Convoy HX 106

Convoy HX 106 was the 106th of the numbered series of Allied HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool, England. Forty-one ships departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30 January 1941, eastbound to Liverpool, England.[1] The use of convoys was a standard tactic throughout the Battle of the Atlantic as a defence against U-boats and German commerce raiders.

Convoy HX.106
Part of World War II
Date30 January 1941-18 February 1941
Location
North Atlantic
Belligerents
 Nazi Germany United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz Capt W H Poole Rd RNR
Strength
41 merchant ships
11 escorts (1 when attacked)
Casualties and losses
2 merchants sunk

On 8 February 1941 the two German battleships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, appeared over the horizon.[2] The German squadron was under the command of Admiral Günther Lütjens. The captain of Scharnhorst offered to draw off the escorting Royal Navy battleship HMS Ramillies, so that Gneisenau could sink the merchant ships. This strategy, if successful, would have entailed little risk to Scharnhorst as she was 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) faster than Ramillies, and her newer 11-inch (279 mm) guns outranged the 1915 era 15-inch (381 mm) guns of the British ship. However, Lutjens strictly followed Hitler's directive not to engage enemy capital ships, and withdrew.[2]

Later, two of the convoy's merchant ships were sunk by the submarine U-96, including MV Arthur F. Corwin loaded with 14,500 tons of aviation fuel. She went down on 13 February, taking all 59 crew with her.

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 41 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Halifax or later in the voyage.[3]

Name Flag Tonnage (GRT) Notes
Abercos (1920)  United Kingdom 6,076 Straggled
Arthur F Corwin (1938)  United Kingdom 10,516 Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41
Sunk by U-96[4]
Athelbeach (1931)  United Kingdom 6,568 Joined ex-BHX 106
Botavon (1912)  United Kingdom 5,848 Straggled 10 Feb 41
Vice-Commodore
British Fortune (1930)  United Kingdom 4,696 Joined ex-BHX 106
Capsa (1931)  United Kingdom 8,229 Joined ex-BHX 106
Cardium (1931)  United Kingdom 8,236 Joined ex-BHX 106
Chama (1938)  United Kingdom 8,077 Joined ex-BHX 106
Charlton Hall (1940)  United Kingdom 5,200 Straggled 10 Feb 41
Clea (1938)  United Kingdom 8,028 Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41
Sunk by U-96[5]
Cliona (1931)  United Kingdom 8,375
Contractor (1930)  United Kingdom 6,004 Joined ex-BHX 106
Dover Hill (1918)  United Kingdom 5,815 Joined ex-BHX 106
Edward F Johnson (1937)  United Kingdom 10,452 Joined ex-BHX 106
Esturia (1914)  United Kingdom 6,968 Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41
Evanger (1920)  Norway 3,869
Ganges (1930)  United Kingdom 6,246 Joined ex-BHX 106
Garonne (1921)  Norway 7,113 Joined ex-BHX 106
Geo W McKnight (1933)  United Kingdom 12,502 Joined ex-BHX 106
Harpagus (1940)  United Kingdom 5,173
Hopemount (1929)  United Kingdom 7,434 Straggled 3 Feb 41
Horda (1920)  Norway 4,301 Straggled 10 Feb 41
Kheti (1927)  United Kingdom 2,734 Joined ex-BHX 106
Laguna (1923)  United Kingdom 6,466 Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41
Leiesten (1930)  Norway 6,118 Joined ex-BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb
Lodestone (1938)  United Kingdom 4,877 Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41
Mactra (1936)  United Kingdom 6,193 Joined ex-BHX 106
Malmanger (1920)  Norway 7,078 Joined ex-BHX 106
Miralda (1936)  United Kingdom 8,013 Joined ex-BHX 106
Mirza (1929)  Netherlands 7,991 Joined ex-BHX 106
Nurtureton (1929)  United Kingdom 6,272
Oilfield (1938)  United Kingdom 8,516 Joined ex-BHX 106
Opalia (1938)  United Kingdom 6,195 Joined ex-BHX 106
R J Cullen (1919)  United Kingdom 6,993
San Eliseo (1939)  United Kingdom 8,042 Joined ex-BHX 106
San Fabian (1922)  United Kingdom 13,031
Silveray (1925)  United Kingdom 4,535 Joined ex-BHX 106
Temple Arch (1940)  United Kingdom 5,138 Joined ex-BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb
Topdalsfjord (1921)  Norway 4,271 Capt W H Poole Rd RNR (Commodore)
Torborg (1921)  Norway 6,042 Joined ex-BHX 106
Trelissick (1919)  United Kingdom 5,265 Joined ex-BHX 106

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.[3]

Name Flag Type Joined Left
HMS Burnham (H82)  Royal Navy Town-class destroyer 12 Feb 1941 15 Feb 1941
HMCS Collingwood (K180)  Royal Canadian Navy Flower-class corvette 30 Jan 1941 31 Jan 1941
HMS Kingcup (K33)  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 15 Feb 1941 17 Feb 1941
HMS La Malouine (K46)  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 12 Feb 1941 17 Feb 1941
HMS Malcolm (D19)  Royal Navy Admiralty-type destroyer leader 12 Feb 1941 15 Feb 1941
HMS/HMT Northern Pride (FY105)  Royal Navy ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) trawler 15 Feb 1941 18 Feb 1941
HMS Ramillies (07)  Royal Navy Revenge-class battleship 30 Jan 1941 10 Feb 1941
HMS Saladin (H54)  Royal Navy Admiralty S-class destroyer 12 Feb 1941 14 Feb 1941
HMS Sardonyx (H26)  Royal Navy Admiralty S-class destroyer 12 Feb 1941 17 Feb 1941
HMS Skate (1917)  Royal Navy R-class destroyer 12 Feb 1941 18 Feb 1941
HMT Vizalma (FY286)  Royal Navy ASW trawler 15 Feb 1941 18 Feb 1941
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References
  1. Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. p. 127. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
  2. Miller, Nathan (1996). War at sea : a naval history of World War II. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 147. ISBN 0-19-511038-2.
  3. "Convoy HX.106". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  4. "Arthur F. Corwin – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
  5. "Clea – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.

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