Convoy HG 18 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Convoy HG 18 Cruising Order
Departed Gibraltar at 14:30 on Febr. 9-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 19th (Arnold Hague says 36 ships).
A 1 form received from Tony Cooper (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).
Br=British, Eg=Egyptian, Yug=Yugoslavian
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Longwood
Clyde
(Br)
21
Inverlee
Clyde
(Br)
31
Baron Loudoun
Glasgow
(Br)
41
Vasco
Liverpool
(Br)
51
Waroonga
Liverpool
(Br)
Earlspark
Port Talbot
(Br)
61
Photinia
Middlesbrough
(Br)
71
Temple Mead
Hull
(Br)
81
Glenstrae
London
(Br)
91
Trebartha
London
(Br)
12
Capsa
Manchester
(Br)
22
Coulmore
Workington
(Br)
32
Kyleglen
Liverpool
(Br)
42
Korana
Milford Haven/Avonmouth
(Yug)
52
Auris
Pauillac
(Br)
62
Korkmoor
Hull
(Br?)
72
Star of Ramleh
London
(Eg)
82
Alex
Middlesbrough
(Br)
92
Mountpark
London
(Br)
13
Mardinian
Manchester
(Br)
23
British Justice
Swansea
(Br)
33
British Endurance
Avonmouth
(Br)
43
Magdalena
Newport
(Br)
53
Amastra
Pauillac
(Br)
63
Antiope
Le Havre
(Br)
73
Cydonia
Middlesbrough
(Br)
83
Refast
Hull
(Br)
93
Benlawers
London
(Br)
14
Sakkaraz*
Liverpool
24
Caverock*
Liverpool
34
Fidra
Larne
(Br? Fi? Sw?)
44
British Trader
Swansea
(Br)
54
64
Valldemosa
London
(Br)
74
Greenland*
London
84
Horsa
London
94
Trecarrell**
Philadelphia
(Br)
15
25
35
45
Eskdalegate**
Halifax
(Br)
55
65
75
85
95
* Sakkaraz was delayed due to defects - joined at 13:00 on Febr. 10.
Greenland was also delayed, but joined convoy at 09:00 on Febr. 15.
Additionally, the German prize Morea, escorted by a French destroyer, joined the convoy on Febr. 14 - later detached for Plymouth.
** The ships in stations 45 and 94 detached for Philadelphia and Halifax at 18:00 on Febr. 10. For info, they are both listed in Convoy HX 28 from Halifax on March 18-1940.
Notes:
Commodore, Rear Admiral K. E. L. Creighton, was in Vasco, Vice Commodore in Temple Mead.
* Caverock had originally been scheduled for Convoy HGF 18.
The cancelled Waroonga is listed in Convoy HGF 19.
Average speed: 7 knots.
Coulmore parted company in heavy weather on the night of Febr. 13.
Cydonia also lost touch, last seen on Febr. 13.
Greenland was last seen on Febr. 17, "unable to resume station, though speed of convoy was reduced to 6 knots".
The ships in stations 52 and 53 (to Brest with French escort), as well as those in columns 6 through 9 parted company at 08:30 on Febr. 16, escorted by HMS Viscount (except for Trecarrell, which had left on the 10th, Cydonia and Greenland, which were missing, and possibly Antiope). The Vice Commodore in Temple Mead was Commodore for this section - average speed: 6 1/2 knots. The German prize Morea was also part of this section.
Bristol section - British Justice, British Endurance, Korana, Magdalena, and British Trader parted company at 18:00 on Febr. 17 for Milford Haven.
Longwood, Baron Loudoun and Fidra detached for Clyde, Glasgow and Larne at 16:00 on Febr. 18.
Refast, Captain J. Andrews, is said to be "a danger to any convoy due to very excessive funnel smoke. Signals produced no result". She also had difficulty keeping her station and the French destroyer Valmy "concluded this ship should not be included in convoy".
Escorts:
Ocean: Valmy (French destroyer), French trawler Viking and HMS Active - sailed with the convoy from Gibraltar, the 2 French vessels remaining until meeting Local Escort at 09:00 on Febr. 16, while Active returned to Gibraltar on Febr. 10.
Local: HMS Vanquisher and HMS Viscount.
Air Escort:
Flying Boat escorted convoy from Gibraltar until Febr. 10(?).
Sunderland Flying Boat joined convoy on Febr. 17 (time and position difficult to decipher, looks like 11:00 in 50 26N 11 00W).
To the next HG convoy in my list HGF 19