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CONVOY HX 132
Departed Halifax on June 10-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 28th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" agrees with 34 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 Telegram and A 1 forms) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
Bermuda Section (BHX) - Sailed June 8
Amakura
British
green heart sugar
Liverpool
To SC 35
Anastassios Pateras
Greek
iron ore
Barrow
To HX 133 - did not sail
(To SC 35)
Brønnøy
Norwegian
nitrates
Newport
To HX 133 - did not sail
To HX 134 - did not sail
Listed in HX 135
Cape Hawke
British
wheat
74
Liverpool
Eclipse
"
Tanker B
gas oil
92
moved to 82
Avonmouth
Eknaren
Swedish
wheat
13
London
El Mirlo
British
Tanker B
diesel oil
11
London
Hopemount
"
Tanker B
crude oil
84
Mersey
From HX 131
Gard
Norwegian
Adm. tanker
Clyde
To HX 133 - did not sail
Sailed in HX 134
Merchant
British
general - explosives
93
Mersey / Holyhead
From HX 131
Oilreliance
"
Tanker B
crude oil
12
London
Primero
Norwegian
wheat
Barry Roads f. o.
From HX 131
To HX 133 - collided
returned to port
Salvage Chieftan
British
none given
Milford Haven
From HX 131
Vimeira
"
Tanker W
kerosene
33
London (Purfleet)
Halifax Section - Sailed June 10
Dalfram
British
grain
91
Avonmouth
Trekieve
"
general
83
Cardiff
British Industry
"
Tanker B
diesel oil
72
Avonmouth
Strategist
"
general
52
Liverpool
Winsum
Dutch
sugar
Clyde f. o.
Sailed in HX 133
Circe Shell
British
Adm. tanker
Admiralty fuel
41
Clyde
Mooncrest
"
flour
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 133
Merchant Prince
"
grain - special
51
Mersey f. o.
From HX 130
Trefusis
British
wheat
Hull
From HX 127
Sailed in HX 133
Daphnella
"
Tanker W
gasoline
81
Avonmouth
From HX 130
Stylianos Chandris
Greek
grain
Belfast for degaussing / Avonmouth
From HX 131
Joined HX 133
(returned to port)
Listed in HX 138
Kastor
"
wheat - lumber
Immingham
From HX 131
Sailed in HX 134
Belita
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
fuel oil
53
Liverpool
Empire Falcon
British
scrap iron - special
44
Glasgow
From HX 131
Tore Jarl
Norwegian
lumber
24
Grimsby
Sydney Section (SHX) - Sailed June 10
(another document says it sailed June 11)
Ørnefjell
Norwegian
general
62
Manchester/Glasgow
Bayano
British
refrig. - general - mail
71
Avonmouth
Duke of Sparta
"
flour
22
London
Lekhaven
Dutch
grain
63
Manchester
Sama
Norwegian
refrig. - general
73
Liverpool
Margarita Chandri
Greek
grain
Avonmouth
To HX 133 - did not sail
Listed in HX 137
Ashby
British
grain
64
Liverpool
Additionally, a separate document lists the following (no mention of where they originally started out):
Belinda
Norwegian
Tanker W
gasoline
34
moved to 45
Mersey
Joined from Bermuda
See her Voyage Record & Belinda
Cistula
Dutch
Tanker B
diesel oil
43
Mersey
Cortona
British
refrig.
42
London
Corilla
Dutch
Tanker W
benzine
32
London (Thameshaven)
Elona
British
Tanker W
gasoline
23
Isle of Grain
Otina
"
Tanker W
gasoline
21
London (Shellhaven)
Schuylkill
"
Tanker W
Pool oil
31
Glasgow/Ardrossan
San Ernesto
"
Tanker W
gasoline
61
Mersey
From HX 130
James Hawson
Norwegian
Tanker W
82
moved to 92
Belfast
From HX 131
Avra
Greek
grain
54
Mersey f. o.

Notes:
Commodore, Vice Admiral P. M Austin was in Merchant Prince, Vice Commodore E. Broad in Daphnella.

