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CONVOY HX 47
Cruising Order & Advance Sailing Telegram

Convoy HX 47 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on June 1 (2?)-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 17th (Arnold Hague says 57 ships).
Transcribed from A 1 form received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

The convoy form gives departure date as June 1, while A. Hague says June 2.

Details on ships sunk and casualties have been added with the help of:
"The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague
"Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two", Jürgen Rohwer
"The World's Merchant Fleets 1939". R. W. Jordan.
"Lloyd's War Losses", Vol. I.

Br=British, Fi=Finnish, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Gr=Greek, Pa=Panmanian, Du=Dutch, Ca=Canadian

B = the ship joined from Bermuda

s = sunk, † = dead

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Kenbane Head
general
Belfast
(Br)
21
Clydebank
steal - coke
Manchester
(Br)
31
Comedian
cotton - lumber
Manchester
(Br)
41
Pacific Pioneer
general
Liverpool
(Br)
51
Boston City
general
Swansea
(Br)
61
Saimaa
general
London
(Fi)
71
Beaverhill
general
London
(Br)
81
Nailsea Manor
grain
Leith
(Br)
91
Argos Hill
steel - general
London
(Br)
12
Blairspey
steel - timber
Glasgow
(Br)
22
Georgios G
general
Liverpool
(Gr)
32
Randsfjord
wheat - general
Liverpool
(Norw)
42
Harborough
grain
Manchester
(Br)
52
Dornoch
wheat
Avonmouth
(Br)
62
Hartbridge
wheat
London
(Br)
72
Aegeon
aluminum - pulp
London
(Gr)
82
Germanic
grain
Hull
(Br)
92
British Prince
general
London
(Br)
13
Hellen
scrap iron
Glasgow
(Norw)
23
Anna Mazaraki
grain
Liverpool
(Gr)
33
Andreas
wheat
Liverpool
(Gr)
43
Masunda
iron ore
Newport
(Br)
53
Balmoralwood
wheat
Milford Haven
for Barry
s - 0†
(Br)
63
Cairnvalona
general
Newcastle
(Br)
73
Askeladden
pit props
Sunderland
(Norw)
83
Southgate
steel - timber
Southampton
(Br)
93
Nellie
newsprint
London
(Gr)
14 B
Diplomat
general
Liverpool
(Br)
24 B
Temple Inn
sugar
Holyhead
(Br)
34 B
Northumberland
general
Mersey
(Br)
44 B
Regent Panther
petrol
Milford Haven
(Br)
54 B
Salacia
lumber
Liverpool
(Br)
64 B
F. J. Wolfe
crude oil
Southampton
(Br)
74 B
Vinemoor
wheat - lumber
Hull
(Br)
84 B
Octavian
wood pulp
London
(Norw)
94 B
Capsa
crude oil
Paulliac
(Br)
15 B
Høyanger
pulp - lumber
Liverpool
(Norw)
25 B
British Faith
benzine
Milford Haven
(Br)
35 B
Italia
gasoline
Milford Haven
s - 19
(Norw)
45 B
British Captain
gasoline
Milford Haven
(Br)
55 B
Saturnus
motor spirits
Milford Haven
(Sw)
65 B
San Adolfo
Admiralty fuel
Devonport
(Br)
75 B
Theodoros Coumantaros
sugar
Downs
(Gr)
85 B
Storanger
fuel oil
Brest
(Norw)
95
16
Stangrant
(Br)
26 B
Ulysses
general
Liverpool
(Du)
36 B
El Aleto
crude oil
Liverpool
(Br)
46 B
Egda
gasoline
East-West
(Norw)
56 B
Elax
Southern fuel
East-West
(Br)
66 B
Thiara
fuel - lub. oil
East-West
(Br)
76
Beaverbrae
London
(Br)
86 96
17 27
Manchester Citizen
general
Manchester
(Br)
37
Ashby
grain
Milford Haven
for Barry
(Br)
47
Ferncastle
fuel oil
Falmouth
(Norw)
57
Briarwood
pit props
Tyne
(Br)
67
Erik Boye
grain
Falmouth
s - 0
(Ca **)
77
Point Lobos
newsprint
Falmouth
(Pa / MoWT 1941 - Empire Wagtail)
87
Georgios Potamianos
general
Bordeaux
(Gr)
97
Annavore
general - copper
St. Nazaire
(Norw)
18 28 38 48 58 68 78 88
Loke*
(Norw)
98

* Loke has been added by hand into station 88, underneath Georgios Potamianos, and I'm wondering if Loke, in fact, replaced Point Lobos in station 77(?).

