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CONVOY HX 120
Departed Halifax on Apr. 10-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 29th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 37 ships in this convoy.

(Will be updated - please compare with A. Hague's listing for this convoy at ships in all HX convoys. See also HX escorts).

Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (Advance Sailing Telegrams and A 1 form) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Like Convoy HX 119, the names of a few of the ships in this convoy are difficult to decipher, so some guessing has taken place.

The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
San Fabian
British
Tanker B
fuel oil
42
River Mersey
From HX 119
Empire Seal?
"
general
–
Glasgow
From HX 119
Dordrecht
Dutch
palmoil
73
Liverpool
Ex SL 68 (Freetown convoy)
Sailed in HX 121
illegible
looks like Eemland
"
manganese - general
–
London
Ex SL 68
New Columbia
British
W. A. produce
61
Liverpool
Ex SL 68
Saint Merriel
"
cased meats
11
Hull
Ex SL 68
Edward F. Johnson
"
Tanker W
gasoline
81
Avonmouth
From HX 119
Evgenia Chandri
Greek
general - wood pulp
–
Belfast
From HX 119
Glenshiel
British
general - copra - rubber
51
Liverpool
Ex SL 68
Mahana
"
refrig. (dairy produce)
53
Cardiff
–
Empire Bronze
"
grain
52
Liverpool
–
Kolsnaren
Swedish
phosphates
–
Mersey f. o.
Joined HX 121
(returned to port)
Lowther Castle
British
grain
21
Hull
–
illegible
possibly Ostende *
Belgian
steel
–
Clyde f. o.
To SC 29 - did not sail
To HX 123
Rembrandt
British
wheat - lumber
–
Mersey
Sailed in HX 121
Trojan Star
"
refrig. - general
–
Clyde f. o.
Listed in SC 28
Caledonia
Norwegian
Tanker B
–
Clyde
Sailed in HX 121 - sunk
ref. text for Caledonia
Cardium
British
Adm. tanker B
fuel oil
55
Reykjavik
–
illegible
could be Denbydale
"?
Tanker W
–
Manchester
Sailed in HX 121 (if Denbydale)
Miralda
"
Tanker B
fuel oil
22
Clyde / Ardrossan
–
Tahchee
"
Tanker B
–
London
Sailed in HX 121
Tudor Prince
"
bauxite
–
London
Sailed in HX 121
Trehata
"
grain
–
London
Sailed in HX 121
Capulet
"
Adm. tanker B
–
Scapa
Sailed in HX 121 - sunk
Circe Shell
"
Adm. tanker B
fuel oil
45
Scapa
Returned to Halifax
see notes
Empire Puma
"
steel - general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 121
Inverilen
"
Tanker W
gasoline
31
Belfast
–
Tremoda
"
grain
64
Hull
–
Bello
Norwegian
Tanker B
–
Manchester
–
Capsa
British
Adm. tanker B
–
Scapa
Sailed in HX 121
Empire Attendant
"
steel - 350 tons explosives
15
Clyde / Middlesbrough
–
Castilian
"
general
35
Hull
–
Tregarthen
"
grain - planes
41
Belfast / Manchester
–
Empire Activity
"
pig iron
–
Clyde f. o.
Listed in SC 29
Empire Wildebeeste
"
scrap iron
–
Clyde f. o.
Sailed in HX 121
Gallia
Norwegian
Tanker W
–
Avonmouth
Also cancelled from HX 121
Grainton
British
wheat
25
London
–
Mary Kingsley
"
W. A. produce
–
Liverpool
Ex SL 68
Sailed in HX 121
Tibia
Dutch
Tanker B
fuel oil
43
Liverpool
From HX 119
Trecarrell
British
grain
12
Hull
From HX 119
Empire Cheetah?
"
steel
–
Belfast / Newport
From HX 118
Listed in HX 122
Ulysses
Dutch
general - shells
93
Swansea / Avonmouth
From HX 119 *
Prins Willem van Oranje
"
bauxite
–
Burntisland
From HX 119 *
Listed in SC 28
illegibe
could be Indochinois
French
produce
–
Beflast / Liverpool
From HX 119 *
Sailed in HX 121 (if Indochinois)
Clan Macwhirter
British
sugar - iron
91
Liverpool
Ex SL 68
illegible
looks like Jaarstroom
Dutch
produce
–
Hull
Ex SL 68
Listed in HX 123 (if Jaarstroom)
illegible
looks like Rookley
British
grain
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 121 (if Rookley)
Gandia
Belgian
general - 4 bombers
62
Liverpool
From HX 119
Hilda Knudsen
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
–
Clyde
From HX 119
Sailed in HX 121
Cliftonhall
British
grain
82
Avonmouth
–
Aldington Court
"
iron - carbide
–
Immingham
Ex SL 68
Listed in SC 28
Høegh Scout
Norwegian
Tanker W
gas - kerosene
63
Manchester
Ex SL 68
Strix
"
Tanker B
–
Avonmouth
Ex SL 68 - collided
see text for Strix
Listed in HX 122
Marken
Dutch
sugar
92
Greenock
From HX 119
Mount Kyllene
Greek
general - aircraft parts
83
Avonmouth
From HX 119
Talthybius
British
general - 500 tons T.N.T.
71
Liverpool
From HX 119
Woensdrecht
Dutch
benzine
14
Reykjavik
–
Stuart Prince
British
bauxite
23
Leith
From HX 119
Prince Rupert City
"
general
13
Hull
From SC 28
Riley
"
cotton
24
Leith
Ex SL 68 & SC 28
see also notes
Corbis
"
Tanker B
diesel oil
33
Manchester
–
Solarium
"
Tanker W
benzine
32
Manchester
–
Empire Hartebeeste
"
pig iron
34
Hull
Returned
see notes
Alpherat
Dutch
potash
44
London
From SC 28
Michael J. Goulandris
Greek
grain
54
Liverpool
From HX 119
Winkleigh
British
wheat
74
London
–
West Wauna
American / MOWT 1940
steel
72
Garston
(Renamed Empire Grebe 1941)
From HX 119
Cressdene
British
general
84
Avonmouth
Ex SL 68
Later joined SC 28
Also, "Convoy Rescue Ships" by Arnold Hague says that the Rescue Vessel Hontestroom was with the convoy from Apr. 21 until Apr. 28.

