Convoy ON 37 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Convoy ON 37 Cruising Order
Departed Liverpool on Nov. 15-1941, dispersed during the night of Nov. 23/24 (Arnold Hague says 43 ships).
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).
See also SC 62 and other SC convoys from the same time period.
Ships sailing from:
L=Liverpool, M=Milford, BEL=Belfast, G=Clyde, A=Aultbea, F=Fleetwood.
CAM=Catapult Aircraft Merchant Ship.
Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Bel=Belgian, Gr=Greek, Pa=Panamanian.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11 (L)
Empire Eve
(Br)
CAM
21 (L)
Empire Sky
(Br)
31 (L)
Empire Dabchick
(Br)
41 (L)
Manchester Spinner
(Br)
51 (L)
Stanwell
(Br)
61 (G)
Ashbury
(Br)
71 (A)
Cragpool
(Br)
81 (A)
Errington Court
(Br)
91 (G)
Empire Franklin
(Br)
CAM
12
22 (L)
Defender
(Br)
32 (L)
Bonneville
(Norw)
42 (L)
Silverelm
(Br)
52 (G)
West Point
(Br)
62 (G)
Empire Kingsley
(Br)
72 (A)
Empire Scout
(Br)
82 (A)
Empire Cranmer
(Br)
92 (A)
Empire Antelope
(Br)
13 (L)
Mathilda
(Norw)
23 (M)
Thurso
(Br)
33 (L)
Aristides
(Pa)
43 (L) T
Iroquois
(Br)
53 (G)
Shaftesbury
(Br)
63 (G)
Penolver
(Br)
73 (A)
Empire Breeze
(Br)
83 (A)
Mimosa
(Gr)
93 (A)
Bruse Jarl
(Norw)
14 (BEL)
Thirlby
(Br)
24 (BEL)
Yorkmoor
(Br)
34 (L)
Cochrane
(Br)
44
54 (G)
Elisabeth van Belgie
(Bel)
64 (A)
Modesta
(Br)
74 (A)
Korsholm
(Sw)
84 (A)
Empire Mariott
(Br)
94 (A)
Bur
(Norw*)
15 (F)
Lyra
Iceland
(Norw)
25 (BEL)
Theoskepasti
(Gr)
35
45 (G)
Narva
Iceland
(Br)
55 (A)
Sydland
(Sw)
65 (A)
Dimitrios Inglessis
(Gr)
75 (A)
Horsa
Iceland
85 (A)
Cetus
(Norw)
95 (A)
Anna *
(Gr?)
16
26
36 (L)
Nova
Iceland
(Norw)
46 (G)
Toward
Rescue Vessel
Iceland
(Br)
56 (L)
Agio Vavara**
Oban
(Gr)
66
76 (A)
Egret
Iceland
86
96
Cochrane and Defender are listed as cancelled from the previous convoy, ON 36. Modesta had returned to port from ON 33.
* The ship in station 95 is listed as Norwegian, but there was no Norwegian Anna. There was, however, a Danish, Greek and Swedish one. I believe this was the Greek one, which had previously arrived the U.K. with Convoy SC 48, as had a couple of the other ships in ON 37. See also SC 62.
** I'm assuming that this is a mis-spelling of Aghia Varvara.
*Bur is listed as Norwegian on the A 1 form, but I believe this must have been the Swedish ship by that name (see also Convoy SC 61). According to the Norwegian Bur's Voyage Record for this period, she was still in the U.K. on Nov. 29 and also the following month.
Toward was on her 15th voyage as Rescue Vessel, joining from Clyde on Nov. 16.
She later returned to Clyde with Convoy HX 160, Nov. 26-Nov. 30.
("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague)
Notes:
Commodore was Captain E. C. Denison, R.N. in Manchester Spinner, Vice Commodore was the captain of Empire Sky, Rear Commodore the captain of Ashbury.
The convoy had 45 ships, 36 of which were present at point of dispersal.
Convoy speed: 7 1/2 knots.
Mathilda, Theoskepasti and Anna straggled in westerly gale on the night of Nov. 20/21 in approx. position 59 10N 19 30W.
Toward, Lyra, Nova, Narva, Horsa and Egret detached to Iceland on Nov. 21 in 59 10N 20 00W, escorted by Hugh Walpole and Northern Spray.
The convoy was dispersed in N.W. gale in approximate position 57 35N 35 05W during the night of Nov. 23/24. See Page 2. Daily positions up until that point are available on request via the contact address at the bottom of this page. These positions have been sent to Mike Holdoway, who has made a chart of the convoy's progress on his site - it can be reached through this page (external link).
Continue to Narrative of Voyage 
Escorts:
HMNS Bodd, from Liverpool to 55 22N 06 00W.
Scimitar, Northern Spray, Northern Pride, and Monkshood joined with the Clyde portion at 16:00 on Nov. 16 in 55 22N 06 00W.
Beverley, Dahlia, Sardonyx, Watchman and Hugh Walpole joined with Aultbea portion at 18:30 on Nov. 17 off Loch Ewe, and remained until relieved by Ocean Escort, except for Hugh Walpole and Northern Spray which had been detached to Iceland as mentioned.
Ocean Escort: USS Swanson (S.O.), Buck, McCormick, Greer, Ludlow - met at 14:30 Nov. 22 in 58 55N 26 00W (see also "First trip to Iceland" on this external page).
Air Escort:
Noon Nov. 17 off Cape Wrath. One plane approached convoy.
Noon Nov. 21 in 59 05N 20 27W, 2 Wellingtons circled convoy.
At 12:20 Nov. 22 in 58 56N 25 48W, 1 Catalina and 1 Wellington closed convoy and communicated with S.O. Escort.
At 16:25 Nov. 30 in 50 10N 44 50W, 1 Catalina sighed.
Related external link:
The Empire Ships - This website has more information on all the Empire ships sailing in this convoy.
