Transcribed from several original documents received from Tony Cooper, England - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.
Station numbers, cargoes for the tankers 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 79 at ships in all SC convoys.

Additional 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.
"Convoys to Russia 1941-1945", Bob Ruegg & Arnold Hague.
"Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague.

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

See also Convoy ON 92.

MoWT = Ministry of War Transport

The Rescue Vessel Stockport (requisitioned on July 8-1941, entered service in Dec. following conversion) was with Convoy SC 79 from Apr. 15 to Clyde Apr. 25. She was on her 4th voyage as Rescue Vessel, having started this voyage with the westbound Convoy ON 76 from Clyde to Halifax March 16-March 31, joining Convoy SC 78 at Halifax Apr. 5, to St. John's Apr. 13, then left that day to join Convoy SC 79 Apr. 15 (A. Hague has her in station 65, where he has also listed the Panamanian Reigh Count).

The stations given are the pendants flown on departure; stations may have changed as the voyage progressed. It'll be noticed that in some cases, these are different than those provided by A. Hague above.

As can be seen from the Advance Saling Telegram, more ships were cancelled than indicated in this form.

* Note that Washington and Sarnolite are not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram. These ships may have been going out that day for other reasons than to join Convoy SC 79; Washington shows up again in Convoy SC 81 (later joined Convoy PQ 17 to Murmansk at the end of June - sunk).

As mentioned, the ships denoted * joined Convoy PQ 16 to Russia, which sailed from Reykjavik on May 21 (see also SC 77). Syros was sunk on May 26 (U 703). Stary Bolshevik was damaged by aircraft attack on May 27, but could continue, while Steel Worker was struck by a mine dropped from German aircraft on June 3, in Murmansk Roads - no casualties.

Koll had ben sunk on Apr. 6 by U-571 - my page about Koll has more info, including crew list.

Nemanja, on a voyage from Macaris for Clyde, via Halifax, with 7207 tons of sugar, had been sunk on Apr. 8 by U-84. She had a crew of 47, 13 of whom perished, including 3 gunners (no mention of the passengers). Ref. external link below for more on this attack.

Trongate had a fire in her cargo (which included explosives) off Halifax on Apr. 11. Sunk by allied warships.

Empire Lotus foundered in bad weather off Halifax on Apr 12-1942 - engine room flooded. No casualties.

The ships left port in the following order (according to the diary - as mentioned, some later returned):
The first ship to leave at 10:05 was Mary Luckenbach, followed at 10:57 by Empire Activity, and with a few minutes between each ship:
Empire Grebe, Baron Elgin, King Neptune, Kelvinbank, Drakepool, Prins Willem Van Oranje, Yorkmar, Alpera, British Glory, Granville, Selfoss (TFEB), Dean Emery (KOFG - ex American), Empire Lotus, Nathaniel Greene, Titanian, John Randolph, Chernyshevski (many tanks), Sirehei (lumber), Calobre (long crates, 3 bombers), Ingertre, Shchors, Astrell, Kaweah (Naval tanker), Syros, West Nilus, Ville d'Anvers, Hybert, Stary Bolshevik, American Press, Havsten, Boris, Arosa, Empire Cranmer ("B" flag, I think this means she carried explosives), Standella, Solstad, Point San Pedro (4 masts), Aquila (Naval supply ship - K 47), Ioannis Frangos, Massmar, Charles R. McCormick, Troubador, Theomitor (SVQE), Lord Cochrane, Mauna Kea, Sarnolite, Colorado, Wearwood, Reigh Count, Godafoss, Theoskepasti, Pan Gulf, Elisabeth Lensen, Lackenby, American Robin, Mount Taygetus, Steel Worker, Trekieve. The last ship to go out at 17:45 was Washington.

The convoy arrived rendezvous on Apr. 23.

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):
Battleford - From 15/04/42 to 18/04/42
Butser - From 27/04/42 to 27/04/42
Chambly - From 15/04/42 to 18/04/42
Eyebright - From 15/04/42 to 27/04/42
Georgian - From 15/04/42 to 15/04/42
Kamsack - From 15/04/42 to 27/04/42
Lincoln - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
Minas - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
Prescott - From 15/04/42 to 18/04/42
Regina - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
Rimouski - From 15/04/42 to 27/04/42
Saguenay - From 19/04/42 to 27/04/42
Skeena - From 19/04/42 to 27/04/42
Snowberry - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
St. Clair - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
USS Badger - 21/04/42
USS Leary - 21/04/42
Verity - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42
Witherington - From 11/04/42 to 15/04/42

Related external links:
Russian Convoys - PQ 16, PQ 17 and PQ 18, mentioned in the first form above are included, as is JW 51B. Since these convoys had no Norwegian ships in them, they are not listed in my own Arctic Convoys section.

The attack on Nemanja

Back to Convoy Index