Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths - 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.

By looking at the cruising order for HX 229, it should be possible to visualize what this convoy looked like (just add 2 more columns for HX 246).

Notes:
There are 2 A 1 forms for this convoy - I believe one of them shows the cruising order on departure New York, and the other after juncture with the Halifax section, because Goodwin is listed on the latter, but not the former. Where the stations are different on the 2nd form, I've listed them in parenthesis.

Rescue Vessel Goodwin was on her 3rd voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde with the westbound Convoy ON 188 on June 10 (to Halifax June 24), returning with HX 246 from Halifax on July 2, to Clyde July 13. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague).

Commodore R. H. Mackay O.B.E. R.N.R. was in Port Adelaide, Vice Commodore was Rear Admiral C. G. Brodie in Arabian Prince (Captain James Baird).

Distance between colums - 1000 yards
Distance between ships in columns - 500 yards
Convoy code word - "Broom"

Weather was fine, fog from July 4 to July 7. No ice encoutnered, but one berg reported during fog, clear of convoy.

The Commodore says that station keeping was "bad - U.S. ships would not keep proper distance in column." He is, however, happier about the signalling, escpecially as regards Coptic, Port Halifax, Empire Wisdom and Dromore, the latter being "very smart indeed", but again "American ships were all bad - slow in answering or repeating, sometimes not repeating at all", Frederick Douglass and Francis Asbury being judged the worst.

He considers Port Adelaide "an excellent ship with a capable and energetic Master, T.L. Kidwell. Good steam whistle, engine speed regular".

Tide Water straggled at 10 knots in moderate sea. Speed reduced 1/2 knot.

William Wilkins and James E. Haviland parted company in fog July 4/7 between positions 43 43N 53 20W and 49 52N 42 50W. James E. Haviland subsequently rejoined in the Irish Sea.

Heavy gun practice:
Firing was ordered under favourable conditions on July 1, at target towed by HMS Roxborough by outside ships. The opportunity was not given to rear ships.

With regard to this gun practice, the Senior Officer of Escort reported to the Commodore:
"Not many customers. No. 123 had not decoded your signal. No. 102 did a good shoot. No. 121 and all port wing ships were not interested except No. 14. Port wing ships did not even have guns manned.
Total cost: About five tons fuel, one fog buoy ruined, and lower deck cleared to heave in target.
Ships in firing segment: No. 14 - Frederick L. Dau fired, No. 122 - Samuel F. B. Morse, good.
The following 6 ships did not open fire: No. 121 - Richard S. Ewell, No. 123 - James E. Haviland, No. 11 - Pennsylvania, No. 12 - Francis Asbury, No. 13 - Fort Glenora and No. 15 - Bernard N. Baker..

Collisions:
Two collisions orccurred. Benjamin Bourne and Scottish Heather collided during fog while altering course (date not given), and Abner Doubleday was in a collision with J.H. Senior at about 21:00 on July 9 in clear weather. Damage was reported by Scottish Heather when fog lifted at 11:27 on July 6. She was very reliable and was probably in station.

Loch Ewe portion detached on July 13 in 56 02N 13 18W.

Suggestions:
Mersigs, Art. 99
Suggest Article (a) to read as follows: In order to assist ships to keep correct station in a fog, the Commodore may periodically sound the second figure of his columns distinguishing signal. On hearing this signal leading ships of other columns are similarly to sound the second figure of their column distinguishing signal in succession from IN-OUT. That is in the same sequence as they would repeat a general sound signal .... except the leading ships of the tenth and columns outside of that who will only sound the THIRD FIGURE of their column number, No. 101 will sound the figure NOUGHT, No. 111 will sound figure ONE, etc. No. 121 sound figure TWO, this being the third figure of their actual column number. In all cases this figure is to be made through once only, in order to avoid possible confusion with a convoy distinguishing signal or alarm signal.

Silence sign was used on one occasion in fog, and some ship repeated as 4 T, followed by two other ships; I think this was due to abnormal use of sound by seamen inexperienced in convoy.

Escort Vessels:
HMS Roxborough (S.O.), HMCS Nanaimo, Sudbury and Burlington.
Ocean Escort: HMS Deveron (S.O.), Vanquisher, Vervain, Kingcup, Freesia, and Norwegian corvettes Acanthus, Rose, Potentilla - joined July 6 at 10:20P in 46 41N 46 20W, when local escort left.

Daily positions of convoy at 06:00 hrs GMT are available on request - my contact address is at the bottom of this page.

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" 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