Convoy HX 156
Convoy HX 156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool.[1] Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941,[1] and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of Gleaves-class destroyer Niblack, Clemson-class destroyer Reuben James, Wickes-class destroyer Tarbell, and Benson-class destroyers Benson and Hilary P. Jones.[2]
| Convoy HX.156 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Kriegsmarine |
 Royal Navy United States Navy | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | Rear-Admiral E W Leir DSO | ||||
| Strength | |||||
|
52 merchant ships 16 escorts | |||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 1 ship sunk | |||||
The Action
31 October 1941
The German submarine U-552 sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed Reuben James as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report.[3] A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine.[3] The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.[3]
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II.[4] U-552 was driven off by the escort; but U-567 found the convoy that afternoon.
1 November 1941
Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941.
U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November.[2] Empire Foam launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by HMS Broke after ditching his aircraft.[5][6] The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.[1]
Ships in the convoy
These ships were members of Convoy HX 156.[7]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alchiba (1920) |  Netherlands |
4,427 | Iceland |
| Ancylus (1935) |  United Kingdom |
8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia |
| Anna Knudsen (1931) |  Norway |
9,057 | |
| Arabian Prince (1936) | United Kingdom |
1,960 | 4 Passengers |
| Athelvictor (1941) | United Kingdom |
8,410 | |
| Benmacdhui (1911) | United Kingdom |
6,869 | |
| Brabant (1938) | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Belgium |
2,483 | 2 Passengers |
| Bralanta (1936) | Norway |
9,608 | |
| British Governor (1926) | United Kingdom |
6,840 | Scapa Flow |
| Cape Breton (1940) | United Kingdom |
6,044 | |
| Charlbury (1940) | United Kingdom |
4,836 | |
| Chepo (1919) |  Panama |
5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 |
| Clan Macquarrie (1913) | United Kingdom |
6,471 | |
| Comanchee (1936) | United Kingdom |
6,837 | |
| Delilian (1923) | United Kingdom |
6,423 | |
| Edam (1921) | Netherlands |
8,871 | 27 Passengers |
| Eidanger (1938) | Norway |
9,432 | |
| El Capitan (1917) | Panama |
5,255 | Onward To N Russia |
| El Estero (1920) | Panama |
4,219 | |
| Empire Confidence (1935) | United Kingdom |
5,023 | 12 Passengers |
| Empire Day (1941) | United Kingdom |
7,242 | CAM ship |
| Empire Foam (1941) | United Kingdom |
7,047 | CAM ship |
| Empire Rainbow (1941) | United Kingdom |
6,942 | CAM ship |
| Empire Tern (1919) | United Kingdom |
2,479 | |
| Gallia (1939) | Norway |
9,974 | |
| Ganymedes (1917) | Netherlands |
2,682 | |
| Gudrun Maersk (1937) | United Kingdom |
2,294 | Iceland to Belfast |
| K G Meldahl (1938) | Norway |
3,799 | |
| Kollbjorg (1937) | Norway |
8,259 | |
| Leiv Eiriksson I (1936) | Norway |
9,952 | Ex-Iceland |
| Leonatus (1938) | Panama |
2,242 | |
| Lewant (1930) |  Poland |
1,942 | 2 Passengers |
| Maihar (1917) | United Kingdom |
7,563 | 1 Passenger |
| Markhor (1929) | United Kingdom |
7,917 | |
| Mergus (1906) |  Sweden |
1,368 | Iceland to Clyde |
| Munin (1899) | Norway |
1,285 | Iceland To Clyde |
| Nestor (1913) | United Kingdom |
14,629 | 197 Passengers |
| Norefjord (1920) | Norway |
3,082 | |
| O A Knudsen (1938) | Norway |
11,007 | |
| Polar Chief (1897) | United Kingdom |
8,040 | |
| Prince De Liege (1938) | Belgium |
2,588 | |
| Prins Willem Van Oranje (1938) | Netherlands |
1,303 | |
| San Alvaro (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,385 | 4 Passengers |
| San Arcadio (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,419 | 1 Passenger |
| San Emiliano (1939) | United Kingdom |
8,071 | 4 Passengers |
| Sandanger (1938) | Norway |
9,432 | |
| Skaraas (1936) | Norway |
9,826 | |
| Sourabaya (1915) | United Kingdom |
10,107 | 28 Passengers |
| Stanlake (1923) | United Kingdom |
1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy |
| Svanholm (1922) | United Kingdom |
1,321 | |
| Troubadour (1920) | Norway |
5,808 | 6 Passengers |
| HMCS Annapolis (I04) | Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 22 – 24 Oct, Destroyer | |
| USS Alchiba (AKA-6) (1939) | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} United States |
6,198 | to Reykjavik, Armed 'Attack cargo ship' |
| USS Benson (DD-421) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |
| USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |
| USS Niblack (DD-424) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |
| USS Reuben James (DD-245) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct, sunk by U-552 on 31 Oct 41 (prior to US declaration of war) | |
| USS Tarbell (DD-142) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |
| HMS Verity (D63) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |
| HMS Wolverine (D78) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |
| HMS Camellia (K31) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Corvette | |
| HMS Larkspur (K82) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | |
| HNoMS Montbretia |  Royal Norwegian Navy |
Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | |
| HNoMS Eglantine | Royal Norwegian Navy |
Escort 1 – 5 Nov, Corvette | |
| HMS Broke (D83) | Royal Navy |
Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Flotilla leader | |
| HMS Buxton (H96) | Royal Navy |
Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |
| HMS Begonia (K66) | Royal Navy |
Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Corvette | |
| HMT King Sol | Royal Navy |
Escort 1 Nov, Trawler | |
Notes
- Hague 2000 p.127
- Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.94
- Morison 1975 p.94
- Silverstone 1968 p.9
- Wise, James E. Jr. (1974). "Catapult Off – Parachute Back". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. pp. 70–77.
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. p. 79. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
- "Convoy HX.156". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
References
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
- Morison, Samuel Eliot (1975). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1943. Little, Brown and Company.
- Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
- Silverstone, Paul H. (1968). U.S. Warships of World War II. Doubleday and Company.