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CONVOY ON 202 (ONS 18)
Commodore's Report
Received from Doug McLean, Canada - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
See also his analysis on Page 4
ONS 18 departed Liverpool on Sept. 12-1943 and arrived Halifax on Sept. 29
(Arnold Hague's The Allied Convoy System" gives 27 ships in this convoy).
ON 202 left Liverpool on Sept. 15-1943 and arrived New York on Oct. 1.
(Arnold Hague gives 38 ships in this convoy - the Commodore says 42).
Report of Proceedings by Commodore of Convoy ON 202 Daily positions at 08:00 BST have been inserted from a separate document (I'm not sure whether the Commodore also operates in BST in his report). Friday, Sept. 17: Sept. 18: 08:00 BST - 56 07N 17 18W (DR) - (W.S. 5, OCM). Sept. 19: Icarus and Polyanthus started fueling at daylight; former could not complete; latter completed 60 tons. Sept. 20: N.D. Ships - The Net Defence ships were ordered to stream nets at 17:15 when convoys joined, having been warned two hours previously that they would be getting them out. Eugene Field (US) succeeded in 45 minutes; Casimir Pulaski reported at 18:00 she couldn't get nets out that night as she had an insufficient number of able seamen. She streamed them next forenoon. Sept. 21: Foggy all day, clearing a bit at 14:00 when ONS 18 were sighted on stbd. beam. Passed alteration of course to ONS 18 to get us back on route, but fog shutting down thick again, had to cancel them. New route received shortly afterwards straight for Cape Race. Fog thick all night. Sept. 22: Sept. 23: 08:00 BST - 53 14N 41 05W (W 4, OC). Sept. 24: Foggy all day and night; various U-boats seen and heard around convoy but no attacks. Sept. 25: 17:30 - Fog lifted sufficiently to enable signal for 9 knots to get through and so draw ahead of other convoy, but did not like to risk crossing ahead of ONS 18 to get on course to Eastward of Virgins. Pos. 48 20N 50 00W. Sept. 26: 08:00 BST - 47 15N 51 36W (S 4, F). Sept. 27: Sept. 28: Fine clear weather. Halifax portion left. Sept. 29: Sept. 30: Signal ordering changing of destinations for five tankers was received at 14:00. Visibility at the time about one mile, blowing a full N.E.'ly gale. Convoy endeavouring to form 2 columns and make end channel buoy. Suggest that signal changing destinations of tankers be despatched so as to reach Commodore at least 24 hours before arrival at Point Z. Attention is called to signal from CESF 3013552. Suggest that, at any rate during winter months, convoys bound for New York should be routed via Cape Cod in order to avoid difficulty of finding swept channel to Ambrose Light. Signed - E. O. Cochrane, Commodore R.N.R. Here are several other reports on passage Back to Page 1 - ships in convoys To the next ON convoy in my list ON 203 |
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