Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper, England - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

As can be seen from the station numbers, the convoy had 8 columns and 4 rows.

Notes:
Commodore, Admiral (retired) H. R. Crooke R.N.R. was in Mantola (Captain C. J. Feller).
Vice Commodore was Vice Admiral (retired) J. M. Casement R.N.R. in Prome.
The Commodore considers his ship to be "a very suitable ship for a Commodore. Large bridge with space for signalling, and a good lot of officers. One of her main engines, however, is in need of repairs".

Average speed: 7.9 knots.

The Commodore states that
"B" Group (probably taken over by the Vice Commodore?), consisting of British Viscount, Clam Alpera, Bactria, Wallsend, Istok, Prome, City of Barcelona, Polarsol, King Edwin, City of Leicester and Explorer - parted company at 16:40 on Apr. 8 in 47 58N 8 20W.
Calderon detached for Devonport at 15:00 on Apr. 9 in 49 28N 4 48W.
Harbury, Saint Usk and Saint Bernard detached for Portland at 23:00 on Apr. 9 in 49 45N 3 10W.

Station keeping was "pretty good, after first day out; better than usual. As usual, ships in line ahead in the columns were generally astern of station. Straggling at night was less than usual".
As for visual signalling, "flags - very good generally. Morse lamps - Little used during this voyage. Benarty apparently could not take in Morse, or was unable to answer by it".

Clan Skene (Captain H. Simpson), Harbury (Captain R. Hubbard) and King Edwin (Captain L. Litton) all kept their stations very well.
Puck (Captain J. Piekarski) "kept up very creditably, considering her small size, and the head winds and (at times) rough seas and swell which were met with".
However, Wallsend (Captain A. Thomas) and Alpera (Captain H. MacCracken) were "bad station keepers, constantly astern of station. I consider that neither should be included in a 9 knot convoy in the future".

There's a separate report, probably pertaining to the "B" section, signed by the Vice Commodore, who says
that Tolten "apparently left convoy during the dark hours of night on Friday 5th April. As she was bound for Bordeaux it is possible that she decided to take a shortcut".
Polarsol and Istok parted company on Apr. 9 in 57 31N 06 21W as ordered, and proceeded to Milford Haven.
Alpera for Belfast and British Viscount for the Clyde were detached for their destinations at 11:12 on Apr. 10 in 53 30N 04 55W.
Clam was instructed to remain with the convoy and proceed to Liverpool as directed by Admiralty.

The 2 reports give slightly different times, dates and positions for the joining and departing of the various escorts, as well as for sighting of aircraft - I've chosen to transcribe (what I believe to be) the Commodore's info below.

Escorts:
From Gibraltar Apr. 2: French destroyer Tigre, French trawler Vickings, and destroyer HMS Douglas.
HMS Douglas parted company on Apr. 4 in 37 17N 11 52W.
The French ships parted company at 07:00 on Apr. 8 in 47 08N 9 43W.

Destroyers HMS Witch and Viscount joined convoy at 06:30 on Apr. 8 in 47 05N 9 47W.
HMS Witch parted from "A" Group at 08:20 on Apr. 9 in 49 05N 5 45W.
HMS Viscount left convoy off Dover at about 05:15 on Apr. 11.

Destroyer HMS Vimy joined at 11:35 on Apr. 8 in 47 27N 19 03W.
Sloop HMS Rochester joined at 12:15 on Apr. 8 in 47 30 1/2N 8 57W.
Vimi and Rochester left with "B" Group at 16:40 on Apr. 8 in in 47 58N 8 20W.

Air Escort:
Apr. 2, from 17:30 to 19:30 - 1 seaplane in sight. At 19:15 - 1 flying boat came over.
Apr. 3, at 09:10 - 1 Albatross plane came over from southeast to north. At 15:00 - 1 flying boat came over from south.
Apr. 4, at 12:40 and 14:20 - 1 flying boat over convoy.
Apr. 8, at 10:55 - 1 short flying boat from southward passed convoy.
Apr. 9, at 06:56 - 1 Anson(?) plane arrived and reappeared every hour until 18:16. 2 planes were present at 10:00 and at 16:00.
Apr. 10, at 06:45 - 1 Anson(?) plane arrived and was in vicinity until 20:30. 2 planes were present at 08:15, 09:45, 13:25 and 17:25.

Related external link:
HG (& SL) Convoys - In chronological order.

Back to Convoy Index