Convoy JW 51B

Convoy JW 51B (30 December 1942 – 3 January 1943) was an Arctic convoy sent from United Kingdom by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during the Second World War.

Convoy JW 51B came under attack by German surface units of Operation Regenbogen - the operation to intercept the next British convoy to Murmansk, on 31 December. In the engagement, a British minesweeper and a British destroyer and a German destroyer were sunk; no ships were lost from the convoy in what became known as the Battle of the Barents Sea.

Background Convoy escorts Convoy JW 51A consisted of 15 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942. Close escort was provided by the minesweeper , two corvettes and two armed trawlers. The close escort was supported by six Home Fleet destroyers led by (Captain Robert Sherbrooke). The convoy sailed with a local escort group from Britain and was joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising , and two destroyers, was also at sea, from Kola Inlet, to guard against attack by surface units. Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force from Iceland comprising the battleship , the cruiser and five destroyers.

German forces

Convoy JW 51B was opposed by four U-boats in a patrol line in the Norwegian Sea and the aircraft of Luftflotte 5 based in Norway. A surface force comprising the heavy cruisers , Lützow and the destroyers , , , , , was stationed at Altenfjord.

Prelude

Convoy JW 51B departed Loch Ewe on 22 December 1942, accompanied by its local escort, of four destroyers, and its close escort. Three days later, on 25 December, it was joined by the ocean escort, while the local escort departed. On 27 December the convoy ran into a gale, which scattered the convoy over the next two days into several groups across a wide area. was forced to return with weather damage and five ships and two escorts had become separated. Three of the ships rejoined on 30 December, but Chester Valley, in company with the armed trawler , and another, with the destroyer Oribi, remained separated. During 30 December, Bramble detached from the main body of the convoy to search for the stragglers.

Action

On 24 December the convoy had been sighted by a patrolling aircraft, but was lost later during the storm. On 30 December it was found again by U-354, and Operation Regenbogen began. On 31 December the German ships, in two sections, met the ocean escort of Convoy JW 51B, and after a sharp engagement, which left the minesweeper Bramble and the destroyer Achates sinking and Onslow, damaged; the attacking force was driven off. The destroyer, Eckoldt was sunk and the cruiser Hipper was damaged. No further attacks developed, and on 1 January 1943 Vizalma and her charge rejoined the convoy. On 2 January Convoy JW 51B was met by its eastern local escort, two minesweepers from Murmansk. On 3 January the main body arrived in Kola Inlet, joined the following day by Oribi and her charge.

Aftermath Analysis The 15 ships of Convoy JW 51B arrived at Murmansk without loss, though one had been damaged. Despite the loss of two warships, the convoy was a success and the failure of the German surface force against the convoy caused a loss of confidence by Hitler in the and its commander, Admiral Erich Raeder, which led to him resigning. Thereafter, the main threat to the Allied convoy system was from U-boats.

Allied order of battle

Merchant ships

+Freighters, 22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943 NameYearFlagGRTNotes19226,13119196,89119195,07819305,57119185,81519427,031Captain Robin Melhuish, convoy commodore19418,03219204,97819207,58219427,19119408,31919196,07619427,176SS Vermont19195,67019195,612

Escort forces Western local escort NameFlagTypeNotesB-class destroyer22–23 December 194222–25 December 194222–25 December 194222–25 December 1942Close convoy escort22 December 1942 – 4 January 194322 December 1942 – 4 January 194322–29 December 1942ASW trawler22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943ASW trawler22 December 1942 – 4 January 1943Oceanic escortA-class destroyer25 December 1942 – 3 JanuaryO-class destroyer25 December – 3 January 1943O-class destroyer25 December – 3 January 1943O-class destroyer25 December – 3 January 1943O-class destroyer25–31 December 1942, separatedO-class destroyer25 December – 3 January 1943Cruiser covering force (Force R)27–31 December 1942, from Kola Inlet27–31 December 1942, from Kola InletM-class destroyer27–29 December 1942, from Kola InletO-class destroyer27–29 December 1942, from Kola InletDistant cover (Home Fleet)F-class destroyerAllied submarine patrols S-class submarinePatrolled vicinity Bear IslandT-class submarinePatrolled vicinity Bear IslandT-class submarinePatrolled vicinity Bear IslandU-class submarinePatrolled vicinity Bear IslandT-class submarineNorway inshore watchS-class submarineNorway inshore watchU-class submarineNorway inshore watchType VIIC submarineNorway inshore watchNorway inshore watch

German order of battle

BoatFlagClassNotesU-boatsType VIIC submarineType VIIC submarineSailed 30 December 1942LützowSailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942Sailed 30 December 1942

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