** Erik Boye was originally Danish, but had been taken over by the Canadian government earlier that spring.

Arnold Hague has also included the British Zurichmoor in this convoy, cargo of timber and steel, station 16; this ship is not mentioned on the original A 1 form, but is included on the AST below. He says she became a straggler on June 6, as did Balmoralwood, while Theodoros Coumantaros straggled on June 11. Hague's listing for HX 47 is available on the page naming ships in all HX convoys.

Randsfjord returned to port - according to A. Hague, she was involved in a collision with the Greek Georgios Potamianos (this seems a bit strange; as can be seen, these 2 ships had stations far away from each other, or perhaps it happened while the convoy was forming up?). Randsfjord and Point Lobos are not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram below (however, Point Lobos is listed as cancelled in the AST for HX 48). They both sailed in HX 49


Advance Sailing Telegram

Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Crossed out ships did not sail.

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Remarks
Halifax section
Aegeon
Greek
aluminium - paper
London
From HX 46
C. J. Barkdull
Panamanian
Tanker B
Southampton
From HX 46
To HX 48 - did not sail
Listed in HX 49
Calliope
"
Tanker B
Southampton
From HX 46
To HX 48 - returned to port
To HX 50 - did not sail
To HX 51 - did not sail
("to remain at Halifax until further orders")
Norwegian
copper - machinery
St. Nazaire
From HX 46
Argos Hill
British
copper - steel - general
London
From HX 46
Beaconlight
Panamanian
Tanker W
Southampton
From HX 46
Listed in HX 48
Cairnvalona
British
general
Newcastle
From HX 46
Vice Commodore
Nellie
Greek
none given
London
From HX 46
Listed in HX 49
Anna Mazaraki
"
grain
Liverpool
From HX 46
Boston City
British
general
Swansea
From HX 46
Germanic
"
grain
Manchester
From HX 46
Albuera
"
pit props
Tyne
From HX 46
See * in Notes
Norwegian
pit props
Portland / Sunderland
From HX 46
Pacific Pioneer
British
general
Liverpool
From HX 46
Commodore Vessel
Dornoch
"
grain
Avonmouth
Georgios Potamianos
Greek
steel - copper
Bordeaux
Harborough
British
grain
Hull
Norwegian
Tanker W
Milford Haven f. o.
To HX 49 - did not sail
Listed in HX 50
Nailsea Moor
British
none given
Hull
To HX 48 - did not sail*
* Nailsea Moor is, in fact, listed as having sailed in HX 44.
Norwegian
scrap iron
Ardrossan
Nailsea Manor
British
grain
Leith
Andreas
Greek
grain
Liverpool
Georgios G
"
general
Liverpool
Blairspey
British
steel - lumber
Glasgow
British Prince
"
general
London
Hartbridge
"
grain
Portland / London
Masunda
"
ore
Newport
Stangrant
"
steel
Manchester
Listed in HX 48
Southgate
"
steel
Southampton
Norwegian
wood pulp
London
Listed in HX 48
Clydebank
British
steel - scrap iron
Swansea
Kenbane Head
"
general
Dublin
Manchester Citizen
"
general
Manchester
Sheaf Mount
"
scrap iron
Swansea
To HX 48 - did not sail
Listed in HX 49
Ashby
"
grain
Avonmouth
The following ships appear on a separate document - note that 2 of these are listed on the A 1 form for the Bermuda portion, others on the form for the Halifax portion. I've denoted the Bermuda ships with a B
Zurichmoor
British
timber - steel
Cardiff
From HX 48
not on A 1 form for HX 47
Ulysses
Dutch
general
Manchester
B
Comedian
British
cotton - lumber
Manchester
Norwegian
Tanker W
Avonmouth
B
"
Tanker B
Avonmouth
Balmoralwood
British
wheat
Liverpool
From HX 46
Sunk - See Notes
Briarwood
"
pit props
Tyne
Saimaa
Finnish
general
London
From HX 46
Erik Boye
Danish / Ca. Govt. 1940
grain
Sharpness
Sunk - See Notes & Italia
Beaverhill
British
general
London
Beaverbrae
"
general
London
From HX 48
Norwegian
copper
Bordeaux
From HX 48
Joining from Bermuda - Sailed May 31
There's a note on the document saying "24 hours late"
Not sure if this means the Bermuda section was late for the rendezvous - or it could mean that the entire convoy was late in sailing, which would account for the conflicting departure dates; see A 1 form above
Norwegian
Tanker B
Milford Haven f. o.
From HX 46
To HX 48 - did not sail
Listed in HX 51
"
wood pulp
Portland / Sheerness
Theodoros Coumantaros
Greek
sugar
London
Diplomat
British
steel - lumber
Liverpool
Capsa
"
Tanker B
Brest
British Captain
"
Tanker W

