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CONVOY OB 169

According to "The Allied Convoy System" by Arnold Hague the OB convoy series commenced on Sept. 7-1939, and initially contained ships for N. America and the Caribbean, as well as British coastal ports (the latter were detached off the Smalls Light Vessel or Land's End). Port of origin was Liverpool, and the convoys were routed south through St. George's Channel to the open Atlantic. Some OB convoys joined up with the OA convoys of the same number and became OG convoys for Gibraltar (as can be seen on my page for OA 98GF & OB 99GF, which formed OG 20F).

After OB 179 (July-1940) the OB series was re-routed through the North Channel from the Irish Sea. At that time the South America, Freetown and Cape bound ships were usually routed into the North Atlantic via the OB series, then detatched as independents (prior to July-1940 these vessels were handled by the OG series). The last OB convoy, OB 349, sailed from Liverpool on July 21-1941, to be replaced by the new ON series for North America, and the OS series for ships to Freetown and beyond. For more information on the movements of these and other convoys, see A. Hague's book, which can be purchased at Amazon.com and other places on the Internet.

This external site about the OB convoys has further explanations.

Convoy OB 169 Cruising Order
Departed Liverpool on June 17-1940, dispersed on June 22 (Arnold Hague also says 32 ships).
Received, with thanks, from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Est=Estonian
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
11
Nicoya
(Br)
21
Pacific Exporter
(Br)
31
Dromore
(Br)
41
Manchester Division
(Br)
51
Crispin
(Br)
61
Bereby
(Br)
71
Norman Prince
(Br)
12
Matina
(Br)
22
Scottish Heather
(Br)
32
British Dominion
(Br)
42
Ampleforth
(Br)
52
Clumberhall
(Br)
62
Olev
(Est)
72
Dagfred
(Norw)
13
Bristol City
(Br)
23
San Ernesto
(Br)
 33
San Demetrio
(Br)		 43
Laurelwood
(Br)		 53
Newton Ash
(Br)		 63
Stonepool
(Br)		 73
Delilian
(Br)
14
Lise*
(Norw)		 24
Salland
(Du)		 34
Thelma
(Norw)		 44
Invershannon
(Br)		 54
Vingaland
(Sw)		 64
Danio
(Norw)		 74
Mount Rhodope
(Gr)
15 25 35
Schuylkill
(Br)		 45
Lancaster Castle
(Br)		 55
Blairdevon
(Br)		 65
Hallanger
(Norw)		 75


Notes:
Commodore vessel was Manchester Division, Vice Commodore was in Bereby.

Bristol Channel Ships:
Bristol City - voyaging from Avonmouth to Philadelphia with general cargo
Lise (*possibly Liss?) - voyaging from Swansea to Abadan via Cape in ballast
Schuylkill - voyaging from Milford Haven to Aruba in ballast
Lancaster Castle - voyaging from Barry to St. Lawrence in ballast
Hallanger - voyaging from Swansea to St. Kitts in ballast
Blairdevon - voyaging from Swansea to St. John in ballast

In the event of any ship being damaged while in the convoy Blairdevon and Lancaster Castle were to stand by as Rescue Ships to save life and then rejoin convoy.

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

Related external links:
OA and OB Convoys - Chronological list, starting with 1939.

OB Convoys

Back to Convoy Index

To the next OB convoy in my list (misc. reports only) OB 228


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