Convoy ON 32 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

Convoy ON 32 Cruising Order
Departed Liverpool on Nov. 1-1941, arrived Halifax on the 16th (Arnold Hague says 49 ships).

Info received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

For info, some of the ships in this convoy had previously arrived U.K. with Convoy HX 153 or HX 154. (See also HX 152).
Some are also listed in the eastbound Convoys HX 163, HX 164 and HX 165. See also SC 58, and other SC convoys from the same time period.

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Pa=Panamanian, Am=American, Da=Danish, Sw=Swedish, Du=Dutch

11
Primrose Hill
Halifax
(Br)

21
Pacific Enterprise
Panama
(Br)

31
Loriga
Panama
(Br)

41
Port Adelaide
Panama
(Br)

51
City of Norwich
Sydney C.B.
(Br)

61
Empire Swan
New York
(Br)

71
Saint Bertrand
Sydney C.B.
(Fr [MOWT?])

81
Moveria
Sydney C.B.
(Br)

91
Shantung
New Orleans
(Sw)

12
Gyda
Montreal
(Br [ex Da])

22
Diala
Baton Rouge
(Br)

32
N. T. Nielsen Alonso
New York
(Norw)

42
La Paz
Bermuda
(Br)

52
Athelcrown
New York
(Br)

62
Empire Falcon
New York
(Br)

72
Atlantic City
New York
(Br?)

82
British Yeoman
New York
(Br)

92
Arosa *
Philadelphia
(Norw)

23
British Tenacity
Baytown
(Br)

33
Mamura
New York
(Du)

43
D. L. Harper
New York
(Br)

53
Mijdrecht
New York
(Du)

63
Hilda Knudsen
Curacao
(Norw)

73
Empire Flint
New York
(Br)

83
Cistula
New York
(Du)

93
Sepia
Trinidad
(Br)

14
Sama
Montreal
(Norw)

24
Empire Opal
New York
(Br)

34
James J. Maguire
New York
(Br)

44
Noreg
Trinidad
(Norw)

54
British Diligence
New York
(Br)

64
Athelduke
Curacao
(Br)

74
Varanger
Curacao
(Norw)

84
Prometeus**
Halifax

94
Cordium
New York
(Br?)

15
Katy
New York
(Norw)

25
Algonquin
New York
(Am)

35
Magdala
New York
(Du)

45
J. A. Brown*
New York

55
Ferncastle
New York
(Norw)

65
British Prestige
Halifax
(Br)

75
British Destiny
Aruba
(Br)

85
Opalia
Curacao
(Br)

16
Stad Vlaardingen
New York
(Du)

26
Mactra
Curacao
(Br)

46
British Pride
New York
(Br)

76
Masunda
Sydney C.B.
(Br)

86
Leiesten
Curacao
(Norw)

* The Commodore says Arosa was British - was there also a British ship by this name?
** Mis-spelling of Prometheus? There was a British and a Panamanian ship by this name.
* This is probably the British John A. Brown.

Notes:
Commodore N. H. Gale R.N.R. was in Port Adelaide, Vice Commodore was the captain of Pacific Enterprise.

The convoy had 50 ships.
Average speed: 8.3 knots.

Daily positions of convoy are available on request via the contact address at the bottom of this page. Or, go to this page on Mike Holdoway's website (external link) - I sent him the coordinates, and he made a chart of the voyage (click on "Charted convoy routes"). As will be seen when viewing the chart for ON 32, there's something odd about the voyage; it looks like they made a detour on Nov. 8. This could simply be due to the coordinates in the original document being incorrect(?)

The Rescue Vessel Rathlin also sailed with this convoy as far as Iceland. She was on her 2nd voyage as such (requisitioned July 28-1941) and joined ON 32 from Clyde. According to the Commodore's notes she detached at 17:00 GMT on Nov. 5 in 60 02N 20 08W, together with the British War Bharata (not included on A 1 form). Rathlin subsequently left Iceland on Nov. 8 in order to join the eastbound Convoy HX 157, but returned to port the next day due to heavy weather, and eventually returned to Clyde independently on Nov. 10, with arrival Nov. 16-1941.

Arosa parted company with the convoy during the night of Nov. 6/7.
Stad Vlaardingen left during the night of Nov. 12/13.

The Commodore says
that Arosa, La Paz and Loriga "apparently have not the power for 10 Knots in smooth water, being only able to maintain a maximum speed of 9.6 Knots under ideal conditions".

Escorts:
Local Escort HMS Douglas, Leamington, Skate, Abelia, Anemone, St. Kenan, St. Zano and Vizalma met at rendezvous at 06:20 on Nov. 3 - parted company at 10:30 on Nov. 6 in 58 55N 23 47W.
Ocean Escort HMCS St. Croix, Restigouche, Bittersweet, Agassiz, Amherst, HMS Alyssum, and HMCS Alberni met at 10:20 GMT on Nov. 6 in 58 55N 23 47W - parted company at 17:00 on Nov. 14 in 44 30N 54 00W. There's also a British tug mentioned, name looks like Moos or similar.

Air Escor t:
Met at 12:00 on Nov. 1 in 53 40N 4 00W - left at 16:30 in 53 49N 4 36W
Met at 07:00 on Nov. 2 in 55 36N 6 27W - left at 08:00 in 55 37N 6 31W.
Met at 11:00 on Nov. 3 in 58 50N 5 42W - left at 12:00 in 58 55N 5 51W.
Met at 09:30 on Nov. 4 in 60 05N 12 10W - left at 17:15 in 59 57N 14 20W.
Met at 12:00 Nov. 14 in 44 48N 52 45W - left after dark and after dispersal of convoy.

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