Convoy HX 49

Convoy HX 49 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 49th of the numbered series of merchant convoy] run by the Allies from Halifax to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats, losing three of its 50 ships sunk.[1] Another ship was lost after dispersal.

Convoy HX 49
Part of World War II
Date21/22 June 1940
Location
Atlantic Ocean
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

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 convoy commodore V.Adm. LD Mackinnon RN in the steamship Eurybates. It was accompanied by its ocean escort, the Armed Merchant Cruiser Ausonia, and a local escort of two RCN destroyers.[2]

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 German Navy's U-boat Arm, on patrol in Britain's South West Approaches. The UBW had five U-boats in area when contact was made on 21 June 1940.[4]

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 U-47 found HX 49 about 50 miles south of Cape Clear Island. Her commander, rising star Gunther Prien, took her into the middle of the convoy and sank the tanker San Fernando. The U-boat then had to crash-dive to avoid being run down by a freighter, but the attack caused the convoy to scatter.[6] Later that night two more ships were found and sunk; Randsfjord by U-30[7] and Eli Knudsen by U-32.[8]

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
Merchant ships lost
Name Flag Tonnage (GRT) Date sunk Notes
Moordrecht Netherlands7,49320 Junedetached 18 June for landfall in Corunna. Torpedoed by U-48; 25 dead, 4 survivors[5]
San Fernando United Kingdom13,05621 Junetorpedoed by U-47; 49 survivors, picked up by Fowey and Sandwich[6]
Randsfjord Norway3,99922 Junetorpedoed by U-30; 4 dead, 29 survivors, picked up by Port Hobart[7]
Eli Knudsen Norway9,02622 Junetorpedoed by U-32; 37 survivors, picked up by Sandwich[8]

See also

References
  1. Hague, p.126
  2. Hague, Arnold; HX 49 at convoyweb.org.uk
  3. Hague, Arnold; BHX 49 at convoyweb.org.uk
  4. U-boats on patrol, 21 June 1940 at uboat.net
  5. Moordrecht at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
  6. San Fernando at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
  7. Randsfjord at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020
  8. Eli Knudsen at www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 April 2020

Bibliography
  • Blair, Clay (1996) Hitler's U-Boat War Vol I Cassell ISBN 0-304-35260-8
  • Arnold Hague (2000) The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 ISBN 1-86176-147-3
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