Convoy HX 228 Cruising Order (original) (raw)

Convoy HX 228 Cruising Order
Departed New York on Febr. 28-1943 and arrived Liverpool on March 15 (Arnold Hague says 60 ships).

Transcribed from several documents, received, with many thanks, from Roger Griffiths, England (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

There are no ships listed in the first column.

I have added the details on ships sunk and casualties with the help of:
"The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague
"Axis Submarine Successes of WW II", Jürgen Rohwer
"The World's Merchant Fleets". R. W. Jordan
Lloyd's War Losses, Vol I.

For info, some of the ships in this convoy had previously arrived with the westbound Convoy ON 164, while others are listed in the earlier ON 161 or ON 162.

Please note that the convoy originally had more ships than the ones included in this table - they are named in the Advance Sailing Telegram on Page 1, as well as in the Commodore's notes below. (Finall destinations are given in the Advance Sailing Telegram).

H = The ship joined from Halifax.
* = Detached at sea at 19:00Z on March 13 to form a fast portion, HX 228F.

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Am=American (U.S.), Gr=Greek, Pa=Panamanian, Du=Dutch, Sw=Swedish.
† = dead

21 H
Moveria
general - passengers
Mersey
(Br)

31 H
Empire Envoy
grain - passengers
Clyde
(Br)

41
Gaelic Star
reefer
Mersey
(Br)

51
Joaquin Miller
general - steel
Loch Ewe
(Am)

61
Nigerstroom*
general Clyde
(Du)

71 H
Tucurinca
general - passengers
Belfast
sunk - 1†
(Br)

81
Tetela
reefer - general - passengers
Mersey
(Br)

91 H
Cairnesk
general
Loch Ewe
(Br)

101
African Star*
general
Mersey
(Am)

111
Consuelo
general
Belfast
(Br)

121
Sinclair Opaline
navy fuel
Belfast
(Am)

131
William C. Gorgas
explosives - general
Belfast
sunk - 55†
(Am)

22
Henry Wynkoop
general
Belfast
(Am)

32
Lucerna
aviation gas
Clyde
(Br)

42
Mijdrecht
petrol
Clyde
(Du)

52
Gulfgem
fuel oil
Londonderry
(Am)

62
Standella
gas
Mersey
(Br)

72 H
Tjisalak
general
Mersey
(Du)

82
Lista
explosives - general
Mersey
(Norw)

92
Naticina*
aviation gas
Manchester
(Br)

102
Martin Bakke*
general
Mersey
(Norw)

112
Trondheim
gas.
Belfast
(Norw)

122
Montevideo
explosives - general
Mersey
(Norw)

132
William L. Smith
explosives - general
Belfast
(Am)

23 H
Jamaica Producer
general - passengers
Belfast
damaged
(Br)

33
Stanlodge
grain
Loch Ewe
(Br)

43 H
Essex Trader
flour
Manchester
(Br)

53
Corilla
aviation gas
Clyde
(Du)

63
Fagerfjell
fuel oil
Mersey
(Norw)

73
Gloucester*
reefer - general
Mersey
(Br)

83
Noesa Niwi
explosives - general
Belfast
(Du)

93
Dorcasia
gas.
Clyde
(Br)

103
Felipe De Neve
explosives - general
Holyhead
(Am)

113
Naranio
petrol
Mersey
(Br)

123
Walter Jennings
aviation gas
Belfast
(Am)

133
Port Halifax
copper - general
Belfast
(Br)

24 H
Medina
general
Iceland, via Loch Ewe
(Am)

34
San Andres
sugar
Clyde
(Norw)

44
Miralda
Admiralty fuel
Loch Ewe
(Br)

54
Chantilly
troops
Clyde
(Br)

64
Empire Collins*
aviation gas
Mersey
(Br)

74
Andrea F. Luckenbach
explosives - general
Mersey
