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CONVOY HX 3 & HXS 3

Convoy HX 3 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on Sept. 30-1939 and arrived Liverpool on Oct. 14 (Arnold Hague agrees with 20 ships).
List received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

Br=British
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
11
Rushpool
iron ore
Newport
(Br)
21
Dorelian
general
Avonmouth
(Br)
31
Manchester Exporter
general
Manchester
(Br)
41
Newfoundland
general
Liverpool
(Br)
51
Beaverbrae
general
Liverpool
(Br)
61
Mathura
Avonmouth
(Br)
 71
Trevarrack
wheat
Liverpool
(Br)		 81
Bassano
copper- general
Leith
(Br)
12
Torr Head
general
Belfast
(Br)
22
Framlington Court
coke
St. Nazaire
(Br)
32
Manchester Citizen
general
Manchester
(Br)
42
Lornaston
nitrates
(Br)
52
Daleby
wheat
Liverpool
(Br)
62
North Cornwall
paper
London
(Br)
 72
Gitano
general
Newcastle
(Br)		 82
Cairnross
grain - general
Newcastle
(Br)
13 23 33 43
Germanic
lumber - cotton
Liverpool
(Br)		 53
Sandsend
wheat
(Br)		 63
Ontariolite
crude oil
Le Havre
(Br)		 73
Esmond
paper
London
(Br)		 83
HXS 3:
According to Arnold Hauge's "The Allied Convoy System", this convoy sailed in 2 parts, a slow section, HXS 3 with 4 ships, sailing 24 hours ahead of the main convoy (Sept. 29) and amalgamating when overtaken by the main body. Tony Cooper, England has sent me the names of these ships as follows:
Grelhead (for Hull), Langleeford (for Glasgow), Brookwood (for Cardiff) and Larpool for London - all British.


Notes:
Commodore of HX 3 was Rear Admiral A. T. Tillard D.S. O. in Newfoundland, Vice Commodore was C. T. Beard in Mathura, Rear Commodore in Bassano.

Average speed: 7.75 knots.

Ships that parted company with the convoy (at end of voyage):
At 12:15 on Oct. 14 - for the Channel and east coast ports: Bassano, Cairnross, Gitano, North Cornwall, Ontariolite, Esmond, Lornaston, Framlington Court.
At 18:00 on Oct. 14 - for the Bristol Channel: Rushpool, Dorelian, Sandsend, Mathura.
At 17:00 on Oct. 15 for Belfast: Torr Head.

The commodore reports "S/M active on 13th & 14th Oct. from 12° W to 18° W in neighbourhood of convoy, otherwise uneventful". He also says all ships kept their speed satisfactorily, suggesting that a signalman in each ship is considered essential, and that apparatus for signalling in fog other than sirens would also be very useful.

Ocean Escorts: None
Local Escort: Acasta and Ardent meeting up in 50 30N 12 45W at 06:30 on Oct. 14. Also, air patrols on Oct. 14 and 15.

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To the next HX convoy in my list HX 4


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