Convoy HX 81 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
CONVOY HX 81 (Will be updated - please compare with A. Hague's listing for this convoy at ships in all HX convoys. See also HX escorts).
Departed Halifax on Oct. 16-1940 and arrived Liverpool on Nov. 2.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 39 ships in the convoy.
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (Advance Sailing Telegrams and A 1 forms) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
The Advance Sailing Telegram for the Sydney sections is missing, but I've been able to add the ships with the help of the A 1 form.
They are listed last in this table.
MOWT = Ministry of War Transport
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
Bermuda Section (BHX 81)
British Honour
British
Adm. tanker B
Admiralty fuel
B 61
Clyde
–
City of Oxford
"
steel - cotton - lumber
–
Manchester
Custodian
"
steel - lumber - general - cotton
B 51
Liverpool
–
Dalhanna
"
steel - lumber
B 71
Glasgow
–
Dromus
"
Tanker W
–
Clyde
To be sent to Halifax to await orders
Egba
"
steel - cotton - lumber
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 82
Limbourg
Belgian
phosphates
B 91
Glasgow
Marietta E
British
metal - lumber
B 41
Belfast for degaussing
then Newport
Vice Commodore - Bermuda section
Orduna
"
general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 82
Peder Bogen
"
Tanker B
crude oil
B 11
Clyde
–
Prince de Liege
Belgian / MOWT 1940
phosphates
B 81
Newport
From HX 80
See Notes
Sveve
Norwegian
Adm. tanker
Admiralty fuel
B 31
Clyde
–
Tamaroa
British
refrig. - general
–
Clyde f. o.
Also listed in Halifax section
Torborg
Norwegian
Tanker B
fuel oil
B 21
Manchester
–
Additionally, the Norwegian Brisk has been entered in the slot for station B 42 on the A 1 form, lumber for Oban (not included in Advance Sailing Telegram). May, in fact, have been in the Sydney section? See HMS Voltaire's report below.
Halifax Section (document very blurry and difficult to decipher - some guessing has taken place)
San Cirilo
British
Tanker W
gasoline
73
Manchester
–
Leikanger
Norwegian
steel - lumber
12
Hull
From HX 80
See Notes
Middleton
British
steel - lumber
11
Leith?
From HX 80
See Notes
Saint Bertrand
"
sulphur - pulp
31
Oban / Methil
–
Sarthe?
"
general - flour - special
–
Belfast
Comedian
"
general
43
Liverpool
From HX 77 (not available)
Vice Commodore
Evanger
Norwegian
general
72
Liverpool?
–
Bonita
Panamanian?
steel
63
Newport?
From HX 80
See Notes
Ostende
Belgian
steel
–
Glasgow?
From HX 80
(shows up again in HX 87)
Blairatholl
British
pit props
22
Oban / Methil / W. Hartlepool
From HX 80
See Notes
Bra-Kar
Norwegian
lead - lumber - canned goods
62
Liverpool
From HX 80
Gravelines
French / MOWT 1940
wood pulp
52
Barrow
illegible
Dutch?
(fairly short name)
steel
–
Liverpool
–
illegible
Norwegian?
(fairly short)
steel
–
Grangemouth?
–
Leerdam
Dutch
general
32
Glasgow
–
Maasdam
"
general
71
Liverpool
–
Boren
Swedish
steel
82
Newport
See Notes
Bristol City
British
general
81
Newport
Commodore for Barry
Baron Dunmore
"
pit props
21
Oban / Hull
Commodore for Methil
Aalsum
Dutch
steel
92
Newport
–
Persier
Belgian
steel
–
Hull
Erviken
Norwegian
iron ore
–
Cardiff
Euryades
British
general
41
Liverpool
–
Manchester Exporter
"
general - special
53
Mersey
Master ill - returned to Halifax
See HMS Voltaire's report below
Sailed in HX 82
Tamaroa
"
refrig. - general
51
Liverpool
Commodore Vessel
Also listed in Bermuda section
Nova Scotia
"
general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 82
Tilemachos
Greek
lumber
42
Manchester
From HX 80
Additionally, the following ships are included on the A 1 form (not listed in the Advance Sailing Telegram as far as I can see):
San Ambrosio in Station 61 (gasoline for Avonmouth)
Miralda in station 91 (fuel and diesel oil for ?)
