Convoy HX 47

Convoy HX 47 was a North Atlantic convoy of the HX series which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was the 47th of the numbered series of merchant convoys run by the Allies from Halifax to Liverpool. The convoy was attacked by German U-boats and lost three of its 58 ships.

Background HX 47 was formed of two sections sailing from the Americas. The main body, of 37 ships departed Halifax on 2 June 1940Hague, Arnold; HX 47 at convoyweb.org.uk with ships gathered from the US eastern seaboard; it was led by convoy commodore Adm. BS Thesiger RN in the steamship Pacific Pioneer. It was accompanied by its ocean escort, the armed merchant cruiser HMS Esperance Bay, and a local escort, a Royal Canadian Navy destroyer. Two ships dropped out early in the voyage; Randsfjord was damaged in collision with a Greek steamer and returned for repairs, and another returned to port for degaussing.

On 8 June the convoy was joined by BHX 47, 21 ships from the Caribbean and South America, that had gathered at Bermuda, departing there on 31 May escorted by the armed merchant cruiser and a local escort.Hague, Arnold; BHX 47 at convoyweb.org.uk

Ranged against HX 47 were U-boats of the German Navy's U-boat Arm (UBW), on patrol in Britain's sea lanes. The UBW had just two U-boats in Southwest Approaches, and , with another, , further west.U-boats on patrol, 12 June 1940 at uboat.net

Action On 14 June HX 47’s Western Approaches escort arrived. These were the sloops , from escorting the outbound convoy OA 164, and from port following a refit. During the crossing three ships had dropped out of convoy; of these, Balmoralwood, was sighted on 14 June by U-47 and sunk, 70 miles from Cape Clear Island.

That evening U-38 had attacked the Greek freighter Mount Myrto, on independent passage; Mount Myrto—Greek steam merchant www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 April 2020 sighting HX 47 the U-boat left the freighter in a sinking condition and stalked the convoy. Attacking after midnight of 14/15 June U-38 sank two ships, the tanker ItaliaBlair p167 and the freighter Erik Boye. The U-boat escaped and HX 47 continued without further loss.

The main body of the convoy reached Liverpool on 17 June.

Conclusion Of the 58 ships that set out, two turned back and three were sunk. 53 ships made a safe and timely arrival. HX 47 was one of two trans-Atlantic convoys attacked during June, the other, HX 49, also losing three ships. During the month as a whole the UBW sank 63 ships in the Atlantic; most of these were unescorted vessels sailing independently.Tarrant p.149 June 1940 was the beginning of a marked increase in successes by the U-boat Arm, referred to by them as "The Happy Time".Tarrant p.89

Ships in the convoy Merchant ships Convoy information is from Arnold Hague's Convoyweb +Merchant shipsNameFlagTonnage (GRT)NotesAegeon (1919)5,285Aluminium and pulpAndreas (1919)6,566WheatAnna Mazaraki (1913)5,411GrainAnnavore (1921)3,324Copper and General CargoArgos Hill (1922)7,178SteelAshby (1927)4,868GrainAskeladden (1920)2,496PitpropsDiverted to Portland, Maine for degaussingBalmoralwood (1937)5,834Wheat and 4 aircraft (deck cargo)Straggled 6 JuneSunk by : 41 survivors on 14 JuneBeaverbrae (1928)9,956General cargoBeaverhill (1928)10,041General cargoBlairspey (1929)4,155Steel and timberBoston City (1920)2,870General cargoBriarwood (1930)4,019PitpropsBritish Captain (1923)6,968PetrolBritish Faith (1928)6,955BenzineBritish Prince (1935)4,879General cargoCairnvalona (1918)4,929General cargoVice-commodore: Adm Sir A J Davies KBE CBCapsa (1931)8,229Crude oilClydebank (1925)5,156Steel and cokeComedian (1929)5,122Cotton and lumberDiplomat (1921)8,240General cargoDornach (1939)5,186WheatEgda (1939)10,050PetrolEl Aleto (1927)7,203Crude oilElax (1927)7,403Fuel oilErik Boye (1924)2,238GrainSunk by : 22 survivorsF J Wolfe (1932)12,190Crude oilFerncastle (1936)9,940Fuel oilGeorgios G (1918)4,289General cargoGeorgios Potamianos (1913)4,044General cargoGermanic (1936)5,352GrainHarborough (1932)5,415GrainHartbridge (1927)5,080WheatHellen (1921)5,289Scrap ironHoyanger (1926)4,624Pulp and lumberItalia (1939)9,97313,000 tons aviation spiritSunk by : 19 dead, 16 survivors Kenbane Head (1919)5,225General cargoLoke (1915)2,421CopperManchester Citizen (1925)5,343General cargoMasunda (1929)5,250Iron oreNailsea Manor (1937)4,926GrainNorthumberland (1915)11,558General cargoOctavian (1938)1,345Wood pulpPacific Pioneer (1928)6,734General cargoConvoy Commodore: Adm Sir B S Thesiger KBE CB CMGRandsfjord (1937)3,999Wheat and general cargoCollision with Georgios Potamianos, returned to portRegent Panther (1937)9,556PetrolSaimaa (1922)2,001General cargoSalacia (1937)5,495LumberSan Adolfo (1935)7,365Fuel Furnace Oil (FFO)Saturnus (1940)9,965PetrolSouthgate (1926)4,862Steel and timberStoranger (1930)9,223Fuel oilTemple Inn (1940)5,218SugarTheodoros Coumantaros (1917)5,709Sugar; straggled 11 JuneThiara (1939)10,364Fuel and lub oilUlysses (1918)2,666General cargoVinemoor (1924)4,359Wheat and lumberZurichmoor (1925)4,455Steel and timber; straggled 6 June

Escort Escort information is from Arnold Hague's ConvoywebArnold Hague, HX Convoys at convoyweb.org.uk. Retrieved 22 April 2020 NameFlagShip TypeNotes+EscortsHMS AscaniaArmed merchant cruiserOcean Escort: 31 May-8 JuneHMS Esperance BayArmed merchant cruiserOcean Escort: 2–15 JuneWestern Approaches Escort: 14–17 JuneBermuda Local Escort: 31 May - ?Canadian River-class destroyer Halifax Local Escort: 2–3 JuneWestern Approaches Escort: 14–17 June

Axis forces U-boat information is from Guðmundur Helgason's uboat.netU-boats attacking HX 47 www.uboat.net. Retrieved 22 April 2020 NumberTypeNavyContact dateNotes IXA Kriegsmarine 14 June 1940 sank Italia, Erik Boye VIIB Kriegsmarine no contact sank straggler Balmoralwood 14 June 1940

References

Bibliography Blair, Clay (1996) Hitler's U-boat War Vol I Cassell

Tarrant, VE (1989) The U-boat Offensive: 1914-1945. Arms & Armour

External links HX.47 at convoyweb