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

The ships are listed in the order in which they appear on the various documents.
Crossed out ships did not sail - underlined ships returned to port.

For info, some of the ships in this convoy later returned to the U.S. with the westbound Convoy ON 153, some are listed in ON 155.

Notes:
Commodore John O. Dunn RNR was in Eros. Vice Commodore was Captain W. R. Woodriffe of Clan Murdoch, but this ship went into St. John's and Cavina was appointed in her place. Rancher was the Rear Commodore vessel, but she too went to St. John's and Clan Farquhar was appointed in her place.

The convoy had 47 ships on departure New York, another 8 joined from Halifax for a total of 55.

The following ships left the convoy:
Athos returned to New York with engine trouble at 13:00 Nov. 19, 40 00N 73 16W (the convoy had departed New York at 04:15 that morning).
At 09:30 on Nov. 22, in 43 53N 62 04W, D. L. Harper was sent to Halifax with escort, also due to engine trouble.
At 11:30 on Nov. 22, in 44 05N 61 48W, Wallace E. Pratt and Courageous detached with escort for Halifax.
At 03:40 on Nov. 24, Belgian Airman broke down and left convoy - At 20:19, reported at St. John's with engine defect.
At 09:00 on Nov. 24, in 46 26N 51 55W, Biscaya (assuming this was the Norwegian ship by this name?) and Fort Amherst detached with escort to St. John's in accordance with orders.
AT 19:00 on Nov. 24, in 47 28N 50 13W, El Coston detached and ordered to proceed independently to Iceland.
At 12:00 on Nov. 25, in 49 13N 47 55W, Ocean Angel was sent to St. John's with cracked decks. Reported at 12:31 on the 27th to have arrived at St. John's.

Clan Farqhuar rejoined after gale at 11:00 Nov. 23 (I'm wondering if this date might be an error?) in 55 30N 38 30W, and Empire Redshank at 08:30 on Dec. 1 in 57 30N 23 30W

On Nov. 25, in 50 00N 47 00W the convoy was partly scattered in N.W. gale and low visibility - 15 ships scattered as follows (2 rejoined later).
James McKay - reported at St. John's with deck cargo shifted, 14:01 Nov. 29. (Jürgen Rohwer's "Axis Submarine Successes of World War II" says this ship was sunk by U-600 on Dec. 8-1942. Uboat.net's page about this ship [external link] states she had met Convoy HX 217, but fell out on Dec. 6. Crew went in lifeboats but were never found - no survivors).
Rancher - reported at St. John's with steering gear trouble, 19:04 Nov. 28.
Clan Murdoch - reported at St. John's with weather damage 19:04 Nov. 28.
Samuel Ashe - reported at St. John's with deck cargo shifted 19:04 Nov. 28.
City of Windsor - reported at St. John's with weather damage 19:04 Nov. 28.
Reinholt, Seminole, Emma Bakke, Fort Fork
Norefjord - reported in Convoy SC 110 (for info, SC 110 had departed New York on Nov. 17-1942 - arrived Liverpool Dec. 6).
Westland, Fort Cataraqui, Ocean Crusader
At 17:00 Dec. 2 in 56 40N 12 35W - Walter Jennings straggled astern.
At 07:30 Dec. 3, in 56 21N 08 39W - Marija Petrinovic had engine trouble

Report on Ocean Crusader, sending incorrect enemy report by wireless
The Ocean Crusader straggled from the convoy during the night of 25th Novemeber 1942 owing to stress of weather (Position 50 00N 47 00W). At 15:55 (zone time) on Nov. 26 a wireless message was picked up "SSSS - XF 114 position 50 30N 45 30W". The convoy's position at the time was 51 10N 45 15W. By sending her convoy number and not her "secret" call sign she endangered the convoy by giving away the position. (This ship was sunk, as noted in the above table).