Sydney Section (SHX)
Eskdalegate
British
steel - lumber
A 11
Leith
Sailed in HX 82
Achilles
Dutch *
wood pulp
A 21
Oban
–
Parracombe
British
wheat
A 31
Oban
See Notes
Trevethoe
"
grain
A 41
Oban
Commodore - Sydney section
Nyland
Norwegian
newsprint
A 51
Oban
–
Tynebank
British
steel
A 61
Oban
See Notes
Myson
French / MOWT 8/1940
general
A 71
Avonmouth
New York City
British
general - general ev.
A 81
Swansea
See Notes
Yorkwood
"
corn
A 91
Barry Roads
See Notes
Berkel
Dutch
lumber
A 12
Methil
To HX 82 - did not sail
To HX 83 - did not sail
Listed in SC 9
Siremalm
Norwegian
wood pulp
A 22
Ridham Docks
Listed in SC 9
Baron Pentland
British
lumber
A 32
Oban
See report below
Anna Bulgari
Greek
steel - paper
A 42
U.K.
To HX 82 - did not sail?
Listed in HX 84
Inginer N. Vlassopol
Romanian
wood pulp
A 52
U.K.
Became British Hampton Lodge 1941
See also Convoy SC 11
Kaaparen
Swedish
general
A 62
U.K.
–
Meandros
Greek
illegible
A 92
Port Talbot
Also, according to Notes for Convoy SC 8, the Dutch Winterswijk, sailing in that convoy, had come from HX 81.
Notes:
The A 1 form has a note saying that 12 ships dropped out of the convoy on Oct. 24/25, namely:
Prince de Liege, Brisk, Middleton, Leikanger, Blairatholl, Gravelines, Bonita, Boren, Parracombe, Tynebank, New York City and Yorkwood. (For info, the Swedish Boren was later renamed Skåne and is listed as such in some later convoys on this site - see, for instance, SC 58).
* There was also a British ship named Achilles, but I've chosen to list this one as Dutch, because the British Achilles became Destroyer Depot Ship HMS Blenheim in Aug.-1940, accordnig to R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939".
The convoy arrived the rendezvous point on Oct. 27.
Ocean Escort: HMS Voltaire.
Local Escorts (Halifax): HMCS St. Francis and HMCS Columbia.
According to the report below, there were 22 ships from Halifax, 9 from Bermuda and 7 from Sydney for a total of 38 ships, plus Baron Pentland which appears to have joined later.
Report on Passage from the Commanding Officer of HMS Voltaire:
Unfortunately the first few dates are a little blurry, hence my question marks, but it would be safe to assume that the first paragraph starts with the date of departure, then dated chronologically thereafter (each paragraph a new date).
Oct. 16?
Proceeded at 16:00 (possibly 15:00? hard to decipher) as Ocean Escort to HX 81 of 22 ships (S. S. Ostende did not sail). HMCS St. Francis and HMCS Columbia local escort. Air Patrol was maintained till dusk. Weather conditions were good, and convoy formed up well. Speed, 7 1/2 knots.
Oct. 17?
St. Francis and Columbia in company. Air Escort from 07:40 to 13:45.
Time illegible (possibly 16:50) - Commodore informed me that Manchester Exporter reported their Master was very ill with diabetes and gangrene in one foot. In view of the fact that it was dusk with the weather deteriorating and very cold, it was not possible to transfer the patient to this ship or one of the destroyers; the Commodore decided to send the ship back to Halifax, and she was detached at 17:55.
HMCS Ships St. Francis and Columbia left convoy after dark.
Average revolutions for day, 8 knots.
Oct. 18?
