Convoy HG 17 Report - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

Ships leaving Gibraltar on Febr. 1-1940:
Senga - voyage from Dubrovnik to London, arrived Febr. 12.
Oltenia - voyage from Constantza to London, arrived Febr. 13.
Baron Ramsey - voyage from Bona to Tyne, arrived Febr. 16.
Dumfries - voyage from Masulipatam to London, arrived Febr. 15.
Canadolite - voyage from Haifa to Harve, arrived Febr. 15.
Victolite - voyage from Tripoli to Harve, arrived Febr. 12.
Nailsea Lass - voyage from Bona to Tees, arrived Febr. 13.
Rhineland - voyage from Carthagena to London, arrived Febr. 13.
Flaminian - voayge from Limasol to London, arrived Febr. 14.
Saint Dunstan - voyage from Alleppey to London, arrived Febr. 13.
Pelayo - voyage from Seville to London, arrived Febr. 14.
British Zeal - voyage from Abadan to Stanlow, arrived Febr. 13.
Lesbian - voyage from Alexandria to Liverpool, arrived Febr. 12.
Glen Head - voayge from Izmir to Liverpool, arrived Febr. 11.
Meta - voyage from Toulon to Larne, arrived Febr. 12.
Bantria - voyage from Patras to Liverpool, arrived Febr. 12.
Zena - voyage from Arzew to Glasgow, arrived Febr. 12.
Lublin - voyage from Haifa to Liverpool, arrived Febr. 11.
Blairdevon - voyage from Benisaf to Glasgow, arrived Febr. 12.
Kostrena - voyage from Bona to Cork, arrived Febr. 12, later arrived Swansea Febr. 17.
Jenny - voyage from Zwyndrecht to London, arrived Febr. 14.

Jan Pieterszoon Coen, voyage from Genoa to Amsterdam, also sailed on the same day as the above ships, but her arrival date is given as Febr. 9, so I'm not sure whether she was also in this convoy(?).

HMS Vimy's report on passage (from Febr. 8 till Febr. 11)

HMS Vimy met the convoy at 07:00 on Febr. 8. A course of 020° and a speed of 7 knots were maintained till 11:00, at which time course was set to 040° for Bishop Rock.

At 14:30 the following day, Febr. 9, the convoy was split up, the Vice Commodore in Bantria taking charge of the B portion, which proceeded on course 020°.

During the night leading up to Febr. 10, 3 ships lost touch with the convoy and speed was reduced in order to enable them to rejoin. Blairdevon, bound for Glasgow, failed to do so; she had "distinguished herself by her bad station keeping and slackness in answering signals". Speed was again increased at 11:15 that day.

At 02:35 on Febr. 11, Convoy OB 82* was met right ahead in 53 07N 5 00W. HMS Vimy's Commander states, "As HG 17B was steering 022° for a postion 270° Skerries 15' I am unable to account for this fact, unless an unusual easterly set was experienced. The landfall at the Skerries makes this solution probable". No collisions occurred, however.

* Convoy OB 82 had left Liverpool on Jan. 29-1940, dispersed Febr. 2.

Meta, bound for Larne, was detached off the Skerries that day, while Liverpool bound ships were ordered to follow the swept channel for Morecamb Bay Light Vessel, and the ships were ordered to proceed independently when in position Morecamb Bay Light Vessel 11'. HMS Vimy passed this position at 12:48 and took station on the starboard bow of the convoy, course being 180°, 12 knots when in station, reduced to 11 knots at 13:00. A fog signal was heard at about 13:45 which had the character of the Bar Light Vessel, so the Commodore altered course towards the sound, followed by the 3 ships in company. At 13:51 HMS Vimy altered course to 150° to bring the fog signal ahead, being convinced it was the Bar Light Vessel. Her Commander considered that an unexpected set of the tide had carried them to the southwest of their estimated postion. At about the same time the convoy hoisted signal for pilots and sounded "G" on their syrens. Visibility was about half a mile at this time.

HMS Vimy altered to 110° at 14:10 but, being suspicious at not sighting the Bar Light Vessel, she started sounding with the hand lead. About 5 minutes later, a ship was seen ahead and almost immediately afterwards the channel buoys were sighted. The signal for "You are standing into danger" was sounded, but the ships could not pull up in time, resulting in Bantria, British Zeal and Lesbian taking the ground north of C 1 and C 2 port hand buoys at 14:20. After having reported this fact to The Flag Officer in Charge, Liverpool at 14:25, HMS Vimy proceeded to the Bar Light Vessel.

To the next HG convoy in my list HGF 18