Convoy SC 28 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)
Convoy SC 28 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax at 11:00 on Apr. 9-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 28th (Arnold Hague says 31 ships).
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).
Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined ships returned to port (except those that are linked, which will automatically be underlined. The Norwegian Bernhard, however, did return).
Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Am=American (U.S.), Gr=Greek, Du=Dutch, Da=Danish, Lat=Latvian
MoWT=Ministry of War Transport
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
King Stephen
wheat
Loch Ewe
(Br)
21
Prince Rupert City
general
Loch Ewe
(Br)
31
Niceto de Larrinaga
cereals
Loch Ewe
(Br)
41
Riley
cotton
Loch Ewe
(Br)
51
Trojan Star
refrig general
Clyde
(Br)
61
Baron Inchcape
oil cake
Liverpool
(Br)
71
Navarino
phosphate
Milford Haven
(Br)
81
Bristol City
steel
Barry Roads
(Br)
91
Bosworth
wheat
Belfast
(Br)
12
Gullpool
grain
Loch Ewe
(Br)
22
Kisnop
iron - steel
Loch Ewe
(Am / MoWT 11-1940)
32
Manatee
steel scrap
Loch Ewe
(Am / MoWT 1941)
42
Cleodora
fuel oil
Clyde
(Du)
52
Acasta
Adm. fuel
Clyde
(Norw)
62
Buccinum
diesel oil
Manchester
(Norw)
72
Georgios P.
scrap iron
Swansea
(Gr)
82
Belnor
nitrate
Barry Roads
(Norw)
92
Anna Bulgari
grain
Barry Roads
(Gr)
13
Beckenham
iron ore
Loch Ewe
(Br)
23
Gezina
lumber
Loch Ewe
(Norw)
33
West Amargosa
scrap iron
Loch Ewe
(Am / MoWT 11-1940)
43
Almenara
bauxite
Loch Ewe
(Br)
53
Sildra
Adm. fuel
Clyde
(Norw)
63
Euthalia
wheat
Liverpool
(Gr)
73
Katvaldis
steel - lumber
Newport
(Lat / MoWT 1940)
83
Matronna
grain
Barry Roads
(Gr)
93
14
Aldington Court
iron carbide
Loch Ewe
(Br)
24
Akabahra
lumber
London
(Norw)
34Alpherat
potash
Loch Ewe
(Du)
44
Bernhard
scrap iron
Ardrossan
(Norw)
54
Wellfield
fuel oil
Clyde
(Br)
64Marika Protopapa
wheat
Liverpool
(Gr)
74Groenlo
lumber
U.K.
(Du)
84
Armathia
phosphate
Avonmouth
(Gr)
94
Aeas
wheat
Barry Roads
(Gr)
15Spero
steel - pulp
London
(Norw)
25
Rossum
phosphate
Tyne
(Du)
35
Prins Willem van Oranje
bauxite
London
(Du)
45
Embassage
grain
Loch Ewe
(Br)
55
Despina
grain
Swansea
(Gr)
65
75Susan Mærsk
Groundnuts
Barry Roads
(Da / MoWT 5-1940)
85
Cressdene
general
Barry Roads
(Br)
95
Runswick
wheat
Barry Roads
(Br)
Note that the Advance Sailing Telegram lists additional ships as scheduled, that are not included in this A 1 form.
Groenlo is not mentioned in the AST - she had also been cancelled from SC 27, joined SC 29 (returned to Halifax). Also, Riley, Cressdene and Susan Mærsk are not mentioned in the AST - the latter ship is listed in SC 29, while Riley sailed in HX 120. Cressdene, which is crossed out on the form, did not sail with SC 28 upon departure, but joined from HX 120 later on. See also Commodore's comments in Notes below.
It'll be noticed, when comparing the above with Arnold Hague's listing for SC 28 at ships in all SC convoys, that he has some of the ships in different stations.
Advance Sailing Telegram
Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined ships returned to port (except those that are linked, which will automatically be underlined. The Norwegian Bernhard, however, did return).
