Convoy ONS 7 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Notes: * Note that Sälen is listed as Mälaren (her previous name) in some earlier convoys on this website (see also Convoy HX 245, in which Bonaire is also listed).
** This might be Christian Holm?
Pan Gulf failed to take up position No 23 in convoy, when forming up. Proceeded to Londonderry. No reason given.
F. J. Wolfe left convoy to return to port on account of engine trouble.
Drakepool became a straggler on May 15, due to engine trouble.
Toltec (not listed in table above) was escorted to Iceland by Wren so as to join a UJ convoy. Arrived on the 10th.
Cape Sable straggled for 38 hours due to bad coal.
10 ships sailed from Iceland on May 10 (ships in stations 25, 35, 45, 55, 74, 75, 85, 95 and 105 escorted by Wren Symbol and Sabre). One of the 10, Exterminator, returned to Iceland the same day before the group joined the main convoy. Bornholm (25) had previously been in ONS 5, but went to Iceland following a collision.
It was reported that Drakepool proceeded to Iceland but Tony cannot find her arriving at Iceland at all. A voyage record card would tell us which port she went to.
According to "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague, Aymeric was sunk by U-640 on May 17, but the same author gives U 657 as the culprit in his "Convoy Rescue Ships", as does Jürgen Rohwer. Roger W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets" agrees with the latter U-boat, adding that 53 died, 24 survived. This number conflicts slightly with "Convoy Rescue Ships" which says Aymeric had a crew of 78, 25 of whom survived in all. 14 had been rescued by Northern Wave, 7 later died, while 6 of those rescued by Copeland died in spite of medical aid given. Northern Wave subsequently transferred the 7 survivors to Copeland which then had all 25 survivors on board. Arnold Hague adds that Aymeric had a Lascar crew who are more susceptible to the perils of hypothermia than Europeans.
The escorting Swale was later accredited with the sinking of U 657 off Cape Farewell on May 17-1943. See the external link below.
Copeland was on her 23rd voyage as rescue vessel, having been requisitioned as such on Dec. 20-1940. (Her first voyage was with Convoy OB 280 Jan. 31-1941). She joined ONS 7 from Clyde on May 7 and stayed with it until arrival Halifax on the 25th. She then returned with Convoy SC 133 from Halifax to Clyde, June 5 - June 18-1943.
Local Escort:
Kirkella.
Other Escorts:
Wren, Nene, Swale, Pimpernell, Godetia, Buttercup, Lavender, Northern Wave.
The above were relieved on May 21 by:
Niagara, Matapedia, Moncton, Kenora.
To the next ONS convoy in my list ONS 8
will be added, as will ONS 9 and ONS 10
In the meantime, see Ships sailing in ONS 1 through ONS 51The next available ONS convoy is ONS 11