Convoy HX 49
Convoy HX 49 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
Belligerents | |||||
Germany | United Kingdom | ||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||
V.Adm. Karl Dönitz |
V.Adm. L D Mackinnon | ||||
Strength | |||||
3 U-boats |
50 merchant ships 2 escorts | ||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
no losses |
3 ships sunk 1 ship sunk after dispersal |
Convoy HX 49 was a
Background
HX 49 was formed of two sections sailing from the Americas. The main body, of 26 ships, departed Halifax on 9 June 1940 with ships gathered from the US eastern seaboard; it was led by
On 13 June the convoy was joined by BHX 49, 24 ships from the Caribbean and South America, that had gathered at Bermuda, departing there on 8 June escorted by the AMC Ragputana and a local escort.[3]
Ranged against HX 49 were U-boats of the
Action
On 20 June HX 49's Western Approaches escort arrived; the sloops Sandwich, from escorting the outbound OB 169, and Fowey, from OA 169. During the crossing two ships had dropped out of convoy; both arrived safely. A third, Moordrecht, was detached for a port in neutral Spain: She was found by U-48 on 20 June and torpedoed, without examination.[5]
The following evening
At daybreak on 22 June the two sloops began to gather the ships back together, and HX 49 continued without further loss. The main body arrived in Liverpool on 24 June.
Ships lost
Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT)
|
Date sunk | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Moordrecht | Netherlands | 7,493 | 20 June | detached 18 June for landfall in Corunna. Torpedoed by U-48; 25 dead, 4 survivors[5]
|
San Fernando | United Kingdom | 13,056 | 21 June | torpedoed by U-47; 49 survivors, picked up by Fowey and Sandwich[6] |
Randsfjord | Norway | 3,999 | 22 June | torpedoed by U-30; 4 dead, 29 survivors, picked up by Port Hobart[7] |
Eli Knudsen | Norway | 9,026 | 22 June | torpedoed by U-32; 37 survivors, picked up by Sandwich[8] |
References
- ^ Hague, p.126
- ^ Hague, Arnold; HX 49 at convoyweb.org.uk
- ^ Hague, Arnold; BHX 49 at convoyweb.org.uk
- ^ U-boats on patrol, 21 June 1940 at uboat.net
- ^ a b Moordrecht at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
- ^ a b San Fernando at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
- ^ a b Randsfjord at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
- ^ a b Eli Knudsen at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
Bibliography
- ISBN 0-304-35260-8
- Arnold Hague (2000) The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 ISBN 1-86176-147-3