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

The Advance Sailing Telegram for the Sydney sections is missing, but I've been able to add the ships with the help of the A 1 form.
They are listed last in this table.

MOWT = Ministry of War Transport

Notes:
The A 1 form has a note saying that 12 ships dropped out of the convoy on Oct. 24/25, namely:
Prince de Liege, Brisk, Middleton, Leikanger, Blairatholl, Gravelines, Bonita, Boren, Parracombe, Tynebank, New York City and Yorkwood. (For info, the Swedish Boren was later renamed Skåne and is listed as such in some later convoys on this site - see, for instance, SC 58).

* There was also a British ship named Achilles, but I've chosen to list this one as Dutch, because the British Achilles became Destroyer Depot Ship HMS Blenheim in Aug.-1940, accordnig to R. W. Jordan's "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939".

The convoy arrived the rendezvous point on Oct. 27.

Ocean Escort: HMS Voltaire.
Local Escorts (Halifax): HMCS St. Francis and HMCS Columbia.

According to the report below, there were 22 ships from Halifax, 9 from Bermuda and 7 from Sydney for a total of 38 ships, plus Baron Pentland which appears to have joined later.

Report on Passage from the Commanding Officer of HMS Voltaire:
Unfortunately the first few dates are a little blurry, hence my question marks, but it would be safe to assume that the first paragraph starts with the date of departure, then dated chronologically thereafter (each paragraph a new date).

Oct. 16?
Proceeded at 16:00 (possibly 15:00? hard to decipher) as Ocean Escort to HX 81 of 22 ships (S. S. Ostende did not sail). HMCS St. Francis and HMCS Columbia local escort. Air Patrol was maintained till dusk. Weather conditions were good, and convoy formed up well. Speed, 7 1/2 knots.

Oct. 17?
St. Francis and Columbia in company. Air Escort from 07:40 to 13:45.
Time illegible (possibly 16:50) - Commodore informed me that Manchester Exporter reported their Master was very ill with diabetes and gangrene in one foot. In view of the fact that it was dusk with the weather deteriorating and very cold, it was not possible to transfer the patient to this ship or one of the destroyers; the Commodore decided to send the ship back to Halifax, and she was detached at 17:55.
HMCS Ships St. Francis and Columbia left convoy after dark.
Average revolutions for day, 8 knots.

Oct. 18?
Heavy rain and dense fog from 06:50 till 17:00, with exception of half hour - 15:00 to 15:30, when Sydney Convoy of 7 ships was sighted and ordered to form astern: Brisk from Sydney did not join (Note: this ship appears to be listed among the Bermuda ships on the A 1 form, with a note saying she was among the ships that dropped astern on Oct. 24/25). D/F bearings of Sydney section accurate and useful.
Strong to moderate beam wind and rough sea.
Average revolutions for day, 7 1/2 knots.
Reported would be 7 hours late for rendezvous with Bermuda convoy.

Oct. 19
13:00 - Left convoy to search for Bermuda convoy.
14:02 - Sighted HMS Aurania and 9 ships.
15:30 - HMS Aurania detached.
16:40 - Bermuda section in station. Baron Pentland joined convoy.
Average revolutions for day, 7 1/2 knots.
Light to moderate quarterly wind and sea.

Oct. 20
Re-formed convoy. Moderate S.E. and variable wind. Suggested to Commodore that speed of convoy be increased to 9 knots; he considred 8 1/2 knots sufficient and increased to their speed at 12:45.
Between 13:30 and 14:30 passed two waterlogged lifeboats and one M.S. pattern life raft. Approx. position 46 45N 48 50W.

Oct. 21
Wind S.E. - starboard beam - strong and rough sea. Convoy somewhat scattered, but all ships (38) in sight at dusk.

Oct. 22
Moderate beam wind and rough sea, moderating later.
11:40 - Went astern to investigate ship following convoy; this proved to be Brisk from Sydney. British Honour, Bonita and Baron Pentland dropped astern three miles, having difficulty in maintaining 8 1/2 knots.
Distance made good, 208 miles.

Oct. 23
Moderate beam wind and sea, freshening at dusk. All ships in company, but Middleton dropped astern during the day. Moderate gale (on bow) and heavy sea by midnight. Visibility very low at times.
Midnight - Signalled Commodore that ships were dropping astern.
Distance made good, 195 miles.

Oct. 24
Moderate to fresh gale (bow) and heavy sea, moderating at dusk.
9 ships in sight at dawn.
08:20 - Altered course to 059° and reduced to 7 knots.
Saint Bertrand reported loss of one lifeboat during night.
20 ships in company at dusk.
Distance made good, 138 miles.

Oct. 25
22 ships in station at dawn. Left convoy at dawn to investigate ship ahead and during day rounded up Tilemachos, Miralda, British Honour and Achilles, all ahead or on bow of convoy. Two other ships were sighted on the quarter, but were too distant in existing weather conditions to justify my going after them. British Honour reported having passed Marietta E hove to and Bonita with engine trouble on 24th.
14:35 - Regained station in convoy, 26 ships then in company.
Missing ships: Bonita, Marietta E, Middleton, Blairatholl, Brisk, Boren, Tynebank, Gravelines, Yorkwood, Prince de Liege, Leikanger, Parracombe and New York City.
19:00 - Detached from convoy and proceeded to 30' North of convoy to report 36 hours late at rendezvous.
Moderate to fresh wind and rough sea fine on bow.
Several ships having difficulty in making good 6 1/2 knots.
Distance made good, 128 miles.

Oct. 26
09:15 - Rejoined convoy.
Sveve left convoy during night and not seen. Marietta E rejoined convoy. 26 ships in company.

Oct. 27
Sveve rejoined. 27 ships in company.
08:25 - Sighted fore-end of vessel, about 100 ft x 25 ft, bottom up - 58 38N 24 40W. Disengaged from convoy and attempted to sink derelict. Four direct hits were obtained with 6" H.E., and it is probable vessel will fill and sink.
11:21 - Received W/T signal ordering me to pass fresh instructions re route to Commodore and to return to base.
12:30 - Disengaged from convoy and set course to clear convoy route before reporting by W/T to Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches.
16:00 - Reported convoy noon position to Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches and set course for Halifax.

Nov. 2
08:30 - Arrived base.

More details on all the Norwegian ships named in this convoy can be found in the alphabetical ship lists of this website.

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