Convoy MKS 23 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
CONVOY MKS 23
The document from which I've transcribed this information gives departure date as Sept. 3-1943 - arrival Clyde Sept. 14.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 17 ships, and indicates that MKS 23 had started out in Alexandria on Aug. 25, w/arrival Gibraltar on Sept. 3 - left from there on Sept. 4 and arrived Liverpool on the 17th.
| Transcribed from documents (Advance Sailing Telegram) received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew. The station numbers were obtained from a list of ships in MKS 23 received from Don Kindell, based on A. Hague's own research. (See also KMS 21 and KMS 22). This first table shows the Gibraltar-U.K. convoy. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ship | Nationality | Cargo | Destination | Station | Remarks |
| City of Calcutta | British | none given | Liverpool | 63 | – |
| City of Khios | " | none given | Hull | 42 | – |
| Cydonia | " | pyrites | Ardrossan | – | – |
| " | none given | Barry Roads f. o. | – | – | |
| Empire Carpenter | " | iron ore | Middlesbrough | 11 | – |
| Empire Celia | " | phosphates | London | 61 | – |
| Empire Moorhen | " | general | Hull | 21 | – |
| Empire Southey | " | phosphates | Glasgow | 12 | – |
| Finland | " | general | Glasgow | 22 | From MKS 22 |
| Fylingdale | " | iron ore | Ardrossan | 33 | – |
| " | none given | Liverpool | – | Listed in MKS 24 | |
| Kaituna | " | general | Liverpool | 41 | – |
| Kana | " | potash - general - wolfram | Newport | 32 | – |
| Ocean Viscount | " | iron ore | Middlesbrough | 31 | – |
| French | phosphates | Avonmouth | – | – | |
| Pencarrow | British | pyrites | Garston | 53 | – |
| Perseus | " | general - mails - passengers | Liverpool | 51 | – |
| Swedish | iron ore | Middlesbrough | – | – | |
| British | none given | Glasgow | – | Listed in MKS 25 | |
| Zamalek | " | Rescue Vessel | Clyde | 34 | Ref. Notes below |
| Blairdevon | " | pyrites | Aberdeen | 13 | "Proceeding Queenstown - engine defect" |
| Grodno | " | general | Preston | 52 | – |
| Fort Anne | " | none given | Middlesbrough | 62 | – |
| Note: I've compared the above with a list of ships in Convoy MKS 23 received from Don Kindell, based on A. Hague's own research, and find that A. Hague has also mentioned MMS 80 (station 43) and MMS 81 (station 24), with a note for both saying they were detached Sept. 13.The Rescue Vessel Zamalek was on her 21st voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde on Aug. 17-1943 with Convoy KMS 24 - to Gibraltar Aug. 30, then returned to Clyde with Convoy KMS 23, Sept. 4-Sept. 16. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague). Escorts (received from Don Kindell, whose own work, covering "Royal & other Navies Day-by-Day in World War 2" can be viewed at this website): Sept. 4-Sept. 17: Borage, Dahlia, Hurricane, Monkshood. Sept. 4-Sept. 13: Wallflower, Wanderer. Sept. 17: Leeds United. |
| A. Hague's list also shows the following (Bizerta, Aug. 30-1943) As mentioned, A. Hague says in his "The Allied Convoy System" that MKS 23 left Alexandria on Aug. 25, w/arrival Gibraltar on Sept. 3. Transcribed from the document received from Don Kindell - Source: A. Hague's own research. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ship | Nationality | Voyage |
| Alexander White | American | – |
