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CONVOY SC 53
Departed Sydney, C.B. on Nov. 4-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 24th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 52 ships in this convoy

Transcribed from several original documents received from Tony Cooper (Advance Sailing Telegram) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
The station numbers and names of escorts have been extracted from documents recived from Don Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague's database - see his listing for SC 53 at Ships in all SC convoys.

Judging from the station numbers, the convoy had 11 columns.

Further details have been added with the help of:
"Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two", Jürgen Rohwer
"The World's Merchant Fleets 1939", R. W. Jordan
"Lloyd's War Losses", Vol. I.

Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined returned, except those that are linked, which will automatically be underlined. Petter II and Ravnefjell, however, did return to port.

See also Convoy ON 19 and other westbound convoys from the same time period.

MoWT = Ministry of War Transport
Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
Elwood
Panamanian
general
63
Hull
From SC 52
Agios Georgios
Greek
general
–
Avonmouth
From SC 51
Listed in SC 54
Norwegian
sugar
–
Greenock
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54
Egton
British
sugar
21
London
From SC 52
Norwegian
Tanker B
42
London (Thameshaven)
From SC 52
Baron Dechmont
British
sugar
–
London
Listed in SC 54
Venus
Dutch
phosphates
12
Tyne
–
Empire Woodcock
British
steel
51
Hull
From SC 52
Harberton
"
general
111
Belfast
–
Thistleford
"
general
81
Manchester
–
Petrovski
Russian
general - gasoline - carbon black
24
Archangel
See * in Notes
Michael Jebsen
Danish / MoWT 1940
flour
11
London
From SC 52
Agia Marina
Greek
grain
114
Barry Docks
From SC 52
Returned to Sydney
Listed in SC 54
Norwegian
wheat
75
Mersey
–
Theomitor
Greek
general
113
Manchester
From SC 52
In collision w/Empire Dorado
(see Notes)
Loreto
British
general - mail
–
Liverpool
From SC 52
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 55
Benedick
"
Adm. tanker B
53
Scapa
From SC 52
Megara
"
Tanker W
72
Heysham
–
Crusader
Panamanian
general
83
Liverpool
Sunk - See Notes
Franche-Comté
French / MoWT 1940
Tanker W
92
Swansea
–
British Captain
British
Tanker W
52
London (Shellhaven)
From HX 157 (see Ships in all HX convoys)
Lost - See Notes
Kathariotisa
Greek
lumber
112
Belfast d.g. / Bristol
From SC 52
Empire Dorado
British
none given
(A. Hauge says general)
94
Manchester
From SC 52
Sank - collision w/Theomitor
(see Notes)
Agios Vlasios
Greek
lumber
–
London
Joined SC 54 - returned
Listed in SC 60
Trevalgan
British
cereals
14
Avonmouth
–
Norwegian
phosphates
–
Garston
Listed in SC 56
Leonidas N. Condylis
Greek
steel - timber
45
London
Returned to Sydney
Listed in SC 54
Lily
"
grain
–
Swansea
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 55
Atlanticos
"
grain
44
Tyne
–
Badjestan
British
general - mail
82
Liverpool
Returned to Sydney
To SC 55 - did not sail
Listed in SC 56
Empire Rain
"
steel
101
Loch Ewe / Hull
–
Danmark
Danish / MoWT 1940
general
–
Liverpool
Listed in HX 158
Empire Moorhen
British
steel - general
74
Londonderry
–
San Felix
"
Tanker B
93
Swansea
–
Norwegian
phosphates
13
London
–
Mount Pelion
Greek
cereals
–
Belfast
Listed in SC 54
Rosewood
British
Adm. tanker B
31
Killingholme?
–
Scottish Musician
"
Tanker B
103
London
–
Start Point
"
sugar
–
London
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 56
Chelatros
Greek
general - refrig.
–
Liverpool
To SC 54 - did not sail
See ** in Notes
Empire Kittiwake
British
steel - scrap
–
Hull
Listed in SC 57
(later became Norw. Norfalk)
Meridian
Panamanian
general
33
Archangel
Sunk - See Notes
(also *)
Norwegian
steel - lumber
–
London
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 55
Stratford
American
general
(A. Hague adds:
passengers, 198 mails)
23
Reykjavik
Returned to port (Argentia, N.F.)
See also * in Notes below
St. Rosario
British
hides - timber - cased meat - cotton - 9 passengers
61
Manchester
Commodore Vessel
Baron Dunmore
"
sugar
41
London
–
City of Oxford
"
general
91
Mersey
–
Daleby
"
ground nuts - manganese ore
84
Mersey
–
Empire Mavis
"
wheat - machinery - general
–
Archangel
Listed in SC 55
(later joined Convoy PQ 6 to Murmansk)
Ilissos
Greek
lumber
–
Mersey
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54
Llangollen
British
sugar
62
Mersey
–
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
73
Clyde
See * in Notes
"
general
34
Manchester
Returned to port (St. John's)
Listed in SC 54
Rotterdam
Dutch
Tanker W
–
Stanlow
Listed in SC 54
West Neris
Irish (ex. Am. 9/41)
grain
104
Belfast for Dublin
Renamed Irish Oak
From SC 52
Returned to Sydney.
Listed in SC 55
Dunsley
British
none given
–
Mersey
Listed in SC 54
Norwegian
scrap iron
–
Glasgow
Listed in SC 54
Elisha Walker
Panamanian
Tanker B
102
Swansea
–
Barberrys
British
newsprint - steel
22
Avonmouth
From SC 52
PLM 13
–
iron ore
32
Tees
(arr. Reykjavik Nov. 22)
From SC 51
According to A. Hague, PLM 13 was diverted to Iceland to fuel.
Norwegian
Tanker B
43
London (Thameshaven)
From SC 52
Returned to Sydney
Listed in SC 55
Carras
Greek
iron ore
54
Newport
–
Egyptian Prince
British
general - 3 passengers
55
Holyhead / Manchester
From HX 158
Lackenby
"
grain
71
London
–
Empire Gannet
"
general
85
Mersey
–
Georgios P.
Greek
zinc concentrates
105
Avonmouth
From SC 52
Ships from Wabana (Convoy WSC 53)
Due to sail on Nov. 6
Mount Kitheron
Greek
iron ore
–
Barry Roads f. o.
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54
Gudmundrå
Swedish
sugar
–
Liverpool
From SC 52
Aground - See Notes
Mariposa
British
zinc concentrates
–
Barry Roads f. o.
Listed in SC 54
British Industry
"
Tanker W
–
Belfast
From SC 52
Listed in SC 55
Empire Morn
"
wheat
–
Liverpool
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54
Joannis
Greek
iron ore
–
Barry Roads f. o.
–
PLM 27
–
iron ore
–
Glasgow
Listed in SC 54
Atland
Swedish
iron ore
–
Barry Roads f. o.
Listed in SC 55
Lorient
British
(see ** in Notes)
iron ore
–
Barry Roads f. o.
Listed in SC 55
Hampton Lodge
British(?)
iron ore
–
Middlesbrough
Listed in SC 54

