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Convoy SC 104
Part of World War II
HMS Fame 1942 IWM FL 13040
HMS Fame
Date12–16 October 1942
LocationNorth Atlantic
Result German tactical victory
Belligerents
War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945 Germany Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
CinC:Admiral Karl Dönitz Commodore: CAPT F H Taylor RN
Escort: CDR R Heathcote
Strength
8 U-Boats 48 freighters
2 destroyers
4 corvettes
Casualties and losses
2 U-boats sunk
2 U-boats damaged
50 dead
8 freighters sunk
2 destroyers damaged
216 dead


Convoy SC-104 was the 104th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool.[1] During October 1942, a U-Boat wolf pack sank eight ships from the convoy. The convoy escorts sank two of the attacking submarines.

Background[]

As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the second happy time, Admiral Karl Dönitz the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU) or commander in chief of U-Boats, shifted focus to the mid-Atlantic to avoid aircraft patrols. Although convoy routing was less predictable in the mid-ocean, Dönitz anticipated that the increased numbers of U-boats being produced would be able to effectively search for convoys with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3.[2] However, only 20 percent of the 180 trans-Atlantic convoys sailing from the end of July 1942 until the end of April 1943 lost ships to U-boat attack.[3]

Forty-seven ships departed New York City on 3 October 1942 and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-6 consisting of the E and F class destroyer Fame and V and W class destroyer Viscount, with the Norwegian-manned Flower class corvettes Potentilla, Eglantine, Montbretia, and Acanthus and the Convoy rescue ship Goathland.

Opposing this force was the U-boat patrol group Wotan comprising 8 boats: U-221, U-258, U-356, U-607, U-618, U-661, U-353, and U-254.[4][5]

Action[]

The convoy was found and reported by U-258 on 11 October, and the other Wotan boats were ordered to join. By the evening of 12 October, U-258 had been joined by U-221 and U-356, and during the night of 12/13 October these boats attacked. U-258 and U-356 were unsuccessful, being driven off by the escorts, but U-221 was able to sink three ships: the Norwegian freighters Senta,[6] and Fagersten, and the British freighter Ashworth.

On the 13th the three U-Boats continued to shadow the convoy, and were joined during the day by five other boats. On the night of the 13/14 October the wolf pack attacked again. This time U-221 sank two ships: the American freighter Susana and the British whale factory ship Southern Empress. U-607 torpedoed the Greek freighter Nellie, which later sank, but was itself attacked and severely damaged, and was forced to return to France for repairs. U-661 torpedoed the Yugoslavian freighter Nikolina Matkovic, and U-618 torpedoed the Empire Mersey.

Throughout 15 October the Wotan boats shadowed SC 104, but were unable to mount any successful attacks that night. On 15 October, Viscount detected U-661 in fog, and attacked with gun-fire, ramming and depth-charges. U-661 was destroyed, but Viscount was also damaged, and had to finish the voyage as part of the convoy.

On 16 October U-353 was sighted by Fame which attacked and destroyed her by ramming, again suffering damage in the process. Command of the escort passed to Monsen in Potentilla, who was able to make an attack on a contact later that day. No identification was made, or result credited, but post-war examination shows that U-254 was severely damaged in this attack and forced to retire to base.

On the 16 and 17 October SC 104 came in range of allied air patrols, long–range B-24 Liberators and Catalina flying boats. These were able to break up any further attacks and on the 17th, Dönitz ceased further operations against SC 104.[5][7] The remainder of the voyage was unhindered, and the convoy reached Liverpool on 21 October. SC 104 lost 8 ships of 44,000 tons, with 2 escorts damaged, and saw the destruction of 2 U-boats with the damaging of 2 more.

Ships in convoy[]

