Convoy HX 300

Convoy HX 300

Convoy HX-300 was the 300th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax to Liverpool. These HX convoys had been established shortly after declaration of war; and the first sailed on 16 September 1939.[1] Ships in convoy were less vulnerable to submarine attack than ships sailing independently, but the Allies had difficulty providing an adequate number of escorting warships to establish a protective perimeter for detecting and defeating approaching submarines. British Admiralty operations research scientists evaluating convoy battles of 1941 and 1942 determined losses of ships in convoy were independent of convoy size, but varied with the number of attacking submarines and, when patrol aircraft were unavailable, with the number of escorting warships. They suggested convoy losses could be reduced by 64 percent by decreasing the frequency of convoys to increase the average number of merchant ships in each convoy from 32 to 54 and the number of escorting warships from 6 to 9.[2] Additional reduction of losses was theoretically possible with even larger convoys, but difficulties maneuvering large formations of ships and providing port services for simultaneous arrival of so many ships discouraged very large convoys until trade convoy escort warships were required to support the Invasion of Normandy. More than one hundred ships sailed in each of 7 ON convoys and 9 HX convoys during the summer of 1944. HX 300 was the largest of these with 166 merchant ships arranged in 19 parallel columns to produce a formation approximately 9 miles (14 km) wide and 4 miles (6.4 km) long.[3] Ships sailing from New York City on 17 July 1944 were joined by 30 merchant ships sailing from Halifax Harbour on 19 July, 24 sailing from Sydney, Nova Scotia on 20 July, and 3 from St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador to form the largest trade convoy of the war.[4]

Canadian corvette Pictou had survived three North Atlantic winters of U-boat wolf packs before being entrusted with the safety of the largest trade convoy of the second world war.

Contents

Escorting warships

Ships sailing from New York were escorted by United States Navy submarine chasers SC 1338 and SC 1340, and by Western Local Escort Force (WLEF) Algerine class minesweeper Portage and Flower class corvettes Isles class trawlers Baffin and Mid-Ocean Escort Force group C5 River class frigate Naval trawlers HMS Cape Mariato and HMS Southern Spray assumed responsibility for the convoy in the Western Approaches on 2 August. The convoy was not attacked by submarines and arrived in United Kingdom ports by 3 August 1944.[5]

Results

After the seven Canadian warships of escort group C5 brought the largest convoy of the battle of the Atlantic safely across the mid-ocean, many of the convoy's ships began offloading food, fuel, and materials to support the civilian population of the British Isles. One ship from the convoy waited in Loch Ewe to carry supplies to the United States garrison in Iceland; nine ships waited in the Firth of Clyde until convoy JW 59 formed to carry war materials to the Soviet Union; and 46 waited at Oban until channel ports were ready for them to offload food, fuel, and ammunition for Allied armies moving east from France, and trucks, jeeps, half-tracks, and locomotives to move those supplies to the front. HX 300 was one of six hundred World War II trade convoys from North America to the British Isles. The following list describes the British, American, Norwegian, Greek, Dutch, Panamanian, Polish, Yugoslavian, French, and Swedish ships of this convoy and the cargoes they were transporting.[4]

