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

A 1 form is not available and, therefore, all the stations are not known (stations have been taken from various reports).

Crossed out ships did not sail.

Notes:
Commodore was in Pinto, Vice Commodore in Cervantes.

The convoy was attacked by enemy aricraft at 06:50, June 15, a Focke Wolfe Condor dropping a stick of bombs close to Belgique in station 42 of the convoy. This was followed by a series of attacks on the convoy, continuing intermittently until 08:05, at which time the enemy disappeared to the northeast. It was at first believed that there were only 2 Focke Wolfe's - the following signal was made from HMS Wellington to F.O.C.N.A.:
"HG 65 attacked by two Focke Wolfe Condors. No hits. My position 34° 50'N 08° 43'W" (T.O.O. 0650A/15 T.O.D. 0731A/15).
Later on a 3rd Focke Wolfe joined in the attack, and it appeared there might have been a total of 4 planes attacking, 1 of which was identified as a 2 engined machine believed to be a JU 88.

In accordance with instructions issued at the previous Convoy Conference, the escort closed around the convoy. Geranium was already in the rear centre, while Wellington took up a position in the middle, between the 2nd and 3rd columns, manoeuvring so as to make the greatest possible use of the 3" H.A. gun.

5 or 6 separate aircraft attacks were made at a level of not more than 200 feet, flying between the lines of the convoy at an even lower level. 2 of the Focke Wolfe's were seen to have been hit by several bursts of Wellington's .5 machine guns, possibly also by the Lewis guns, but no hits could be claimed for certain by the 3" H.A. gun, though on two occasions the aircraft sheered off and abandoned their attack when fired upon by this gun. All the escorts claimed to have hit 1 or more of the planes several times, and they were also damaged by fire from the convoy itself.

Catalina aircraft was never observed to engage the enemy at close range, but fired a few bursts at a range of not less than 2000-3000 yards. It was presumed to have been hampered by lack of speed and did not wish to interfere with gunfire from the escorts and ships in the convoy. BBC announced on June 16 that 4 enemy aircraft, which had been attacking shipping near Gibraltar, had been attacked in succession by a Catalina, and had subsequently crashed off Lisbon. "There is every indication that these were the aircraft which attacked convoy HG 65, and, unless they were attacked by a second Catalina on their way home, they crashed entirely owing to damage received from gunfire of escorts and convoy, and not from any action taken by escorting Catalina".

No ships received direct hits by bombs, but the following were damaged by machine gun fire and cannon shell:
HMS Spirea - 1 man injured by bullet passing through his thigh, recovering.
Aldergrove (station 51) - Superficial damage to upperworks.
Cervantes (station 21) - Damage to mainmast, 2 shaft bearings and a fractured discharge valve.
Ulea (station 52) - Mate slightly injured, mast damaged.

The following ships claimed to have hit the German aircraft (escorts are not included in this list):
Cervantes - Direct hits on planes with Lewis guns.
Empire Brook (station 11) - Hit plane with 1 pan of Lewis gun.
Wrotham (station 12) - Hit plane with Hotchkiss.
Hawkinge (station 41) - Hit JU 88 twice with Holman projector.
Belgique (station 42) - Hit JU 88 with rifle.
Ulea - Hit plane with 2 bursts of Hotchkiss.
Gothland (station 53) - Direct hits with machine gun and very probably with 12 pounder.

Enemy tactics were to dive on ship out of the sun, coming down to mast level to drop bombs, while at the same time machine gunning upper deck, then escaping through the lines of the convoy, flying at about 100 feet above the sea. Aircraft that were not attacking flew at a height of about 3000 feet, well clear of the convoy's gunfire, waiting their chance to attack. "It was remarkable that there did not appear to be any attempt to co-ordinate attacks".

Wellington's 3" H.A. gun proved most effective in preventing an attack from developing, and also in breaking up attacks in the early stages. The after 4.7" gun was also used with good effect at aircraft coming up astern.

The "almost complete failure of the attacks" was attributed to the fact that "the convoy and escorts kept well together so that the maximum fire power could be developed, and aircraft were never left unfired at when within range".

Report on passage is available on Page 2

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

Back to Convoy Index