Convoy HX 156
Convoy HX 156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool.[1] Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941,[1] and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of Gleaves-class destroyer Niblack, Clemson-class destroyer Reuben James, Wickes-class destroyer Tarbell, and Benson-class destroyers Benson and Hilary P. Jones.[2]
Convoy HX.156 | |||||
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Part of World War II | |||||
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Belligerents | |||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||
Admiral Karl Dönitz | Rear-Admiral E W Leir DSO | ||||
Strength | |||||
52 merchant ships 16 escorts | |||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
1 ship sunk |
The Action
31 October 1941
The German submarine U-552 sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed Reuben James as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report.[3] A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine.[3] The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.[3]
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II.[4] U-552 was driven off by the escort; but U-567 found the convoy that afternoon.
1 November 1941
Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941.
U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November.[2] Empire Foam launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by HMS Broke after ditching his aircraft.[5][6] The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.[1]
Ships in the convoy
These ships were members of Convoy HX 156.[7]
Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Alchiba (1920) | 4,427 | Iceland | |
Ancylus (1935) | 8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia | |
Anna Knudsen (1931) | 9,057 | ||
Arabian Prince (1936) | 1,960 | 4 Passengers | |
Athelvictor (1941) | 8,410 | ||
Benmacdhui (1911) | 6,869 | ||
Brabant (1938) | 2,483 | 2 Passengers | |
Bralanta (1936) | 9,608 | ||
British Governor (1926) | 6,840 | Scapa Flow | |
Cape Breton (1940) | 6,044 | ||
Charlbury (1940) | 4,836 | ||
Chepo (1919) | 5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 | |
Clan Macquarrie (1913) | 6,471 | ||
Comanchee (1936) | 6,837 | ||
Delilian (1923) | 6,423 | ||
Edam (1921) | 8,871 | 27 Passengers | |
Eidanger (1938) | 9,432 | ||
El Capitan (1917) | 5,255 | Onward To N Russia | |
El Estero (1920) | 4,219 | ||
Empire Confidence (1935) | 5,023 | 12 Passengers | |
Empire Day (1941) | 7,242 | CAM ship | |
Empire Foam (1941) | 7,047 | CAM ship | |
Empire Rainbow (1941) | 6,942 | CAM ship | |
Empire Tern (1919) | 2,479 | ||
Gallia (1939) | 9,974 | ||
Ganymedes (1917) | 2,682 | ||
Gudrun Maersk (1937) | 2,294 | Iceland to Belfast | |
K G Meldahl (1938) | 3,799 | ||
Kollbjorg (1937) | 8,259 | ||
Leiv Eiriksson I (1936) | 9,952 | Ex-Iceland | |
Leonatus (1938) | 2,242 | ||
Lewant (1930) | 1,942 | 2 Passengers | |
Maihar (1917) | 7,563 | 1 Passenger | |
Markhor (1929) | 7,917 | ||
Mergus (1906) | 1,368 | Iceland to Clyde | |
Munin (1899) | 1,285 | Iceland To Clyde | |
Nestor (1913) | 14,629 | 197 Passengers | |
Norefjord (1920) | 3,082 | ||
O A Knudsen (1938) | 11,007 | ||
Polar Chief (1897) | 8,040 | ||
Prince De Liege (1938) | 2,588 | ||
Prins Willem Van Oranje (1938) | 1,303 | ||
San Alvaro (1935) | 7,385 | 4 Passengers | |
San Arcadio (1935) | 7,419 | 1 Passenger | |
San Emiliano (1939) | 8,071 | 4 Passengers | |
Sandanger (1938) | 9,432 | ||
Skaraas (1936) | 9,826 | ||
Sourabaya (1915) | 10,107 | 28 Passengers | |
Stanlake (1923) | 1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy | |
Svanholm (1922) | 1,321 | ||
Troubadour (1920) | 5,808 | 6 Passengers | |
HMCS Annapolis (I04) | Escort 22 – 24 Oct, Destroyer | ||
USS Alchiba (AKA-6) (1939) | 6,198 | to Reykjavik, Armed 'Attack cargo ship' | |
USS Benson (DD-421) | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | ||
USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | ||
USS Niblack (DD-424) | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | ||
USS Reuben James (DD-245) | Escort 24 Oct, sunk by U-552 on 31 Oct 41 (prior to US declaration of war) | ||
USS Tarbell (DD-142) | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | ||
HMS Verity (D63) | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | ||
HMS Wolverine (D78) | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | ||
HMS Camellia (K31) | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Corvette | ||
HMS Larkspur (K82) | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
HNoMS Montbretia | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
HNoMS Eglantine | Escort 1 – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
HMS Broke (D83) | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Flotilla leader | ||
HMS Buxton (H96) | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Destroyer | ||
HMS Begonia (K66) | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Corvette | ||
HMT King Sol (FY235) | Escort 1 Nov, Trawler | ||
Notes
- Hague 2000 p.127
- Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.94
- Morison 1975 p.94
- Silverstone 1968 p.9
- Wise, James E. Jr. (1974). "Catapult Off – Parachute Back". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. pp. 70–77.
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. p. 79. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
- "Convoy HX.156". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
References
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1975). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1943. Little, Brown and Company.
- Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1968). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.