Convoy HX 145 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

Convoy HX 145 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on Aug. 16 -1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 31st (Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" says 83 ships).

List received from Ted Agar, England. (His source: A diary. Although the information is usually incomplete, as it appears to be in this case, I consider this diary valuable and important in and of itself and, therefore, I've chosen to transcribe it and keep it "as is" on this website, adding further details and/or corrections from other sources separately, rather than within the form itself [except for cargoes], as seen below).

Cargoes have been extracted from a document received from D. Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague's database - see his listing for HX 145 at Ships in all HX convoys.

See also Convoy ON 15 and other westbound convoys from the same time period.

Br=British, Bel=Belgian, Du=Dutch, Norw=Norwegian, Gr=Greek.
MoWT = Ministry of War Transport

11
Arabian
Prince
general
5 passengers
(Br)

21
British
Chancellor
pool oil
(Br)

31
British
Progress
pool oil
(Br)

41
Standella
petrol
(Br)

51
Clan
Macindoe
general
(Br)

61
Hektoria
fuel oil
94 passengers
(Br)

71
Mahronda
general
(Br)

81
City of
Norwich
pig iron - general
(Br)

101

111
Narragansett
petrol
(Br)

121
Kioto
general
(Br)

12
Empire
Razorbill
sulphur
(Br)

22
Otina
petrol
(Br)

32
Murena
fuel oil
(Du)

42
Port
Darwin
refrig.
11 passengers
(Br)

52
British
Princess
petrol
(Br)

62
Coracero
refrig.
(Br)

72
Benedict
general
8 passengers
(Br)

82
Edam
general
31 passengers
(Du)

92
Salabangka
general
(Du)

102
Bolton
Castle
steel - general
(Br)

112
San Eliseo
gas oil
(Br)

122
Annavore
wheat
(Norw)

13
see note at*

23
San Alvaro
gas oil
(Br)

33
Empire
Unity
lub. oil
(Br)

43
Themisto
general
(Du)

53
Prince de
Liege
phosphates
(Bel / MoWT 1940)

63
Empire
Zephyr
steel - cotton
(Br)

73
Kaia Knudsen
FFO
(Norw)

83
Maridal
aviation gas
(Norw)

93
El Mirlo
pool & gas oil
(Br)

103
Southern
Princess
fuel oil
2 passengers
(Br)

113
Charles F.
Meyer
petrol
(Br)

123
Empire
Gannet
steel
(Br)

14
Hartismere
steel - scrap metal
2 passengers
(Br)

24
Donax
petrol
(Br)

34
Bente
Maersk
pool oil
(Br)

44
Tysa
phosphates
(Du)

54
Vimeira
petrol
(Br)

64
Leikanger
lumber
2 passengers
(Norw)

74
James J.
Maguire
petrol
(Br)

84
Empire
Sunbeam
steel - general
(Br)

94
Empire
Oil
petrol
(Br)

104
British
Industry
pool oil
(Br)

114
Vav
benzine
(Norw)

124
Temple
Arch
general
(Br)

15
Comliebank
general
(Br)

25
Voco
lub. oil
(Br)

45
British
Yeoman
FFO
Scapa Flow
(Br)

55
Cowrie
FFO
(Br)

65
Kingswood?
sugar
(Br)

British Hope?
fuel oil
(Br)

75
Baxtergate
phosphates
(Br)

85
Empire
Defender?
general
(Br)

Skeldergate?
grain
(Br)

95
Høyanger
general
(Norw)

105
G. S.
Walden
petrol
(Br)

115
Anadara
gas oil
(Br)

125
Empire
Albatross
general
(Br)

16
Alderamin
general
(Du)

26
Mount
Pera
iron ore
(Gr)

56
Atheltemplar
FFO
Portland
(Br)

66
Rembrandt
phosphates
(Br)

76
Brynymor
steel - scrap metal
(Br)

96
Burdwan
general
(Br)

106
Empire
Bronze
petrol
(Br)

116
British
Valour
pool & fuel oil
(Br)

126
Erna III
grain
(Br)

57
Empire
Seal
general
(Br)

67
Empire
Hartebeeste
steel
7 passengers
(Br)

77
Charles Racine
pool & gas oil
(Norw)

107

117

127

Also, the Rescue Vessel Zaafaran was with this convoy for a while - see Notes below.

Commodore was in Hektoria.

Some of the ships have been given the same station number in the diary, hence my question marks, but see A. Hague's info below.