sunk - 21 (20?)†
(Am)

84
Lancastrian Prince*
explosives - general
Mersey
(Br)

94
Vav
diesel oil
Mersey
(Norw)

104
Nueva Granada*
Admiralty fuel
Clyde
(Norw)

114
Empire Opal
aviation gas
Belfast
(Br)

124
San Vulfrano
gas.
Belfast
(Br)

134 H
Gdynia
general - reefer
Belfast
(Sw)

25 H
Argolikos
general
Loch Ewe
(Gr)

35
Hopecrest
grain
Loch Ewe
(Br)

45 H
Stuart Prince
general
Mersey
(Br)

55
Aalsum
explosives - general
Clyde
(Du)

65
Lawton B. Evans
general - ammunition
Clyde
dam aged
(Am)

75
Orangeleaf
Admiralty fuel
Clyde
(Br)

85
Ocean Vanity
grain
Mersey
(Br)

95
British Statesman
petrol
Belfast
(Br)

105
Silverlaurel
general
Loch Ewe
(Br)

115
Samuel F. B. Morse
general
Clyde
(Am)

125 H
Empire Bittern
general
Holyhead
(Br)

135 H
Brant County
general
Belfast
sunk - 36†
(Norw)

36
Darien
army stores
St. John's
(Pa)

106

116

126

Empire Collins, Montevideo, Aalsum, Ocean Vanity, and Medina had previously been cancelled from HX 226, some also from HX 227 - See Page 1.

The Advance Sailing Telegram (Page 1) also lists the Norwegian Askepot as being in this convoy, but not bound for the U.K.

Tjisalak and Gdynia joined from Halifax at 16:00P on March 3, in 43 19N 60 39W.
Tucurinca joined at 08:00 on March 4 in 44 00N 58 18W, and at 13:30P that same day, in 44 14N 57 24W, Brant County, Jamaica Producer, Empire Bittern, Empire Envoy, Moveria, Argolikos, Cairnesk, Medina, Essex Trader, and Stuart Prince joined, also from Halifax.

Notes:
Commodore John O. Dunn R.N.R. was in Tetela, Vice Commodore was the captain of Gaelic Star, and Rear Commodore in Consuelo.

The convoy had a total of 88 ships - 75 from New York, 13 from Halifax. 53 were still present at local escort rendezvous.
Average speed: 8.57 knots.

Daily positions of convoy at 06:00 BST are available on request, via the E-mail address provided at the bottom of this page.

From the Commodore's notes - ships parting company: (these are not included in above table. Note that some of them joined the next convoy, HX 229, while others are listed in HX 229A)

At 13:15Q on Febr. 28, in 40 10N 72 53W, Nela (Br. - station 91) returned to New York at her own request, being unable to maintain convoy speed.
At 15:00Q that same day, Coracero was reported at New York, following a collision?
At 08:00Q on March 1, in 41 16N 69 30W, Irénée Du Pont (Am) was missing - later reported in New York, cargo shifted.
At 08:00Q on March 2, Daniel Webster and Hugh Williamson (both Am) were missing - returned to New York. Also, Rosemont (Pa) became a straggler the next morning.
At 10:30P on March 4, in 44 08N 57 54W, Thomas Sumter (Am) detached for Halifax with cracked sheer strake plate.
At 13:50P on March 4, in 44 15N 59? 44W, Fort Townshend, Lord Kelvin, Elisabeth Bakke and Stanvac Manila, bound for Halifax, detached for their destination.
Ganymedes, Arabian Prince, City of Oran (from HX 226), Taybank, Port Auckland, Albion Star, Belgian Airman, Fresno Star, Pan Gulf, Akaroa, Baronesa, Tahsinia ( also from HX 226), Bothnia, Lossiebank, and Tudor Star detached for Halifax to reduce convoy to 60 ships.