Merchant ships in convoy

Name[5] Flag[5] Destination[4] Tonnage[5] Cargo[5] Notes[5]
Agia Marina (1912) Greece Avonmouth 4,151 gross register tons (GRT) grain & armoured fighting vehicles joined from Sydney
Europe 7,244 GRT general cargo Liberty ship fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Aleksandar I (1927) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Liverpool 5,948 GRT sugar
Immingham 7,181 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship joined from Halifax
Amelia Earhart (1942) United States Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
American Press (1920) United States Port of Hull 5,131 GRT general cargo including explosives joined from Halifax
Ancylus (1935) United Kingdom Clyde 8,017 GRT USN fuels Merchant aircraft carrier tanker ferrying a deck-load of non-operational aircraft joined from St. Johns
Europe 7,240 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Anna N Goulandris (1921) Greece Thames 4,358 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Europe 7,176 GRT explosives Liberty ship
Liverpool 7,181 GRT landing craft and locomotives Liberty ship
Athelduke (1929) United Kingdom Bromborough 8,966 GRT molasses
Athelprince (1926) United Kingdom Salt End 8,782 GRT molasses joined from Sydney
Athelregent (1930) United Kingdom Greenock 8,881 GRT molasses carried 59 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Thames 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Baxtergate (1925) United Kingdom Thames 5,531 GRT wheat joined from Sydney
Europe 7,182 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Bente Maersk (1928) United Kingdom Firth of Clyde 5,722 GRT gas oil serving as escort oiler
Bernhard (1924) Norway Liverpool 3,563 GRT sugar
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Bonita (1918) Panama Thames 4,929 GRT lumber joined from Sydney
British Colonel (1921) United Kingdom Leith 6,999 GRT gas oil serving as escort oiler carrying 70 spare depth charges for escorting warships
British Promise (1942) United Kingdom Soviet Union 8,443 GRT alcohol cargo loaded at Philadelphia
Cairnvalona (1918) United Kingdom Tyne 4,929 GRT refrigerated general cargo joined from Sydney fitted with HF/DF
Calobre (1919) Panama Belfast 6,891 GRT motor vehicles
Cataraqui Park (1944) United States Bristol 2,877 GRT lumber joined from Sydney
Newport 7,176 GRT explosives and poison gas Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Soviet Union 7,176 GRT general cargo including locomotives Liberty ship
Immingham 7,194 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship joined from Halifax
Chesapeake (1928) United Kingdom Firth of Clyde 8,955 GRT diesel oil and aircraft serving as escort oiler carrying 58 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Christine Marie (1919) United Kingdom Rochester 3,895 GRT woodpulp joined from St. Johns
Europe 7,177 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax
City of Lancaster (1924) United Kingdom Thames 3,041 GRT asphalt, sugar & rum
City of Leicester (1926) United Kingdom Manchester 3,351 GRT flour & general cargo joined from Sydney
Clan MacInnes (1920) United Kingdom Avonmouth 4,672 GRT flour & general cargo joined from Halifax
Soviet Union 7,198 GRT general cargo including locomotives Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Clydefield (1928) United Kingdom Scapa Flow 7,365 GRT fuel oil
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Dalhanna (1930) United Kingdom Liverpool 5,571 GRT lard & general cargo
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Liverpool 7,181 GRT explosives Liberty ship
Daylight (1931) United States Heysham 9,180 GRT petrol, oil & barges
Dimitrios Chandris (1910) Greece Thames 4,643 GRT general cargo joined form Sydney
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship
Dramatist (1920) United Kingdom Liverpool 5,443 GRT general cargo
Eastern Guide (1918) United States Loch Ewe 3,704 GRT General cargo including lumber and 300 depth charges bound for Iceland
Europe 7,240 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Soviet Union 7,176 GRT general cargo including locomotives Liberty ship
Elg (1930) Norway Greenock 4,014 GRT sugar & rum
Soviet Union 7,176 GRT locomotives & machinery Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax
Elisabeth Dal (1910) United Kingdom Manchester 4,258 GRT wheat joined from Sydney; constructive total loss following collision
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including pontoons Liberty ship
Empire MacCallum (1943) United Kingdom Liverpool 8,252 GRT grain Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax
Avonmouth 6,327 GRT ore concentrates
Hartlepool 3,234 GRT general cargo including explosives joined from Sydney
