Convoy HX 106
Convoy HX.106 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
Belligerents | |||||
![]() |
![]() | ||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
Admiral Karl Dönitz | Capt W H Poole Rd RNR | ||||
Strength | |||||
41 merchant ships 11 escorts | |||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
2 ship sunk |
Convoy HX 106 was the 106th of the numbered series of Allied HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool, England. Forty-one ships departed Halifax, Nova Scotia on 30 January 1941, eastbound to Liverpool, England.[1] The use of convoys was a standard tactic throughout the Battle of the Atlantic as a defence against U-boats and German commerce raiders.
On 8 February 1941 the two German battleships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, appeared over the horizon.[2] The German squadron was under the command of Admiral Günther Lütjens. The captain of Scharnhorst offered to draw off the escorting Royal Navy battleship HMS Ramillies, so that Gneisenau could sink the merchant ships. This strategy, if successful, would have entailed little risk to Scharnhorst as she was 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph) faster than Ramillies, and her newer 11-inch (279 mm) guns outranged the 1915 era 15-inch (381 mm) guns of the British ship. However, Lutjens strictly followed Hitler's directive not to engage enemy capital ships, and withdrew.[2]
Later, two of the convoy's merchant ships were sunk by the submarine U-96, including MV Arthur F. Corwin loaded with 14,500 tons of aviation fuel. She went down on 13 February, taking all 59 crew with her.
Ships in the convoy[3]
Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Abercos (1920) | ![]() |
6,076 | Straggled |
Arthur F Corwin (1938) | ![]() |
10,516 | Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 Sunk by U-96[4] |
Athelbeach (1931) | ![]() |
6,568 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Botavon (1912) | ![]() |
5,848 | Straggled 10 Feb 41 Vice-Commodore |
British Fortune (1930) | ![]() |
4,696 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMS Burnham (H82) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 15 Feb Destroyer | |
Capsa (1931) | ![]() |
8,229 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Cardium (1931) | ![]() |
8,236 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Chama (1938) | ![]() |
8,077 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Charlton Hall (1940) | ![]() |
5,200 | Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
Clea (1938) | ![]() |
8,028 | Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 Sunk By U-96[5] |
Cliona (1931) | ![]() |
8,375 | |
HMCS Collingwood (K180) | ![]() |
Escort 30 - 31 Jan Corvette | |
Contractor (1930) | ![]() |
6,004 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Dover Hill (1918) | ![]() |
5,815 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Edward F Johnson (1937) | ![]() |
10,452 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Esturia (1914) | ![]() |
6,968 | Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
Evanger (1920) | ![]() |
3,869 | |
Ganges (1930) | ![]() |
6,246 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Garonne (1921) | ![]() |
7,113 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Geo W McKnight (1933) | ![]() |
12,502 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Harpagus (1940) | ![]() |
5,173 | |
Hopemount (1929) | ![]() |
7,434 | Straggled 3 Feb 41 |
Horda (1920) | ![]() |
4,301 | Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
Kheti (1927) | ![]() |
2,734 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMS Kingcup (K33) | ![]() |
Escort 15 Feb - 17 Feb Corvette | |
HMS La Malouine (K46) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 17 Feb Corvette | |
Laguna (1923) | ![]() |
6,466 | Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
Leiesten (1930) | ![]() |
6,118 | Joined ex-BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb |
Lodestone (1938) | ![]() |
4,877 | Joined ex-BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
Mactra (1936) | ![]() |
6,193 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMS Malcolm (D19) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 15 Feb Destroyer | |
Malmanger (1920) | ![]() |
7,078 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Miralda (1936) | ![]() |
8,013 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Mirza (1929) | ![]() |
7,991 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMS Northern Pride (FY105) | ![]() |
Escort 15 - 18 Feb ASW trawler | |
Nurtureton (1929) | ![]() |
6,272 | |
Oilfield (1938) | ![]() |
8,516 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Opalia (1938) | ![]() |
6,195 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
R J Cullen (1919) | ![]() |
6,993 | |
HMS Ramillies (07) | ![]() |
Escort 30 Jan - 10 Feb battleship | |
HMS Saladin (H54) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 14 Feb Destroyer | |
San Eliseo (1939) | ![]() |
8,042 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
San Fabian (1922) | ![]() |
13,031 | |
HMS Sardonyx (H26) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 17 Feb Destroyer | |
Silveray (1925) | ![]() |
4,535 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMS Skate (1917) | ![]() |
Escort 12 - 18 Feb Destroyer | |
Temple Arch (1940) | ![]() |
5,138 | Joined ex-BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb |
Topdalsfjord (1921) | ![]() |
4,271 | Capt W H Poole Rd RNR (Commodore) |
Torborg (1921) | ![]() |
6,042 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
Trelissick (1919) | ![]() |
5,265 | Joined ex-BHX 106 |
HMT Vizalma | ![]() |
Escort 15 - 18 Feb ASW trawler | |
References
- ↑ Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939-1945. Naval Institute Press. p. 127. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
- 1 2 Miller, Nathan (1996). War at sea : a naval history of World War II. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 147. ISBN 0-19-511038-2.
- ↑ "Convoy HX.106". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
- ↑ "Arthur F. Corwin - British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ↑ "Clea - British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.