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CONVOY HX 243
Departed New York City on June 7-1943 arrived Liverpool on the 21st.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 76 ships in this convoy.

Transcribed from several documents received from Roger Griffiths (Advance Sailing Telegram and A 1 form) - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Crossed out ships did not sail.

See also the westbound Convoy ON 181.

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Station
Destination
Remarks
Noah Webster
American
general
123
Cardiff
Calvin Coolidge
"
general
115
Barry Dock
Anthony Wayne
"
general - grain
Loch Ewe f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Agwidale
"
general
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Oremar
"
general - explosives
Hull
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
William A. Graham
"
general - explosives
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
El Oriente
Panamanian
general
133
Barry Dock
John Langdon
American
general - explosives
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
James G. Birney
"
general - explosives
64
Glasgow
From HX 242
Alcoa Cutter
"
general
103
Newport
Chester Valley
"
general
121
Avonmouth
Charles Henderson
"
general
151
Hull
William N. Pendleton
"
sugar
?
London
(Not on A 1 form)
See Notes
Ville d'Anvers
Belgian
general
92
Swansea
Sinclair Opaline
American
Tanker W
131
Swansea
Norbris
Panamanian
Tanker W
104
Stanlow
Norwegian managers
listed on N page of this site
Catrine
British
general
111
Manchester
Vice Commodore
Luculus
"
Tanker B
22
London (Shellhaven)
Bellerophon
"
general
101
Liverpool
From HX 242
Temple Arch
"
grain
31
Belfast Dock
Naticina
"
Tanker W
52
Bowling / Ardrossan
?From HX 242?
Port Dunedin
"
frozen general
71
Liverpool
San Veronico
"
Tanker W
Stanlow
Sailed in HX 244
Villanger
Norwegian
general
21
Liverpool
Salamis
"
Tanker W
93
Stanlow
Mosli
"
Tanker B
54
Scapa
Escort Oiler
see Notes
Boskoop
Dutch
general
41
Liverpool
Delftdijk
"
general
134
Glasgow
Pan-Delaware
American
Tanker W
124
Avonmouth
Alfred Moore
"
general
132
London
Roger Williams
"
general
Liverpool
Joined HX 244 -returned to port
Benjamin Chew
"
general
42
London
Steel Mariner
"
general
122
Liverpool
F. J. Luckenbach
"
general
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Kofresi
"
general
143
Liverpool
From HX 242
El Oceano
Panamanian
general - explosives
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Kentuckian
American
general
53
Swansea
From HX 242
Leonidas Polk
"
iron
62
Liverpool
From HX 242
David S. Terry
"
general
33
Cardiff
From HX 242
Joseph Gale
"
general - explosives
95
London
From HX 242
John M. Clayton
"
general
32
Manchester
Henry Groves Connor
"
sugar
55
Clyde
Esso Providence
"
Tanker B
112
Avonmouth
Smith Thompson
"
general
94
Swansea
From HX 242
John P. Holland
"
general
Mersey f. o.
Had sailed in previous convoy?
Fort Ash
British
lumber - lead - phosphates
43
London
Fort Slave
"
steel - lumber
44
Immingham
Argos Hill
"
general
11
Liverpool
Fort Brule
"
steel - lumber - grain
51
Liverpool
From HX 242
Rear Commodore
Elona
"
Tanker B
Stanlow
Sailed in HX 244
Westland
Dutch
general
81
Liverpool
Commodore Vessel
Washington Express
Norwegian
general
75
Glasgow
From HX 242
Laurits Swenson
"
general
114
Liverpool
Germa
"
general
Liverpool
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
Oregon Express
"
general
91
Manchester
From HX 242
Esso Concord
American
Tanker W
102
Bromborough
James M. Wayne
"
general
141
Liverpool
From HX 242
Nathaniel Bacon
"
general
Avonmouth
Sailed in HX 244
Cefalu
Honduran
general - explosives
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Edwin Markham
American
general
