Convoy HX 96 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
CONVOY HX 96 (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 Dec. 14-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 30 ships in this convoy.
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined ships lost touch with convoy and/or returned to port.
The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Remarks
Bermuda Section - Sailed Dec. 13
Algenib
Dutch
lumber
London
–
Amsterdam
"
Tanker W
Hull
–
Athelknight
British
Tanker
molasses
Greenock
–
Catrine
"
wheat
Liverpool
–
Cistula
Dutch
Tanker B
River Mersey / Ardrossan
–
Dorcasia
British
Tanker W
River Mersey
–
Eastgate
"
lumber - wheat
Garston / Liverpool
–
Industria
"
lead - lumber
Grimsby
–
Madras City
"
wheat - lumber
Leith
–
Madrono
Norwegian
Tanker B
Barry Roads / Southampton
–
Maridal
"
Tanker W
Avonmouth
–
Merchant Prince
British
lumber
Immingham
–
Noreg
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Olympos
Greek
sulphur
Manchester
Returned to port
Listed in HX 99
San Conrado
British
Tanker W
Stanlow
Returned to port
To HX 98
(not available)
Sveve
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Liverpool
–
Winamac
British
Adm. tanker B
Scapa
–
Halifax Section - Sailed Dec. 14
Jenny
Norwegian
Tanker W
Jarrow-on-Tyne
Boston City
British
general
Swansea
From HX 95
Sailed in HX 97
Everleigh
"
grain
Manchester
See notes
Vaalaren
Swedish
general
Liverpool
–
Lorca
British
steel - general - special
Clyde
From HX 95
Listed in SC 16
Falsterbo
Swedish
pulp
Manchester
From HX 95
Leonidas
Greek
grain
Glasgow
Sailed in HX 97
Edam
Dutch
general
Liverpool
From HX 95
Also cancelled from HX 97
Beechwood
British
grain
London
From HX 95
Ashby
"
wheat
Leith
Listed in SC 16
Valparaiso
Swedish
general
Glasgow
From HX 95
Sailed in HX 97 - sunk
Mount Othrys
Greek / Pan flag
steel
Barrow
From HX 95
See notes
Aeas
Greek
grain
Manchester
Listed in SC 16
Peribonka
British?
zinc concentrates
Swansea
Sailed in HX 97
Ringstad
Norwegian
general
Glasgow
–
Taborfjell
"
general
Manchester
From HX 95
Also cancelled from HX 97, HX 99
To HX 101
Trolleholm
Swedish
general - special
Leith
See notes
Agia Marina
Greek
grain
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 97
Fana
Norwegian
lumber
London
–
Venetia
British
grain
Liverpool
From HX 94
Sailed in HX 97
Vera Radcliffe
"
grain
Manchester
Sailed in HX 97
Empire Mariner
"
general - special
Avonmouth
From HX 95
Lost touch - see notes
Joined HX 97 - returned to port
Yselhaven
Dutch
grain
Avonmouth
From HX 95
Listed in HX 99
Empire Caribou
British
steel - special
Clyde / Tyne
From HX 95
Norefjord
Norwegian
grain
Hull
From HX 95
The following ships are listed on a separate page - not sure where they sailed from (sailed Dec. 13):
Alioth
Dutch
metal - lumber - rubber
Ipswich
–
Kantara
British
sugar
London
–
Norwegian
"
general
Swansea
From HX 94 - Sydney section
Kedoe
Dutch
general - special
Garston
–
Beursplein
"
steel - scrap
Swansea / Newport
See notes
Litiopa
Norwegian
Tanker B
Liverpool
Notes:
The British Beachy was rescue vessel for this convoy, on her 2nd voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde with the westbound Convoy OB 263 on Dec. 23, detached Dec. 26. Joined HX 96 on Dec. 27, to Clyde Dec. 30.
Commodore A. T. Tillard was in Norwegian, Vice Commodore in Everleigh (or Madras City?).
Oban Commodore: In Beechwood.
Clyde Commodore: In Empire Caribou.
The convoy had 32 ships, sailing at an average speed of 7.75 knots. 27 were still present on arrival rendezvous with local escort on Dec. 26.
The following ships lost touch, being unable to maintain prearranged speed:
Empire Mariner on the night of Dec. 14/15.
Jenny on the night of Dec. 18/19.
Trolleholm, night of Dec. 21.
Everleigh, night of Dec. 22/23.
Beursplein, night of Dec. 23/24.
Mount Othrys, night of Dec. 17/18 - subsequently rejoined.
The Commodore says that
Station keeping was poor. Visual signalling was poor with the exception of Madras City, Kedoe and Kantara who were very good. Most of the foreign ships were bad.
Route was altered by Admiralty message 1536/20. Everleigh was out of signalling distance then, but Ocean Escort dropped astern to give it to her and to cancel original route. Everleigh was subsequently attacked by gunfire from submarine in 58 36N 21 ?W to 59 20N 21 20W and thus appears to have followed cancelled route. Voyage uneventful.
"Suggest that signal C.P. in Consigs. be altered to read "about time indicated". Suggest that if there is not a suitable ship for Commodore sailing from Liverpool that Commodore should go to Bermuda; a ship being diverted if necessary; or alternatively that ships should be kept at Liverpool for this. Commodore is of little value in unsuitable ship. Many ships leave Liverpool in ballast. I understand that there is an urgent need of anthracite in Halifax and suggest that this might be exported in these ships.
Escort: HMS Ranpura(?) - parted company in 60 35N 20 64W at 13:40, Dec. 25 -1940.
Local Escort: HMS Fleur de Lys, HMS Gardenia, HMS Rochester, HMS Venomous, HMS Wild Swan - met at 13:45 on Dec. 26, in 60 09N 14 30W. Parted company at 11:55 on Dec. 27, in 57 50N 9 38W.
Air Escort: Met at 10:00 on Dec. 27 in 56 07N 9 38W.
To the next HX convoy in my list HX 97