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Remarks
Norwegian
nitrates
Avonmouth
Manatee
American / MoWT 1941
steel - scrap iron
Middlesbrough
(Renamed Empire Waterhen)
From SC 27
Norwegian
scrap iron
Ardrossan
From SC 26
Returned to Halifax
(follow link to Bernhard)
"
Tanker B
Manchester
From SC 27
Katvaldis
British
steel - lumber
Newport
–
Norwegian
steel - dry pulp
London
Joined SC 29 - returned to port
Listed in SC 30
"
lumber
Garston
Kisnop
American / MoWT 11-1940
iron - steel - trucks - special
Middlesbrough
(Renamed Empire Dabchick)
From HX 117
Cleodora
Dutch
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Listed in SC 29
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
From SC 27
Anna Bulgari
Greek
grain
Avonmouth
From SC 27
Norwegian
lumber
London
Navarino
British
phosphates - 479 tons gunpowder
Milford Haven / Plymouth
Bristol City
"
steel - 363 tons shells
Bristol
From HX 118
Barry Commodore
Matronna
Greek
grain
Avonmouth
From SC 27
Aeas
"
wheat
Barry Docks
From HX 118
Rossum
Dutch
phosphates
Ipswich
–
Armathia
Greek
phosphates
Ipswich
–
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Almenara
British
bauxite
Dundee
–
Niceto de Larrinaga
British
cereals
London
From SL 68
Alpherat
Dutch
potash
London
From SL 68
Listed in HX 120
Widestone
British
iron ore
Cardiff
From SL 68
Listed in SC 29
Euthalia
Greek
wheat
Liverpool
Prince Rupert City
British
general
Hull
From SL 68
Listed in HX 120
King Stephen
"
wheat
Leith
From SL 68
Baron Inchcape
"
oil cake
Liverpool
From SL 68
Vice Commodore
West Amargosa
American / MoWT 11-1940*
scrap iron
W. Hartlepool
(Renamed Empire Crossbill)
From HX 119
Georgios P.
Greek
scrap iron
Swansea
From HX 119
Gullpool
British
grain
London
–
Ioannis Frangos
Greek
grain
Swansea
Norwegian
steel - lumber
Garston
To SC 29 - did not sail
To SC 31 - did not sail
To SC 32 - did not sail
Listed in SC 33
Clare Lilley
British
scrap iron
Clyde f. o.
Listed in SC 29
Runswick
"
grain
Sharpness
Returned to Halifax
Aarø
Danish / MoWT 1940
bauxite
Burntisland
To SC 29 - did not sail
To SC 31 - did not sail
To SC 32 - did not sail
Listed in SC 34
Dunsley
British
grain
Hull
Listed in SC 29
Empire Unity
"
Tanker B
Manchester
Listed in SC 29
Embassage
"
grain
London
–
Jessie Mærsk
Danish / MoWT 1940
bauxite
Burntisland
Listed in SC 29
Marika Protopapa
Greek
grain
Liverpool
Morska Wola
Polish
general
Liverpool
(Ex Norwegian Rio Negro)
To SC 29 (not listed)
Listed in SC 30
(see also HX 124)
Tilemachos
Greek
grain
Manchester
Listed in SC 29
Norwegian
lead - zinc - lumber
London
Listed in SC 29
Vernon City
British
steel - trucks
Liverpool
Listed in SC 29
Mariposa
"
steel - scrap iron
Ardrossan
Stad Amsterdam
Dutch
steel - lumber
London
To SC 29 - returned to port
To SC 31
Beckenham
British
iron ore
Middlesbrough
From SL 68
Aldington Court
"
iron carbide
Immingham
Prins Willem van Oranje
Dutch
bauxite
Burntisland
From HX 120
Trojan Star
British
refrig general
Glasgow
From HX 120
Despina
Greek
grain
Swansea
–
Wellfield
British
Adm. tanker B
Liverpool
Bosworth
"
wheat
Belfast
From SL 68
* Sunk in Convoy SC 42.
