Hjalmar Wessel Chloris
Fort Ash.
Harpalycus - Gibraltar / Takoradi.
Nebraska - Gibraltar / South America. Said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, leaving again on the 25th. This ship did not make it to her final destination. She was sunk on Apr. 8-1944 by U-843. According to "Lloyd's War Losses", Vol. I, she was on a voyage from Taranto and Gibraltar in ballast for Buenos Aires with a crew of 58, 8 gunners and 2 stowaways - 2 crew died. Sinking position is given as 11 55S 19 52W. See also this external page as well as a thread on my Ship Forum, starting with this posting.
Samshire - for Philippeville
For the U.S.:
William R. Day (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Dwight W. Morrow (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).James W. Fannin (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Robert Fechner (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Charles Goodyear - parted company for Oran according to convoy document - see below.Horace Williams (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).John Paul Jones (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Calvin Coolidge (arrived New York Apr. 3).Alfred Moore (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Empire Dickens (voyage from Brindisi - arrived New York Apr. 3).Reverdy Johnson (voyage from Bari - arrived New York Apr. 3).Francisco Coronado (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Moses Brown (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).John Fiske (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Bourgogne (Fr.) - (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Samuel Ashe (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Carter Braxton (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Gabriel Duval (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).British Restraint (arrived New York Apr. 3).Zebulon Pike (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).John McKinley (voyage from Bari - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).David S. Terry - parted company for Oran according to convoy document.Robert H. Harrison (voyage from Bari - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Cornelius Gilliam (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).Helen Hunt Jackson (voyage from Bari - arrived New York Apr. 3).
At 11:40 on March 11
Eridan left for Tripoli via Malta
and at 12:00 that same day the following joined from Malta:
Dzik (Polish sub),
Samson, Samholt - both bound for Bone.
Samtroy - for Casablanca.
Leonian - later parted company for Algiers.
Arthur P. Davis - for Algiers.
Neocardia - Tunis / Bizerta.
At 14:25 on March 12, these ships parted company for Tunis:
British Lord, British Energy, Egda, Good Gulf, Athos, Stancleve, Neocardia, Octane, Thomas Sully, Fort Pine
while these joined from Tunis at 15:00:
Roald Amundsen - for Casablanca.
For the U.S.:
Nathaniel Macon (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).British Merit (arrived New York Apr. 3).James Whitcomb Riley (voyage from Cagliari - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3 - listed as James Wriley in the convoy document)
Janet Lord Roper (voyage from Palermo - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).George H. Dern (voyage from Casablanca - arrived New York Apr. 3. Listed as George Derne in convoy document).
Levi Woodbury (voyage from Cagliari - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3 - listed as Beri Woodbury in convoy document)
Empire Chapman (voyage from Bari - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Var left for Bizerta at 15:00 that same day
and at 15:46 these 3 joined from Bizerta:
Aztec (arrived New York Apr. 3).
Gallia (voyage from Bizerta - said to have left Casablanca on March 17 for the U.S., arrived New York on Apr. 3)
Quercy - later parted company for Algiers.
At 10:56 on March 13 Empire Cameron was instructed to proceed to Bone,
and at 13:30 these joined from Bone:
For the U.S.:
Samfield (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3)
Sampenn (voyage from Algiers - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Belgian Trader, Astrid (both for Gibraltar / U.K. - said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, both leaving Gibraltar again on March 22 for Barrow. Note that they're both listed on Mike Holdoway's website about the SL convoys as having joined Convoy SL 152/MKS 43 for the U.K., follow this external link, then go to the convoy in question.
Palacio (Gibraltar f. o. - said to have arrived Gibraltar on March 17, leaving again on March 27 for Algiers/Malta).
Fort Dauphin (for Oran)
while the following ships parted company for Bone at 13:20: Samson, Empire Copperfield, Samholt and Belpareil (I'm assuming this was the Norwegian ship by this name. I notice though, that she's not mentioned anywhere as having joined the convoy).
