Convoy HX 238 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

CONVOY HX 238 Departed New York on May 7-1943 and arrived Liverpool on the 22nd.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 45 ships in this convoy.

Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (Advance Sailing Telegram and A 1 form) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.
~~Crossed out~~ ships did not sail, underlined ships returned to port.
(One of the documents is difficult to decipher - hence my question marks).

Ship

Nationality

Cargo

Station

Destination

Remarks

Bernard N. Baker

American

general

Liverpool

Elmer A. Sperry

general - explosives

Liverpool

From HX 237

~~Charles M. Schwab?~~

general

–

Liverpool

From HX 237
Joined HX 239 - put in to St. John's

Edwin M. Stanton

sugar - general

Clyde

–

William J. Worth

sulphur

Hull

From HX 237

~~Charles M. Hall?~~

general

–

Liverpool

Also cancelled from HX 239
Sailed in HX 240

Edward N. Hurley

general

Liverpool

Returned to port (St. John's)
See * below

Robert E. Peary

general - explosives

Liverpool

–

Atlanta City

steel - grain - general

Glasgow

–

Southern Sun

Tanker W
gasoline

Bowling

–

Pan-Maryland

Tanker W
kerosene

Avonmouth

–

Bralanta

Norwegian

Tanker W
diesel oil

Stanlow

From HX 237

Egerø

Admiralty tanker B
gas. - fuel oil

Milford Haven / Pembroke?

–

Kaldfonn

Admiralty tanker B
Navy spec. fuel

Clyde

Elisabeth Bakke

general - explosives - passengers

Glasgow

–

Daphnella

British

Tanker W
benzine

Stanlow

–

San Ambrosio

Admiralty tanker
Admiralty fuel

Clyde

Escort tanker

British Fidelity

Tanker W
aviation gas

Stanlow

–

~~Abraham Lincoln~~

Norwegian

general

–

Liverpool

~~illegible~~*

sugar

–

Greenock

*Possibly Lynghaug?
(if so, listed in SC 131 May 18)

Montevideo

general - explosves - passengers

Swansea

–

Lista

general - explosives

Liverpool

–

Miralda

British

Admiralty tanker
Admiralty fuel

Invergordon

~~Tongariro~~

refrig. - general

–

Mersey f. o.

Sailed in HX 239

Levernbank

general

102

Liverpool

–

Fort Acton

lumber - general - explosives

London

–

~~Ocean Vagrant~~

general

Liverpool

Sailed in HX 239

Basil

general - explosives

Tyne

Vice Commodore

Glenogle

general - explosives

Liverpool

Commodore

Franz Klasen

Panamanian

Tanker W
gasoline

Avonmouth

–

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American

general

Hull

–

Morgenen

Norwegian

Tanker B
lube oil

Manchester

–

O. B. Sørensen

Tanker B
gas oil

Stanlow

–

Norvinn

Panamanian
(Norw. managers)

Tanker B
Navy spec. fuel

Scapa

–

Empire Nugget

British

Tanker W
gas.

Bromborough

–

Evita

Norwegian

Tanker B
pool gas oil

Dingle

–

Philip P. Barbour

American

general - passengers - mail

101

Glasgow

–

Noesa Niwi

Dutch

103

Cardiff

–

HMS Fencer

British

zinc

Liverpool

–

* Edward N. Hurley parted company for St. John's at 07:15 on May 13 in 47 40N 48 40W with engine trouble, escorted by Milltown. Listed as sailing in HX 243.

The ships listed in the table above were taken from the Advance Sailing Telegram. The A 1 form also includes the following 2 ships:
Cyrus W. Field (ballast, station 11). This ship parted company for Halifax at 13:30Z on May 10 in 43 09N 61 15W as per sailing orders (time is given as 09:50 in Commodore's narrative - see notes below). According to the Liberty Ships website that I've linked to at the end of this page, this ship had just been delivered the day before the convoy sailed from New York.
Also, George H. Williams (explosives, general), has been crossed out from station 22 - listed in SC 131, May 18.

