Convoy OG 71 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
CONVOY OG 71
Departed Liverpool Aug 13 -1941 and arrived Lisbon on the 23rd.
(Thus, convoy failed to make its intended destination of Gibraltar).
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 21 ships in this convoy, with arrival Gibraltar Aug. 25
(most of the ships may have subsequently sailed to Gibraltar, possibly arriving there on the 25th as stated by A. Hague).
More info, incl. station numbers, is now available and will be added.
Notes:
Commodore, Vice Admiral P. E. Parker, D.S.O., R.N. was in Aguila. He died when this ship was sunk.
The convoy was attacked on Aug. 18 by 2 Ju 88's, but no damage.
As will be seen from what follows, numbers of casualties and survivors from each ship varies according to source - I've quoted some of them (a few of the ships mentioned here are not listed in R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets").
Aug. 19 - Nightime attack by U boats (all times are German times):
At 02:05, the straggling Norwegian destroyer Bath was sunk by U-204 - I have a crew list on this page.
"Nightmare Convoy" says she had a crew of 130, 83 lost (13 RN), and about 50 survivors).
At 02:08, Alva was torpedoed by U-559.
• "Nightmare Convoy" states she had a crew of 25, 24 survivors - 17 later lost with Clonlara and Empire Oak.
• "The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague, says she had 16 casualties, 9 of whom died with Empire Oak.
• R. W. Jordan gives U-201 as the attacker, 1 died, 24 picked up by Clonlara, 15 died when the latter was sunk.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 25, including 4 gunners. 1 crew died when Alva was torpedoed, remainder picked up by Clonlara, 15 died when the latter was sunk, including 4 gunners - 16 casualties in all.
• Uboat. net says that all 25 survived the initial attack, and that 11 Alva survivors picked up by Empire Oak survived the attack on the latter, but 14 died when Clonlara was sunk.
At 04:06, Ciscar was torpedoed by U-201.
• "Nightmare Convoy" gives 38 crew, 15 survivors.
• Arnold Hague gives 18 casualties.
• R. W. Jordan gives U-204 as the culprit, 13 died, 26 survived, 5 survivors on Cervantes, 2 of whom died when Cervantes was sunk - Cervantes was sunk the following month, when en route to Liverpool in Convoy HG 73.
• R. W. Jordan appears to have gotten some of his information from "Lloyd's War Losses", which says Ciscar had a crew of 30 and 9 gunners, 21 of the crew and 5 of the gunners were saved - 3 of 5 Ciscar survivors died when Cervantes was was sunk the following month. Checking the information for Cervantes in this source, I found that it lists 4 passengers, 3 of whom (Ciscar crew members) died when she was sunk on Sept. 27, when en route to Liverpool. (For info, Empire Stream was also sunk in Convoy HG 73, as were Lapwing and Petrel - see this page on Uboat.net).
• Uboat.net says 13 died, 35 surv and were picked up by Petrel.
At the same time, Aguila was also torpedoed by U-201.
• "Nightmare Convoy" gives 161 passengers and crew, 16 survivors (six of whom were lost on the Empire Oak.
• Arnold Hague gives 91 passengers, 156 died in all.
• R. W. Jordans says 157 died, 10 survived.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 65 and 5 gunners, 58 crew and all 5 gunners lost, as well as the Commodore and his staff of 5, and 89 out of a total of 91 passengers.
• Uboat.net gives 152 dead, 89 of whom were passengers, and 16 survived (168 on board in all) - 6 later lost with Empire Oak (the other 10 had been picked up by HMS Wallflower).
On Aug. 22
Marklyn broke down and was unsuccessfully attacked by 2 Ju88's whilst rejoining convoy.
At 23:31 that night, Empire Oak was torpedoed by U-564.
• "Nightmare Convoy" says she had a crew of 21, 7 survivors. 6 survivors from Aguila lost, 3 survivors from Alva lost, 8 survived (again).
• Arnold Hague says that 14 died, + 9 from Alva.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 17 and 3 gunners, 11 crew and 3 gunners missing. 11 survivors from Alva and 6 from Aguila on board - 9 missing.
• Uboat.net says 13 died + 6 from Aguila, and 8 survived + 11 from Alva (survivors picked up by HMS Campanula).
At the same time, Clonlara was torpedoed by U-564.
• "Nightmare Convoy" says that 12 crew members were lost + 14 of Alva's survivors.
• Arnold Hague says Clonlara had 11 casualties.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 19, 11 missing.
• Uboat.net gives 20 casualties (this number includes 14 picked up from Alva), 13 survived and werre picked up by HMS Campion.
On 23 Aug, nightime attack:
At 02:14, Stork was torpedoed by U-201. 21 crew, 3 survived.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 18 and 4 gunners, 19 died (Uboat.net agrees with these numbers, adding that the 3 survivors were picked up by HMS Wallflower. Arnold Hague also agrees with 19 casualties).
At the same time, Aldergrove was torpedoed by U-201.
"Nightmare Convoy" states she had a crew of 33, 32 survived.
• "Lloyd's War Losses" says she had a crew of 31 and 1 naval rating - all crew saved, naval rating missing.
• Uboat.net gives 38 survivors, 1 casualty - survivors picked up by HMS Campanula.
• Arnold Hague agrees with 1 casualty.
At 03:35, Spind was attacked by U-564, but did not sink. She had missed course alteration and sailed on alone. About 3 hours later she was engaged in a gun duel with surfaced U boat (U-552) and set afire. Later sunk by HMS Boreas - again, see my page about Spind.
At 05:25, HMS Zinnia (corvette) was torpedoed and sunk by U-564. 17 survivors
Early that afternoon, the convoy was diverted to Lisbon
Misc.:
Lt Monsarret (writer of "The Cruel Sea") was aboard Campanula.
20 (22?) WRENS were lost aboard Aguila (first WRENS to be sent overseas).
No firm ASDIC (Sonar) contacts were made with U Boats and no successful attacks carried out by escorts.
The convoy was almost continuously shadowed by long range Luftwaffe aircraft.
Escorts:
Leigh, Bath, Hydrangea, Campanula (picked up survivors from Aldergrove), Bluebell, Campion (picked up survivors from Clonlara), Wallflower, Zinnia, Wanderer, Gurkha, Lance, Boreas, Vidette.
Hydrangea left convoy on Aug. 20 with survivors.
Wanderer had joined convoy on Aug. 18 - left Aug. 19 with survivors.
Gurkha and Lance (from Convoy WS 10X) joined on Aug. 20 - left Aug. 23.
Boreas joined on Aug. 21.
Vidette joined on Aug. 23
Related external links:
Chronological list of OG Convoys
The battle for OG 71 - As will be seen, Uboat.net's list of escorts is a little different from mine above.
To the next available OG convoy in my list OG 79 