Transcribed from original documents received from Tony Cooper, England (Advance Sailing Telegram) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
Station numbers and sequence of departure were received from Ted Agar - His source: A diary. Stations are pendants flown on departure Halifax, and may have changed as the voyage progressed. As can be seen from these numbers, the convoy had 8 columns and 3 rows.
Names of escorts and cargoes for the tankers have been extracted from documents recived from Don Kindell, based on the late Arnold Hague's database - see his listing for SC 72 at ships in all SC convoys. It'll be noticed that in some cases, he has given different station numbers than those provided in the diary and these have been added in parenthesis below.

Crossed out ships did not sail, underlined returned to port, except those that are linked, which will automatically be underlined.

MoWT = Ministry of War Transport

Additionally, the diary has the British Viking Star (21) and Empire Bunting (52) as cancelled from SC 72 - again not mentioned in the AST. Empire Bunting is listed in SC 73, while Viking Star cancelled from that convoy, but sailed in SC 74.

The Rescue Vessel Copeland was also in SC 72 - sailing in station 53 (A. Hague says station 52). She had been requisitioned as such on Dec. 20-1940 and her first voyage was with Convoy OB 280 in Jan./Febr.-1941. She was on her 16th voyage as Rescue Vessel, having started this voyage from Clyde on Febr. 8 with Convoy ON 64 to Halifax (Febr. 24), returning with SC 72 to Clyde, Febr. 28/March 17. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague).

The American Seattle Spirit went out early (at 10:42) for gun trials. As mentioned, she's listed in Convoy PQ 14 to Murmansk, as are West Cheswald and Minotaur. The icebreaker Montcalm is also mentioned in the notes for PQ 14. This vessel is listed in PQ 15 by Arnold Hauge in "Convoys to Russia 1941-1945".

The remaining ships left port in the following order (according to the diary):
At 11:15 the British Catapult freighter Empire Clive went out, followed at 11:17 by the British freighter Empire Union, and with a few minutes between each ship Hartbridge, Empire Snow, West Cheswald (no gun at bow, 10 tanks on deck, 'B’Flag), Grodno, Minotaur (loaded with tanks), Empire Lawrence (Catapult freighter, camouflaged, minus her Hurricane, crates on deck), Vulcanus, Copeland, Boreas ('B' flag, in other words; carrying explosives), Argolikos, War Admiral (2 bucket posts ahead of stack), Philip T. Dodge, Yorkmoor, British Renown, Solsten, Milcrest, Mariposa, Montcalm (Icebreaker), Talaralite - no times are given for the last 4 ships, ref. notes within the above table.

The convoy arrived rendezvous on March 12.

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):
Bodo - From 16/03/42 to 17/03/42
Caldwell - From 28/02/42 to 07/03/42
Eyebright - From 10/03/42 to 16/03/42
Georgian - From 03/03/42 to 04/03/42
Kamsack - From 07/03/42 to 15/03/42
Lauderdale - From 28/02/42 to 06/03/42
Rimouski - From 07/03/42 to 16/03/42
Sackville - From 28/02/42 to 05/03/42
Sherbrooke - From 28/02/42 to 16/03/42
St. Laurent - From 07/03/42 to 16/03/42
Thunder - From 28/02/42 to 06/03/42
Trillium - From 07/03/42 to 16/03/42

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