Manchester

F. J. Wolfe
"
Tanker B
Southampton
Norwegian
Tanker W
Manchester
Sunk - follow link to Italia
"
Tanker B
Brest
Vinemoor
British
wheat - lumber
Manchester
Northumberland
"
refrig. - general - explosives
Liverpool
Thiara
"
Tanker B
Portland / London
British Faith
"
Tanker W
Avonmouth
Elisha Walker
Panamanian
Tanker
Southampton
To HX 49 - did not sail
To HX 51 - did not sail
("to remain at Halifax until further order"
Regent Panther
British
Tanker W
Milford Haven
Norwegian
wood pulp - lumber
Mersey f. o.
Salacia
British
lumber - aircraft
Liverpool
El Aleto
"
Tanker B
Mersey
From HX 45
Elax
"
Tanker B
Portland / London
Temple Inn
"
sugar
Liverpool
San Adolfo
"
Adm. tanker B
Devonport
Saturnus
Swedish
Tanker W
Holyhead f. o.
Refast
British
Tanker B
London
Listed in HX 48
Again, note that Egda and Ulysses also joined from Bermuda - see A 1 form above.


Notes:
Commodore was in Pacific Pioneer, Vice Commodore in Cairnvalona, and Rear Commodore in Salacia (joining from Bermuda). The Bermuda portion was escorted by HMS Ascania.

Balmoralwood, on a voyage from Sorel for Falmouth with 8730 tons of wheat and 4 aircraft, became a straggler and was torpedoed and damaged by U-47 on June 14; later sank. She had a crew of 40 and 1 gunner; there were no casualties. See also my page about Altair.

Erik Boye, on a voyage from Quebec for Sharpness with 3568 tons of wheat, was sunk by U-38 on June 15 - she had a crew of 22, all of whom survived. See external links below, as well as my page about Italia.

The Norwegian Italia was also sunk by U-38 on June 15 - follow the link for more information on these events.

* As can be seen, Albuera is crossed out from the Advance Sailing Telegram - according to "Lloyd's War Losses", Vol I, whe was en route from Chatham, N.B. for Tyne with 4800 tons of pit props when she on June 24-1940 was sunk by an E-boat. She had a crew of 35, including 2 gunners - 7 were killed. "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939" adds that the E-boat was S 36, which sank her with a torpedo, 2 miles southwest of Lydd Light Float.

The convoy arrived rendezvous on June 13.

Ocean Escort:
HMS Esperance Bay.

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of HX convoy escorts received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Acadia - From 02/06/40 to 03/06/40
Esperance Bay - From 02/06/40 to 15/06/40
Fowey - From 14/06/40 to 17/06/40
Saguenay - From 02/06/40 to 03/06/40
Sandwich - From 14/06/40 to 17/06/40

Related external links:
The attack on Balmoralwood
The attack on Erik Boye

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