Heavy rain and dense fog from 06:50 till 17:00, with exception of half hour - 15:00 to 15:30, when Sydney Convoy of 7 ships was sighted and ordered to form astern: Brisk from Sydney did not join (Note: this ship appears to be listed among the Bermuda ships on the A 1 form, with a note saying she was among the ships that dropped astern on Oct. 24/25). D/F bearings of Sydney section accurate and useful.
Strong to moderate beam wind and rough sea.
Average revolutions for day, 7 1/2 knots.
Reported would be 7 hours late for rendezvous with Bermuda convoy.
Oct. 19
13:00 - Left convoy to search for Bermuda convoy.
14:02 - Sighted HMS Aurania and 9 ships.
15:30 - HMS Aurania detached.
16:40 - Bermuda section in station. Baron Pentland joined convoy.
Average revolutions for day, 7 1/2 knots.
Light to moderate quarterly wind and sea.
Oct. 20
Re-formed convoy. Moderate S.E. and variable wind. Suggested to Commodore that speed of convoy be increased to 9 knots; he considred 8 1/2 knots sufficient and increased to their speed at 12:45.
Between 13:30 and 14:30 passed two waterlogged lifeboats and one M.S. pattern life raft. Approx. position 46 45N 48 50W.
Oct. 21
Wind S.E. - starboard beam - strong and rough sea. Convoy somewhat scattered, but all ships (38) in sight at dusk.
Oct. 22
Moderate beam wind and rough sea, moderating later.
11:40 - Went astern to investigate ship following convoy; this proved to be Brisk from Sydney. British Honour, Bonita and Baron Pentland dropped astern three miles, having difficulty in maintaining 8 1/2 knots.
Distance made good, 208 miles.
Oct. 23
Moderate beam wind and sea, freshening at dusk. All ships in company, but Middleton dropped astern during the day. Moderate gale (on bow) and heavy sea by midnight. Visibility very low at times.
Midnight - Signalled Commodore that ships were dropping astern.
Distance made good, 195 miles.
Oct. 24
Moderate to fresh gale (bow) and heavy sea, moderating at dusk.
9 ships in sight at dawn.
08:20 - Altered course to 059° and reduced to 7 knots.
Saint Bertrand reported loss of one lifeboat during night.
20 ships in company at dusk.
Distance made good, 138 miles.
Oct. 25
22 ships in station at dawn. Left convoy at dawn to investigate ship ahead and during day rounded up Tilemachos, Miralda, British Honour and Achilles, all ahead or on bow of convoy. Two other ships were sighted on the quarter, but were too distant in existing weather conditions to justify my going after them. British Honour reported having passed Marietta E hove to and Bonita with engine trouble on 24th.
14:35 - Regained station in convoy, 26 ships then in company.
Missing ships: Bonita, Marietta E, Middleton, Blairatholl, Brisk, Boren, Tynebank, Gravelines, Yorkwood, Prince de Liege, Leikanger, Parracombe and New York City.
19:00 - Detached from convoy and proceeded to 30' North of convoy to report 36 hours late at rendezvous.
Moderate to fresh wind and rough sea fine on bow.
Several ships having difficulty in making good 6 1/2 knots.
Distance made good, 128 miles.
Oct. 26
09:15 - Rejoined convoy.
Sveve left convoy during night and not seen. Marietta E rejoined convoy. 26 ships in company.
Oct. 27
Sveve rejoined. 27 ships in company.
08:25 - Sighted fore-end of vessel, about 100 ft x 25 ft, bottom up - 58 38N 24 40W. Disengaged from convoy and attempted to sink derelict. Four direct hits were obtained with 6" H.E., and it is probable vessel will fill and sink.
11:21 - Received W/T signal ordering me to pass fresh instructions re route to Commodore and to return to base.
12:30 - Disengaged from convoy and set course to clear convoy route before reporting by W/T to Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches.
16:00 - Reported convoy noon position to Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches and set course for Halifax.
Nov. 2
08:30 - Arrived base.
More details on all the Norwegian ships named in this convoy can be found in the alphabetical ship lists of this website.
To the next HX convoy in my list HX 82