Belfast f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Robert M. T. Hunter
"
general - explosives
113
Liverpool
From HX 242
George Taylor
"
general
74
Manchester
Gabriel Duval
"
general - explosives
Hull
Sailed in HX 244
Tarleton Brown
"
none given
Liverpool
Joined HX 244 - returned to port
James R. Randall
"
general
Liverpool
To HX 244 - did not sail
British Tradition
British
Tanker W
63
Bowling
Robert F. Hoke
American
general
142
Liverpool
Davila
British
Admiralty tanker B
72
Londonderry
Escort Oiler
see Notes
San Adolfo
"
Admiralty tanker B
82
Liverpool
Escort Oiler
see Notes
Collis P. Huntington
American
general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Fort Dease Lake
British
none given
45
London
Jamaica Producer
"
none given
61
Avonmouth
Prinses Maria-Pia
Belgian - MOWT 1940
none given
65
Liverpool
Yemassee
Panamanian
none given
35
Loch Ewe / Iceland
Green Mountain
American
none given
152
Manchester
Additionally, the Commodore mentions the following ships in his notes:
Fort Townshend and Cathcart - left convoy for Halifax at 13:45 on June 10 in 43 00N 60 23W.
Lady Rodney, bound for St. John's, left at 16:30 June 12 in 45 11N 49 10W, escorted by Lincoln.
Joining from Halifax - Sailed June 9
Joined at 13:00 June 10 - 42 47N 60 33W
Fort Longueuil
British
grain - general
154
Barry Dock
Empire Capulet
"
general
Tyne
Sailed in HX 244
Empire Hunter
"
general
Loch Ewe f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Fort Fraser
"
grain - general
Manchester
Joined HX 244 - returned to port
Listed in HX 245
Comedian
"
grain - general
Liverpool
Listed in HX 245
Kafiristan
"
grain - general
153
Manchester
Tudor Prince
"
general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Tilapa
"
meat - metal - mail
144
Liverpool
Riverview Park
"
general
56
Liverpool
Empire Prowess
"
steel - lumber
12
Sunderland
Ocean Vigour
"
grain
105
Liverpool
From HX 242
Pleiades
American
general
23
Loch Ewe / Iceland
Thomas W. Hyde
"
general
145
Liverpool
Empire Yukon
British
general
125
Liverpool
Deebank
"
general
135
Milford Haven / Southampton
Hopecrest
"
grain
116
Liverpool
Fort Mingan
"
grain
136
Leith Dock
From HX 242
Emily Dickinson
American
general
24
Glasgow
From HX 242
Asa Gray
"
steel - general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Cepnee
French
grain
Glasgow
To HX 244 - did not sail
Sailed in HX 245
Eugene Field
American
grain - general
Liverpool
Sailed in HX 244
Elm Park
British
general
46
Glasgow
George Handley
American
general
Mersey f. o.
To HX 244 - did not sail
Laban Howes
British?
steel - lumber
Tyne
Listed in slow Convoy SC 134
Mary Lyon
American
general
126
Avonmouth
Medina
"
general
Loch Ewe / Iceland
Sailed in HX 244
Ocean Stranger
British
grain - general
13
London
Patrick Henry
American
general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Richmond Mumford Pearson
"
general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Thomas R. Marshall
"
general
Mersey f. o.
Sailed in HX 244
Gorjistan
British
general
73
Manchester
(Halifax section?)
Scottish Monarch
"
general
66
Manchester
(Halifax section?)
Helder
Dutch
general
76
Liverpool
(Halifax section?)
Bury
British
Rescue Vessel
96
Clyde
Rescue Vessel Bury was on her 9th voyage as such, having started this voyage from Clyde with westbound Convoy ON 184 on May 15-1943, to Halifax May 29 - returning with HX 243 from Halifax to Clyde, June 9-June 21. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hague).
Edward N. Hurley
American
general
25
Hull
From HX 242
Joined from St. John's
13:00/12th

Notes:
Commodore W. E. B. Magee D.S.O. R.N.R. was in Westland, Vice Commodore was C. Feaves, the captain of Catrine, Rear Commodore was the captain of Fort Brule.