Joining from Halifax - Sailed May 9 Joined May 10 at 13:30Z in 43 09N 61 15W

Bruarfoss

Icelandic

general - passengers - mail

–

Loch Ewe / Iceland

–

Emma Willard

American

grain - steel - lumber

–

Avonmouth

–

Fort Abitibi

British

grain - general

–

Glasgow

–

Manchester Commerce

general

–

Manchester

–

City of Kimberley

general

–

Liverpool

Tjisalak

Dutch

general

–

Hull

–

Argolikos

Greek

grain - phosphates

–

Hull

From HX 237

~~Silverteak~~

British

general

–

Liverpool

~~Elias Boudinot~~

American

sulphur - general

–

Garston

Also cancelled from HX 239
Sailed in HX 240
(See HX 235)

~~Ocean Faith~~

British

grain

–

Mersey f. o.

Joined HX 239 - returned to port

~~Fjallfoss~~

Icelandic

general

–

Loch Ewe / Iceland

~~Tiba~~

Dutch

grain

–

Avonmouth

Sailed in HX 239

Cavina

British

meat - metal

–

Avonmouth

–

City of Glasgow

meat - general

–

Manchester

From HX 237

Alcedo

Panamanian

general

–

Loch Ewe / Iceland

–

Aedanus Burke

American

sulphur

–

Glasgow

From HX 237

~~Empire Tristram~~

British

grain

–

Hull

Listed in SC 130

Troubadour

Norwegian

general

–

London

–

Joining from St. John's at 21:00Z on May 13 position looks like 48 55N 48 12W

Stephen A. Douglas

American

metal - mail

–

Liverpool

From HX 237
(see also HX 234)

Wendell Phillips

general

–

Liverpool

From HX 237

The Halifax and St. John's ships are not included on the A 1 form and, therefore, I don't know which station they took when joining the main body of the convoy.

Notes:
Commodore A. M. Hekking R.N.R. was in Glenogle, Vice Commodore was Captain E. Jones of Basil.

Note that Mike Holdoway has plotted the convoy's course, his chart can be reached through this page of his website (external link).

As mentioned, George H. Williams did not sail. Consequently, Edwin M. Stanton was moved up from station 23 to take her place in station 22, while William J. Worth (from station 13) replaced Edwin M. Stanton in 23.

Ocean Vagrant (original Rear Commodore ship) was cancelled from station 31, and the ships behind her moved up as follows:
Southern Sun from station 32 to 31
Miralda from station 33 to 32
Egerø from station 44 to 33.

Average speed: 9.6 knots.

The Commodore says:
The convoy sailed from New York at 08:15 on May 7 with 34 ships. Last ship passed Gate at 12:34. The convoy had been formed up by 19:00 in 40 06N 73 00W, proceeded at 10 knots. Could not make speed earlier, because Edward N. Hurley and Bernard N. Baker wanted to stream(?) their anti torpedo device (paravanes etc.).
Clocks were advanced 1 hour at 19:45.
No snowflakes.

May 8:
11:00 - Exercised emergency turns.
15:40 - Message 13:01Z from C in C N.W.A.: Western Local Escort North TU 24198 Chelsea (S.O.), Sudbury, Milltown escorting HX 238; 14 ships depart 19:00Z/9 arriving 348° HOMP 10 miles at 13:00Z/10. On relief TU 24187 proceed to Hx escorting Halifax portion.
Snowflakes loaded.

May 9:
Daylight - Convoy well spread out owing two knots between 09:15 and 10:44.

May 10:
09:15 - Sighted Halifax portion ahead, 12 ships.
09:50 - Cyrus W. Field left for Halifax.
10:15 - Escort relieved by Chelsea (S.O.), Sudbury, Milltown, Shawinigan.
18:46Z from FONF: - Mid ocean group Burnham (S.O.), Skeena, La Malbaie, Eyebright, Mayflower, Bittersweet, Pictou and support escort Galt will relieve you in posn. 45 58N 45 30W at 16:00Z May 13. WHX 238, two ships Wendell Phillips and Stephen A. Douglas escorted by trawler Northern Sun and tug Samsonia join in posn. 44 50N 50 39W at 15:00Z May 12. CHOP 16:00Z/14.
Snowflakes loaded

May 11:
11:00 - Exercised convoy at A/C by sound signalling.
19:36Z from FONF: Amend WESTOMP to read 48 17N 48 10W at 12:00 Z/13. WHX 238 (St. John's ships) escorted by Algoma and Northern Sun joins in WESTOMP. CHOP 18:00Z/14.
15:30Z C in C. N.A. - New route and new stragglers' route.

