Report of Proceedings of Convoy HX 94

HMS Rajputana acting as Ocean Escort for Convoy HX 94 from Halifax, N.S. to the United Kingdom, was normally disposed between columns 4 and 5 of the convoy. HMS Windflower and HMS Trillium sailed with the convoy and until they parted company, were employed as lookouts on the bow by day, and as close submarine screen on the beam at night.

Speed maintained was 7.7 knots.

HX 94 proceeded out of harbour p.m. Friday December 6th, 1940, and contact was made with the Sydney section at 10:45 on Sunday 8th December, and with the Bermuda section at 10:45 on Monday 9th December.

S/S Solstad, Norwegian, was ordered back to Halifax at 21:30 on Saturday 7th December, she having reported that she was unable to proceed owing to a broken cylinder cover.
S/S Sirikishna, British, of the Sydney section, was ordered back to Halifax at 20:00 on Sunday 8th December, as she was unable to maintain more than 7 knots.

HMS Ascania, Ocean Escort of the Bermuda section, reported that S/S Carelia had returned to Bermuda with a seaman who had met with an accident.

Tuesday 10th December
Fog came on suddenly at 04:00 and kept on till just before dark when it began to blow, the wind increasing to gale force. HMS Windflower, S/S Sire and S/S Pendeen were not in sight when the fog cleared. Visibility was poor all Wednesday, and as the missing ships had not been seen, D/F signal for sragglers was made at 19:14 and 19:20. S/S City of Glasgow, British, fell astern during the day to secure her deck cargo.

Thursday 12th December
None of the missing ships were in sight at dawn, and D/F signal for stragglers was again made in the evening.

Friday 13th December
S/S City of Glasgow rejoined at 13:00. The sea increased and the convoy was hove to at 15:30 until 10:15 Saturday, when the Commodore proceeded - only 8 ships and HMS Trillium being in sight. Commenced search and located 6 ships.
12:50 - Proceeded to rejoin convoy.
15:00 - Convoy present, except for S/S Woensdrecht, who could not be found in spite of a search. Visibility was not good owing to frequent snow storms.

S/S Agra was not seen again after dark on Saturday 14th December.

At dawn on Tuesday 17th December, HMS Trillium, S/S La Pampa and S/S Oakman were not to be seen. HMS Rajputana left the convoy at 10:30, and proceeded on an opposite course till dark, in case any of the stragglers were following astern of convoy* - nothing was seen and course was then shaped for Halifax.
At 22:00 signal was made to Commander-in-Chief Western Approaches, repeated to other authorities as necessary, reporting names of missing ships of convoy, and positions where last seen.

* Roy Martin, England has given me the following (his source: Admiralty records):
"I have a note of a report by HMS Trillium: 'Convoy scattered due to gale of almost hurricane force. As weather improved found Oakman, gave her course to steer, later found La Pampa and escorted her to Oban 18/12'."

The weather was bad from Tuesday December 10th to Tuesday December 17th, the average wind being force 7, and the sea and swell 6 and 8.

Ships were well darkened.

All times are GMT.

Signed Captain F. H. Taylor DSC (see also these 2 messages in my Guestbook re Rajputana)

Related external link:
The history of La Pampa on Roy Martin's website

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