Convoy JW 51B

Convoy JW 51B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late December 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports in early January 1943.

JW 51B came under attack by German surface units, engaged in Operation Regenbogen, on 31 December. In the clash that ensued, two escorting destroyers and one attacking destroyer were sunk; no ships were lost from the convoy. This engagement became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea.

Forces

JW 51A consisted of 15 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942. Close escort was provided by the minesweeper Home Fleet destroyers led by Onslow (Capt R. St.V. Sherbrooke commanding). The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising Jamaica and Sheffield, and two destroyers, was also at sea, out of Kola Inlet, to guard against attack by surface units, while distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force from Iceland comprising the battleship Anson, the cruiser Cumberland and five destroyers.

JW 51B was opposed by a force of four U-boats in a patrol line in the Norwegian Sea, and the aircraft of Luftflotte V based in Norway. A surface force comprising the heavy cruisers Hipper, Lützow and six destroyers was also available, stationed at Altenfjord.

Action

Main article: Battle of the Barents Sea

JW 51B departed Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942, accompanied by its local escort, of four destroyers, and its close escort. Three days later, on 25 December, it was joined by the ocean escort, while the local escort departed. On 27 December JW 51B ran into a gale, which scattered the convoy over the next two days into several groups across a wide area. One ship, Dover Hill had been forced to return with weather damage, while five ships and two escorts had become separated. Three of the ships rejoined on 30 December, but Chester Valley, in company with the armed trawler Vizalma, and another, with the destroyer Oribi, remained separated. During the 30th also, Bramble detached from the main body of the convoy to search for the stragglers.

On 24 December the convoy had been sighted by a patrolling aircraft, but was lost later during the storm. However on 30 December it was found again by U-354, and Operation Regenbogen was put into effect. On 31 December the German ships, in two sections, met the ocean escort of JW 51B, and after a sharp engagement, which left the minesweeper Bramble, destroyer Achates sinking, and another, Onslow, damaged, the attacking force was driven off. One German destroyer, Eckholdt was sunk, and a cruiser, Hipper, damaged.

No further attacks developed, and on 1 January 1943 Vizalma and her charge rejoined the convoy. On 2 January JW 51B was met by its eastern local escort, two minesweepers from Murmansk. On 3 January the main body arrived in Kola Inlet, joined the following day by Oribi and her charge.

Conclusion

The 15 ships of JW 51B arrived at Murmansk without loss, though one had been damaged. Despite the loss of two warships, JW 51B was a success, and the failure of the German surface force to mount an effective assault on the convoy caused a loss of confidence by Hitler in the German Navy and its commander, Admiral Erich Raeder, which eventually culminated in his resignation. Thereafter, the main threat to the Allied convoy system was from the U-boat Arm.

Ships involved

Allied ships

Merchant ships

Ballot Calobre Chester Valley Daldorch Dover Hill Empire Archer Empire Emerald

Executive Jefferson Myers edit] Axis ships U-boat force (List is incomplete) edit] Notes References Clay Blair : Hitler's U-Boat War Vol II (1998) ISBN 0-304-35261-7 Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1 Paul Kemp  : U-Boats Destroyed ( 1997) . ISBN 1-85409-515-3 Axel Neistle  : German U-Boat Losses during World War II (1998). ISBN 1-85367-352-8 Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5 Bernard Schofield : (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford ISBN (none) JW 51B at Convoyweb Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая? Convoy JW 51A Convoy JW 54A Look at other dictionaries: Convoy PQ 17 — Part of World War II, Atlantic Campaign Escorts and merchant ships at Hv …   Wikipedia Convoy PQ 18 — under attack Convoy PQ 18 was one of the Arctic convoys sent from Britain to aid the Soviet Union in the war against Nazi Germany. The convoy departed Loch Ewe, Scotland on 2 September 1942 and arrived in Arkhangelsk on 21 September 1942.… …   Wikipedia Convoy PQ 16 — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in May 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports after five days of air attacks that left eight ships sunk and two damaged.… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 55B — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late December 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely. During the… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 56A — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. Twelve ships arrived safely. During the voyage… …   Wikipedia Convoy PQ 15 — was an Arctic convoy sent from Iceland by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late April 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports after air attacks that sank three ships. Twenty two ships arrived safely.… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 51A — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in December 1942, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. JW 51A was not detected or attacked by German… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 54B — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late November 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely. Contents 1… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 55A — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in December 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely. Contents 1 Ships 2… …   Wikipedia Convoy JW 58 — was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in March 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports in early April. All ships arrived safely. JW 58 was attacked by German U… …   Wikipedia 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”