Commodore, Admiral Bertram I. Thesiger was in Strathaird, Vice Commodore was the captain of Duchess of Richmond.

Average speed: 11.73 knots.

Greenock Escort Order No. 33 (G.E.O. No. 33 - dated Greenock, Sept. 30-1941):
"HM Ships Devonshire, Argus, Cairo, Cathay, Agamennon, Sikh, HMCS Ships Assiniboine, Saguenay, HM Ships Brighton and Royal Ulsterman, being in all respects ready for war, you are to take them under your orders forthwith and proceed as necessary with the Clyde portion of the convoy to rendezvous with the Liverpool portion in position (J) 270° Oversay 6' at 09:00A 1st October, 1941.

Convoy has been routed as in Admiralty Message 1755A/26/9. First ship will pass boom at 21:00A 30th September.
Speed of advance to rendezvous 10 knots, thence 12 1/2 knots.

Convoy consists of the following ships" (1 missing?):

The following ships are included in the escort:

The Commodore says in a report dated Oct. 14:
Agamennon, Cathay, Assiniboine, and Saguenay parted company in 50 16N 26 10W at 08:00 on Oct. 4.
Blankney and Stanley parted company in 35 36N 26 31W in the afternoon of Oct. 7, and Isaac Sweers (Dutch destroyer) joined that same day.
HMS Gurkha joined on Oct. 11.
He also mentions Wrestler, Velox, Vimy, Vansitart, Almaria, Armaranthus and 1 more (illegible).
The convoy had air escort for the first 3 days, and on the day before arriving Freetown.

City of Paris, Empress of Russia, Sarpedon and Almanzora "made bad smoke the whole time in spite of signals. It was put down to bad coal, but is a danger to the convoy which at times must have been sighted over 30 miles away.

Commodore was still B. I. Thesiger in Strathaird, Vice Commodore was the captain of Empress of Canada.

Average speed from Freetown to Cape Town: 12.72 knots.
Average speed from Cape Town to Aden: 11.5 knots.

HMS Devonshire escorted from Freetown to Cape Town.
HMS Dunnottar Castle, from Cape Town to 29 35S 34 06E.
HMS Repulse, from Natal to 5 50S 40 27E, then HMS Revenge from this position to Aden.
HMS Velox, Wrestler, Calendula, Anchusa, and Mignonette joined on leaving Freetown and left on 21st and 22nd as ordered.
Air escort first day at intervals.

Ulster Monarch (not mentioned in list of ships departing U.K. - not sure if this was a merchant ship or a warship) and Royal Ulsterman left for Takoradi, and Prins Baudouin for St. Helena at 18:30 on Oct. 21 in 2N 8 30W.
Sarpedon left convoy at Cape Town, Ormonde and Highland Brigade left at Durban.

The Commodore says in a report dated Nov. 25:
"Mendoza has delayed the convoy ever since leaving home, being unable ever to go more than 13 knots, 12 3/4 knots most of the time.

Soon after leaving Freetown course had to be altered, and evasive night alterations made owing to reported presence of submarines. Fine weather experienced the whole time. Zigzagging had to be carried out in Mozambique Channel owing to Vichy submarine, also in Gulf of Aden.

Mersigs was used from Freetown to Durban after which we had to revert to Consigs owing to Mersigs not having reached these parts. It is hoped the issue of Mersigs will be hastened."

Note: In his comments for WS 12, Arnold Hague says in his "The Allied Convoy System" that some ships were detached in the Indian Ocean, and that Suez ships dispersed off Aden on Nov. 20. He adds that 3 ships detached from WS 12 on Nov. 17 to arrive Colombo on Nov. 23-1941, having formed Convoy WS 12J.
He also mentions the following:
"WS 12V - Formed Nov. 24 - 2 ships from Colombo to Singapore arriving Nov. 28.
WS 12X - Formed Nov. 10 - 6 USN transports that embarked British troops at Halifax N.S. for Suez. Sailed via Trinidad with USN escort to arrive Cape Town on Dec. 9. Sailed with RN escort Dec. 13 for Bombay, arriving Dec. 27. See external links below.
WS 12Z - Formed Nov 13 - 16 ships divided into 3 parts in the Indian Ocean.
WS 12ZA - 3 ships from WS 12Z for Suez, dispersing off Aden on Jan. 4-1942.
WS 12ZB - 8 ships from WS 12Z for Bombay, arriving Jan 6-1942."

External links related to the above:
WS Convoys

Convoy Willliam Sail 12X (Task Force 14) - An account of the little known convoy that sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia with British and American troops, before U.S. entry into the war (a section of Children of Far East Prisoners of War).
More Willliam Sail 12X - Here's a detailed account (a section of Britain at War).

Route to the East - the WS Convoys - The late Arnold Hague's unpublished book, listing the ships in all these convoys.

Back to Convoy Index