Liverpool 7,046 GRT refrigerated general cargo carried convoy commodore RADM Sir A T Tillard KBE DSO
Liverpool 7,022 GRT meat, flour & general cargo joined from Halifax fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Evanger (1920) Norway Tyne 3,869 GRT general cargo including barges
Exilona (1919) United States Europe 4,971 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles
Ferncourt (1938) Norway Manchester 9,918 GRT diesel oil & armoured fighting vehicles serving as escort oiler
Fluor Spar (1919) United States Cardiff 5,055 GRT general cargo including explosives joined from Halifax
Fort Nipagon (1942) United Kingdom Thames 7,132 GRT general cargo
Europe 7,210 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT explosives Liberty ship fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Immingham 7,176 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship
Franka (1918) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Liverpool 5,273 GRT sugar
Frontenac (1928) Norway Portsmouth 7,350 GRT USN fuel serving as escort oiler carrying 10 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Gatineau Park (1942) United Kingdom Hull 7,128 GRT general cargo including ammunition joined from Sydney fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Europe 7,244 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Georgian (1920) United States Europe 5,825 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles
Gerard Dou (1941) Netherlands Thames 7,242 GRT sugar & general cargo carried convoy vice commodore VADM Sir R H O Lane-Poole KBE CB
Gerassimos Vergottis (1920) Greece Liverpool 6,343 GRT woodpulp joined from Halifax
Glarona (1928) Norway Manchester 9,912 GRT crude oil & aircraft
Gylfe (1930) Norway Grangemouth 6,129 GRT diesel fuel
Europe 7,180 GRT military stores including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Hartlepool (1932) United Kingdom Tyne 5,500 GRT lumber joined from Sydney
Helder (1920) Netherlands Liverpool 3,629 GRT sugar & rum joined from Halifax
Henrik Ibsen (1906) Norway Ipswich 4,671 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Hoegh Hood (1936) Norway Liverpool 9,351 GRT USN fuel & aircraft
Scapa Flow 7,218 GRT USN fuel Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including explosives & motor vehicles Liberty ship
Port of Hull 7,176 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship joined from Halifax
Immingham 7,200 GRT explosives & machinery Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Jan Van Goyen (1919) Netherlands Thames 5,704 GRT sugar & powdered milk
Firth of Clyde 7,218 GRT USN fuel Liberty ship
Glasgow 7,247 GRT general cargo including tractors & sulfur Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including trailers Liberty ship fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Firth of Clyde 7,176 GRT locomotives & building materials Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Europe 7,191 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Junior Van Noy (1919) United States Europe 2,372 GRT military stores & explosives Army repair ship
Kohistan (1933) United Kingdom Glasgow 5,884 GRT general cargo
Kronprinsessen Margareta (1914) Sweden Swansea 3,746 GRT general cargo
Lansdowne Park (1943) United Kingdom Manchester 2,861 GRT woodpulp joined from Halifax
Soviet Union 7,176 GRT general cargo including explosives and locomotives Liberty ship
Lista (1920) Norway Manchester 3,671 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles
Lucerna (1930) United Kingdom Thames 6,556 GRT gas oil serving as escort oiler carrying 50 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Macoma (1936) Netherlands Firth of Clyde 8,069 GRT USN fuel Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax
Maliakos (1912) Greece Thames 3,903 GRT woodpulp joined from Sydney
Margarita Chandris (1920) Greece Thames 5,401 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Maud (1930) Norway Liverpool 3,189 GRT sugar
Merchant Royal (1928) United Kingdom Manchester 5,008 GRT newsprint joined from Sydney
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Mimosa (1905) Greece Thames 3,071 GRT lumber joined from Sydney
Minerva (1930) Norway Liverpool 5,883 GRT general cargo including landing craft
Mobile City (1920) United States Europe 6,157 GRT general cargo joined from Halifax
Morska Wola (1924) Poland Garston, Merseyside 3,208 GRT general cargo including explosives
Mount Othrys (1919) Greece Leith 6,527 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Nacella (1943) United Kingdom Soviet Union 8,196 GRT aviation gasoline fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Nanceen (1929) France Thames 2,895 GRT woodpulp & motor vehicles joined from Halifax
