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CONVOY HX 243
Departed New York City on June 7-1943 arrived Liverpool on the 21st.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 76 ships in this convoy.

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

Crossed out ships did not sail.

See also the westbound Convoy ON 181.
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
Noah Webster
American
general
123
Cardiff
–
Calvin Coolidge
"
general
115
Barry Dock
–
Anthony Wayne
"
general - grain
–
Loch Ewe f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Agwidale
"
general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Oremar
"
general - explosives
–
Hull
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
William A. Graham
"
general - explosives
–
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
El Oriente
Panamanian
general
133
Barry Dock
–
John Langdon
American
general - explosives
–
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
James G. Birney
"
general - explosives
64
Glasgow
From HX 242
Alcoa Cutter
"
general
103
Newport
–
Chester Valley
"
general
121
Avonmouth
–
Charles Henderson
"
general
151
Hull
–
William N. Pendleton
"
sugar
?
London
(Not on A 1 form)
See Notes
Ville d'Anvers
Belgian
general
92
Swansea
–
Sinclair Opaline
American
Tanker W
131
Swansea
–
Norbris
Panamanian
Tanker W
104
Stanlow
Norwegian managers
listed on N page of this site
Catrine
British
general
111
Manchester
Vice Commodore
Luculus
"
Tanker B
22
London (Shellhaven)
–
Bellerophon
"
general
101
Liverpool
From HX 242
Temple Arch
"
grain
31
Belfast Dock
–
Naticina
"
Tanker W
52
Bowling / Ardrossan
?From HX 242?
Port Dunedin
"
frozen general
71
Liverpool
–
San Veronico
"
Tanker W
–
Stanlow
Sailed in HX 244
Villanger
Norwegian
general
21
Liverpool
–
Salamis
"
Tanker W
93
Stanlow
–
Mosli
"
Tanker B
54
Scapa
Escort Oiler
see Notes
Boskoop
Dutch
general
41
Liverpool
–
Delftdijk
"
general
134
Glasgow
–
Pan-Delaware
American
Tanker W
124
Avonmouth
–
Alfred Moore
"
general
132
London
–
Roger Williams
"
general
–
Liverpool
Joined HX 244 -returned to port
Benjamin Chew
"
general
42
London
–
Steel Mariner
"
general
122
Liverpool
–
F. J. Luckenbach
"
general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Kofresi
"
general
143
Liverpool
From HX 242
El Oceano
Panamanian
general - explosives
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Kentuckian
American
general
53
Swansea
From HX 242
Leonidas Polk
"
iron
62
Liverpool
From HX 242
David S. Terry
"
general
33
Cardiff
From HX 242
Joseph Gale
"
general - explosives
95
London
From HX 242
John M. Clayton
"
general
32
Manchester
–
Henry Groves Connor
"
sugar
55
Clyde
–
Esso Providence
"
Tanker B
112
Avonmouth
–
Smith Thompson
"
general
94
Swansea
From HX 242
John P. Holland
"
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Had sailed in previous convoy?
Fort Ash
British
lumber - lead - phosphates
43
London
–
Fort Slave
"
steel - lumber
44
Immingham
–
Argos Hill
"
general
11
Liverpool
–
Fort Brule
"
steel - lumber - grain
51
Liverpool
From HX 242
Rear Commodore
Elona
"
Tanker B
–
Stanlow
Sailed in HX 244
Westland
Dutch
general
81
Liverpool
Commodore Vessel
Washington Express
Norwegian
general
75
Glasgow
From HX 242
Laurits Swenson
"
general
114
Liverpool
–
Germa
"
general
–
Liverpool
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
Oregon Express
"
general
91
Manchester
From HX 242
Esso Concord
American
Tanker W
102
Bromborough
–
James M. Wayne
"
general
141
Liverpool
From HX 242
Nathaniel Bacon
"
general
–
Avonmouth
Sailed in HX 244
Cefalu
Honduran
general - explosives
–
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Edwin Markham
