Ships joining from Halifax only are included in the diary; some ships also joined from St. John's.

Cargoes have been extracted from a document received from D. Kindell, based on Arnold Hague's database. See his listing for SC 133 at Ships in all SC convoys.

Underlined ships returned to port, except those that are linked, which will automatically be underlined.

For info, a few of these ships had previously arrived with Convoy ONS 7.

Br=British, Du=Dutch, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Da=Danish, Am=American, Gr=Greek, Bel=Belgian, Pa=Panamanian.

RV=Rescue Vessel, †=dead, MoWT=Ministry of War Transport

Jobshaven had been cancelled from the previous convoy, SC 132. Hegira and Jean had originally been scheduled for the fast Convoy HX 241, which left New York on May 25.

*Lars Kruse was involved in a collision and returned to port. She shows up again in the next convoy. Leonidas N. Condylis also returned, cancelled from the next convoy, but joined Convoy SC 135. The Norwegian Maud (crossed out from station 121) is also listed in the next convoy, as are Alcoa Scout and Winston Salem. The latter joined SC 134 with the Newfoundland portion, so it looks like she did not follow SC 133 all the way to the U.K. (see also HX 239). I have no further explanation as to why Alcoa Scout is listed in both. The same is the case for American Press, which is also included in Convoy HX 241 (link above).

*When comparing this information with Arnold Hague's listing for Convoy SC 133 at Ships in all SC convoys, it'll be noticed that he has included some ships that are not mentioned in the diary, as follows:
In station 14 - The British Empire Magpie, general cargo
In station 95 - The British Southgate, cargo of steel and lumber, joined from St. John's, N.F.
In station 125 - The Norwegian Boreas, cargo of zinc concentrate, also joined from St. John's.
He also has the British Empire Activity, with a note saying "later took pos'n 95", cargo of zinc concentrate. This ship also joined from St. John's.
Additionally, he has the British Empire Mortimer, with a note "collision damage 11.6.43", general cargo, joined from St. John's, but no station number is given. This ship had previously returned to port from Convoy HX 241.

Copeland (requisitioned Dec. 20-1940) was on her 23rd voyage as Rescue Vessel, having started this voyage at Clyde with the westbound Convoy ONS 7 on May 7 (to Halifax May 25) and returning from Halifax with Convoy SC 133 on June 5, to Clyde June 18. On her outbound voyage with ONS 7 she had rescued survivors from the British Aymeric - follow the link to my page about ONS 7.

Arnold Hagues says in his "Convoy Rescue Ships" with regard to Copeland:
"During her return passage, a routine enquiry to a Greek steamer as to why he did not answer signals elicited the information that he had on board 10 survivors from the Panamanian Reigh Count, lost by collision before Copeland joined the convoy. Apparently, even after two and a half years of their operation the Greek had no knowledge of Rescue Ships! The men were transferred to Copeland, the last survivors to be dealt with onboard". This is a little confusing - if Copeland joined SC 133 from Halifax, and if the Panamanian ship sailed in this convoy, how could she have been lost before Copeland joined? Perhaps Copeland joined after the convoy had formed, and the collision may have occurred while forming? In his "The Allied Convoy System" A. Hague says the collision (with Chagres) took place on June 5-1943, in other words, on the day of departure Halifax. He adds there were no casualties. (No further details on Chagres).

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of SC convoy escorts, also received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Baddeck - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Brandon - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Calgary - From 09/06/43 to 16/06/43
Cape Palliser - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Churchill - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Collingwood - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Hepatica - From 05/06/43 to 11/06/74
Leamington - From 05/06/43 to 11/06/43
Matapedia - From 05/06/43 to 11/06/43
Melville - From 05/06/43 to 11/06/43
Moncton - From 05/06/43 to 11/06/43
Nene - From 10/06/43 to 16/06/43
Orillia - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Port Arthur - From 09/06/43 to 14/06/43
Restigouche - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Tweed - From 14/06/43 to 16/06/43
Vascama - From 08/06/43 to 19/06/43
Woodstock - From 09/06/43 to 16/06/43

Back to Convoy Index