Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

For info, some of the ships in this convoy later returned with Convoy ON 3 on July 31 (Empire Gull is listed in ON 4).

Notes:
Commodore H. H. Rogers was in Talthybius, Vice Commodore was Captain J. Kenny of Empire Rainbow.

When the Norwegian whale catcher Kos XX is included, the convoy had 46 ships. The whale catcher joined in the afternoon of June 30.

Average speed of convoy - 7 knots.

Convoy SC 36 was in company from 17:00 on July 3 until 09:00 on July 16. Kos XX remained with SC 36 (ref. Commodore's report).

Arrival rendezvous, July 13

The Commodore says that
station keeping was poor at first, but became very good. Mount Kyllene was always moderate. Oscilla was constantly astern of station and paid little regard to signals.
Signalling was very good except Mount Kyllene and Oscilla who "need a good shake up" and instructions.
Remarkably good were Dalmore, Loch Dee, Empire Silver and O. A. Knudsen.
Very bad were Leeds City, Lylepark, Manchester Merchant, Nailsea Manor, Stanford.
Pacific Star was unable to exceed 8 1/2 knots, reason unknown.

HX 136 nearly collided with two OB convoys - the Commodore's report has more on this.

Scandia was re-routed to Reykjavik in the morning of July 13 (25W).
9 ships left for Loch Ewe in the afternoon of July 16.
6 ships left for Clyde in the afternoon of July 17.
1 for Londonderry, 3 for Belfast in the morning of July 18. 2 for Belfast for onward convoy in the morning of July 18.

Escort Vessels: HMS California, and group under HMS Burnham from Halifax.
Group of 16 under HMS Keppel from eastern rendezvous point. Local escort joined at 06:00 BST on July 13 in 60 45N 25W.
Air Aiscort was "frequently seen".

Commodore Roger's Report on Passage of Convoy
to the Secretary of the Admiralty - dated July 16-1941

Talthybius is a very good Commodore's ship. She is efficient and well manned and has a good fighting spirit. She has D/F but no Echo Sounder or Gyro Compass.

KITES: Number of ships fitted with kites unknown 18 kites wre flown on Monday 14th July for 8 hours, and about 12 on Thursday 17th July for 10 hours. Otherwise weather was unsuitable. Talthybius is what is known as a goal post ship and she can put her kite up only when the wind is from the starboard side. There are not many of these ships in the Mercantile Marine, but most of them are large cargo carriers. It is suggested that they should have kite fittings on both the starboard and port posts.

13 days were spent in company with SC 36 at speeds ranging between 7.4 and 6.5 knots. This business of sailing in company with a slow convoy is very worrying, unless, as happened on this occasion, the weathr is perfect. The following difficulties occur:

a) - Merchant ships are designed to manoeuvre at their normal full speed. If there is bad weather the small ships have to ease down, so the big ships have to ease down too. Since their rudders are not designed for slow speeds, many bigger ships at slower speeds become practically out of control when the wind is round about the beam.

b) - The normal method of altering course is by wheeling. It is laid down in Art: 12 Consigs that, when wheeling, the inner columns reduce 2 knots. This, when convoy speed is 6.5, means 4.5 knots. There are many diesel merchant ships in 9 knot convoys that cannot go less than 7 knots. If they stop engines they cannot steer, if they do not they get mixed up with ships ahead.

c) - A convoy of 88 ships steaming at 6 1/2 knots is terribly vulnerable and unmanageable and the necessity of sailing the two convoys together is keeping at sea for several extra days a large number of very valuable and fairly fast ships.

d) - Since the slow convoy has to go as fast as possible to keep up with the fast, their smoke becomes almost uncontrolable. In SC 36 it was very bad at times.

I realize that this policy is caused by lack of escorts, but I do urge that as soon as possible the policy of sending fast and slow convoys in company may be stopped. In winter there is always danger of the loss of valuable ships.

Outward and homeward bound convoys are being routed rather close together. It is true warnings are issued when convoys may cross, but in dark nights or low visibility warnings can do little to prevent a meeting.

At 13:30 Tuesday 1st July in 44 51N 60 18W 9 ships, more or less in company, but looking as if they had just been dispersed, would have passed through the Halifax section of HX 136 if the weather had been thick. This was in a 50% fog area.
On Thursday 3rd July in a 65% fog area and OB convoy passed through lines of 01 and 02 on more or less opposite courses. Fortuantely, it was a clear and light night. On this occasion fog and other circumstances had brought HX 136 only 1(?) mile to the westward of the true line.
On Tuesday 8th July at 22:30 OB 340 was sighted on the N.W. horizon, about 15 miles away.
On Wednesday 9th July escort received a signal which showed that OB 341 was crossing our track. They were not seen, but smoke was sighted to southward at night.

Homeward and outward bound tracks should be at least 60 miles apart, especially in winter and in the fog areas south and east of Newfoundland. Allowance has to be made for convoys being late. Allowance has to be made for drastic alterations of course shifting position of convoy at least 20 miles from its true line. Allowance has to be made for a very important factor:

Little is known about currents in the N.W. Atlantic, and, owing to the nature of the weather, much of the navigation is by dead reckoning. On this passage, in calm and clear weather, for 2 days after passing the Virgins, HX 136 and SC 36 were steaming the revs for 7 knots, and were making good 5.8 knots 12 degrees to starboard of the true course steered.

The consequence of two convoys meeting on different courses on a dark night or in thick weather might cause a catastrophe far worse than an attack by a S/M.

The Commodore adds that this is "not intended as criticism. The difficulties are known and I appreciate the great skill with which convoys are routed clear of enemy S/M's. I only wish to make clear a few facts which may not be known to those who are not familiar with the details of convoy work at sea, but which do tend to turn a Commodore's hair from grey to white".

Back to Convoy Index