Convoy ON-153 was the 153rd of the numbered series of ON convoys of merchant ships Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The World War II convoy departed Liverpool on 11 December 1942 and was met on 12 December by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. Two merchant ships and the escort group leader were sunk in a North Atlantic battle with U-boat Wolf pack Raufbold before reaching the Western Ocean Meeting Point (WOMP) where the Western Local Escort Force assumed responsibility for the convoy on 23 December. Surviving ships reached New York City on 31 December.[1]
| Convoy ON.153 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Germany |
 United Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 13 U-boats |
45 merchant ships 6 escorts | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
3 ships sunk 1 Damaged 249 killed | |||||||
Escorts
editThe convoy was protected by Escort Group B-7 comprising
- Royal Navy - HMS Alisma, HMS Pink, HMS Snowflake, HMS Sunflower
- British Lady
and by a Western Local Escort Force of
- 1 Destroyer
- Royal Canadian Navy – HMCS Annapolis
- 3 Corvettes
- Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Buctouche, HMCS Edmundston, HMCS Timmins
- Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Minas
U-boats
editThe convoy was attacked by 13 U-boats from Wolfpack Raufbold, namely
Ships in the convoy
edit| Name[1] | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Alisma | Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Amstelkerk (1929) | 4,457 | Bound for Freetown | |
| HMCS Annapolis | Escort 25 Dec - 27 Dec. Destroyer | ||
| Antilochus (1906) | 9,082 | Bound for South Africa | |
| Argolikos (1921) | 4,786 | Bound for St John's, Newfoundland | |
| Asbjorn (1935) | 4,387 | Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Bello (1930) | 6,125 | Sunk by U-610[2] On 16 Dec. 33 of 40 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Pink (K137) | |
| Bornholm (1930) | 3,177 | Returned | |
| British Lady (1923) | 6,098 | Replenishment oiler | |
| HMCS Buctouche | Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Canada (1921) | 5,527 | 12 passengers | |
| HMS Chesterfield | Escort 12 Dec - 19 Dec. Destroyer | ||
| City of Hongkong (1924) | 9,609 | 150 passengers. Bound for Karachi | |
| City of Lille (1928) | 6,588 | Bound for Basra | |
| Comedian (1929) | 5,122 | Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| HMCS Edmundston | Escort 23 Dec - 29 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Emile Francqui (1929) | 5,859 | 11 Passengers. Sunk by U-664[3] on 16 Dec. 46 dead. | |
| Empire Grenadier (1942) | 9,811 | Bound for New York City | |
| Empire Highway (1942) | 7,166 | Bound for Beira | |
| HMS Firedrake | Escort 12 Dec - 17 Dec. Destroyer. Sunk by U-211[4] on 17 Dec. Broke in two in heavy weather. 170 of 196 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Sunflower | ||
| Geo W McKnight (1933) | 2,502 | Bound for New York City | |
| Gulf of Mexico (1917) | 7,807 | Bound for New York City | |
| Hilary (1931) | 7,403 | 365 Passengers, Bound for Freetown | |
| Idefjord (1921) | 4,287 | Bound for Halifax | |
| Jan Van Goyen (1919) | 5,704 | Fell Out Disabled | |
| Kaldfonn (1936) | 9,931 | ||
| Mafuta (1920) | 6,322 | Bound for Freetown | |
| Magdala (1931) | 8,248 | Bound for New York City | |
| Mahana (1917) | 10,951 | Bound for New York City | |
| Marquesa (1918) | 8,979 | Bound for Montevideo | |
| HMCS Minas | Escort 25 Dec - 31 Dec. Minesweeper | ||
| Norbris (1930) | 7,619 | Bound for New York City | |
| North Gaspe (1938) | 888 | ||
| Nueva Granada (1937) | 9,968 | Bound for New York City | |
| Otina (1938) | 6,217 | Straggled | |
| Pandorian (1941) | 4,159 | Bound for New York City. Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE (Commodore) | |
| HMS Pink | Escort 12 Dec - 20 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Regent Lion (1937) | 9,551 | Tanker. Torpedoed and damaged by U-610[5] on 16 Feb. Hulk towed to Falmouth, Cornwall, arriving 5 Jan 43 | |
| Robert F Hand (1933) | 2,197 | Bound for New York City | |
| Saint Bertrand (1929) | 5,522 | Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick | |
| Salamis (1939) | 8,286 | Bound for New York City | |
| San Andres (1921) | 1,975 | Returned | |
| Sandanger (1938) | 9,432 | Bound for New York City | |
| Santos (1928) | 4,639 | Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| HMS Snowflake | Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Solstad (1927) | 5,952 | Bound for New York City | |
| Sovac (1938) | 6,724 | Bound for New York City | |
| HMS Sunflower | Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Tetela (1926) | 5,389 | 10 Passengers, Bound for New York City. Vice-commodore is Ship's Master | |
| HMCS Timmins | Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette | ||
| Torr Head (1937) | 5,021 | Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick | |
| Tortuguero (1921) | 5,285 | 10 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Tucurinca (1926) | 5,412 | 10 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| Vaalaren (1936) | 3,406 | Bound for New York City | |
| Vestfold (1931) | 4,547 | Bound for New York City | |
| Villanger (1929) | 4,884 | Bound for New York City | |
| Walter Jennings (1921) | 9,564 | Bound for New York City |
References
edit- ^ a b "Convoy ON.153". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
- ^ "Bello – Norwegian motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
- ^ "Emile Francqui – Belgian steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
- ^ "HMS Firedrake (H79) – British Destroyer". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
- ^ "Regent Lion – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
Bibliography
edit- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.
- Tramp to Queen autobiography by Capt. John Treasure Jones, The History Press (2008) ISBN 978 0 7524 4625 7