Convoy SC 30 - warsailors.com (original) (raw)

CONVOY SC 30

Commodore's narrative and Salopian's report are available on Page 2

Notes:
Commodore, Rear Admiral K. E. L. Creighton was in Baltrover, Vice Commodore was in Shaftesbury.

* The tonnage for Bellemina in this convoy is given as 6085 gt. This ship was built in 1919, and I believe it's identical to Empire Magpie (ex Bellemina) listed at the Empire Ships website (ref. external link at the end of this page) though tonnage is given as 6517 gt. Similarly, I believe West Raritans is identical to Empire Mavis.

The convoy had 28 ships, + 2 joining at sea from Convoy HX 124 (Morska Wola and British Fortune) on May 7 in 49 18N 42 32W.

Average speed: 6 1/2 knots.

The following ships lost touch when ordered by Admiralty to turn 150° to port in thick fog at 05:00 on May 11, in 55 44N 35 20W:
Imperial Monarch
Somersby - This ship, on a voyage from Halifax for Loch Ewe with 8300 tons of grain, was sunk on May 13 by U-111. She had a crew of 39 and 4 gunners - all saved.
Stal
Willemsplein
Empire Eland
Marika Protopapa
Morska Wola
West Raritans.

These lost touch at the same time, but rejoined the next day in 59 10N 34 20W:
Søborg
Lifland
Sevilla
Spero

At 11:45 on May 15, the Norwegian Trolla had to be sent to Iceland for fuel. Due to large alteration of course ordered, which added 48 hours to the voyage, she had insufficient fuel to reach the U.K.

Signalling was "Fair, considering the poor class 8 ships. No W/T made, but despite the fact that 6 ships had their W/T sets sealed, oscillations were heard on several occasions, although the offenders could not be located".

Commodore's narrative and Salopian's report are available on Page 2

Escorts:
HMS Salopian and the sub Thunderbolt sailed with convoy. The sub parted company at sunset on May 10, while Salopian left at 17:00 on the 12th (59 06N 38 28W). She was sunk the next day by U-98 - see external link below.
HMS Royal Sovereign joined on May 5 from Convoy HX 124 in 46 20N 45 08W, then rejoined HX 124.
Iceland Escort: Joined at 17:00 on May 12 in 59 02N 38 34W - HMS Malcom S.O. - others are not named.
Local Escort: HMS Leamington (S.O.) joined at 18:00 on May 16 in 61 06N 24 08W - others are not named. The Commodore states that the Iceland and Local Escorts were "many and varied".

Air escort:
2 Sunderland Flying Boats joined Convoys HX 124 and SC 30 at 15:00 on May 14 in 60 33N 29 30W, and from this time air escort was continuous.

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):
Abelia - From 14/05/41 to 20/05/41
Anemone - From 18/05/41 to 20/05/41
Arabis - From 18/05/41 to 20/05/41
Ariguani - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Burwell - From 18/05/41 to 20/05/41
Cobalt - From 29/04/41 to 30/04/41
Collingwood - From 29/04/41 to 30/04/41
Eridge - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Gladiolus - From 18/05/41 to 20/05/41
Hussar - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Leamington - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Niger - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Roxborough - From 15/05/41 to 18/05/41
Salopian - From 29/04/41 to 17/05/41. According to the Commodore's notes, she left on May 12 (see also external link below).
St. Kenan - From 12/05/41 to 20/05/41
St. Zeno - From 12/05/41 to 20/05/41
Thunderbolt - From 29/04/41 to 10/05/41
Veronica - From 18/05/41 to 20/05/41
Violet - From 12/05/41 to 20/05/41
Vizalma - From 12/05/41 to 20/05/41
Watchman - From 12/05/41 to 15/05/41
(As can be seen, Hague does not mentioned Royal Sovereign and Malcolm).

Related external links:
The attack on Somersby
The loss of HMS Salopian

Empire Ships

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