At 14:30 on Dec. 1, in 57 07N 20 16W, Empire Metal and Empire Airman were detached with escort for Manchester
At 16:00 (zone) on Dec. 1, in 56 42N 12 52W, Salamis and Kaldfonn were detached to proceed independently.

(2 detached for Loch Ewe, 8 detached for Clyde, 11 for Belfast and 8 for Mersey).

Commodore's comments on passage:
The passage from New York to WESTOMP, 19th to 24th November was uneventful and went according to plan.
On 25th November a N.W. gale was encountered and during the night the convoy was partly scattered. Owing to submarine reports "heaving to" was considered dangerous, course was maintained at reduced speed (15 ships were missing at daylight 26th Nov.).
At 15:55 26th a W.T. message received from Ocean Crusader, details above.
At 18:22 on the 26th W.T. Message SSS from Barberrys torpedoed 50 00N 46 00W (this ship was from SC 110 and was sunk by U-663, Nov. 26).
At 20:51 on the 26th Blairatholl (also from SC 110) reported by W.T. in collision. At 05:14 on the 27th reported foundering 51 25N 48 30W. (Blairatholl had collided with the Norwegian John Bakke - follow link for some more details).
Heavy weather lasted until Nov. 28. Low visibility on the 29th, 30th, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2. Remainder of passage uneventful.
Both Vice and Rear Commodores returned to St. John's. Cavina and Clan Farquhar appointed in their place.
Arrived Bar Lightvessel at 11:22 Dec. 4.
Anchored in Mersey at 13:35 Dec. 4.

Toorak was very good at signals, passing observed position and station keeping.
Cairnvalona had HEDF which was helpful - good station keeping.
Cavina was good passing signals and acted in Vice Commodore's place.
Eros - excellent Commodore's ship in all respects.

Escorts:
Joining at 13:00 Nov. 19 in 40 00N 73 16W: HMS Walker, HMCS Columbia, Cowichan, Dunvegan and Le Pas. HMCS Columbia left with one ship (D. L. Harper) at 09:30 on Nov. 22 in 43 53N 62 04W.
At 11:30 on Nov. 22 in 44 05N 61 48W HMS Witherington, HMCS Annapolis, Digby, Chicoutimi, Nanaimo joined with the 8 ships from Halifax.
At 13:00 on Nov. 22 HMS Walker (44 11N 61 32W), HMCS Cowichan, Dunvegan and Le Pas parted company.
At 09:00 on Nov. 24 in 46 26N 51 55W HMC Nanaimo left with 2 ships (this would have been Biscaya and Fort Amherst, a mentioned above).
At 15:30 on Nov. 24 in 47 00N 51 00W, HMS Firedrake, Sunflower, Pink, Alisma, and Loosestrife joined.
At 17:00 on Nov. 24 in 47 15N 50 34W HMS Witherington, HMCS Chicoutimi, Annapolis and Digby left.
At 20:00 on Nov. 28 in 56 21N 36 48W USS Duane joined - parted company at 06:00 on Dec. 1 in 57 16N 22 35W.
At 14:30 on Dec. 1 in 57 07N 20 16W HMS Loosestrife left with 2 ships for Manchester (Empire Metal, Empire Airman as mentioned above).
At 15:50 on Dec. 3 in 55 32N 06 48W Ocean Escort left, and Local Escort HMS Kirkella joined.

Air Escort sighted:
At 07:45 on Nov. 19 off G Buoy.
At 07:15 on Nov. 20 in 40 08N 69 48W
At 16:00 on Nov. 21 in 42 29N 64? 21W.
At 08:20 on Nov. 22 in 48 48N 62 15W
At 15:00 on Nov. 23 in 45 26N 55 51W
At 07:30 on Nov. 24 in 46 14N 52 15W.
AT 15:30 on Nov. 25 in 49 28N 47 33W.
At 09:10? on Dec. 2 in 56 56N 15 30W.
At 10:00 on Dec. 3 in 56 12N 07 58W.

Back to Convoy Index