At 08:00P on March 6, Darien, bound for St. John's, detached for her destination.
8 ships were detached at 19:00Z on March 13 in 54 28N 13 55W to form fast portion HX 228F. They are denoted * in the above table.
8 ships bound for Loch Ewe left at 17:30A on March 14 in 55 33N 08 40W.
Gulfgem left for Londonderry at 02:00A on March 15 in 55 32N 06 43W.
11 ships bound for Clyde left at 06:00A on March 15, and at 09:40 that same morning, 12 ships bound for Belfast left for their destination.
1 ship bound for Holyhead left at 18:00 - date illegible (2 ships are given Holyhead as destination in the above table).

The British Lucerna (experienced engine problems) and Lawton B. Evans (Am) straggled astern.
Henry Wynkoop (Am) was found to be missing at 08:00P on March 8 in 49 25N 36 55W - arrived Belfast March 15.
At 06:00Q on March 11, in 52 02N 28 04W, Hopecrest (Br) was found to be missing. (I have received an E-mail from someone who was on board this ship, saying they proceeded to the U.K. alone. The Commodore says she arrived Glasgow on March 15, while her log gives the arrival date as March 14. Please see the notes in connection with War Diary on Page 3 for more on this).

Cairnesk kept excellend station and was very good at signalling. Also, the Commodore's ship Tetela was found to be "excellent in every way".

The Commodore adds:
Unable to detach ships off Halifax for 24 hours, owing to fog and bad weather. Escorts unable to meet us. 10th-11th March U-boat attacks. Heavy westerly weather from 7th March to 14th(?) March.
04:20A March 14 - 3 ships in collision. (They were Samuel F. B. Morse, Vav and British Statesman - see this report on Page 3).
Arrived Bar Lightvessel 00:30A March 16, Liverpool 02:30A March 16."

Result of the U-boat attacks (dates are according to German time):
Andrea F. Luckenbach, on a voyage from Charleston and New York for Cardiff with general cargo and explosives, was sunk on March 10 by U-221. According to "Lloyd's War Losses, Vol I" she had a crew of 84, 21 of whom perished. 22 survivors picked up by Tetela (according to War Diary, see Page 3). Uboat.net (link at end of this page) says all the survivors were picked up by Orangeleaf.

Lawton B. Evans was damaged on March 10 by U-221.

Tucurinca, voyaging from Halifax for Belfast Lough and Avonmouth with 4000 tons general cargo, including metal, bacon and mails, was sunk on March 10 by U-221. She had a crew of 67, 5 gunners and 10 Air Force officers on board, 1 crew member died - remaining 81 on board survived - picked up by the French corvette Roselys.

Jamaica Producer was damaged on March 11 by U-590.

William C. Gorgas, on a voyage from Mobile and New York for Belfast Lough and Swansea with a general cargo, including metals, foodstuffs, cotton and 900 tons of T.N.T. (explosives), as well as a deck load of landing craft and 2 P.T. boats, was sunk on March 11 by U-757. "Lloyd's War Losses" states she had a crew of 41 and 26 gunners and that 7 died, adding that she sank after having been hit by a second torpedo. "The Allied Convoy System" says that she had also been hit by U-444(?), and that there were only 12 survivors, which means that 55 died altogether. It appears several survivors had been picked up by HMS Harvester, the majority of them perishing when this destroyer was sunk, and this may be the reason for the difference in numbers. Also lost with William C. Gorgas was LCT 2398.

Brant County, on a voyage from St. John and Halifax for Newport with 6000 tons of general cargo including 670 tons of T.N.T., was sunk on March 11 by U-86. Out of a crew of 45, 4 gunners and 9 passengers, 25 crew, 3 gunners and 8 passengers were lost for a total of 36, 22 survived - picked up by Stuart Prince. More information and a crew list can be found on my page about Brant County. Here again there's some difference of opinion in the various sources, Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System", Roger W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939, as well as Norwegian sources blaming U-757 for the loss of this ship, but I've been told that more recent findings seem to support J. Rohwer's U-86 theory.

The escorting HMS Harvester was sunk by U-432 on March 11 with the loss of 183 men. As mentioned, it looks like this number includes several survivors from William C. Gorgas, previously picked up by Harvester.

