Convoy SL-125

Convoy SL-125 was the 125th of the numbered series of World War II convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean traveled independently to Freetown, Sierra Leone to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. [Hague 2000 p.138] Forty-two ships departed Freetown on 16 October 1942; [Hague 2000 p.142] with a weak escort of four Flower class corvettes lead by "Petunia" [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172] and including "Woodruff" [Blair 1998 p.69]

German cryptographers decoded message traffic containing tactical information about convoy SL-125, and wolf pack "Streitaxt" (battle axe) [Blair 1998 p.69] of "U-103", "U-134", "U-203", "U-409", "U-440", "U-509", "U-510", "U-572", "U-604", and "U-659" [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172] was assembled 23 October to intercept the convoy west of the Canary Islands. [Blair 1998 p.69] "U-203" found the convoy on 25 October, but was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the 7700-ton British tanker "Anglo Maersk". [Blair 1998 p.69] The tanker was subsequently shadowed by "U-134" and damaged by "U-509". [Blair 1998 p.69]

"U-409" found and reported the main convoy of 37 ships on 27 October. [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172] "U-659" was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the convoy. After moonrise, "U-604" sank the damaged "Anglo Maersk" [Blair 1998 p.69] while "U-509" torpedoed the 7591-ton British freighter "Pacific Star" and the 6148-ton British freighter "Stentor". [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172] Forty-four merchant sailors were lost with 6000 tons of West African produce, and 5037 tons of refrigerated meat and general cargo. [Hague 2000 p.146]

After unsuccessful submerged daylight attacks on 28 October, "U-509" sank the 5283-ton British freighter "Nagpore" and damaged the 5178-ton British freighter "Hopecastle" after sunset. "U-203" sank the damaged "Hopecastle" before dawn. [Blair 1998 p.70] Twenty-four merchant sailors were lost with 1500 tons of copper, and 11000 tons of general cargo. [Hague 2000 p.146]

"U-509" sank the 4772-ton British freighter "Britanny" during foul weather on the night of 29-30 October. [Blair 1998 p.70] Fourteen merchant sailors were lost with 7132 tons of general cargo. [Hague 2000 p.146] fifty merchant sailors died when the 7519-ton British tanker "Bullmouth" (sailing in ballast) was damaged by "U-409" and sunk by "U-659". [Blair 1998 p.70] The 7131-ton British freighter "Corinaldo" was damaged by both "U-509" and "U-659" before being sunk by "U-203". [Blair 1998 p.70] Eight merchant sailors were lost with 5141 tons of frozen meat. [Hague 2000 p.146]

Improved weather brought coordinated attacks on the night of 30-31 October. "U-409" torpedoed the 6373-ton British freighter "Silverwillow" while "U-604" torpedoed the 11898-ton British transport "President Doumer" and the 3642-ton British freighter "Baron Vernon". [Blair 1998 p.70] Two-hundred-sixty-five died and 9000 tons of general cargo and 550 tons of iron ore were lost. [Hague 2000 p.146] The 6405-ton British freighter "Tasmania" was damaged by "U-659" and sunk by "U-103" with the loss of 8500 tons of food and iron and 2 of her crew. [Blair 1998 p.70] The 5700-ton Norwegian freighter "Tasmania" was damaged by "U-510", but kept its station with the convoy. [Blair 1998 p.70]

RAF Coastal Command long range bombers arrived over the convoy on 31 October. [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172] Admiral Karl Dönitz canceled operations on the morning of 1 November. [Blair 1998 p.69] The convoy reached Liverpool on 9 November. [Hague 2000 p.142] It suffered the greatest loss of any SL convoy; [Hague 2000 pp.141-143] but it's timing focused available U-boats in the area away from the Operation Torch convoys for the allied invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942. [Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172]

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