Convoy HX 58 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

CONVOY HX 58 Cruising Order & Advance Sailing Telegram

Notes:
Commodore R Eliot R.N.R. was in Newfoundland, Vice Commodore was Captain J. Williams of Brockley Hill, and Rear Commodore was in Inkosi - from Bermuda section. (Clyde Commodore: W. E. Harvey of Camito, Milford: H. J. Pollock of Norwegian).

The convoy had 42 ships upon departure Halifax, 1 more - Kina II - joined in the morning of the 16th, 22 joined from the Bermuda feeder convoy, for a total of 65, 64 of which were still present at rendezvous with local escort, + British Hollinside and Norwegian Loke (the latter 2 joined with HMS Clarkia at R.V. point). Sheaf Crown left the convoy in the morning of July 17, rejoined in the afternoon of the 19th, then finally dropped out at noon on the 22nd in 48 48N 38 10W. Reason unknown.

Commodore's comments on signalling and station keeping:
"First four lines generally good - rear lines straggled back especially at night, with the resulting hustle up at dawn and excessive smoke. Visual signalling very good considering the size of the convoy. Some W/T oscillation was noted, and Ocean Escort warned the offenders.

Crispin (Captain R. B. Furneaux), Diloma (Captain E. C. L. Jones) and Lowther Castle (Captain H. Williams) - all excellent signalling and station keeping, good ships.
Camito (Captain W. E. Harvey) excellent signals, good station keeper.
Volendam, excellent flag and morse signals, no semaphore. Rather dangerous at times station keeping, a big unwieldy ship for slow speeds.
Olev (G. Kauger), did very well to keep up with the convoy - seldom far out of station.
Filleigh (A. Harp) and Empire Hawksbill (John Dunlop) - both bad station keepers as leaders of columns. Would remain out of station for hours if not pulled up.
Towa - bad all around, seldom in station, would not even answer signals, and when put at the rear straggled badly. Did not appear to understand the idea of convoy at all."

Commodore's comments on passage:
"Except for 12 hours, 19th - 20th, perfect weather conditions. Junction with Bermuda section made satisfactorily the two sections being joined and on the Northerly course at noon. At 20:30 21st July lat. 47 15N Long 40 18W a searchlight beam bearing 105 degs was seen shining in the direction of the convoy, but the ship using it was well below the horizon and nothing more was seen or heard."

Ocean Escorts: From Halifax, HMS Ranpura (departed at 08:40 on July 29 off Belfast) - from Bermuda, HMS Jervis Bay.
Local Escort: Sloop HMS Enchantress, Canadian destroyer HMCS Skeena, British corvettes HMS Camellia, HMS Clarkia, 2 trawlers, and the destroyer HMS Westcott. The local escort joined 06:08 to 06:30 on July 27, within a few miles of pre-arranged time. The convoy was about 1 1/2 - 2 hours late. Enchantress joined in the afternoon.
Skeena and Camellia left with the A portion of the convoy at the "split point". Trawlers withdrawn during the night of 28th to 29th. Enchantress left at Bar L.V. Westcott left with the Clyde ships and rejoined in the afternoon of the 25th. Clarkia left with the Milford Haven portion at 16:20 on the 25th, 54 06N 05 13W.
Air Escort during daylight of each day - left at dusk.

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of HX convoy escorts received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Assiniboine - From 15/07/40 to 16/07/40
Camellia - From 27/07/40 to 31/07/40
Clarkia - From 27/07/40 to 31/07/40
Enchantress - From 27/07/40 to 30/07/40
Lady Elsa - 27/07/40
Ranpura - From 15/07/40 to 28/07/40
Saguenay - From 15/07/40 to 16/07/40
Skeena - From 27/07/40 to 31/07/40
St. Kenan - From 27/07/40
Westcott - From 27/07/40 to 30/07/40

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