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CONVOY MKS 4 & MKS 4Y

Convoy MKS 4 Cruising Order
Left Bone on Dec. 22-1942, Algiers Dec. 24 - arrived Liverpool on Jan. 6-1943.

Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" also has a Convoy MKS 4Y, which left Gibraltar on Jan. 1-1943 and arrived Liverpool on the 9th - ships are named at end of this table.
A 1 form was received from Robert Martin, England - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
The details have been compared to (and on the whole agrees with) a list received from Don Kindell - His source: A. Hague's own research. (Don's work, which covers "Royal & other Navies Day-by-Day in World War 2" can be viewed at this website).

For info, there was also a faster convoy, MKF 4, which had left Algiers on Dec. 10-1942 and arrived Clyde on the 18th. (Hague also has an MKF 4Y, departing Bone on Dec. 11, arriving Clyde on the 24th).

Quite a few of these ships had previously arrived with Convoy KMS 4.

Br=British, Am=American, Du=Dutch, Po=Polish, Bel=Belgian, Fr=French.

Oran - 10 ships, Algiers - 15 ships, Gibraltar - 30 ships

L = Mersey, C = Clyde
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11 L
Winfield Scott
(Am)
21 L
Manchester Commerce
(Br)
31 L
Robert Morris
(Am)
41 C
Fort Pitt
(Br)
51
Empire Heywood
Newport
(Br)
61 L
Ocean Stranger
(Br)
71 L
Anglo African
(Br)
81 L
Indian Prince
(Br)
91 L
Fanad Head
(Br)
 101 C
Trader
(Br)		 111 L
Benedict
(Br)
12
Nashaba
Swansea
(Am)
22
Thomas Heyward
Swansea
(Am)
32 L
George B. McClellan
(Am)
42
Liberian
Swansea
(Br)
52 C
Antonia
(Du)
62
Conakrian
Penarth
(Br)
72 C
Hadleigh
(Br)
82 C
Explorer
(Br)
92 L
Empire Cameron
(Br)
 102
Empire Gazelle
Barrow
(Br)		 112 C
Tintern Abbey
(Br)
13 L
Charles Carroll
(Am)
23 L
Ethan Allen
(Am)
 33
John Hathorn*
Newport
(Am)		 43
HMS Helvig
(Br)		 53 C
Derwentdale
(Br)		 63
Fort Ellice
Newport
(Br)		 73 C
Kaimata
(Br)		 83 C
Cochrane
(Br)		 93
HMS Roberts
(Br)		 103
Carter Braxton
Barry Docks
(Am)		 113 L
Lewis Morris
(Am)
14 24 L
Manchester Citizen
(Br)		 34 C
Lewis Luckenbach
(Am)		 44 C
Empire Guinevere
(Br)		 54
Stancleeve
Penarth
(Br)		 64 L
Abbeydale
(Br)		 74 C
Barrister
(Br)
Wrecked - See Notes		 84 C
Clausina
(Br)		 94 C
Lublin
(Po)		 104
Elizabeth Massey
Loch Ewe
(Br)		 114
Ocean Victory
Swansea
(Br)
15
Coxwold
Silloth
(Br)		 25
Fort Lac La Ronge
Cardiff
(Br)		 35
Lafonia
Loch Ewe
(Br)		 45 55 65 75
Hudson
Barry Dock
(Du tug)		 85 95 C
Cefn-y-Bryn
(Br)		 105 L
Ocean Coast
(Br)		 115
Uskside
Barrow
(Br)
16 C
Luther Martin
(Am)		 26 36 46
Pendeen*
Loch Ewe
(Br)		 56
Nurjehan
Barry Dock
(Br)		 66 L
Empire Haven
(Br)		 76 C
Gironde**
(Bel)		 86 L
Willodale
(Br)		 96
PLM 21
Barrow Dock
(Fr)		 106 116
* Listed as James Hathorn on the A 1 form.

* Pendeen became a straggler at 10:30, Jan. 2.

** Gironde was sent back at 18:30 on Dec. 27. (Joined next convoy, MKS 5)

A. Hague has a note for Empire Haven saying she was at Gibraltar Dec. 24-26, and a note for Clausina saying "via Gibraltar" Dec. 26. For Ethan Allen he has a note "Oran to U.K.". In addition to the above ships, he has also included the Norwegian Evviva in this convoy (Algiers to Oran) - not mentioned on the A 1 form.

For Convoy MKS 4Y, leaving Gibraltar on Jan. 1-1943, arriving Liverpool on the 9th, A. Hague lists the following ships, all British:
Mahout, Ocean Freedom, Ocean Seaman and Turkistan.


Notes (MKS 4):
Commodore was in Empire Heywood, Vice Commodore in Manchester Commerce, Rear Commodore in Fanad Head.

Barrister (in ballast) ran aground at Inishark Island, Galway on Jan. 4-1943, broke in 2, total loss. ("The World's Merchant Fleets 1939", R. W. Jordan).

Escorts - Convoy MKS 4 (received from Don Kindell):
Dec. 22-Dec. 23: Acute, Alarm, Wilton.
Dec. 22-Dec. 25: Bude, Clacton, Rhyl, Stornoway.
Dec. 24-Dec. 25: Hussar.
Dec. 24-Dec. 27: Alberni, Alynbank, Baddeck, Port Arthur, Ville de Quebec.
Dec. 26-Dec. 27: Boreas, Brilliant, Verity.
Dec. 26-Dec. 29: Prescott, Woodstock.
Dec. 26-Jan. 4: Kitchener, Landguard.
Dec. 26-Jan. 5-1943: Algoma, Camrose.
Dec. 26-Jan. 6: Bideford, Hastings, Londonderry, Lulworth, Southern Gem.
Dec. 27-Jan. 5: Calgary.
Dec. 28-Jan. 5: Regina.
Dec. 31-Jan. 5: Moosejaw.

Escorts - Convoy MKS 4Y (also from D. Kindell):
Jan. 1-Jan. 9-1943: Commandant Detroyat, Slazak, Starwort, Wensleydale.

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

Liberty Ships - Alphabetical list (most of the ships listed as American in this convoy, were Liberty Ships).
List of Liberty Ships by Hull No. - Includes info on the men for whom the ships were named (from Wikipedia).

This site has more on the the "Ocean" and "Fort" ships mentioned in this convoy.
Empire Ships - Also listed in alphabetical order. The site allso has a section listing the Liberty ships.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next MKS convoy in my list MKS 5


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