Notes:
Commodore was D. S. Robinson in Glenshiel, Vice Commodore was Captain H. Williams in Lowther Castle.
Commodore to Barry: In Edward F. Johnson
To Clyde: In Inverilen.

The convoy had 39 ships on departure.

Next to the ships denoted * above there's a notation saying "Ex HX 119", but I cannot see they are listed among the ships cancelled from that convoy, even taking into consideration the fact that some are illegible.

* The only Belgian ship I can find that matches the tonnage given for this illegible ship is Ostende, which did start out in HX 123, but was sent back to join a slower (SC) convoy.

Empire Hartebeeste dropped astern at 08:20 on Apr. 16, 46 12N 44 13W, having shown "not under command" light.
Circe Shell was instructed to return to Halifax (info on reason not available) at 16:00 on Apr. 16, 47 43N 42 58W.
The convoy was held back due to Riley being unable to maintain convoy speed.

Escort Vessels:
HMS Royal Sovereign and HMS Laconia were met at 12:00 on Apr. 12 in 42 44N 56 16W - the former parted company at 19:00 on Apr. 20 in 55 44N 36 37W, the latter at 16:00 on Apr. 21 in 57 23N 34 47W.
Halifax local escort parted company at 19:30 on Apr. 10 in 44 09N 62 42W.
Met local escort HMS Bulldog at 15:12 on Apr. 21 in 57 19N 34 51W.
Met relief local escort HMS Walker at 20:30 on Apr. 24 in 61 14N 25 51W.
Air Escort: During daylight hours of Apr. 10 and Apr. 11. Sighted air escort again at 09:40 on Apr. 23 in 60 52N 31 30W.

Related external link:
SL Convoys - SL 68 is included.

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To the next HX convoy in my list HX 121


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