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CONVOY HG 28

Convoy HG 28 Cruising Order
Departed Gibraltar on Apr. 29-1940 and arrived Liverpool on May 9 (Arnold Hague agrees with 25 ships).
Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper, England - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Da=Danish, Fi=Finnish, Yug=Yugoslavian, Gr=Greek, Po=Polish.

Captains' names are in parenthesis, above the names is info on armament where known (pdr.=pounder).
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
11
Amicus
pyrites
Glasgow
4"
(W. Hawes)
(Br)
21
Batna
iron ore
Glasgow
4" & 12 pdr.
(J. Jones)
(Br)
31
Palestinian Prince
fruit
Liverpool
4"
(J. C. Clark)
 (Br)
41
Trongate
pyrites
Garston
4"
(F. P. Morris)
(Br)
51
Roxby
iron ore - esparto
Workington
4"
(S. M. Bailey)
(Br)
61
Harperley
general
London
4" & 12 pdr.
(R. Stoat?)
 (Br)
 71
Oakcrest
iron ore
Middlesbrough
4"
(H. C. Walker)
 (Br)		 81
Hamla
iron ore
Portland
4" & 12 pdr.
(E. Banks)
 (Br)
12
Uskside
pyrites
Ardrossan
4" & 12 pdr.
(G. Fiddler?)
 (Br)
22
Ogmore Castle
ore - esparto grass
Glasgow
1 Lewis
(J. H. Rumsell)
(Br)
32
Silvio
general
Liverpool
(F. A. Richardson)
 (Br)
42
Sandar
crude oil
Swansea
(M. Engvik)
(Norw)
52
Serafin Topic
oil cake - general
Avonmouth
(M. Tomo)
(Yug)
62
Pengreep
ore
Middlesbrough
4"
(D. E. Evans)
(Br)
 72
Frances Dawson
iron ore - esparto grass
Dagenham
12 pdr.
(W. J. MacDonald)
 (Br)		 82
Salmo
general
Hull
(E. R. Massam)
 (Br)
13
Brageland
onions - fruit
Glasgow
(E. Palmgren)
(Sw)
23
Tacoma
cereals
Portland
(J. Madsen)
(Da)
 33
Esneh
flax
Belfast
12 pdr.
(R. Thomas)
(Br)		 43
Bantria
general
Liverpool
4" & 12 pdr.
(J. N. Gelling)
(Br)		 53
Calafatis
iron ore
Workington
(T. Calafatis)
(Gr)		 63
Guido
general
Portland
4"
(A. P. Dugdale)
(Br)		 73
Morgenen
gas oil - kerosene - benzine
Falmouth f. o.
Southampton?
(S. Isaksen)
(Norw)		 83
Katowice
iron ore
Calais
(B. Gaeeck?)
(Po)
14 24 34 44
Winha
general
Liverpool
(Lauri-Armas-Lusu)
(Fi)		 54
Koumoundouros
ore
Barrow
(A. Staniatoudes)
(Gr)		 64
Grigorios C II
palm kernel
Le Havre
(N. Kattoulas)
(Gr)		 74 84
Additionally, the British Britannic (Captain H. H. Wilson, iron ore for Birkenhead) is also mentioned, but appears to have been cancelled.
Also, the Egyptian Star of Ramleh was scheduled (general cargo for Liverpool), but did not arrive in time to be included. She's listed in HG 29.
Brageland and Grigorios C II sailed in the next convoy, HGF 29.


Notes:
Commodore was in Harperley, Vice Commodore in Palestinian Prince.

Extracts from narrative of voyage:
When the convoy had formed up in the evening of Apr. 29, the weather was fine and visibility good; the convoy proceeded at 8 knots. There were many fishing craft about, necessitating frequent alterations of course. The following day average speed was between 6 and 7 knots - zig-zagging all day. On May 1, there was a strong wind with considerable sea and speed was reduced to between 5 and 6 knots. On May 2 and 3 the wind reached gale force at times. The Polish Katowice (belonging to the A portion) gradually lagged behind until she eventually lost touch with the convoy. The weather moderated considerably on May 4 and was fine by the next day, with a smooth sea.

Local escorts HMS Whitehall (for A portion) and Rochester (for B portion) arrived early in the morning of May 6 (due to the head winds and heavy weather, the convoy was 6 hours late on arrival at pre-arranged position). Later that morning, the convoy split up in 48 10N 08 00W, and Rear Admiral H. C. Allen R.N.R. in Palestinian Prince took charge of the B portion of the convoy of 15 ships, escorted by HMS Rochester. Weather was still fine with a smooth sea.

What follows applies to the B portion:

Average speed: 7 1/4 knots.

The convoy had continuous air coverage during daylight hours of May 7 and 8.

The Norwegian Sandar and the Yugoslavian Serafin Topic were sent to Milford Haven for instructions at about 23:00 on May 7 in 51 30N 06 25W.
Batna, Uskside, Amicus and Ogmore Castle parted company off Anglesea (270° Skerries 15') at 15:30 on May 8, for Clyde ports. At the same time Esneh was sent to Belfast.
Roxby and Calafatis parted company for Workington, and Koumoundouros for Barrow at 21:45 on May 8, 276° Bar Light Vessel 16'.
The remaining 5 ships proceeded to Liverpool, arriving Bar Light Vessel at 23:00.

Commodore Allen says, "All ships kept good station - answered signals smartly and were well manoeuvred. This reduced signalling to the minimum possible and reflects much credit upon all the masters, including the foreign ships".

Escorts:
From Gibraltar: HMS Wellington and Aberdeen (until met by local escort).
Local: HMS Whitehall and HMS Rochester met at 05:55 on May 6-1940 in 46 55N 09 58W.

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

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HG convoy in my list HGF 29


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