May 12:
12:25Z - Signal made to C. in C. N.A.
Anticipate being 4 hours late at WESTOMP.
20:42Z from C. in C. N.A.: HX 238 from Posn. 46 05N 49 00W alter course for WESTOMP omitting posn. BG.
19:30 - A/C to 027.

May 13:
07:07 & 07:12 - Depth charges (fish?)
09:15 - Ice bergs sighted ahead.
07:15 - Edward N. Hurley engine trouble. Milltown standing by. (As mentioned, Edward N. Hurley proceeded to St. John's - listed as sailing in HX 243).

(the rest of Commodore's daily narrative appears to be missing)

Station keeping, visual and W.T. signalling: Good.

Received alteration of route on May 11, May 14 and May 15. Nothing of any importance to be reported. On May 15 at 00:00Z when in area 2A app. 49°W Rugby (G.B.R.) made new stragglers' route. According to ? routine schedule this message should have been made by Washington (N.S.S.) and/or Lewisberg(?) (V.H.S.) - result that none of the ships in convoy (except Commodore's ship Glenogle, who expected new stragglers' route and consequently also listened for Rugby) received this route, so that it had to be signalled to V.S.

Dispersal of convoy - May 21:
At 07:00Z on May 21 in 55 48?N 08 27W, Loch Ewe portion, escorted by Bittersweet parted company (Fort Acton, William J. Worth, Bruarfoss, Tjisalak, Argolikos, Arcedo, Troubadour, Miralda, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Basil, Norvinn).
At 11:40Z in 55 33N 07 00W escorts Pictou, Eyebright, Mayflower, Burnham, La Malbaie left.
At 16:00Z in 55 09N 05 50W Clyde portion left (Edwin M. Stanton, Kaldfonn, Southern Sun, Fort Abitibi, Aedanus Burke, Philip P. Barbour, Elisabeth Bakke, Atlanta City, San Ambrosio).
At 07:00 escort Samsonia left. Northern Sun was relieved at 16:00? by Kirkella(?)
At 19:00 in 54 57N 05 33W Belfast portion left (Pan-Maryland, Noesa Niwi, Montevideo, Egerø, Franz Klasen, Emma Willard, Cavina).

Arrived Liverpool on May 22 with Evita, Glenogle, Lista, Bernard N. Baker, Levernbank, Elmer A. Sperry, City of Kimberley, Wendell Phillips, Stephen A. Douglas, Empire Nugget, Bralanta, Daphnella, British Fidelity, Morgenen, O.B. Sørensen, Manchester Commerce, Robert E. Peary, City of Glasgow.

Escorts (as per Commodore's notes, which are handwritten and hard to decipher in places, so some of the positions given below may not be entirely correct. Also, times are a little different from what is given in Commodore's narrative above):

From New York: Lethbridge (S.O.), Oakville, Brockville. - Left at 13:30Z on May 10 in 43 09N ?W, at which time Chelsea, Sudbury, Algoma, Shawinigan, Milltown joined.
Milltown proceeded to St. John's on May 13 (with Edward N. Hurley).
Chelsea, Sudbury and Shawinigan left at 18:30Z May 13 in 48 30N 48 05?W. At about the same time Skeena, Pictou, Eyebright, Mayflower, Galt, Northern Sun and Samsonia joined (Pictou, Eyebright, Mayflower, Samsonia and Northern Sun left May 21 as noted under "dispersal of convoy" above).
At 13:00Z on May 14, in 51 13N 49 06W Bittersweet joined (left with Loch Ewe portion as noted above).
At 16:00?Z on May 14 in 51 40N 49 22W Burnham joined (left May 21 as noted above).
At 10:00Z May 15 in 52 21N 46 07W La Malbaie joined (also left May 21 as per above).
At 23:00Z on May 16 in 53 25N 36 45W Algoma and Galt left to join outward bound convoy, and Skeena left to escort HMS Fencer, which parted company at 04:00Z (17th?) in about 56 00N 15 00W.

All the Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy are listed on this website - see alphabet index below.

Related external links:
Liberty Ships - Some of the ships listed as American in the table above were Liberty ships. This website lists them alphabetically.
This site has more on the the "Fort" ships mentioned in this convoy.
Empire Ships listed in alphabetical order. The site also has a section listing the Liberty ships.

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To the next HX convoy in my list HX 239