Convoy SL 125 was the 125th of the numbered series of World War II SL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean travelled independently to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage.Hague 2000 p.138 Thirty-seven merchant ships departed Freetown on 16 October 1942 and were joined at sea by five more.

Initial contact German cryptographers decoded message traffic containing tactical information about convoy SL 125, and wolf pack Streitaxt (battle axe), consisting of , , , , , , , , , and was assembled 23 October to intercept the convoy west of the Canary Islands. The only United States merchant ship and escorting sloop , HMS Copinsay and Free French corvette Commandant Drogou had been detached by the time U-203 found the convoy on 25 October. U-203 was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the straggling British tanker Anglo Maersk. The tanker was subsequently shadowed by U-134 and damaged by U-509.

27 October The armed merchant cruiser and troopship HMS Esperance Bay was detached with the HMS Juliet, tugboat HMS Salvonia, and repair ship HMNZS Kelantan when U-409 found and reported the main convoy of 37 ships on 27 October. Forty-one merchant shipsHague 2000 p.142 were left in the care of s ,Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.172 , , and .Blair 1998 p.69Edwards 1999 p.116 U-659 was depth charged and damaged while attempting to attack the convoy. After moonrise, U-604 sank the damaged Anglo Maersk while U-509 torpedoed the British freighters Pacific Star and Stentor.

28 October After unsuccessful submerged daylight attacks on 28 October, U-509 sank the British freighter Nagpore and damaged the British freighter Hopecastle after sunset. U-203 sank the damaged Hopecastle before dawn.Blair 1998 p.70

29 October U-509 sank the British freighter Britanny during foul weather on the night of 29–30 October. The British tanker Bullmouth (sailing in ballast) was damaged by U-409 and sunk by U-659. The British refrigerated cargo ship was damaged by both U-509 and U-659 before being sunk by U-203.

30 October Improved weather brought coordinated attacks on the night of 30–31 October. U-409 torpedoed the British freighter Silverwillow while U-604 torpedoed the British transport President Doumer and the British freighter Baron Vernon. The British freighter Tasmania was damaged by U-659 and sunk by U-103. The Norwegian freighter Alaska was damaged by U-510, but reached England safely with the help of newly arriving escorts.

Aftermath Long-range bombers of RAF Coastal Command arrived over the convoy on 31 October. Admiral Dönitz cancelled operations on the morning of 1 November. The convoy was reinforced with eleven more escorts and reached Liverpool on 9 November. It had suffered the greatest loss of any SL convoy,Hague 2000 pp.141-143 but its timing focused the available U-boats in the area away from the Operation Torch convoys for the allied invasion of North Africa on 8 November 1942. Some historians have suggested that the trade convoy SL 125 was an intentional tactical diversion to keep U-boats away from the loaded troop transports.Edwards 1999 p.115 Eleven of the ships surviving this convoy sailed two months later with convoy ON 154, in which four of them were sunk.

Ships in convoy Name Flag DeadHague 2000 p.146 Tonnage (GRT) Cargo NotesAlaska (1918)5,681Torpedoed and damaged by on 31 Oct, while picking up survivors from Président Doumer and Tasmania which had been sunk earlier. She reached Lisbon safely on 11 NovAlexandre Andre (1928)5,322Amstelkerk (1929)4,457Romped 30 OctAnglo Maersk (1930)7,705Straggled 19 Oct; torpedoed by 26 Oct but survived; sunk by 27 OctBaron Elgin (1933)3,942Detached to Funchal; survived this convoy, convoy ON 154, convoy SC 122 & convoy ONS 5Baron Kinnaird (1927)3,355Baron Vernon (1929)03,6425,500 tons iron oreSunk by 30 Oct. 0 dead. Survivors picked up by Baron ElginBelnor (1926)2,871Joined at sea 19 OctBornholm (1930)3,177Survived this convoy, convoy ON 154, & convoy ONS 5Bothnia (1928)2,407Joined at sea 23 Oct, survived this convoy & convoy HX 228British Ardour (1928)7,124Joined at sea 19 Oct as escort oilerBrittany (1928)144,7727,132 tons general cargoVeteran of convoy HX 79; sunk by 28 OctBullmouth (1927)507,519Ballasted tankerTorpedoed and damaged by , then finally sunk by on 30 Oct. 50 of the 56 crew died.Calgary (1921)7,206Survived this convoy & convoy ON 154Clan Murray (1918)5,953 (1921)87,1315,141 tons frozen meatDamaged by both and , then finally sunk by on 30 Oct. 8 dead. Survivors picked up by HMS Cowslip (K196)Debrett (1940)6,244Dundrum Castle (1919)5,259Veteran of convoy SC 42; survived this convoy & convoy ON 154 (1919)5,758Arrived with engine defects & later survived convoy ON 154 (1919)5,691Survived this convoy & convoy ON 154Germa (1920)5,282Guinean (1936)5,205Henry Stanley (1929)5,026Hopecastle (1937)55,1785,500 tons general cargoSunk by & 29 OctKing Edward (1919)5,224Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154Lafonia (1911)1,961Lynton Grange (1937)5,029Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154Mano (1925)1,418Joined at sea 23 Oct; survived this convoy & convoy ONS 5Marquesa (1918)8,979Nagpore (1920)195,2831,500 tons copper & 5,500 tons general cargoCarried convoy commodore RADM Sir C N Reyne KBE; sunk by 28 OctPacific Star (1920)07,5915,037 tons refrigerated meat & general cargoSunk by 27 OctPrésident Doumer (1934)26011,89863 passengers & general cargoTroopship. Joined at sea 19 Oct; sunk by 30 OctSan Francisco (1915)4,933Sembilan (1922)6,566Silver Willow (1930)56,3739,000 tons general cargoSunk by 30 OctStentor (1926)446,1486,000 tons West African produceCarried convoy vice commodore Capt R H Garstin CBE RIN; sunk by 27 OctTasmania (1935)26,4058,500 tons food & ironSunk by 31 OctTynemouth (1940)3,168Veteran of convoy SC 94; survived this convoy & convoy ON 154Ville de Rouen (1919)5,083Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154Welsh Trader (1938)4,974West Kebar (1920)5,620Detached 20 OctZarian (1938)4,871Survived, but was sunk 2 months later in convoy ON 154

See also Convoy Battles of World War II

Notes

References