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CONVOY HX 217
Departed New York City on Nov. 27-1942 and arrived Liverpool on Dec. 14.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 26 ships in this convoy.
Commodore's Narrative of Voyage is vailable on Page 2
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths - His source: Public Records Office, Kew. The ships are listed in the order in which they left port. Details on ships sunk have been added with the help of: MOWT=Ministry of War Transport For info, some of the ships in this convoy later returned to the U.S. with Convoy ON 157. |
|||||
Ship
|
Nationality
|
Cargo
|
Station
|
Destination
|
Remarks
|
Diomed
|
British
|
general
|
61 (41)
|
Liverpool
|
From HX 216
Commodore Vessel |
Skiensfjord
|
Norwegian
|
general - valuables
|
51 (33)
|
Liverpool
|
|
Teucer
|
British
|
general - explosives
|
71
|
Liverpool
|
|
Paul H. Harwood
|
American
|
kerosene
|
41
|
U.K.
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
British Harmony
|
British
|
petroleum
|
81
|
Belfast
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
Malancha
|
"
|
general
|
31 (21)
|
Clyde
|
Vice Commodore Vessel
|
Waterland
|
Dutch
|
valuables - reefer
|
91 (71)
|
Mersey
|
|
Solarium
|
British
|
aviation fuel
|
21
|
Loch Ewe
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 (from Halifax) |
Empire Spenser
|
"
|
gasoline
|
101 (81)
|
Manchester
|
Sunk by U-524 Dec. 8
1 died - 57 survived |
Fort Gibraltar
|
"
|
grain - metal
|
11
|
Loch Ewe
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
Svend Foyn
|
"
|
valuables - fuel oil
|
62 (42)
|
Clyde
|
|
Metapan
|
American
|
reefer
|
52 (32)
|
Liverpool
|
|
British Fortitude
|
British
|
gasoline
|
72 (51)
|
Belfast
|
|
Polartank
|
Norwegian
|
aviation fuel
|
42 (22)
|
Clyde
|
|
|
"
|
gasoline
|
|
Belfast
|
Sailed in HX 218
|
Noreg
|
"
|
fuel
|
32 (12)
|
Clyde
|
|
Empire Opal
|
British
|
aviation fuel
|
92 (72)
|
Belfast
|
|
Socony Vacuum
|
American
|
crude oil
|
22
|
Halifax
|
|
Nassa
|
British
|
diesel oil
|
102
|
Manchester
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
Fort Norman
|
"
|
metal - grain
|
12
|
Loch Ewe
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
Marwarri
|
"
|
planes - general
|
63
|
Liverpool
|
|
|
American
|
passengers
|
|
St. John's
|
|
Schuylkill
|
British
|
diesel oil
|
73 (52)
|
Belfast
|
|
Norsol
|
Norwegian
|
aviation fuel
|
43 (23)
|
U.K.
|
|
Stiklestad
|
"
|
gasoline
|
83 (61)
|
Belfast
|
|
Esso Baltimore
|
American
|
crude
|
33
|
Halifax
|
|
Empire Gold
|
British
|
aviation fuel
|
93
|
Belfast
|
Returned to port?
Listed in HX 218 |
Fernwood
|
Norwegian
|
general
|
23 (11)
|
Glasgow
|
|
|
British
|
general - phosphates
|
|
Mersey
|
To HX 218 - did not sail
Sailed in HX 219 |
Oilreliance
|
"
|
fuel oil
|
54 (62)
|
Clyde
|
|
Fort Rae
|
"
|
planes - general
|
74 (53)
|
Belfast
|
|
Standella
|
"
|
gasoline
|
44
|
U.K.
|
From HX 216
Returned to port? Listed in HX 218 (from Halifax) |
Charles L-D
|
French / MOWT 1940
|
general
|
34 (13)
|
Clyde
|
Sunk by U-553 Dec. 9
36 died - 12 survived |
Vessels joining at rendezvous positions (from Halifax?)
stations are those shown on A 1 form, Dec. 5Dec. 12. |
|||||
Belgian Airman
|
Belgian
|
sugar
|
43
|
Mersey
|
From HX 216
|
Gyda
|
British
|
general - mail
|
54
|
Manchester
|
|
Gatineau Park
|
"
|
general - mail
|
82
|
U.K.
|
|
Corner Brook
|
"
|
steel - newsprint
|
31
|
Manchester
|
|
|
Greek
|
general
|
|
U.K.
|
Sailed in HX 219
|
Empire Bittern
|
British
|
general
|
73
|
Avonmouth
|
|
D. L. Harper
|
"
|
gasoline - kerosene
|
63
|
Belfast
|
From HX 216
(Listed as British in the AST) |
Lady Rodney
|
"
|
none given
|
|
St. John's
|
|
Perth
|
"
|
Rescue Vessel
|
34
|
Clyde
|
|
According to Uboat.net, the American James McKay (which had initially sailed in Convoy HX 216, but had lost that convoy in a gale and had gone into St. John's), had also joined HX 217, but became a straggler and was sunk by U-600 on Dec. 8. This ship is not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for HX 217, nor in the Commodore's notes. Here's Uboat.net's page about this ship (external link). Additionally, the Advance Sailing Telegram for the next convoy, HX 218, indicates that City of Windsor, Rancher, Samuel Ashe (all from HX 216), Empire Newton and Norholm may also have been scheduled for HX 217, but did not sail - all listed in HX 218. |
Notes: The convoy had 30 ships. D. L. Harper was detached with escort (Potentilla) on Dec. 11 with engine trouble. The Commodore adds: Out of the remaining 22 ships (having subtracted the 2 that were sunk), there were 10 for Mersey, 5 for Clyde, 7 for Belfast and Londonderry. Visual signalling by Flags and Daylight Lamp, very smart. Semophore not used. Commodore's further comments: See Page 2 for more details on Perth and her rescue of survivors in this convoy. Escort Vessels: Edmundston left at 06:30 on Nov. 30, escorting Solarium. At 09:45 on Dec. 2, HMS Montgomery and HMS Witherington joined in 44 48(?)N 54 01W. At dark on Dec. 3, St. Clair, Barrie, Kenora and Witherington left for St. John's. Ocean Escort Fame (S.O.) and Burza joined at 16:20 on Dec. 4. Montgomery left for St. John's at dark on Dec. 7. Air Escort: Continue to Commodore's Narrative of Voyage on Page 2 To the next HX convoy in my list HX 218 |
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