Convoy RA 55B (31 December 1943 − 8 January 1944) was an Arctic convoy during the Second World War. It was one of a series of convoys run to return Allied ships from Soviet northern ports to ports in Britain, the ships arrived safely.

Forces Convoy RA 55B consisted of eight merchant ships which departed from Kola Inlet on 31 December 1943. Close escort was provided by the two destroyers, Whitehall and Wrestler, and three corvettes. These were supported by an Ocean escort of eight Home Fleet destroyers led by (Captain James McCoy commanding). Following the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December and the sinking of , the threat from German surface units was, for the time being, eliminated and Convoy RA 55B dispensed with the usual distant cover by heavy units of the Home Fleet. RA 55A was threatened by a U-boat force of some thirteen boats, in , in the Norwegian Sea, which had operated against all the December convoys.

Action RA 55A sailed from Kola with its escort on 31 December 1943, accompanied by an eastern local escort of three minesweepers. On 1 January 1944 the local escort returned to Murmansk, leaving RA 55B to continue. German air reconnaissance was unable to find RA 55B in the gloom of the polar night, and although several Eisenbart boats made contact, their attacks were ineffectual. RA 55B was able to shake off pursuit and on 7 January met the western local escort of two minesweepers, which brought the convoy into Loch Ewe on the following day, 8 January 1944.

Aftermath The eight ships of RA 55B arrived in Britain without loss, the German attempts to attack the convoy having failed.

Allied order of battle Merchant ships

+Ships convoyed NameYearFlagGRTNo.Notes 19305,57141Rear-commodore 19437,05011 19427,18112 19427,13421Vice-commodore 19427,17642 19306,55622Tanker 19357,41032Tanker 19437,18431Convoy commodore

Escorts +Escort (in relays)ShipFlagClassNotesEastern local escort 31 December − 1 January 1944 31 December − 1 January 1944 31 December − 1 January 1944Ocean escort 1−7 January 1944 1−7 January 1944 1−7 January 1944 1−7 January 1944 O-class destroyer 1−7 January 1944 O-class destroyer 1−7 January 1944 O-class destroyer 1−7 January 1944 W-class destroyer 31 December − 8 January 1944 W-class destroyer 31 December − 8 January 1944 31 December − 8 January 1944 31 December − 8 January 1944 31 December − 8 January 1944 31 December − 8 January 1944Western local escort 7–8 January 7–8 January

German order of battle

+U-boats NameFlagClassNotesType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarine

Notes

Footnotes

Bibliography

Further reading

External links