Unfortunately, the dates disappear in the margin of the documents, so that only the times are legible. Also, the document is handwritten, and hard to decipher in places.
This narrative starts quite a ways into the voyage, probably shortly before arrival off St. John's. (Zamalek is said to have arrived St. John's on Febr. 22 - see Notes on Page 1).
Date? - possibly Febr. 20-1943? (Commodore Casey's notes state that his ship, Empire Mariner had rudder trouble at 08:00P Febr. 20, in 49 22N 45 25W - see Page 1. The subsequent dates in this narrative might then be Febr. 21, Febr. 23, Febr. 24 etc.).
What follows is the Vice Commodore's narrative.
The Commodore Ship, Empire Mariner, broke down at 10:00 GMT in 49 17N 45 30W, and the Vice Commodore in Bristol City took charge of the convoy.
21 ships - Empire Morn, Elizabeth Massey, Inger Toft, Senga, Nicolaos Michalos, Selvistan, Bristol City, F.J. Wolfe, Gulfhawk, Christian Holm, Rio Verde, Sälen, Governor John Lind, Pleiades, Riley, Norjerv, Pundit, Sabine Sun, Empire Magpie, Margalan (or Margalau?) and Zamalek. Zamalek, being short of fuel, proceeded to St. John's.
Date?
10:30 GMT - Received signal Pos. RR 48 50N 47 10W SS 43 30N 48 40W from S.O.E. (Senior Officer of Escort) HMS Leamington. Signal passed on to ships.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 47 36N 47 07W.
07:52 GMT - Received Pos. NW from S.O.E. 43 15N 55 00N.
11:01 GMT - Received from S.O.E. HMS Leamington; Omit Pos. T, SS & V, after crossing Lat. 46°N proceed to WW Pos. thence XX 43 15N 57 50W YY 39 44N 67 48W, ZZ 39 50N 73 01W, thence QJA 165 to New York.
Date?
03:00 GMT - HMS Leamington left. HMS Digby took over.
08:00 BST - Pos. 45 39N 48 54W.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 44 09N 52 34W.
Rio Verde reports boiler trouble, capable of 7 1/2 knots.
20:30 GMT - HMS Arrowhead takes over from HMS Digby as S.O.E.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 43 17N 56 41W.
11:00 GMT - Detached Halifax ships. Empire Morn, Senga, Elizabeth Massey, Inger Toft, Nicolaos Michalos, Selvistan in Pos. 43 16N 57 01W.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 42 19N 61 01W.
13:00 GMT - U.S.S. Pleiades reports rudder trouble.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 41 07N 64 12W.
11:00 GMT - Boston ships detached in pos. 40 56N 64 28W. U.S.S. Pleiades, Governor John Lind.
11:40 GMT - To Empire Magpie, destination changed to New York.
13:24 GMT - HMS Arrowhead reports that Empire Porpoise had arrived at Halifax, a straggler from ON(S) 165.
19:45 GMT - Rio Verde broke down and fell out of convoy.
Date?
08:00 BST - Pos. 40 08N 67 34W. Passed to S.O.E. Estimated time of arrival at Ambrose 18:00 SMT 28th.
Date? (probably March 1-1943)
11:00 GMT - Detached Philadelphia ships, Pundit, Riley, Norjerv, also Margalau for Hampton Roads in Pos. 40 03N 72 58W.
13:50 GMT - Passed "A" Buoy and proceeded up swept channel.
17:15 GMT - Arrived at Pilot Station. 7 ships in Company, Bristol City, Sabine Sun, Sälen, Empire Magpie, Christian Holm, Gulfhawk, F. J. Wolfe.
Signed, A. L. Nebb, Master, Bristol City
Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home 
