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CONVOY MKS 22

The document from which I've transcribed this information gives departure Gibraltar as Aug. 24-1943; Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives the date as Aug. 25 (15 ships), and indicates that MKS 22 had started out in Alexandria on Aug. 15-1943, arriving Gibraltar on the 25th.

MKS 22 joined up with Convoy SL 135 from Freetown on Aug. 26, arrival Liverpool Sept. 6.

Transcribed from a document (Advance Sailing Telegram) received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

There was also a faster convoy, MKF 22.

Ships in the combined convoy SL 135 / MKS 22 are named at this external link.

This first table shows the Gibraltar-U.K. convoy. As can be seen from the second table on this page, some of these ships had just arrived from Alexandria.

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Comments
Ashbury
British
iron ore
Barrow-in-Furness
(See also KMS 22)
Begum
"
general
Dundee
Cerion
"
general
Not for U.K.
(see 2nd table)
Borgholm
Norwegian
iron ore
Ardrossan
(See also KMS 21)
City of Agra
British
general
Glasgow
City of Sydney
"
general
London
Empire Ortolan
"
iron ore
Glasgow
From MKS 21
Finland
"
general
Liverpool
(See also KMS 21)
Listed in MKS 23
Fort Churchill
"
none given
Liverpool
Matheran
"
general
Liverpool
Rathlin
"
Rescue Vessel
Clyde
Ref. Notes below
Taybank
"
general
Liverpool
Baron Douglas
"
pyrites
Ardrossan
Viva
Norwegian
Govt. stores
London
Spurt
"
none given
Barrow-in-Furness
(See also KMS 21)

Note: I've compared the above with a list of ships in Convoy MKS 22 received from Don Kindell, based on A. Hague's own research, and find that A. Hague has not included the British Matheran in this convoy, nor does he mention Cerion (but both are listed in the next table).

The Rescue Vessel Rathlin was on her 14th voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde on Aug. 9-1943 with Convoy OS 53 / KMS 23 (available at one of the external links at the end of this page) - to Gibraltar Aug. 18, returning to Clyde with Convoy SL 135 / MKS 22, Aug. 24-Sept. 5. (Her previous voyage had been with Convoy KMS 18B - SL 132 / MKS 16), and her 15th voyage was a very busy one when with Convoy ON 202 - returned to Clyde with HX 260). Source: "Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague.

Escorts (received from Don Kindell, whose own work, covering "Royal & other Navies Day-by-Day in World War 2" can be viewed at this website):
Aug. 25-Aug. 26:
Antelope, Godetia, Lady Hogarth, Saxifrage.


A. Hague's list also shows the following (Algiers, Aug. 22-1943)

As mentioned, A. Hague says in his "The Allied Convoy System" that MKS 22 started out in Alexandria on Aug. 15-1943, arriving Gibraltar on the 25th.

Transcribed from the document received from Don Kindell - Source: A. Hague's own research.

As can be seen in the first table on this page, some of these ships proceeded to the U.K. with the Gibraltar-U.K. convoy.

Ship
Nationality
Voyage
A. P. Hill
American
Algiers to Gibraltar
American Trader
"
Alexandria to Malta
Bantria
British
Alexandria to Benghazi
Begum
"
Alexandria to U.K.
Brasil
Norwegian
Alexandria to Malta
Camelia
Swedish
Bizerta to Oran
Cerion
British
Alexandria to Tripoli
City of Agra
"
Alexandria to U.K.
City of Sydney
"
U.K.
Coxwold
"
Bougie to Oran
Crackshot
"
Bizerta to Algiers
David G. Farragut
American
Bizerta to Oran
Debrett
British
Alexandria to Sicily, via Malta
Empire Carpenter
British
Oran to U.K.
(listed in MKS 23)
Empire Celia
"
Malta to Gibraltar for Casablanca
Empire Kingsley
"
Bone to Oran
Empire Patrol
"
Alexandria to Sicily via Malta
Empire Perdita
"
Bizerta to Algiers
Empire Rosalind
"
Bizerta to Algiers
Empire Thackeray
"
Malta to Bizerta
Ensis
"
Alexandria to Tripoli
Everleigh
"
Fort Buckingham
"
Bizerta to Algiers
Fort Grouard
"
Algiers to Oran
Fort Lajoie
"
Alexandria to Malta
Fort Lawrence
"
Alexandria to Sicily
Fort Poplar
"
Bizerta to Algiers
Francis L. Lee
American
Algiers to Gibraltar
Harlesden
British
Bizerta to Algiers
Helmwood
"
Bizerta to Bone
Highland Prince
"
Alexandria to Sicily via Malta
BYMS 186
"
Bizerta to Oran
BYMS 187
"
Bizerta to Oran
BYMS 31
"
Bizerta to Oran
BYMS 68
"
Bizerta to Oran
Homer Lea
American
Alexandria to Gibraltar
Joel Chandler Harris
"
Bizerta to Oran
Matheran
British
Alexandria to U.K.
Maya
Honduran
Algiers to Oran
Nassa
British
Bizerta to Oran
Nirvana
"
Alexandria to Sicily
Ocean Hunter
"
Alexandria to Sicily
Ocean Vista
"
Bizerta to Algiers
Ovula
Dutch
Alexandria to Malta
PLM 21
French
Algiers to Gibraltar
Reliant
British
Malta to Bizerta
Reverdy Johnson
American
Algiers to Gibraltar
Suiyang
British
Alexandria to Sicily
Taybank
"
Alexandria to U.K.
Temple Arch
"
Algiers to Gibraltar
Thistlemuir
"
Alexandria to Sicily
Ulla
"
Philippeville to Oran
USS Aroostook
American
Malta to unknown port
Viva
Norwegian
Alexandria to U.K.
Wearfield
British
Bizerta to Oran
Welsh Trader
"
"possibly in this convoy"
(A. Hague's own note)
William D. Moseley
American
Bizerta to Oran

Escorts:
Aug. 16-Aug. 25: Bergamot, Bluebell, Bryony, Cleveland, Krakowiak, La Malouine, Slazak.


Related external links:
SL, HG and MKS and MKF convoys - In Chronological order. The MKS and MKF convoys start on this page for 1942, while the 1943 convoys are listed on this page.

SL & SL / MKS convoys - SL 135 / MKS 22 is included. The site also has a section for the OS / KMS Convoys (and others) and as can be seen, OS 53 / KMS 23, mentioned in connection with Rathlin above, is listed.

Liberty Ships - Alphabetical list.

This site has a list of "Fort" and "Ocean" ships.

Empire Ships - Listed in alphabetical order. The site also has a section listing the Liberty ships.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next MKS convoy in my list MKS 23


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