Convoy HX 95 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

CONVOY HX 95 (Will be updated - please compare with A. Hague's listing for this convoy at ships in all HX convoys. See also HX escorts).

HMS Ausonia's report on passage is available on Page 2

Departed Halifax on Dec. 10-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 27th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 24 ships in this convoy.

Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths - His source: Public Records Office, Kew. The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.
Ship Nationality Cargo Station Destination Remarks
Bermuda Section (BHX) - Sailed Dec. 8 Escorted by HMS Voltaire joined HX portion in the morning of Dec. 13
Pacific Grove British general - aircraft (51) Liverpool Not on A 1 form for Bermuda section* Listed in station 51, Halifax section
Athelsultan " Adm. tanker B Admiralty fuel B 11 Scapa –
Rudby " phosphates B 21 Clyde / Ipswich From HX 94 Returned to port
Sabor " sugar B 31 Dublin –
Pacific Star " lead - general B 32 Liverpool Dropped out - rejoined next day(see "Defects", end of Page 2)
Indian Prince " general - special B 41 Liverpool Lost touch - rejoined See Page 2
Rodsley " wheat B 42 Birkenhead –
F. J. Wolfe " Adm. tanker B Admiralty fuel B 51 Clyde –
Loch Dee " wheat B 52 Cardiff –
Maaskerk Dutch general - sugar B 61 Liverpool –
Carelia British Tanker W aviation spirits B 71 Barry Roads / Southampton From HX 94
Prins Willem van Oranje Dutch bauxite B 81 London –
Hopecrest British sugar B 91 Greenock –
* I believe this ship belongs in the Halifax section. Ausonia's report states the BHX convoy had 11 ships when joining - see "General Remarks" on Page 2.
Halifax Section - Sailed Dec. 10
Jenny Norwegian Tanker W – Oban Sailed in HX 96
Dimitrios Inglessis Greek none given 12 Newport From HX 94 Lost touch - See Page 2
Edam Dutch general – Liverpool Also cancelled from HX 96 and HX 97
Gloucester City British general - cartridges 71 Bristol Lost touch - See Page 2
Valparaiso Swedish general – Glasgow To HX 96 - cancelledSailed in HX 97 - sunk
Yselhaven Dutch grain 82 Avonmouth To HX 96 - cancelledTo HX 97 - (not listed) Sailed in HX 99
West Ekonk American / MoWT 1941 steel - scrap iron – Clyde f. o. Became Br. Empire Wildebeeste 1941Also cancelled from HX 97 Sailed in HX 99
Beechwood British grain – London Sailed in HX 96
Beemsterdijk Dutch steel 32 Glasgow –
Lindenhall British steel - general evidence 31 Leith –
Mount Othrys Greek / Pan. flag steel – River Mersey f. o. Sailed in HX 96
Taborfjell Norwegian general – Manchester Also cancelled from HX 96, HX 97, HX 99 To HX 101
Leiv Eiriksson " Adm. tanker B Admiralty fuel 22 Clyde –
Lorca British steel - general evidence – Clyde From HX 94 To HX 96 - cancelled To SC 16
Mangkalihat Dutch steel - trucks 81 Newport From HX 94
Braganza Norwegian steel - general - trucks 92 Cardiff From HX 94
Baltrover British general 41 Liverpool From HX 94
Georgios P. Greek steel - trucks 61 Manchester From HX 94 Lost touch - See Page 2
Empire Mariner British general 91 Avonmouth From HX 94 To HX 96 - lost touch Joined HX 97 - returned to port
Harbledown " steel - trucks 11 Hull From HX 94 Lost touch - See Page 2
Mercier Belgian general – Liverpool From HX 94 To HX 97 - cancelled
Mount Pelion Greek steel - scrap iron 21 Ardrossan From HX 94 Lost touch - See Page 2
Falsterbo Swedish wood pulp – Manchester Sailed in HX 96
Boston City British general – Bristol To HX 96 - cancelled Sailed in HX 97
Also, Empire Caribou is crossed out from station 42 on the A1 form, steel and general ev. for Glasgow - not in Advance Sailing Telegram. The Norwegian Norefjord (cargo of grain) is crossed out from station 62 - sailed in the next convoy, HX 96, as did Empire Caribou. As mentioned under the Bermuda section, Pacific Grove is listed in station 51 on the A 1 form for the Halifax convoy.

Notes:
Commodore was in Pacific Grove (Rear Admiral O. H. Dawson).
Clyde Commodore in Harbledown.
Barry Commodore in Gloucester City.

The convoy arrived rendezvous with local escort on Dec. 22.

Ocean Escort: HMS Ausonia.
Local Escort (Halifax): HMCS Restigouche and HMCS French.

Excerpt from instructions (only 1 page of this memorandum is available):
The leading ship of the convoy will pass Turple Head at zero hour (13:00, 10th December unless otherwise ordered).

The local escort will proceed at zero minus 1 1/2 hours so as to patrol to a depth of 16 miles on an arc 090°-150° from the inner automatic buoy while the convoy is leaving harbour.

The Ocean Escort is to leave harbour about half an hour after the rear ship of the convoy.

Arrangements have been made for aircraft of the R.C.A.F. to patrol the area while the convoy is forming up.

Dispostion of escorts after convoy has formed
Local Escort will take station in accordance with C.B. 04014, figure No. 8(? number very vague), HMCS Restigouche to port and HMCS French to starboard. After dark, or in low visibility, the local escort will maintain relative bearings from the convoy and will remain within visibility distance of it. In thick fog they will open out to a safe distance and proceed on the mean course at the speed of the convoy until the fog clears. In clear weather by day, or in bright moonlight, destroyer will zig-zag and proceed at not less than 16 knots. The object of the local escort being the A/S protection of the convoy, they should not normally be detached to round up stragglers. They will, however, be of assistance in this direction after leaving the convoy.

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