Convoy ON 92
| Convoy ON 92 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theBattle of the AtlanticofWorld War II | |||||||
 USSGleaves,18 June 1941 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Germany |
 United Kingdom United States Canada | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
BdU: Karl Dönitz |
Comm: R GillSOE:  J Heffernan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 9 submarines |
1 destroyer 4 corvettes 1 cutter 46 merchant ships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| None |
9 killed 7 merchant ships sunk 1 merchant ship damaged | ||||||
Convoy ON 92was a tradeconvoyofmerchant shipsduring theSecond World War.It was the 92nd of the numbered series ofON convoysOutbound from the British Isles toNorth America. The ships departed fromLiverpoolon 6 May 1942[1]and were joined on 7 May[2]byMid-Ocean Escort ForceGroup A-3.
The convoy was discovered byWolfpack Hechton 11 May; seven ships were sunk before theU-boatslost contact with the convoy on 13 May.[3]Surviving ships reachedHalifax, Nova Scotiaon 21 May.[1]
Prelude[edit]
ON 92 was a west-bound convoy of 42 ships, eitherin ballastor carrying trade goods, and sailed fromLiverpoolon 6 May 1942 bound for ports in North America. The convoy commodore was Capt. R Gill inSouthern Princess.
It was escorted bymid-ocean escort groupA-3, comprising theUnited States NavydestroyerGleaves(Capt. J Heffernan as Senior Officer Escort), theUnited States Coast GuardcutterSpencer,and fourRoyal Canadian NavycorvettesAlgoma,Arvida,BittersweetandShediac.The convoy was supported by a rescue ship, theNorth SeapacketBury.[4]Two of the merchant ships were equipped asCAM ships,with a catapult-launchedHurricanefighter as temporary air cover. Heffernan had a background in destroyers andanti-submarine warfarebut was inexperienced in convoy protection, as was his group. OnlyBittersweethad the new 10 cm radar, and only the rescue shipBuryhadHF/DF.[5][6]
ON 92's passage was barred by the patrol group "Hecht", comprising sixType VII U-boats.Of these two commanders were experiencedKnight's Crossholders, while the others were on their first Atlantic patrol.[5]
Action[edit]
After making rendezvous with its ocean escort ON 92 proceeded west, following along the great circle route to reduce distance. However German intelligence (B-Dienst) was aware of its passage, andU-boat Command(BdU) was able to send group "Hecht" in pursuit. On the morning of 11 MayU-569made contact and began to shadow. Its transmissions were detected byBury,which was confirmed by theAdmiraltythat afternoon but Heffernan made no response until 1700, when he ledGleavesandSpencerin a wide sweep around the convoy. At 1749Gleavessighted aU-boat17 miles (27 km) ahead and both proceeded to attack, continuing until after midnight.[7]Meanwhile two more U-boats were in contact,U-94andU-124,both commanded by Knights Cross holders. After sunset the commodore ordered evasive maneuvers, but without success, and at 2300U-124attacked, sinkingEmpire Delland damagingLlanover.[8]A second attack byU-124hitMount ParnesandCristales,whileU-94hitCocles.Algomasighted one and counter-attacked but with no success. At this pointGleavesandSpencerrejoined the convoy and no more attacks developed.ArvidaandShediacwere able to pick up survivors, withBury.[9]
On 12 May the three U-boats in contact were joined by three more "Hecht" boats,U-96,U-406andU-590,and all six continued to shadow. At 1300 Heffernan again detachedGleavesandSpencerin a sweep around the convoy; at 1943Spencersighted two U-boats 27 miles (43 km) northwest of the convoy, and engaged with gunfire, while at the same timeGleavesmade asonarcontact 18 miles (29 km) southeast and again began an anti-submarine hunt.
At 2253 the U-boats around the convoy attacked again,U-94hittingBatna.She was counter-attacked byBittersweet,but escaped. Both ships with both firingstar shell,which broughtGleavesandSpencerback to the convoy. At 0310 on 13 MayU-94had a final success, hittingTolken,but was driven off by defensive gunfire from the merchant. At this point foul weather closed in and the pack lost contact.