According to the Commodore's notes, the convoy had 34 ships, all 34 were present at local rendezvous on June 23-1941.

Average speed: 7.2 knots - Distance: 3091 miles. The convoy sailed with Convoy SC 34 for a while.

Escort Vessels: HMCS Annapolis (from Halifax), HMS Revenge (Ocean Escort, from 08:00 on June 11). Newfoundland patrol was met in 49 21N 48 48W - names unknown.
Local Escort (Home): HMS Broke, HMS Douglas, HMS Venomous.
No. 2 Escort Group was met at 07:00 on June22 at rendezvous point.
No. 1 Escort Group was met at 09:45 on June 23 as arranged.
When convoy separated: HMS Venomous and No. 2 Group.
Air Escort: Aircraft was heard but not seen on June 23. Air escort seen until noon. No air escort on June 25, but air escort joined at 04:00 on June 26, 80' 260° from Butt of Lewis. Air escort joined at 06:00 on June 27 near Skerryvore Light House.

Commodore's Comments:
Bayano, Strategist, Sama, Ørnefjell - Station keeping and signalling exceptionally good.
Empire Falcon (Captain O. Goudy) - station keeping and signalling very bad indeed. Had to be replaced as column leader as incompetent to bad - this ship was always 4-8 miles astern of station. No amount of signals which were made to her had any effect at all. Many were made. When told a severe report would be made there was no reply. Kept very bad look-out for signals and thereby caused much delay.

Weather bad - 101 hours' fog. Heavy ? (words missing) banks and strong S.W. winds later on passage for several days. Sky overcast nearly the whole voyage and observed positions were seldom obtained. Rendezvous with different sections of convoy - and with SC 34 and with destroyer escort made in very short visibility. Butt of Lewis made in thick weather. North passage(?) thick fog until Maiden Rock Light was seen.

On the night of Sunday 15th June in thick fog, San Ernesto reported she had collided with a submarine. Captain was certain he had seen a periscope and the ship shuddered when she struck the alleged submarine. No damage sustained by San Ernesto and nothing further was seen or heard. In my opinion, it was not a submarine, but a whale or large black fish which was struck. There were many about and in the fog I myself nearly mistook a large fish for a submarine. The captain was ordered to carry out examination of hull and render a full report on arrival in harbour.

Saturday 21st, submarine heard on D.F. making reports on starboard quarter. Made an emergency turn to port at once and after three hours an emergency turn to starboard and two hours later to course for next position. On Sunday 22nd the weather was foggy and heavy swell was running. Visibility improved before dark, and as further reporting signals of submarine was heard on D.F. large evasive A/C were made during twilight hours.

On Monday 23rd first sighting report by submarine of a convoy or important unit was received by HMS Ranpura who left convoy about 10:00 after Group 1 had joined. Destroyer escort were asked to arrange for a distant search and for depth charges to be dropped in the hope of keeping down a submarine near convoys HX 132 and SC 34.

The following arrangements were made for the night:
Distant search to be made before dusk and maintained during dark hours and for some time later in twilight. Convoy to alter course 20° to starboard and then 20° to port before dark. This was done in the hope of deceiving the submarine that the next turn would be back to port and also that she might surface and make another signal, thus giving an indication of her position to distant patrol. A signal was heard after the turns were made.

Two aircraft had now arrived and made wide search. At the darkest hours convoy turned 40° back to starboard and three hours later to course for next position a turn of about 45°.

For half an hour before these turns and for some time after the last turn, depth charges were dropped by the distant patrol. No further signals were heard on D.F. watch by the convoy or escort and no report of such from Admiralty. Whether this was due to the procedure adopted or not cannot be determined, but the fact remains that nothing more was heard of the two submarines which had been in touch with and were presumed to be reporting convoy. No further incidents occurred and no enemy aircraft were seen - probably due to thick weather.

All the Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy are discussed on this website - see alphabet index.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HX convoy in my list HX 133


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