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CONVOY ON 155

Commodore's narrative of passage is available on Page 2

Convoy ON 155 Cruising Order
Departed Liverpool on Dec. 19-1942 and arrived New York on Jan. 6-1943 (Arnold Hague says 24 ships).
Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Du=Dutch, Pa=Panamanian, Am=American
RV=Rescue Vessel

Crossed out ships did not sail.

For info, some of the ships in this convoy had previously arrived the U.K. with Convoy HX 216, others had arrived with HX 215 (see also HX 214 and HX 213).
Note also that a few later returned to the U.K. in Jan.-1943 with HX 223, others are listed in HX 224.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Fernmoor
moved to 22
21
Samuel Bakke
(Norw)
31
El Aleto
(Br)
41
Emma Bakke
(Norw)
51
Tongariro
(Br)
61
Seminole
(Br)
 71
Lucerna
(Br)		 81
Lista
(Norw)		 91
Reinholt
(Norw)
12
Pacific Enterpise
moved to 73
22
Fernmoor
(Norw)
32
Noreg
(Norw)

British Tradition
(Br)
42
Ganymedes
(Du)
52
Port Dunedin
(Br)
62
Cavina
moved from 63
 72
Polartank
(Norw)

Toorak
(Br)

 82
Norsol
(Norw)		 92
Westland
(Du)
13
Empire Lakeland
(Br)
23
Empire Marvell
(Br)
 33
Axel Johnson
(Sw)		 43
San Ambrosio
(Br)
Escort oiler		 53
Schuylkill
(Br)		 63
Kollbjørg
(Norw)
moved from 62		 73
Pacific Enterprise
(Br)		 83
Norbris
(Pa / Norw mgrs)		 93
Metapan
(Am)
14 24 34 44 54
Gothland
(Br)
RV
later 53		 64 74 84 94
Also, Fort Amherst and the Dutch Hercules joined from St. John's N.F. at 16:45 on Dec. 30.
Fort Amherst was bound for Halifax, and Hercules also proceeded to Halifax to land a sick officer - see Notes below.

Several ships were moved to different stations in the course of the voyage - see the Commodore's narrative on Page 2.

The cancelled Empire Marvell, Schuylkill, Noreg and Polartank are listed as sailing in ON 157.
Empire Marvell straggled from ON 157 and joined ON 156 on Jan. 10-1943.

I believe this shows the formation after having passed Halifax
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
21
Samuel Bakke
(Norw)
31
El Aleto
(Br)
41
Emma Bakke
(Norw)
51
Tongariro
(Br)
61
Seminole
(Br)
 71 81
Magdala**
(Du)		 91
Reinholt
(Norw)
12
22
Biscaya*
(Norw?)
32
Axel Johnson
(Sw)
42
San Ambrosio
(Br)
52
Port Dunedin
(Br)
62
 72
Toorak
(Br)		 82
Egda**
(Norw)		 92
Westland
(Du)
13
Biscaya
later 22
23
Geo. W. McKnight*
(Pa)
 33
Sunoil**
(Am?)		 43
Ganymedes
(Du)		 53
Fernmoor
(Norw)		 63
Kollbjørg
(Norw)		 73
Pacific Enterprise
(Br)		 83
Comedian**
(Br)		 93
Metapan
(Am)
* Biscaya and Geo. W. McKnight (the latter from ON 153) joined from St. John's at 08:00 on Dec. 31
**Magdala, Comedian (both previously in ON 153 from the U.K.), Egda, and Sunoil joined from Halifax at 09:00 Jan. 2.


Notes:
Commodore, Rear Admiral D. M. T. Bedford was in Tongariro, Vice Commodore was the captain of El Aleto, Rear Commodore in Lucerna.

El Aleto, Kollbjørg and Norbris had originally been scheduled for ON 153.

Average speed: 7.7 knots. Daily positions of convoy are available within the text on Page 2.

The Rescue Vessel Gothland was on her 6th voyage as such, starting out from Clyde on Dec. 19-1942, to Halifax Jan. 3-1943. She returned to Clyde with Convoy SC 117 from Halifax on Jan. 15-1943 - to Clyde Febr. 2. ("Convoy Rescue Ships", Arnold Hague).

Ships dropping out or leaving for various reasons:
Empire Lakeland was missing at dawn on Dec. 22, subsequently reported as having returned to Clyde (see Page 3 for misc. letters re the return of this ship).

Lista was missing at dawn on Dec. 25 in approx 57 27N 30 00W, subsequently reported as having arrived St. John's, N.F. She's mentioned again in the Commodore's narrative for Convoy ON 159.

Lucerna dropped out with engine trouble at 03:25 on Jan. 1-1943 in 43 40N 55 46W.

British Tradition, Norbris, and Norsol parted company for Guantanamo in 43 33N 58 30W at 20:00 on Jan. 1.

Fort Amherst (not included on A 1 forms above, had joined from St. John's), Cavina and Gothland parted company for Halifax at 09:25 on Jan. 2 in 43 29N 60 50W.
Hercules also proceeded to Halifax to land sick Chief Officer.

Biscaya missing at dawn on Jan. 3 in approx. 42 05N 63 24W.

Ganymedes missing at dawn Jan. 5 and did not rejoin. The Commodore says "this ship, although listed as 10 1/2 knots sometimes had difficulty in keeping up at 9 1/2 knots".

Others lost touch, but were able to rejoin (see the Commodore's narrative).

Escorts:
Ocean: HMS Fame, Polish destroyer Burza, Norwegian Eglantine and Acanthus, HMS Kingcup, HMS Vervain.
Western Local (North): HMCS Columbia, 1 unnamed escort, HMCS Cobalt, HMCS Quesnel, HMCS Nanaimo.
Western Local (South): HMCS Brantford, HMCS Dundas, HMCS Truro.

Ocean Escort joined at 270° Oversay 6 miles at 10:00 on Dec. 20. Left at 17:00 on Dec. 30 in 45 58N 49 26W, at which time
Western Local Escort (N) joined - left at 09:00 on Jan. 2-1943 in 43 29N 60 50W.
Western Local Escort (S) joined when Western Local (N) left, and remained till New York.

Narrative of passage is available on Page 2
Misc. letters re Empire Lakeland Page 3

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