Europe 7,200 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Nathaniel Matthews (1944) United Kingdom Hartlepool 2,437 GRT general cargo
Avonmouth 7,240 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Norma (1930) Norway Liverpool 4,487 GRT sugar & general cargo
Norsk Tank (1928) Norway Manchester 9,720 GRT fuel oil
Ocean Fame (1942) United Kingdom Thames 7,173 GRT sugar fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Odysseus (1913) Greece Thames 4,577 GRT ammunition & general cargo
Europe 7,244 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax
Ovula (1938) Netherlands Southampton 6,256 GRT diesel fuel and aircraft serving as escort oiler
Peik (1930) Norway Derry 6,099 GRT furnace fuel oil joined from Halifax
Pencarrow (1921) United Kingdom Cardiff 4,841 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Europe 7,176 GRT explosives Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles and explosives Liberty ship
Pomona (1920) United States Europe 7,583 GRT general cargo joined from Halifax
Prometheus (1925) United Kingdom Liverpool 6,095 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles joined from Halifax
Rapana (1935) United Kingdom Firth of Clyde 8,017 GRT USN fuel Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax
Riley (1936) United Kingdom Manchester 4,993 GRT grain joined from Sydney
Europe 7,191 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Rudby (1924) United Kingdom River Tyne 4,846 GRT grain joined from Halifax
Saintonge (1936) United Kingdom Thames 9,386 GRT USN fuel serving as escort oiler carrying 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Salando (1920) Netherlands Thames 5,272 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles
Samfield (1943) United Kingdom Manchester 7,219 GRT steel & lumber fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Samsperrin (1944) United Kingdom Liverpool 7,219 GRT grain
Europe 7,177 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,191 GRT general cargo Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT motor vehicles Liberty ship
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo Liberty ship joined from Halifax
San Valerio (1913) United Kingdom Isle of Grain 6,493 GRT furnace fuel oil serving as escort oiler
Senga (1913) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Glasgow 5,140 GRT steel & woodpulp joined from Sydney
Firth of Clyde 7,176 GRT locomotives and explosives Liberty ship fitted with Anti-torpedo Net Device
Skeldergate (1930) United Kingdom Manchester 4,251 GRT woodpulp joined from Sydney
Solstad (1927) Norway Birkenhead 5,952 GRT lubricating oil
Stalowa Wola (1924) Poland Sunderland 3,133 GRT general cargo including explosives
Suerte (1910) Panama 3,649 GRT
Soviet Union 7,210 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship
Thorshov (1935) Norway London 9,955 GRT diesel fuel and aircraft serving as escort oiler carrying 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Tilapa (1928) United Kingdom Thames 5,392 GRT meat and general cargo joined from Halifax
Torr Head (1937) United Kingdom Glasgow 5,021 GRT metal & general cargo veteran of convoy ON 67; joined from Halifax
Trocas (1927) United Kingdom Thames 7,406 GRT furnace fuel oil
Tynebank (1922) United Kingdom Liverpool 4,651 GRT sugar
Voco (1925) United Kingdom Birkenhead 5,090 GRT lubricating oil carried 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships
Soviet Union 7,210 GRT general cargo including locomotives Liberty ship
Liverpool 7,177 GRT general cargo including explosives Liberty ship
Wind Rush (1918) United States Cardiff 5,586 GRT motor vehicles and explosives veteran of convoy JW 51A and convoy ON 166
Winona (1919) United States Liverpool 6,197 GRT general cargo including ammunition and motor vehicles veteran of convoy SC 7
Wisla (1928) Poland Bristol 3,106 GRT general cargo veteran of convoy ON 154; joined from Halifax
Zamalek (1921) United Kingdom 1,567 GRT convoy rescue ship; veteran of convoy PQ 17 and convoy SC 130
Europe 7,176 GRT general cargo including motor vehicles Liberty ship

Notes

  1. ^ Hague 2000 pp.126–129
  2. ^ Potter & Nimitz (1960) pp.557–558
  3. ^ Potter & Nimitz (1960) pp.543–545
  4. ^ a b c "Convoy HX 300". Warsailors.Com. http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/hx300.html. Retrieved 2011-06-25. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f "HX Convoy Series". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html. Retrieved 2011-06-25. 

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. 
  • Potter, E.B. & Nimitz, Chester W. (1960). Sea Power. Prentice-Hall. 
  • Rohwer, J. and 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. 

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