American
general
–
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Robert M. T. Hunter
"
general - explosives
113
Liverpool
From HX 242
George Taylor
"
general
74
Manchester
–
Gabriel Duval
"
general - explosives
–
Hull
Sailed in HX 244
Tarleton Brown
"
none given
–
Liverpool
Joined HX 244 - returned to port
James R. Randall
"
general
–
Liverpool
To HX 244 - did not sail
British Tradition
British
Tanker W
63
Bowling
–
Robert F. Hoke
American
general
142
Liverpool
–
Davila
British
Admiralty tanker B
72
Londonderry
Escort Oiler
see Notes
San Adolfo
"
Admiralty tanker B
82
Liverpool
Escort Oiler
see Notes
Collis P. Huntington
American
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Fort Dease Lake
British
none given
45
London
–
Jamaica Producer
"
none given
61
Avonmouth
–
Prinses Maria-Pia
Belgian - MOWT 1940
none given
65
Liverpool
–
Yemassee
Panamanian
none given
35
Loch Ewe / Iceland
–
Green Mountain
American
none given
152
Manchester
–
Additionally, the Commodore mentions the following ships in his notes:
Fort Townshend and Cathcart - left convoy for Halifax at 13:45 on June 10 in 43 00N 60 23W.
Lady Rodney, bound for St. John's, left at 16:30 June 12 in 45 11N 49 10W, escorted by Lincoln.
Joining from Halifax - Sailed June 9
Joined at 13:00 June 10 - 42 47N 60 33W
Fort Longueuil
British
grain - general
154
Barry Dock
–
Empire Capulet
"
general
–
Tyne
Sailed in HX 244
Empire Hunter
"
general
–
Loch Ewe f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Fort Fraser
"
grain - general
–
Manchester
Joined HX 244 - returned to port
Listed in HX 245
Comedian
"
grain - general
–
Liverpool
Listed in HX 245
Kafiristan
"
grain - general
153
Manchester
–
Tudor Prince
"
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Tilapa
"
meat - metal - mail
144
Liverpool
–
Riverview Park
"
general
56
Liverpool
–
Empire Prowess
"
steel - lumber
12
Sunderland
–
Ocean Vigour
"
grain
105
Liverpool
From HX 242
Pleiades
American
general
23
Loch Ewe / Iceland
–
Thomas W. Hyde
"
general
145
Liverpool
–
Empire Yukon
British
general
125
Liverpool
–
Deebank
"
general
135
Milford Haven / Southampton
–
Hopecrest
"
grain
116
Liverpool
–
Fort Mingan
"
grain
136
Leith Dock
From HX 242
Emily Dickinson
American
general
24
Glasgow
From HX 242
Asa Gray
"
steel - general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Cepnee
French
grain
–
Glasgow
To HX 244 - did not sail
Sailed in HX 245
Eugene Field
American
grain - general
–
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Elm Park
British
general
46
Glasgow
–
George Handley
American
general
–
Mersey f. o.
To HX 244 - did not sail
Laban Howes
British?
steel - lumber
–
Tyne
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
Mary Lyon
American
general
126
Avonmouth
–
Medina
"
general
–
Loch Ewe / Iceland
Sailed in HX 244
Ocean Stranger
British
grain - general
13
London
–
Patrick Henry
American
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Richmond Mumford Pearson
"
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Thomas R. Marshall
"
general
–
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Gorjistan
British
general
73
Manchester
(Halifax section?)
Scottish Monarch
"
general
66
Manchester
(Halifax section?)
Helder
Dutch
general
76
Liverpool
(Halifax section?)
Bury
British
Rescue Vessel
96
Clyde
–
Rescue Vessel Bury was on her 9th voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde with westbound Convoy ON 184 on May 15-1943, to Halifax May 29 - returning with HX 243 from Halifax to Clyde, June 9-June 21. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague).
Edward N. Hurley
American
general
25
Hull
From HX 242
Joined from St. John's
13:00/12th

