Convoy HX 187 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Convoy HX 187 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on Apr. 26-1942 and arrived Liverpool on May 8 (Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" says 24 ships).
List received from Ted Agar, England. (His source: A diary).
Cargoes have been extracted from a document received from D. Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague's database - see his listing for HX 187 at Ships in all HX convoys.
Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Du=Dutch, Am=American
RV=Rescue Vessel.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Empire Foam
grain
CAM ship
(Br)
31
Bayano
general
4000 mails
(Br)
41
Hopetarn
general
(Br)
51
Tetela
refrig. - general
3651 mails
(Br)
61
Empire Lapwing
steel - cotton
(Br)
71
Cornwall
refrig. - general
139 mails
(Br)
91
Primrose Hill
grain
CAM ship
(Br)
12
Ocean Peace
general
(Br)
42
Athelprince
molasses
(Br)
52
Nortind
aviation gas
(Norw)
62
Poelau Roebiah
general
(Du)
72
Chant
general
(Am)
82
Wildwood
general
(Am)
92
Empire Falcon
general
(Br)
13
Fort Churchill
general
(Br)
23
33
Helencrest
grain
(Br)
43
California Express
bacon
6 passengers
(Norw)
53
Zaafaran
RV
(Br)
63
Prins Willem III*
sugar
6 passengers
(Du)
73
Talisse
general
(Du)
83
Daghestan
grain
(Br)
93
Ocean Vulcan
general
(Br)
Athelprince had originally been scheduled for Convoy SC 81.
According to A. Hague, Ocean Peace returned to port with engine defects. She's listed in HX 188.
*See also Notes for Convoy SC 80.
Notes:
Empire Lapwing became the Belgian Belgian Fighter - according to the Empire Ships website (ref. external link provided at the bottom of this page), this had taken place already in 1941 (perhaps the year is a typing error?).
According to the diary, the following ships left early and joined the convoy at sea: At 10.05 the British freighter Fort Churchill, and a few minutes later the British Ocean Peace, the American Chant and the Dutch passenger vessel Poelau Roebiah (at 10:22). As mentioned, Ocean Peace returned to port and joined the next convoy.
The remaining ships departed in the following order: At 10:55 the British freighter Cornwall, followed at 11:12 by Tetela (with a note saying "passengers include 3 women"), then with a few minutes between each ship the following went out:
Empire Lapwing, Nortind, Stigstad, Hopetarn ("B" flag - I believe this means she carried explosives), Bayano (British liner - carrying Airmen), Athelprince, N.T. Nielsen Alonso (Norwegian whale oil factory, bomber, tanks and airplane crates), Leiv Eiriksson (3 circles across stack), California Express, Tankexpress, Wildwood (Only "Wild" left on bow), Primrose Hill (Catapult freighter, NJQ on Hurricane), Empire Foam (Catapult freighter, LUQ on Hurricane), Zaafaran, Empire Falcon, Ocean Vulcan (Lumber), Prins Willem III.At 12:35 Helencrest went out (Catapult freighter, LUD on Hurricane. There's a note saying "Left convoy when off Tower and anchored south of St. George's and went out at 2.15"), then Talisse (passenger vessel, 3 masts, PHWK) and Daghestan (Catapult freighter. Minus her Hurricane). The time for this last ship is given as 1:26.
Zaafaran was on her 13th voyage as Rescue Vessel, having been requisitioned as such in Oct.-1940 (entered service in March-1941 with Convoy OB 301). She had started this voyage from Clyde with Convoy ON 82 to Halifax (Apr 3–Apr. 18) and returned with HX 187 on Apr. 26, staying with it until May 8.
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):
Anchusa - From 29/04/42 to 08/05/42
Butser - From 08/05/42 to 08/05/42
Dahlia - From 29/04/42 to 08/05/42
Hurricane - From 29/04/42 to 07/05/42
Monkshood - From 29/04/42 to 08/05/42
Rockingham - From 29/04/42 to 07/05/42
Roxborough - From 26/04/42 to 29/04/42
Sudbury - From 26/04/42 to 29/04/42
Summerside - From 26/04/42 to 29/04/42
Sunflower - From 29/04/42 to 06/05/42
Wanderer - From 26/04/42 to 29/04/42
To the next HX convoy in my list HX 188