Cargoes have been extracted from a document received from D. Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague's database - see his listing for HX 174 at Ships in all HX convoys.

Info on the loss of Empire Comet was added with the help of "Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two", Jürgen Rohwer.

Br=British, Sw=Swedish, Du=Dutch, Fr=French, Pa=Panamanian, Am=American, Pol=Polish, Norw=Norwegian.

The Rescue Vessel Stockport was also with this convoy for a while, see Notes below.

For info, the Panamanian El Occidente later joined Convoy PQ 12 to Murmansk on March 1 (see this external site), returning with Convoy QP 10 (sunk).

Comparing the above with what can be found in Arnold Hague's listing for HX 174 at Ships in all HX convoys, we find the following:
He has Comanchee in station 71 (instead of 61), but this might just be a typing error, because he also has Empire Flint in that station.
Saint Bertrand is listed as British (as is Athos, but this was a Norwegian ship).
He says that King Lud arrived in tow, and that Maja was involved in a collision on Febr. 16.
Also, Norvinn returned following a collision. She shows up again in Convoy HX 182 the following month.
The American Norwalk is also said to have returned, as did James Hawson (the latter joined HX 175).
The Dutch Patricia is not mentioned at all.

I've been told by Marek, a Polish visitor to my site that the Polish Lechistan was late for convoy HX 174. She left Halifax on Febr. 7 at 10:35 hrs and had to chase the convoy and joined it only on Febr. 11.

Gyda was originally Danish.

Empire Onyx became the Norwegian Nortind in March-1942.

Elisha Walker is listed as American (Standard Oil Co.) in "The world's Merchant Fleets 1939". A. Hague lists her as Panamanian (while the diary says she was British).

Empire Comet became a straggler and was reported missing after Febr. 19. Sunk by U-136 on Febr. 17. See the external link provided below for more details.

Anderson ran aground on Eastern Head on Febr. 9, 8 died - my page about Anderson has more information.

The Rescue Vessel Stockport was on her 3rd voyage as Rescue Ship, having been requisitioned as such on July 8-1941. She had followeed Convoy ON 65 from Clyde until detached to Reykjavik (from Febr. 8 to Febr. 14), then returned to Clyde with HX 174, Febr. 17 to Febr. 21-1942.

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of HX convoy escorts, also received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Acanthus - From 17/02/42 to 21/02/42
Arrowhead - From 07/02/42 to 10/02/42
Galt - From 07/02/42 to 09/02/42
Keppel - From 17/02/42 to 20/02/42
Mahone - From 07/02/42 to 09/02/42
Rose - From 17/02/42 to 20/02/42
Saskatoon - From 07/02/42 to 09/02/42
Shikari - From 17/02/42 to 21/02/42
Snowberry - From 07/02/42 to 10/02/42
St. Albans - From 17/02/42 to 21/02/42
USCGC Campbell - From 09/02/42 to 17/02/42
USS Babbitt - From 09/02/42 to 16/02/42
USS Badger - From 09/02/42 to 17/02/42
USS Plunkett - From 09/02/42 to 17/02/42
USS Schenck - From 09/02/42 to 16/02/42

Related external links:
The Empire Ships - More info on the Empire Ships sailing in Convoy HX 174.

The attack on Empire Comet

Back to Convoy Index