Convoy JW 56A was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. Twelve ships arrived safely. During the voyage JW 56A was attacked by a German U-boat force; three ships were sunk and one of the escorts damaged in the operation.
Ships The convoy consisted of 20 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 12 January 1944. Close escort was provided by a force led by and two corvettes, with two more destroyers joining later. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer (Capt. W. G. A. Robson commanding) and five other destroyers. The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising (R.Adm A. F. E. Palliser), and also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units. Convoy JW 56A was opposed by a U-boat force of 10 boats in a patrol line, code-named Isengrim, in the Norwegian Sea.
Action Convoy JW 56A departed Loch Ewe on 12 January 1944, accompanied by its local escort, of two minesweepers and two corvettes, and a close escort of three destroyers and two corvettes. Three days out from Loch Ewe, on 15 January, Convoy JW 56A ran into a storm, forcing the convoy to shelter at Akureyri in Iceland, which it reached on 18 January. After another three days the storm abated and on 21 January Convoy JW 56A was able to depart, though five ships were forced to drop out with storm damage. The convoy was joined on 21 January by Hardy and her group, but the following day the local escort departed, leaving an escort force of ten warships to see the convoy through.
Despite search patrols by German aircraft the convoy was not found in the prevailing gloom of the polar night, but on 25 January Convoy JW 56A passed the northernmost U-boat of the patrol line, , which broadcast an alert and commenced shadowinLater on 25 January the attack started, continuing throughout the day and following night. The seven boats in contact made a total of seventeen attacks over a twelve-hour period. The first success was a hit by on the destroyer Obdurate, which was forced to retire with damage. Later U-278 hit Penelope Barker, which sank. Just after midnight U-360 hit Fort Bellingham, which was crippled, and hit Andrew G Curtin, which sank. Later, at around 5am, under the command of Gerhard Schaar also hit Fort Bellingham, which was sunk. All other attacks were beaten off, and during 26 January the convoy was able to shake off further pursuit.
On 27 January Convoy JW 56A was met by the local escort, three Soviet destroyers from Murmansk and the ocean escort detached, to head back through the Isengrim patrol area to re-inforce the following convoy JW 56B. Convoy JW 56A arrived at Kola without further losses on 28 January 1944.
Conclusion Despite the loss of three ships, and the return of five others, twelve ships had arrived safely, making Convoy JW 56A a qualified success. The convoy was followed into Murmansk five days later by Convoy JW 56B.
Allied order of battle
Convoyed ships + Ships in convoyNameYearFlagGRT NotesLoch Ewe to Akureyri, 12−18 JanuaryAert Van Der Neer19427,170Andrew G Curtin19437,200Charles Scribner19437,176Edwin L Drake19437,176Empire Ploughman19437,049Fort Bellingham19427,153Fort Slave19427,134Noreg19317,605Penelope Barker19427,177Convoy Commodore Ivan WhitehornRichard H Alvey19427,191San Adolfo19357,365Escort oilerSan Cirilo19378,012Thorstein Veblen19437,176William Tyler Page19437,176Woodbridge N Ferris19437,200Akureyri to Murmansk, 21–28 JanuaryAert Van Der Neer19427,170Via Akureyri 18–21 JanuaryAndrew G Curtin19437,200Sunk by 0 survCharles Scribner19437,176Edwin L Drake19437,176Empire Ploughman19437,049Fort Bellingham19427,153Convoy Commodore Whitehorn, damaged, , sunk Fort Slave19427,134Noreg19317,605Penelope Barker19427,177Sunk by Richard H Alvey19427,191San Adolfo19357,365Escort oilerSan Cirilo19378,012Thorstein Veblen19437,176William Tyler Page19437,176Woodbridge N Ferris19437,200
Ships left at Akureyri + Ships under repairNameYearFlagGRT NotesCharles Bulfinch19437,176Jefferson Davis19427,176John A Quitman19437,176Joseph N Nicollet19437,176Nathaniel Alexander19427,177
Escort forces +Escort forces (in relays)NameFlagType NotesLoch Ewe to Iceland12–18 JanuaryHMS BorageDeparted for Loch Ewe, 18 January12–27 January 12–27 JanuaryDeparted for Loch Ewe, 18 January 12–22 January 12–22 JanuaryMet Loch Ewe escort force en route, joined oceanic escort12–27 JanuaryS-class destroyer 16–27 JanuaryS-class destroyer16–27 JanuaryOceanic escortV-class destroyer21–27 JanuaryO-class destroyer21–25 JanuaryO-class destroyer21–27 JanuaryV-class destroyer21–27 JanuaryV-class destroyer21–27 JanuaryV-class destroyer21–27 January12–27 January 12–27 JanuaryCruiser cover23–26 JanuaryTurned back, mechanical defects, re-joined later23–26 JanuaryEastern local escort27–28 January27–28 January 27–28 January 27–28 January 26–28 January 26–28 January 26–28 January 26–28 January 26–28 January
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Further reading
External links JW 56A at Convoyweb