At 18:30 Empire Alliance joined from Convoy UGS 34* and at 20:00 Samshire left for Philippeville.
* UGS 34 had departed Hampton Roads for Port Said on Febr. 23-1944.
At 01:00 on March 14, the following left the convoy for Algiers: Chloris, Fort Ash, Leonian? (the document gives it as Liconian, but I'm guessing this was the Leonian, which had joined earlier from Malta), Arthur P. Davis, Pan Aruba, Fort Fidler, Fort la Traite, Fort Brandon, Fort Glenora, Fort Remy, Quercy, Empire Alliance and Hjalmar Wessel
and these ships joined at 01:30 on the same day (from Algiers):
For the U.S.:
George Matthews (voyage from Algiers - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
Samuel Johnston (voyage from Algiers - arrived New York Apr. 3).Dromus (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Havkong (voyage from Augusta - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Junecrest (voyage from Algiers - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Diplodon?(voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3. Listed as Tiplodon in convoy document).
James Barbour (voyage from Algiers - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Jade - for Oran
Teucer, Dumfries, Baron Cawdor - all for Casablanca
Atlantic Coast - for the Azores_Lennet_ Dronah (Dornoch?) - Gibraltar, arrived Gibraltar on March 17, left for Dakar on March 25.
At 07:00 on March 15, the following parted company for Oran:
Homer Lea, Fort Dauphin, Roald Amundsen, Jade, David S. Terry, Charles Goodyear
while these joined from Oran at 08:00:
Tarazed
Antiope (French sub)
Mormacswan (voyage from Calcutta - arrived New York Apr. 3. Name is given as Mormassivan in convoy document).
Toltec (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3)
Charles A. Wickcliffe? (arrived New York Apr. 3. Name is given as Charles Wickdiffe in the document)
John P. Poe
James McCosh? (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3. Name is given as James McLosh)
Thomas Nelson Page (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Richard Montgomery (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).
Abraham Lincoln* (voyage from Oran - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
Van Lear Black
Empire Stalwart (voyage from Oran - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3).
Edward? Rutledge (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3. Name given as Marshal Rutledge in convoy document).Daniel Huger (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Cornelius Harnett (arrived New York Apr. 3).
John Dickinson (voyage from Naples - arrived Chesapeake Bay Apr. 3. Listed as John Wickenson in the convoy document).John Walker (voyage from Naples - arrived New York Apr. 3).Wearpool.
* Norway had a ship by this name, but I have information stating that she acted as Commodore Vessel for Convoy HX 284 which left New York for the U.K. on March 21-1944 and arrived Liverpool Apr. 6, so the Abraham Lincoln mentioned above must have been the American Libery Ship by that name.
The following ships arrived the U.S. around the same time as GUS 33, and may also have been in this convoy:
Arriving New York on Apr. 3:
Esso Charleston, Haym Salomon, Noah Webster, Ben H. Miller and William B. Giles (all from Casablanca, March 17), Samharle (from Naples), Samkansa (from Algiers). John L. Sullivan also arrived New York on Apr. 3, but port of origin is given as Glasgow.
Benjamin Huntington and Lyman Hall arrived Chesapeake Bay that same day, both from Casablanca.
Note that some of the ships listed as sailing in Convoy GUS 33 later returned with Convoy UGS 40, which left Hampton Roads on Apr. 23-1944 and arrived Port Said on May 19 - see the 2nd external website that I've linked to below.
Names of escorts for GUS 33 are not known.
Related external links:
Chronological list of GU convoys (with the returning UG convoys).
The history of USS Campbell - Includes som info on GUS 33.
Some ships in UGS 40, including escorts. A section of the Encyclopedia of WW 2 Naval Battles.
Liberty Ships - Alphabetical list.
List of Liberty Ships by Hull No. - Includes info on the men for whom the ships were named (from Wikipedia).
Empire Ships - Also has a listing of the "Sam"-ships, ex Liberty Ships that came under the British flag (and other Liberty ships).