The convoy had 77 ships

Average speed: 9.61 knots

William N. Pendleton dropped out during thick fog on the night of June 14/15 in approx. 50 20N 43 00W.

The Commodore's notes are very brief. He says station keeping and signalling were "good", Commodore's vessel "suitable".

"Fine weather generally was experienced during the voyage. Fog and icebergs south of Cape Race, smoke caused trouble at times and forms the subject of a separate report (not available). As regards enemy action the voyage was uneventful. An excellent convoy".

Escort Oilers Report
Davila:
San Adolfo:
Mosli:
Escort
Date & Amount
Escort
Date & Amount
Escort
Date & Amount
HMS Broadway
June 13 - 27 tons
HNMS Lincoln
June 12 - 92 tons
HMS Rockingham
June 15 - 76 tons
HMS Primrose
June 15 - 37 tons
HMS Rockingham
June 13 - 59 tons
HMS Fennel
June 15 - 52 tons
HMS Monkshood
June 15 - 40 tons
HMS Hurricane
June 13 - 48 tons
HMS Dahlia
June 16 - 55 tons
HMCS Drumheller
June 16 - 50 tons
HMS Broadway
June 15 - 98 tons
HMCS Kamloops
June 17 - 90.2 tons
HMCS Chambly
June 15 - 60 tons
HMS Borage
June 15 - 50 tons

Escorts:
Local Escort (from date of sailing): HNMS Lincoln*, (S.O.), HMCS Sudbury - to 14:00 June 10, 43 02N 60 16W.
Joining in Ambrose Channel (date illegible): HMCS Oakville, HMCS Arrowhead, HMCS Brockville - to 14:30 June 12, 45 07N 49 35W.
Joining June 10 in 42 57N 60 33W: HMS Caldwell - to 14:30 June 12, 45 07N 49 35W.
Ocean Escort - Group B 1 (joined in 45 06N 49 40W, date illegible, possibly June 11?): HMS Hurricane (S.O.), HMS Rockingham, HMS Dahlia, HMS Borage, HMS Monkshood and HMS Meadowsweet (left at 12:00 June 18 in 55 36N 21 24W.
Group C 2 (also joined in 45 06N 49 40W): HMS Broadway, HMS Lagan, HMS Fennel, HMS Primrose, HMCS Chambly, HMCS Kamloops, HMCS Drumheller (left at 17:00 June 20, 55 48N 07 12W).
HMS Lancer joined in 45 01N 50 04W (date illegible) and escorted convoy to Liverpool. Also, rescue tug HMS Griper - parted company at 22:00 June 20 off Mull of Kintyre.

*HNMS Lincoln "after parting company on 10th June was absent from convoy until 14:00/11th June when he rejoined in position 43 48N 54 24W. He finally parted company at 16:30/12th June in position 45 10N 49 10W escorting Lady Rodney to St. John's N.F.".

Air Escort:
Ambrose channel, various types for 10 1/2 hours - left at 20:15 June 7
40 09N 71 17W, Mitchell for 10 hours - left at 17:00 June 8.
40 24N 66 25W, Catalina for 9 1/2 hours - left at 14:00 June 9.
44 08N 55 52W, Catalina for 3 1/2 hours - left at 10:30 June 11.
45 40N 46 35W, Liberator for 13 hours - left at 19:30 June 13.
52 28N 40 08W, Liberator for 4 hours - left at 18:00 June 15.
55 05N 25 20W, Liberator for 6 1/2 hours - left at 04:30 June 18
55 20N 22 50W, Liberator for 10 1/2 hours - left at 18:00 June 18.

All the Norwegian ships sailing in this convoy are discussed on this website - more info on them can be found with the help of the alphabet index below.

Related external links:
Liberty Ships - Some of the ships listed as American in the table above were Liberty ships. This website lists them alphabetically.
This site has more on the the "Fort", "Ocean" and "Park" ships mentioned in this convoy.
Empire Ships listed in alphabetical order. The site also has a section listing the Liberty ships.

Back to Convoy Index

To the next HX convoy in my list HX 244


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