No further attacks developed and on 13 MayBury,with 178 survivors on board, was detached toSt Johns,escorted byArvida.[10]The convoy was joined by units of Western Local Escort Force on 17 May and made port atHalifaxon 21 May.[5]
Aftermath[edit]
ON 92 lost seven ships of a total of 42 that set out. The Admiralty andWestern Approaches Command(WAC) were unimpressed with Heffernan's performance, particularly as he described it in his report as a success, commenting "all escorts are entitled to credit for a highly satisfactory performance." WAC disagreed, feeling the group had "failed lamentably" in its defence of ON 92. The commodores report sums up the episode by commenting "Gleaveswas never there when ON 92 was attacked. "[10]After this Heffernan was moved to other duties, with leadership of A-3 being passed to USCG commander P Heineman of the cutterCampbell.[5]
BdU had reason to be pleased with the sinking of seven merchant ships from the convoy, although this was the only successful attack on any North Atlantic convoy in the month of May. It was also noticeable that the only success fell to the two experienced commanders; the other four "Hecht" skippers achieved nothing.[11]
Ships in the convoy[edit]
Merchant ships[edit]
| Name[12] | Flag | Tonnage(GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achilles(1906) |  Netherlands
|
1,815 | Bound forSt John's, Newfoundland |
| Alex(1914) |  United Kingdom
|
3,932 | Bound forHalifax |
| Batna(1928) | United Kingdom
|
4,399 | Sunk ByU-94[13]SE ofCape Farewell, GreenlandOn 13 May. 1 dead. Survivors picked up byBury |
| Belinda(1939) |  Norway
|
8,325 | Bound forCorpus Christi, Texas |
| British Power(1936) | United Kingdom
|
8,451 | Bound forHouston |
| Bury(1911) | United Kingdom
|
1,686 | Convoy rescue shipbound forHalifax.Carrying equipment forHigh-frequency direction finding |
| Carras(1918) |  Greece
|
5,234 | Bound forFather Point, Quebec |
| Chagres(1919) |  Panama
|
5,545 | Bound forBoston |
| Clearpool(1935) | United Kingdom
|
5,404 | Bound forFather Point, Quebec |
| Cocle(1920) | Panama
|
5,630 | Sunk ByU-94[14]on 12 May 740 nautical miles (1,370 km) SE ofCape Farewell, Greenland.5 dead. Survivors picked up byBuryand landed at St. John's, Newfoundland. |
| Cristales(1926) | United Kingdom
|
5,389 | Sunk byU-124[15]on 12 May SE ofCape Farewell, Greenland.0 dead. Abandoned and sunk by gunfire from HMCSShediac.Survivors picked up byShediacand USCGCSpencerand landed at Boston. |
| Dean Emery(1919) | Panama
|
6,664 | Bound forBeaumont, Texas |
| Dimitrios Chandris(1910) | Greece
|
4,643 | Returned |
| Dorcasia(1938) | United Kingdom
|
8,053 | Bound forHouston |
| Dorington Court(1939) | United Kingdom
|
5,281 | Bound forNew York City |
| Elisabeth Lensen(1910) | United Kingdom
|
4,212 | Bound forFather Point, Quebec |
| Empire Antelope(1919) | United Kingdom
|
4,945 | Bound forHalifax.Ship's Master is Vice-Commodore |
| Empire Chamois(1918) | United Kingdom
|
5,684 | Bound forBaltimore |
| Empire Clive(1941) | United Kingdom
|
7,069 | CAM Ship.Bound forHalifax |
| Empire Dell(1941) | United Kingdom
|
7,065 | CAM ship.Sunk byU-124[16]on 12 May. 2 dead. Survivors picked up by HMCSShediacandBury,and landed at St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Empire Wolfe(1941) | United Kingdom
|
2,888 | Bound forHalifax |
| Errington Court(1925) | United Kingdom
|
4,913 | Bound forRiver Clyde |
| Evanger(1920) | Norway
|
3,869 | |
| Fort Binger(1919) | United Kingdom
|
5,671 | With torpedo damage (uxb), in the port bow, fromU-588[17]on 18 May. 1 dead. Fog closed in, so U-boat lost contact and the Fort Binger docked for repairs inYarmouthbefore making it toHalifax[18] |
| Gazcon(1932) | United Kingdom
|
4,224 | |
| Grey Lag(1910) | Panama
|
3,312 | Bound forHalifax |
| Ivan Topic(1920) |  Yugoslavia
|
4,943 | Bound forNew York City |
| Juno(1908) | Netherlands
|
1,763 | Bound forNew York City |
| Langleebrook(1930) | United Kingdom
|
4,246 | Bound forNew York City |
| Lisbeth(1922) | Norway
|
2,732 | Bound forHalifax |
| Llanover(1928) | United Kingdom
|
