Br=British, Am=American, Norw=Norwegian, Da=Danish, Ca=Canadian, Gre=Greek, Du=Dutch

Ida Knudsen
fuel oil
Clyde
(Norw)

HX 125 A had 40 ships, joined by HX 125 B consisting of 26 ships in the afternoon of May 16, plus 1 ship (Svanholm) joining from Iceland for a total of 67. 26 ships later left in Loch Ewe section of convoy.

* Fjordheim left for Iceland with escort Ascania, as did British Governor (ordered by W/T) at 12:30 on May 18, 62N 26 1/4W. The latter ship is crossed out on the A 1 form, but it appears she DID sail. Svanholm joined with escort from Iceland around noon on May 18, bound for Glasgow - left with Loch Ewe section though stationed with Glasgow section.

** According to the Advance Sailing Telegram, Cockaponset returned to Halifax. She later joined the next convoy, HX 126, as did Hindustan. Leiesten is listed as sailing in Convoy HX 127, while the Norwegian Thorshavn (crossed out from station 42 in B section) shows up again in Convoy HX 128.

Commodore Mackay's Comments - HX 125 A:
Sation keeping - good. Signalling - Very good. Oscillation heard by Empire Confidence p.m. 20th D/F'd by HMS Enchantress.

No vessel failed to continue with convoy. 9 knots seemed too much for some. No vessel failed to keep in touch as speed was reduced as requisite to enable them to remain in contact. All well behaved, notwithstanding difficult ships to handle.

Commodore Mackay's Narrative of Voyage & Suggestions:
"Two days of fog off Newfoundland, which retarded speed somewhat. Route altered by Admiralty Signal to more Northerly, and thence altered to more Southerly (? word missing) Butt of Lewis. Loch Ewe section proceeded separately N. of the Butt. Remainder proceeded (? missing) in South to Barra Head. Bristol Channel portion anchored in ? (word missing) Bay (Belfast) for rerouting. (This information from Walker). Some fresh winds experienced, but weather on the whole fair throughout. Kites flown when opportunity (? word missing) but some were lost. 20 were flown at one time from 67 ships in convoy. Emergency turns exercised for practice, and to clear way for a "Hunt" south of Iceland about noon? (next word missing). Result not known 'tho contact was made. Whales were seen spouting ahead.

"F" signal(?) when encountering ice, to be sounded. Old signal "W" has been superseded by ? given different meaning. Suggest "WW" or other suitable sounded signal to be ... before next ice season. Also "RGR" was a sound signal in fog for cancellation of previous arranged alteration of course.
Bristol Channel section of convoy ordered into Belfast Lough for rerouting. Suggest(?) a handier, more up to date vessel should be chosen for duty, of obtaining information as she is slow in working a convoy and with a large number of ships entering much time is lost. Also while vessels are stopped outside waiting their turn to enter, they present a possible easy target. Suggest that Commodore Wodehouse be asked for his ruling on this, Bristol Channel? portion had to wait while Belfast bound ships entered. Empire Confidence being first ship in experienced little delay."

Escort Vessels: HMS Ascania - left off Iceland. HMS Revenge, close cover for A and B. Also, HMS Culver, HMS Hartland, HMS Fishguard, HMS Lulworth and HMS? Aberdeen. HMS Enchantress is also mentioned in Commodore's notes, but not included in his list of escorts.
There was no constant air escort. Single friendly aircraft sighted.
Air escort after leaving Halifax, upon approaching Iceland from two days before ? (word missing) abreast of same, and when approaching the west coast of Scotland. (More escorts mentioned in Commodore Wodehouse's report below).

Commodore Wodehouse's Comments - HX 125 B:
Station keeping - Good. A regrettable tendency to open out (ships in column) to double or treble distance at night.
Signalling - Good. British Destiny exceptionally good.

Evgenia Chandris (93), Invincible (73) - dirty bottom - Empire Hail (63) lack of ?(2 illegible words, last one looks like "power") would probably have straggled had it ever been necessary to go 9 knots.

S.S. Ramsey (station 64 in A section of convoy) caused dangerous bunching(?) due to her erratic station-keeping. "I have learnt since that one of his Engineers was left in Hospital at Halifax and rather than miss? the Convoy the Master sailed one short. (Master Burns, Bolton Steamship Co. London)".

Narrative of Voyage:
Uneventful till 00:01 May 10 when fog was experienced with two short intervals for 66 hours. Evgenia Chandris L.N.? & A/A Gunnery Practice. Revenge & Aberdeen providing targets.
? (name missing) and Invincible got lost and rejoined at 12:00 on May 12 and 18:00 on May 13 respectively (Invincible became Empire Porpoise after having been taken over by MOWT in 1941).
10:00 May 12 turned 90 deg. together and carried out Convoy L.A. & c....
16-- May 16 joined up with section A.

Commodore Wodehouse's suggestions for improvement:
If conditions had not been favourable, there would have been a good chance of 60 ships being seriously delayed because two could not go to speed. Suggested that E.R. Counter Record of doubtfull ships should be called for so that it can be seen what speed they normally go when sailing independently.
More ships to be fitted with kites - more kites to be supplied to ships aleady fitted and a spare wire if possible. Masters are ? to fly them but are afraid of losing their last kite. Considerable wastage is inevitable. 62 ships put up 16 kites between them. There were no kites at Halifax.

Escort Vessels: HMS Revenge - from 10:20 May 7 in 42 56N 56 19W till 23:45 May 13 in 53 26N 42 50W. Also, HMS Churchill (Iceland Escort) from 06:30 GMT on May 16 in 59 20N 38 48W - 2 hours late. There are 4 more vessels given for the Iceland group, but I'm unable to decipher the names. 3 of them might, in fact, be Revenge, Aberdeen and Fishguard already mentioned above. Additionally, HMS Walker with Local Escort.

More details on all the Norwegian ships named in this table can be found in the alphabetical ship lists of this website.

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