See also Convoy HX 85.

Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined ships left the convoy.

B = Ships joining from Bermuda
A = Ships joining from Sydney, C.B.

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Gre=Greek, Du=Dutch, Da=Danish

Note that Empire Kittiwake had been cancelled from several previous convoys - see SC 9.

According to Arnold Hague (see this external page about Convoy HX 86) the British British Fortune may also have been in this convoy. There's also a Bermuda convoy, which left Bermuda on Nov. 3-1940, probably with the intention of joining HX 86, but returned to Bermuda on Nov. 5 - see this external page about BHX 86. Among the ships in this convoy was the Norwegian Buesten (from BHX 85), which failed to return when the convoy was ordered to do so. The same is true for the British Holmpark and the Dutch Koenjit. Other ships included in this returning Bermuda convoy are the Swedish Buenos Aires, the British Cliona, Colonial, Davila, Dolabella, Ensis, Lobos, Mataroa, Moveria, Port Huon, San Emiliano, Tasso and Vimeira, and the Norwegian Gard. Note however, that the Bermuda portion that joined Convoy HX 86, has been given the designation BHX 87 (also external link), departing Bermuda on Nov. 8-1940, joining HX 86 on the 13th. In addition to all the ships that have been given a B number above, he has also included Mataroa in this portion, and he states that Bonnington Court, Holmside and Zypenberg had joined (all crossed out in the Advance Sailing Telegram) but detached to Sydney, C.B.

Bonnington Court joined Convoy SC 12 - also, it looks like Yorkmoor, sailing in that convoy, had originally been scheduled for HX 86 (note difficult to decipher).
Holmside is listed in Convoy SC 13, while Zypenberg also cancelled from that convoy.

The convoy had 40 ships, 36 remained at local escort rendezvous.

* Charles Racine was sent into St. John's with an outbreak of diptheria at 16:35 on Nov. 13 in position 45? 30N 50 47W.
Mosli dropped astern at 06:45 on Nov. 14, position 46 58N 48 28W, due to engine defect and failed to rejoin.
Athelviking and Adellen dropped astern during the night of 20th/21st during a gale, reason and position unknown. Both ships failed to rejoin. According to A. Hague, Adellen joined up with HX 85.
(My question marks are due to the fact that some numbers are hard to read - especially the 5's which in some cases look like 6 or 8).

Commodore's comments on station keeping and visual and W/T signalling:
"Although station keeping was not out of the ordinary it was effective. Although on two dirty nights course was altered three times without signal, in the morning convoy was found all present although not closed up in correct station. V/S signalling was on the whole good. With the exception of the Commodore, Vice Commodore and S.S. Dalfram who carried out W/T Guard duties, the convoy was closed down on W/T throughout the voyage."

Escorts: HMS Voltaire (from Halifax till 08:35 Nov. 21, parting company in position 56 22N 23 00W), HMS Castleton, HMS Viscount, HMS Whitehall, HMS Cyclamen, HMS Rhododendron, HMS Hibiscus. HMS Rodney (local escort?) was sighted at 15:10 on Nov. 19, position 55 18N 30 10W.

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

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