All the Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy are included on this website - see Index at the bottom of this page for more information on them.

Escorts (from Commodore's notes):
Off New York, 07:45Q Febr. 28: HMCS Fennel (S.O.), Dunvegan, Truro and Cowichan.
At 13:30P on March 4 in 44 14N 59(?) 24W, HMCS Dundas, Minas, Grandmere, and Brantford joined. Cowichan, Dunvegan and Truro left with the Halifax portion.
At 08:00P on March 6, in 45 45N 49 44W, Fennel, Dundas, Minas, Brantford and Grandmere left with St. John's ship and
Ocean Escort: HMS Harvester (S.O.), Garland, Escapade, Burza, Narcissus, Roselys, Renoncule and Aconit joined.
At at 10:30P on March 6 in 47 10N 49 30W, USS Bogue (escort carrier), Belknap and Badger joined (the latter is given as Badger in two documents, and as George E Badger in two others - the U.S. had destroyers by both names). These 3 detached at 15:00Z on March 10 to return to Argentia.
Harvester reported leaving at 08:00 on March 11 in 52 09N 27 42W - later sunk as mentioned above.
At 19:00 on March 12 in 53 36N 19 50W, Aconit left.
At 19:00Z on March 13 in 54 28N 13 55W, Roselys left (with fast portion).
At 17:30A on March 14 in 55 23N 08 40W, Renoncule left with Loch Ewe portion.
At 02:00A on March 15 in 55 32N 06 43W, Escapade, Burza and Narcissus left, and HMT Narvik (for Mersey portion) joined.
At 06:00A on March 15, Garland left to Clyde.

Also, it looks like HMS Salisbury, Montgomery and Ingham (to Iceland) were scheduled, but were cancelled.

The escort was reinforced by HMS Sabre (fast portion) - date of arrival is not given, but there's a note in the War Diary on Page 3, from C. in C. W.A., saying "Sailing Sabre as soon as ready to reinforce escorts of HX 228. Estimated P.C.S. at 1200A/12 53° 43'N 20° 52'W, 075°, 9 knots". HMS Rhododendron is also mentioned.

Air Escort sighted:
08:00Q Febr. 28 off New York.
07:35Q March 1 in 40 18N 69 37W
08:45Q March 2 in 41 35N 65 45W
11:48P March 5 in 45 20N 52 58W
11:40P March 6 in 47 20N 49 22W
07:30P March 7, 3 aircraft from USS Bogue on patrol - 48 55N 45 52W
07:? March 10(?) - position illegible, 3 planes from USS Bogue
06:34Q March 11 in 52 ?N 28 00W
07:00Z March 12 in 53 12N 22 56W
10:25Z March 13 in 54 27N 16 20W

3 Liberators in succession patrolled, from 09:30 to 20:45, March 11 - met convoy. 5 U-boats sighted, 2 attacked. 1 Liberator from Iceland did not meet.

March 12:
1 aircraft from Ireland from 09:12 to 16:00 met convoy.
5 aircraft from Ireland on offensive sweeps as follows:
1 from 11:25 to 18:19 saw convoy
1 from 11:22 to 13:30 saw convoy
3 from 07:30 to 14:07 did not sight convoy.

Continue to Commodore's report and misc. on Page 3
**See also Analysis of attacks

Related external links:
HX-228, 10 - 12 March 1943 - Uboat.net's account of the battle (list of escorts is a little different from what I've given above). The site also has the details on
the loss of Andrea F. Luckenbach the loss of Tucurinca the loss of William C. Gorgas the loss of HMS Harvester the attack on Lawton B. Evans, and
the attack on Jamaica Producer.

Liberty Ships - Some of the ships listed as American in the table above were Liberty Ships (quite a few of them had just recently been delivered). This website lists them alphabetically.

To Page 1 - Advance Sailing Telegram

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HX convoy in my list HX 229