Name[8] Flag[8] Dead[9] Tonnage gross register tons (GRT)[8] Cargo[9] Notes[8]
Senta (1917) Flag of Norway Norway 3,785 Steel & woodpulp Sunk by U-221 12/13 October
Ashworth (1920) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 49 5,227 Bauxite Sunk by U-221 13 October
Fagersten (1921) Flag of Norway Norway 19 2,342 Steel & lumber Sunk by U-221 13 October
Susana (1914) US flag 48 stars United States 38 5,929 Valuable general cargo Sunk by U-221 14 October
Southern Empress (1914) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 48 12,398 Fuel oil Sunk by U-221 14 October
Nellie (1913) Flag of Greece Greece 32 4,826 Steel & lumber Sunk by U-607 14 October
Nikolina Matkovic (1918) Flag of SFR Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 14 3,672 Sugar & lumber Sunk by U-661 14 October
Empire Mersey (1920) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 16 5,791 General cargo including government stores Sunk by U-618 14 October
Merchant Royal (1928) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 5,008 General cargo Carried convoy commodore Capt F H Taylor DSC RN
Mariposa (1914) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 3,807 Explosives, steel & timber Ship's master was convoy vice-commodore
Aghios Spyridon (1905) Flag of Greece Greece 3,338 Grain Veteran of convoy SC 94
Anna (1919) Flag of Greece Greece 5,173 Grain and general cargo
Anna N Goulandris (1921) Flag of Greece Greece 4,358 Grain Survived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Bernhard (1924) Flag of Norway Norway 3,563 Bauxite Survived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Bonde (1936) Flag of Norway Norway 1,570 General cargo Returned to Canada; sunk 7 months later in Convoy ONS 5
Boreas (1920) Flag of Norway Norway 2,801 Sugar
Boston City (1920) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 2,870 General cargo including explosives Veteran of convoy SC 94 and convoy ON 127
British Progress (1927) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 4,581 petrol
British Renown (1928) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6,997 petrol
Campus (1925) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 3,667 Steel and wood Survived this convoy and convoy ONS 5
Carslogie (1924) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 3,786 Steel and wood
Charles Carroll (1942) US flag 48 stars United States 7,191 Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Cydonia (1927) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 3,517 Grain Survived this convoy and convoy ONS 5
Disa (1918) Flag of Sweden Sweden 2,002 Flour
Empire Lightning (1940) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6,942 phosphates Collided with Milcrest of convoy ON 132
Empire Mouflon (1921) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 3,234 Explosives & general cargo Survived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Empire Waterhen (1920) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6,004 General cargo
Garnes (1930) Flag of Norway Norway 1,559 Survived this convoy and convoy SC 107
George B. McClellan (1942) US flag 48 stars United States 7,181 Vitriol, cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Georgios P (1903) Flag of Greece Greece 4,052 General cargo Survived this convoy and convoy SC 122
Gothland (1932) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1,286 Rescue ship
Gudvor (1928) Flag of Norway Norway 2,280 Survived this convoy, convoy SC 122 and convoy ONS 5
Inger Lise (1939) Flag of Norway Norway 1,582 lumber Veteran of convoy SC 94
Ingerfem (1912) Flag of Norway Norway 3,987 Grain Veteran of convoy SC 94
John Hathorn (1942) US flag 48 stars United States 7,176 Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Lido (1930) Flag of Norway Norway 1,918 Flour
Liverpool Loyalist (1932) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1,416
Llangollen (1928) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 5,056 General cargo
Mars (1925) Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands 1,582 Flour Veteran of convoy SC 94
Nea (1921) Flag of Norway Norway 1,877 lumber Veteran of convoy SC 26
Ozark (1919) US flag 48 stars United States 2,689 Lost rudder and diverted to Iceland
Peterston (1925) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 4,680 Grain & lumber
Porjus (1906) Flag of Sweden Sweden 2,965 phosphates Returned to Canada; also returned from convoy SC 121 and survived convoy SC 122
Prinses Maria-Pia (1938) Flag of Belgium (civil) Belgium 2,588 Sugar & bombs
Ramava Flag of Latvia Latvia 2,141 lumber
Reigh Count (1907) Flag of Panama Panama 4,657 Explosives & valuable cargo
Robert Morris (1942) US flag 48 stars United States 7,176 Cased petrol & explosives Liberty ship
Rocha (1933) Flag of Panama Panama 1,471
Roxane (1929) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 7,813 Fuel oil
Saintonge (1936) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 9,386 Fuel oil Survived this convoy and convoy HX 300
Saluta (1906) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6,261 Fuel oil
Sinnington Court (1928) Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 6,910 Survived this convoy and convoy SC 121
Souliotis (1917) Flag of Greece Greece 4,299 Steel & lumber
Suderoy (1913) Flag of Norway Norway 7,562 Fuel oil Survived this convoy and convoy SC 121
Theomitor (1910) Flag of Greece Greece 4,427 Steel & lumber
Vinga (1927) Flag of Norway Norway 7,321 Furnace fuel oil
William Johnson (1942) US flag 48 stars United States 7,191 Cased petrol & explosives Liberty Ship

Losses[]

'U-Boat losses[10]
Date Number Type Captain Casualties cause by
15 Oct U-661 VIIC O/L v Lillenfeld 44 gun, d/c, ramming HMS Viscount
16 Oct U-353 VIIC O/L Romer 6 depth charge HMS Fame

Notes[]

  1. Hague 2000 p.133
  2. Tarrant p.108
  3. Hague pp.132, 137-138, 161-162, 164, 181
  4. Hague 2000 p.135
  5. 5.0 5.1 Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.167
  6. Showell 2002 p.113
  7. Blair p 39-41
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "SC convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html. Retrieved 2011-05-26. 
  9. 9.0 9.1 Hague p.161
  10. Kemp p 92


References[]

  • Blair, Clay : Hitler's U-Boat War [Volume 2]: The Hunted 1942-1945 (1998) ISBN 0-304-35261-6 (2000 UK paperback ed.)
  • Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3. 
  • Kemp, Paul  : U-Boats Destroyed ( 1997) . ISBN 1-85409-515-3
  • Showell, Jak P. Mallmann (2002). U-Boat Warfare. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-001-0. 
  • Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-450-0. 
  • Rohwer, J. and Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X. 
  • Tarrant, V.E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive 1914-1945. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-520-X. 

External links[]

All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Convoy SC 104 and the edit history here.
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