Convoy HX-106 consisted of some 41 ships, eastbound from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool, England. The use of convoys was a standard tactic throughout the Battle of the Atlantic as a defence against U-boats and German commerce raiders.
Intercepted
On 8 February 1941 the two German battleships, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, appeared over the horizon. The German squadron was under the command of Admiral Günther Lütjens. The captain of the Scharnhorst offered to draw off the escorting Royal Navy battleship HMS Ramillies, so that the Gneisnau could sink the merchant ships. This strategy, if successful, would have entailed little risk to Scharnhorst as she was 11 knots (20 km/h) faster than Ramillies, and her newer 11" guns outranged the 1915 era 15" guns of the British ship. But, Lutjens strictly followed Hitler's directive not to engage enemy capital ships. The presence of Ramillies was sufficient to deter the attack. Later, two of the convoy's merchant ships were sunk by submarines, including the MV Arthur F. Corwin loaded with 14,500 tons of aviation spirit. She went down on 13 February taking all 59 crew with her.
Ships in the convoy[1]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abercos (1920) |  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,076 | Straggled |
| Arthur F Corwin (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
10,516 | Joined Ex BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 Sunk By U-96 |
| Athelbeach (1931) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,568 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Botavon (1912) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,848 | Straggled 10 Feb 41
|
| British Fortune (1930) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
4,696 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMS Burnham (H82) |  Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 15 Feb Destroyer | |
| Capsa (1931) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,229 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Cardium (1931) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,236 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Chama (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,077 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Charlton Hall (1940) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,200 | Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
| Clea (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,028 | Joined Ex BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 Sunk By U-96 |
| Cliona (1931) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,375 | |
| HMCS Collingwood (K180) |  Royal Canadian Navy
|
Escort 30 Jan - 31 Jan Corvette | |
| Contractor (1930) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,004 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Dover Hill (1918) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,815 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Edward F Johnson (1937) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
10,452 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Esturia (1914) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,968 | Joined Ex BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
| Evanger (1920) |  Norway
|
3,869 | |
| Ganges (1930) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,246 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Garonne (1921) | Norway
|
7,113 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Geo W McKnight (1933) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
12,502 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Harpagus (1940) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,173 | |
| Hopemount (1929) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
7,434 | Straggled 3 Feb 41 |
| Horda (1920) | Norway
|
4,301 | Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
| Kheti (1927) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
2,734 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMS Kingcup (K33) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 15 Feb - 17 Feb Corvette | |
| HMS La Malouine (K46) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 17 Feb Corvette | |
| Laguna (1923) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,466 | Joined Ex BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
| Leiesten (1930) | Norway
|
6,118 | Joined Ex BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb |
| Lodestone (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
4,877 | Joined Ex BHX 106, Straggled 10 Feb 41 |
| Mactra (1936) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,193 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMS Malcolm (D19) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 15 Feb Destroyer | |
| Malmanger (1920) | Norway
|
7,078 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Miralda (1936) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,013 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Mirza (1929) |  Netherlands
|
7,991 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMS Northern Pride (FY105) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 15 Feb - 18 Feb ASW trawler | |
| Nurtureton (1929) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,272 | |
| Oilfield (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,516 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Opalia (1938) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,195 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| R J Cullen (1919) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
6,993 | |
| HMS Ramillies (07) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 30 Jan - 10 Feb WW1-era battleship | |
| HMS Saladin (H54) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 14 Feb WW1-era Destroyer | |
| San Eliseo (1939) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
8,042 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| San Fabian (1922) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
13,031 | |
| HMS Sardonyx (H26) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 17 Feb WW1-era Destroyer | |
| Silveray (1925) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
4,535 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMS Skate (1917) | Royal Navy
|
Escort 12 Feb - 18 Feb WW1-era Destroyer | |
| Temple Arch (1940) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,138 | Joined Ex BHX 106. Straggled 10 Feb |
| Topdalsfjord (1921) | Norway
|
4,271 | Capt W H POOLE RD RNR (Commodore) |
| Torborg (1921) | Norway
|
6,042 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| Trelissick (1919) | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
|
5,265 | Joined Ex BHX 106 |
| HMT Vizalma | Royal Navy
|
Escort 15 Feb - 18 Feb ASW trawler |
References
- ↑ "Convoy HX.106". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/hx/index.html. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
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