Notes:
Commodore O. H. Dawson, R.N.R. was in Trojan Star. Vice Commodore was D. MacGregor, the captain of Baron Inchcape (later Commodore for Liverpool portion)
Barry Commodore in Bristol City.
The Convoy had 32 ships - 30 were present at rendezvous with Local Escort.
7 knots convoy arranged to make good 6.6 knots - actually made good: 5.8 knots.
The Convoy formed up at 12:30 on Apr. 9; by dusk 30 ships were in station and 2 in sight astern - 11 ships did not sail as arranged.
The weather was "average", but the convoy was 48 hours late.
Cressdene, which had started out in Convoy HX 120, joined SC 28 at 08:00 on Apr. 25 in 61N 24 20W. The Commodore says "Insufficient speed for HX convoy? She made no attempt to go on when HX convoy parted".
With regard to the Norwegian Akabahra and Gezina, he states "showed themselves capable of 8 knots at times but at other times they could not maintain 7 knots". "Akabahra, a careless station keeper sometimes being 6 cables astern of station when convoy was going 6 knots".
Many ships broke down during the passage, some falling out never to be seen again:
At 08:00 on Apr. 13 Runswick dropped astern and out of sight, 42 5N 52 10W. HMS Chitral went back to look for her at noon, but failed to find her. She was searched for on standard route on subsequent days but not seen.
On Apr. 15, after having encountered fog at night, some ships were much out of station, but returning. The Norwegian Bernhard, which had almost regained her station, dropped out of sight at 12:40, but returned at nightfall.
On Apr. 18 the convoy was somewhat scattered by gale. At 13:00, Bernhard dropped out again, having almost regained her station. Convoy steaming at 6 knots.
At 06:00 on Apr. 19, in 52 35N 39 15W, Kisnop signalled slight engine trouble requiring 3 hours to rejoin, but did not return. Chitral went back and returned at dark having seen neither of the missing ships.
The following ships suffered 1 or more breakdowns:
Kisnop (3 and did not return), Sildra (1), Buccinum(4), Bernhard (3 and did not return), Baron Inchcape (1), Navarino (1), Runswick (1 and did not return), Matronna (2 + steering trouble), Anna Bulgari (4), West Amargosa (1), Georgios P. (3 + frequent steering trouble), Aeas (1 + steering trouble), Manatee (2), Embassage (1), Euthalia (1 or 2), Katvaldis (1), Wellfield (1), Akabahra (1), and Gezina (1 - steering gear).
The convoy arrived rendezvous on Apr. 24.
Escorts:
HMS Chitral - left at 15:30 on Apr. 21 in 57 10N 34 55W.
HMS Talisman - Apr. 11-20.
HMS Royal Sovereign - intermittent.
The Commodore also mentions Bulldog and Group ? (15:30 Apr. 21, in 57 10N 34 55W), adding, this escort was not prearranged.
At 21:30 on Apr. 24, in 61 20N 26 40W, HMS Wanderer and No. 5 Group relieved escort.
Chitral's report also mentions HMS Laconia.
A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of SC convoy escorts, based on Arnold Hague's database, received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Bramble - 24/04/41
Chitral - From 09/04/41 to 21/04/41
Dianthus - From 24/04/41 to 01/05/41
Hazard - 24/04/41
Mallow - From 24/04/41 to 26/04/41
Marigold - From 24/04/41 to 28/04/41
Nasturtium - From 24/04/41 to 28/04/41
Periwinkle - From 24/04/41 to 28/04/41
Primrose - From 24/04/41 to 28/04/41
Royal Sovereign - From 13/04/41 to 20/04/41
Scimitar - From 24/04/41 to 28/04/41
Speedy - 24/04/41
Talisman - From 11/04/41 to 20/04/41
Wanderer - From 27/04/41 to 28/04/41
Related external links:
SL Convoys - SL 68 is included.
To the next SC convoy in my list SC 29