Notes:
Commodore W. E. B. Magee D.S.O. R.N.R. was in Westland, Vice Commodore was C. Feaves, the captain of Catrine, Rear Commodore was the captain of Fort Brule.

The convoy had 77 ships

Average speed: 9.61 knots

William N. Pendleton dropped out during thick fog on the night of June 14/15 in approx. 50 20N 43 00W.

The Commodore's notes are very brief. He says station keeping and signalling were "good", Commodore's vessel "suitable".

"Fine weather generally was experienced during the voyage. Fog and icebergs south of Cape Race, smoke caused trouble at times and forms the subject of a separate report (not available). As regards enemy action the voyage was uneventful. An excellent convoy".

Escort Oilers Report
Davila:
San Adolfo:
Mosli:
Escort
Date & Amount
Escort
Date & Amount
Escort
Date & Amount
HMS Broadway
June 13 - 27 tons
 HNMS Lincoln
June 12 - 92 tons
 HMS Rockingham
June 15 - 76 tons
HMS Primrose
June 15 - 37 tons
 HMS Rockingham
June 13 - 59 tons
 HMS Fennel
June 15 - 52 tons
HMS Monkshood
June 15 - 40 tons
 HMS Hurricane
June 13 - 48 tons
 HMS Dahlia
June 16 - 55 tons
HMCS Drumheller
June 16 - 50 tons
 HMS Broadway
June 15 - 98 tons
 HMCS Kamloops
June 17 - 90.2 tons
–
–
 HMCS Chambly
June 15 - 60 tons
–
–
–
–
 HMS Borage
June 15 - 50 tons
–
–

Escorts:
Local Escort (from date of sailing): HNMS Lincoln*, (S.O.), HMCS Sudbury - to 14:00 June 10, 43 02N 60 16W.
Joining in Ambrose Channel (date illegible): HMCS Oakville, HMCS Arrowhead, HMCS Brockville - to 14:30 June 12, 45 07N 49 35W.
Joining June 10 in 42 57N 60 33W: HMS Caldwell - to 14:30 June 12, 45 07N 49 35W.
Ocean Escort - Group B 1 (joined in 45 06N 49 40W, date illegible, possibly June 11?): HMS Hurricane (S.O.), HMS Rockingham, HMS Dahlia, HMS Borage, HMS Monkshood and HMS Meadowsweet (left at 12:00 June 18 in 55 36N 21 24W.
Group C 2 (also joined in 45 06N 49 40W): HMS Broadway, HMS Lagan, HMS Fennel, HMS Primrose, HMCS Chambly, HMCS Kamloops, HMCS Drumheller (left at 17:00 June 20, 55 48N 07 12W).
HMS Lancer joined in 45 01N 50 04W (date illegible) and escorted convoy to Liverpool. Also, rescue tug HMS Griper - parted company at 22:00 June 20 off Mull of Kintyre.

*HNMS Lincoln "after parting company on 10th June was absent from convoy until 14:00/11th June when he rejoined in position 43 48N 54 24W. He finally parted company at 16:30/12th June in position 45 10N 49 10W escorting Lady Rodney to St. John's N.F.".

Air Escort:
Ambrose channel, various types for 10 1/2 hours - left at 20:15 June 7
40 09N 71 17W, Mitchell for 10 hours - left at 17:00 June 8.
40 24N 66 25W, Catalina for 9 1/2 hours - left at 14:00 June 9.
44 08N 55 52W, Catalina for 3 1/2 hours - left at 10:30 June 11.
45 40N 46 35W, Liberator for 13 hours - left at 19:30 June 13.
52 28N 40 08W, Liberator for 4 hours - left at 18:00 June 15.
55 05N 25 20W, Liberator for 6 1/2 hours - left at 04:30 June 18
55 20N 22 50W, Liberator for 10 1/2 hours - left at 18:00 June 18.

All the Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy are discussed on this website - more info on them can be found with the help of the alphabet index below.

Related external links:
Liberty Ships - Some of the ships listed as American in the table above were Liberty ships. This website lists them alphabetically.
This site has more on the the "Fort", "Ocean" and "Park" ships mentioned in this convoy.
Empire Ships listed in alphabetical order. The site also has a section listing the Liberty ships.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HX convoy in my list HX 244


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