4,959 | Sunk byU-124[19]SE ofCape Farewell, Greenlandon 12 May. 0 Dead. Scuttled by HMCSArvida.Survivors picked up byBuryand landed at St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Mount Parnes(1917) | Greece
|
4,371 | Sunk byU-124[20]on 12 May 650 nautical miles (1,200 km) SE ofCape Farewell, Greenland.0 dead. |
| Mount Rhodope(1919) | Greece
|
5,182 | Bound forMontreal |
| Mount Taurus(1920) | Greece
|
6,696 | Bound forMontreal |
| Portsea(1938) | United Kingdom
|
1,583 | Bound forPictou |
| Ragnhild(1941) | Norway
|
2,866 | Bound forFather Point, Quebec |
| San Ambrosio(1935) | United Kingdom
|
7,410 | |
| Selvik(1920) | Norway
|
1,557 | |
| Selvistan(1924) | United Kingdom
|
5,136 | Bound forHalifax |
| Solarium(1936) | United Kingdom
|
6,239 | Bound forBaton Rouge |
| Southern Princess(1915) | United Kingdom
|
2,156 | Bound forBoston.Capt R Gill CBE Rd RNR (Commodore) |
| Spokane(1929) | Panama
|
2,882 | Bound forCharleston, South Carolina |
| Suecia(1912) |  Sweden
|
4,966 | Returned |
| Titanian(1924) | Norway
|
4,880 | Bound forFather Point, Quebec |
| Tolken(1922) | Sweden
|
4,471 | Sunk byU-94[21]675 nautical miles (1,250 km) SE ofCape Farewell, GreenlandOn 13 May. 0 dead. Survivors picked up byBuryand landed at St. John's, Newfoundland |
| Zypenberg(1920) | Netherlands
|
4,973 | Bound forNew York City |
Convoy escorts[edit]
| Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USSGleaves | United States Navy
|
Gleaves-classdestroyer | 7 May 1942 | 18 May 1942 |
| USCGCSpencer[4] | United States Coast Guard | Treasury-classcutter | 7 May 1942 | 18 May 1942 |
| HMCSAlgoma | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Flower-classcorvette | 7 May 1942 | 18 May 1942 |
| HMCSArvida | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Flower-classcorvette | 7 May 1942 | 14 May 1942 |
| HMCSBittersweet | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Flower-classcorvette | 7 May 1942 | 18 May 1942 |
| HMCSShediac | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Flower-classcorvette | 7 May 1942 | 16 May 1942 |
U-boats[edit]
The convoy was attacked byWolfpack Hecht,which consisted of U-boats, namely:
- U-94(Type VIIC): 3 ships sunk
- U-96(Type VIIC): no success
- U-116Type XB:supply boat
- U-124Type IXB:4 ships sunk
- U-406(Type VIIC): no success
- U-569(Type VIIC): no success
- U-578(Type VIIC): no success
- U-590(Type VIIC): no success
References[edit]
- ^abHague, p. 158
- ^"ON convoys".Andrew Hague Convoy Database.Retrieved8 November2013.
- ^Rohwer & Hummelchen, p. 139
- ^abMilner, p.113
- ^abcdBlair p.599
- ^Edwards p.62
- ^Edwards p.65
- ^Edwards p.66
- ^Edwards p.67
- ^abEdwards p.68
- ^Blair p.601
- ^"Convoy ON.92".Arnold Hague Convoy Database.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Batna – British Steam Merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved21 December2019.
- ^"Cocle – Panamanian steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Cristales – British steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Empire Dell – British Catapult armed merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Fort Binger – British steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"SS Fort Binger torpedoed, damaged by U-588/Vogel 17 May 1942,Free French crew tried to ram, fought sub off".ericwilberg. 4 January 2017.Retrieved9 April2023.
- ^"Llanover – British steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Mount Parnes – Greek steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
- ^"Tolken – Swedish steam merchant".uboat.net.Retrieved7 November2013.
Bibliography[edit]
- Blair, Clay(1996).Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942.ISBN0-304-35260-8.
- Edwards, Bernard (1996).Donitz and the Wolf Packs.ISBN1-86019-927-5.
- Hague, Arnold (2000).The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945.ISBN1-86176-147-3.
- Milner, Marc (1985).North Atlantic Run: The Royal Canadian Navy and the Battle for the Convoys.Toronto: University of Toronto.ISBN0-8020-2544-7.
- Rohwer, J.;Hummelchen, G. (1992).Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945.Naval Institute Press.ISBN1-55750-105-X.