The Norwegian Slemdal is also mentioned in the diary, but station number was not known. A. Hague has this ship in station 96, cargo of aviation gas

*When comparing this information with A. Hague's listing for HX 145 at Ships in all HX convoys, it'll be noticed that he has also included some ships that are not mentioned in the diary, as follows:
In station 35 - The Norwegian Lynghaug, cargo of lumber
In station 36 - The British Steaua Romana, cargo of fuel oil
In station 27 - The British Gemstone, general cargo and flour
In station 37 - The British Cape Breton, cargo of steel and lumber
In station 47 - The British La Pampa, cargo of flour
In station 87 - The Norwegian Troubadour, cargo of grain, Vice Commodore (according to her Voyage Record for this period, she joined from Sydney, C.B., and this explains why she's not mentioned in the diary, which lists ships joining from Halifax only)
In station 97 - The British Ary Lensen, cargo of steel and lumber
In station 68 - The British Harpalion, cargo of steel and lumber (this gives the convoy 8 rows)
In station 78 - The Norwegian Torvanger, cargo of grain (also joined from Sydney, C.B. - see this document)
The diary lists a Norwegian Marcot in station 13, but there was no ship by that name. According to A. Hague, the ship in station 13 was the British Margot, general cargo.

He has also included the British Lerwick, cargo of iron ore, and Rose Schiaffino, concentrate, but no station numbers are given. Additionally, he has the AMC escort California within the convoy.

Some ships are listed in different stations, for instance, all the ships in column 9 and 10 have been moved up one station, in other words, Salabangka is in station 91, El Mirlo in station 92, Empire Oil in station 93, Høyanger in station 94, Burdwan in station 95. Similarly, Bolton Castle is in station 101, Southern Princess in station 102, British Industry in station 103, G. S. Walden in station 104, Empire Bronze in station 105.

Kingswood is listed in station 65, while British Hope has been given station 46. He has Skeldergate in station 85, Empire Defender in station 86.

Notes:
The Rescue Vessel Zaafaran was with this convoy from Aug. 25, to Clyde Aug. 30-1941. She had been with Convoy ON 9 from Clyde to dispersal Aug. 20-Aug. 25, on her 8th voyage as Rescue Vessel, having been requisitioned as such in Oct.-1940. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague).

The first ship to leave was Hektoria at 07:15, and with a few minutes between each ship, the last to depart was the escorting HMS California, leaving Pier 22 at 2 (I assume this means 14:00). I've listed them according to nationality below, keeping the sequence of departure within each nationality.

The ships Halifax in the following sequence (according to the diary):
The British Hektoria, British Industry, Narragansett, Standella, Temple Arch, British Progress, Anadara, Comliebank, Baxtergate, Empire Hartebeeste, Empire Zephyr, British Chancellor, Otina, Atheltemplar, Clan Macindoe, James J. Maguire, Mahronda, Charles F. Meyer, Empire Bronze, Donax, Arabian Prince, San Alvaro, British Valour, British Yeoman, Benedict, Vimeira, Empire Albatross, Cowrie, Empire Defender, Bente Maersk (Danish, under Ministry of War Transport 1940-1945), San Eliseo, El Mirlo, British Princess, Coracero, G. S. Walden, Rembrandt, Empire Oil, Port Darwin, Empire Seal, Hartismere, Skeldergate, Kioto, City of Norwich, Empire Razorbill, Bolton Castle, Brynymor, Empire Sunbeam, Southern Princess, Voco, Kingswood, British Hope, Empire Unity, Empire Gannet, Burdwan, Erna III (previously the Danish Erna, MoWT June 26-1940), and the escorting HMS California.

The Norwegian Annavore, Maridal, Høyanger (3 bombers on deck),then Marcot, which according to A. Hague was, in fact, the British Margot), Leikanger (lumber), Vav,Charles Racine, Kaia Knudsen, Slemdal (no pendant No. given).

The Belgian Prince de Liege, Dutch Edam, Alderamin, Salabangka, Themisto, Tysa, Murena, and Greek Mount Pera (station 26).

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of HX convoy escorts, also received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Arab - 26/08/41
Arvida - From 17/08/41 to 17/08/41
Beagle - From 26/08/41 to 31/08/41
Boadicea - From 26/08/41 to 31/08/41
Broadwater - From 16/08/41 to 26/08/41
California - From 16/08/41 to 25/08/41
Chilliwack - From 20/08/41 to 25/08/41
Heather - From 26/08/41 to 30/08/41
Hebe - From 29/08/41 to 30/08/41
Kos IX - 16/08/41
Kos VIII - 16/08/41 (see link above)
Matapedia - From 17/08/41 to 17/08/41
Narcissus - From 26/08/41 to 30/08/41
Norwich City - 26/08/41
Rimouski - From 16/08/41 to 25/08/41
Salisbury - From 26/08/41 to 30/08/41
Seagull - 26/08/41
Skate - 29/08/41
Speedwell - From 29/08/41 to 30/08/41
Spikenard - From 16/08/41 to 25/08/41
St. Loman - 26/08/41
Witch - 29/08/41

Related external link:
The Empire Ships - This convoy had a lot of Empire Ships. This website provides more information on them.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HX convoy in my list HX 146