Notes:
* Meridian and Petrovski are crossed out on the Advance Sailing Telegram, and are also crossed out on the original document for the next convoy, SC 54, with a note saying "Sailed in SC 53, advise of return not yet received". Note that Meridian was sunk - ref. external link below. Going back to A. Hague's listing for SC 53 at ships in all SC convoys, we see that he has indeed included Petrovski in this convoy, with a note saying "Iceland for N Russia" (with the same note for Meridian). Petrovski is listed in Convoy PQ 5 to Archangel, which left Hvalfjord, Iceland on Nov. 27-1941 (it looks like she did not return until Convoy QP 13 in June-1942). It'll also be noticed that A. Hague has listed Stratford as British, but this ship had been sunk the year before (Convoy OB 218, from which the Norwegian Vestvard was also sunk).

** Chelatros had already run aground on Nov. 3-1941, at Brion Is., Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. Lawrence - total loss.

* According to A. Hague, the Norwegian Malmanger collided with Empire Mariner on Nov. 26. Checking further, we find that the British ship was westbound with Convoy ON 41 at the time, and returned to port, joining Convoy ON 45 a couple of weeks later, but returned, and does not show up again until ON 72, returned again, but finally got away with Convoy ON 74 (see ships in all ON convoys). No further info is available on the collision.

** The tonnage for Lorient is given as 4737 gt in the Advance Sailing Telegram. There was a French ship by this name of 4185 gt, which was taken over by MoWT in 1940 - same ship?

The following ships were lost:
Gudmundrå ran aground on Nov. 7, near St. Pierre Is., Newfoundland - total loss.

Meridian became a straggler and was sunk by U-561 on Nov. 11 - there were no survivors (ref. external link provided below).

Crusader was sunk by the same U-boat on Nov. 14. There were no survivors (or, did 1 survive?). According to A. Hague, she "did not join in fog" and had proceeded independently. See also external link below.

Empire Dorado was involved in a collision with the Greek Theomitor on Nov. 20 - taken in tow, sank Nov. 22.

British Captain, on a voyage from Corpus Christi/Halifax/Methil Roads for Shellhaven with 9000 tons of motor spirits and fuel oil, struck a mine on Dec. 2, near 54C Buoy. She had a crew of 44 and 10 gunners, 1 died. On Dec. 8, wreck in position 1 mile 240° 54C Buoy.

According to the Advance Sailing Telegram, the convoy arrived rendezvous on Nov. 15 (or, was scheduled to arrive on that date).

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of SC convoy escorts, received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Algoma - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Arvida - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Battleford - From 04/11/41 to 06/11/41
Burnham - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Caldwell - From 20/11/41 to 24/11/41
Chambly - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Dauphin - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Dunvegan - From 04/11/41 to 06/11/41
Hibiscus - From 20/11/41 to 24/11/41
Matapedia - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Napanee - From 06/11/41 to 20/11/41
Periwinkle - From 20/11/41 to 25/11/41
Sorel - From 04/11/41 to 06/11/41
Sweetbriar - From 20/11/41 to 24/11/41
USS Dale - From 10/11/41 to 12/11/41
Vanoc - From 20/11/41 to 24/11/41
Volunteer - From 20/11/41 to 24/11/41

Related external links:
The attack on Meridian
The attack on Crusader
(The site also has information on the attack on the British Stratford the year before, mentioned above)

The Empire Ships - Provides more information on the Empire Ships sailing in this convoy.

Russian Convoy Series - PQ 5 is included.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next SC convoy in my list SC 54


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