Convoy HX 156 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
CONVOY HX 156
Departed Halifax on Oct. 22-1941 and arrived Liverpool on Nov. 5.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 43 ships in this convoy.
Notes:
*Dominique Lemaire, a visitor to my site, has told me that the American Mormacdove was taken over by the US Navy as USS Alchiba (AK 23) at some point in 1941.This is confirmed by R. W. Jordan's "The Worlds' Merchant Fleets 1939" which adds she was used as a USN stores ship, later as AKA 6 from 1943 (became Dutch Tjipanas in 1948).
The original (handwritten) convoy document says that 3 of the ships were bound for Iceland, adding that there were 3 stragglers at MOMP but all ships arrived "despite several sub attacks".
Escorts (as per original convoy documents):
Western Local: Senior Officer's vessel is given as Broom (should this be USS Broome? - however, see notes attached to links below), USS Niblack, USS Hilary P. Jones, USS Reuben James*, USS Tarbell.
Ocean: HMS Broke (S.O.), HMS Wolverine, HMS Buxton, HMS Larkspur, Camellia, HMCS Moosejaw, HNoMS Montbretia, HMS Begonia, HNoMS Eglantine, and 2 unnamed trawlers.
I've been told that USS Benson was S. O. of the escort for this convoy - again, see also external links below. This ship is not mentioned in the convoy documents.
* Reuben James was sunk on Oct. 31-1941 by U-552, with the loss of 115 men.
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):
Annapolis - From 22/10/41 24/10/41
Begonia - From 01/11/41 04/11/41
Broke - From 01/11/41 04/11/41
Buxton - From 01/11/41 04/11/41
Camellia - From 31/10/41 04/11/41
Eglantine - From 01/11/41 05/11/41
King Sol - 01/11/41
Larkspur - From 31/10/41 05/11/41
Montbretia - From 31/10/41 05/11/41
USS Benson - From 24/10/41 01/11/41
USS Hilary P. Jones - From 24/10/41 01/11/41
USS Niblack - From 24/10/41 01/11/41
USS Reuben James - From 24/10/41 03/11/41
USS Tarbell - From 24/10/41 01/11/41
Verity - From 31/10/41 04/11/41
Wolverine - From 31/10/41 04/11/41
Related external links:
Other eastbound North Atlantic convoys in 1941
The attack on Reuben James - Note that USS Broome is not mentioned among the escorts here, so the name in the original convoy document might be an error.