| Alexandre André | Belgian | Malta to Tripoli |
| Atlantic City | British | Algiers to Gibraltar for W. Africa |
| Belnor | Norwegian | Returned to Malta |
| Charles R. McCormick | American | Algiers to Oran |
| Chertsey | British | Bizerta to Philippeville |
| City of Calcutta | " | Alexandria to Gibraltar |
| City of Newcastle | " | Alexandria to Malta, thence Syracuse |
| Custodian | " | Alexandria to Augusta |
| Defender | " | Alexandria to Augusta |
| Derwentdale | " | Alexandria to Gibraltar |
| Eleazar Wheelock | American | Bizerta to Oran |
| Empire Charmian | British | Malta to Bizerta |
| Empire Farmer | " | Bizerta to Philippeville |
| Empire Garrick | " | Alexandria to Bizerta |
| Empire Moorhen | " | Malta to Gibraltar for U.K. |
| Empire Trooper | " | Malta to Oran |
| Fernplant | Norwegian | Alexandria to Gibraltar |
| Fort Aklavik | British | Bone to Gibraltar for W. Africa |
| Fort Buffalo | " | Bone to Gibraltar for W. Africa |
| Fort Chambly | " | Alexandria to Augusta |
| Fort Gaspereau | " | Alexandria to Malta (later to Gibraltar with MKS 24) |
| Fort Grahame | " | Alexandria to Malta |
| Fort McMurray | " | Alexandria to Tripoli |
| Fort Slave | " | Philippeville for Oran to U.S.A. |
| Forthbank | " | Alexandria to Malta |
| George Vancouver | American | Bizerta to Oran |
| Harpalycus | British | Malta to Benisaf |
| Henry Middleton | American | Bizerta to Oran |
| Henry St. G. Tucker | " | Alexandria to Gibraltar for U.S.A. |
| HMS Salveda | British | Malta to Bizerta |
| HMS Salvestor | " | Malta to Algiers |
| Indian Prince | " | Alexandria to Malta (see also MKS 23) |
| James Fenimore Cooper | American | Alexandria to Gibraltar for U.K. |
| James J. Maguire | British | Alexandria to Bizerta |
| Joseph G. Cannon | American | Malta to Oran |
| Kaituna | British | Alexandria to Gibraltar |
| Karoa | " | Malta to Oran |
| Kheti | " | Malta to Bizerta |
| Kofresi | American | Bone to Oran for U.S.A. |
| Kosciuszko | Polish | Algiers to Oran (14 days repair at Oran) |
| Lucretia Mott | American | Malta to Oran |
| Macoma | Dutch | Alexandria to unknown port |
| Marigot | French | Malta to Algiers |
| Miranda | Greek | Alexandria to Tripoli |
| Nirvana | British | Malta to La Goulette |
| Ocean Viking | " | Alexandria to Malta |
| Ocean Volga | " | Bone to Gibraltar |
| Octane | " | Malta to Tripoli |
| Orna | " | Malta to Tripoli |
| Peter J. McGuire | American | Alexandria to unknown port |
| President de Vogue | Norwegian | Alexandria to Malta |
| Prince de Liege | Belgian | Alexandria to Augusta |
| Robert J. Collier | American | Alexandria to Gibraltar for U.S.A. |
| Robt M. Lafollette | " | Bizerta to Oran |
| Sofala | British | Alexandria to Tripoli |
| South America | Norwegian | Malta to Bizerta |
| Tautra | " | – |
| USS Aroostook | American | Malta to unknown port |
| William H. Gray | " | Alexandria to Gibraltar for U.S.A. |
| Yenangyaung | British | Alexandria to Malta - Malta to Tripoli |
| Escorts: Aug. 25-Sept. 4: Atherstone, Coltsfoot, Holcombe, Honeysuckle, Hyderabad, Liddesdale, Oxlip, Rhododendron. Sept. 1-Sept. 4: Colombo. |
| Aa–Al | An–Ar | As–Av | Ba | Be | Bi–Bl | Bo | Br–Bu | C | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E | F | G | Ha | He | Hi–Hy | Hø | I | J | K |
| L | M | N | O | PQ | R | Sa–Sc | Se–Sj | Sk–Sn | So |
| Sp–St | Su–Sø | Ta–Te | Th–Ti | To | Tr–Tø | U | V | W | Ø |
