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CONVOY HX 50
Cruising Order & Advance Sailing Telegram

Convoy HX 50 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on June 13-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 30th (Arnold Hague says 49 ships).
Transcribed from A 1 form received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

I have added the nationalities of the ships with the help of "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939". R. W. Jordan.

Note that some ships are missing from this form - see the Advance Sailing Telegram below.

Br=British, Gre=Greek, Du=Dutch, Norw=Norwegian, Sw=Swedish, Fr=French, Pa=Panamanian

B = Bermuda portion

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Urla
lumber
Glasgow
(Br)
21
Manchester Commerce
general
Manchester
(Br)
31
Baltrover
general
Liverpool
(Br)
41
Prince Rupert City
steel scrap
Newport
(Br)
51
City of Hankow
general
Hull
(Br)
61
Pacific President
general
London
(Br)
71
Kingswood
wheat
London
(Br)
81
Vigrid
general
Brest
(Norw)
91
Louis L-D.*
general
Brest
(Fr)
12
Trecarrell
steel - timber
Glasgow
(Br)
22
Marathon
grain
Liverpool
(Gr)
32
Joannis
pit props
Birkenhead
(Gr)
42
Mill Hill
iron
Swansea
(Br)
52
Antonis
pulp
London
(Gr)
62
Prins Maurits
flour - general
London
(Du)
72
Rio Dorado
wheat
London
(Br)
82
Grey County
general
Brest
(Norw)
92
Ekaterini Coumantarou
general
Brest
(Gr)
13
23
Nolisement
wheat
Mersey
(Br)
33
Toronto City
general
Cardiff
(Br)
43
Auretta
steel
Swansea
(Br)
53
Falsterbo
wood pulp
Thames
(Sw)
63
Gitano
steel - general
Hull
(Br)
73
Ethel Radcliffe
grain
Hull
(Br)
83
Balla
copper - sugar
St. Nazaire
(Norw)
93
Risanger
general
Brest
(Norw)
14 24
Canadian
general
Liverpool
(Pa)
34
Haakon Hauan
gasoline
Milford Haven
(Norw)
44
Chelsea
grain
Cardiff
(Br)
54
Arosa*
lumber
Falmouth
(Norw)
64
Michael L. Embiricos
steel - lumber
Southampton
(Gr)
74 84 94
15 B
British Viscount
fuel oil
Belfast for
Scapa
(Br)
25 B
Bradford City
grain - lumber
Glasgow
(Br)
35 B
Conus
fuel oil
Clyde
(Br)
45 B
Raranga
refrig.
Liverpool
(Br)
55 B
Shirak*
benzine
Milford Haven
(Br)
65 B
Geo W. McKnight
crude oil
Southampton
(Br)
75 B
Cornish City
wheat - lumber
London
(Br)
85 B
Zealandic
refrig.
London
(Br)
95 B
Cardita*
crude oil
Brest
(Br)
16 B
Athelmonarch
molasses
Greenock
(Br)
26 B
Athelprincess
molasses
Greenock
(Br)
36 B
Athelduke
molasses
Liverpool
(Br)
46 B
Monkleigh
scrap iron
Swansea
(Br)
56 B
Appalachee
kerosene
East - West
(Br)
66 B
British Ardour*
petrol
East-west
(Br)
76 B
Mactra
fuel oil
East - West
(Br)
86 B
Culebra
sugar
London
(Br)
96 B
Athelking*
Crude oil
Brest
(Br)
17 27 37 47 B
Queen Victoria
(Br)
57 67 77 B
Somerville
(Norw)
87 97
* According to Arnold Hague, Louis L-D. "deserted convoy when diverted to UK" - see also Notes further down on this page. He says Arosa became a straggler on June 15, and that Cardita returned to Bermuda. Additionally, he has the Norwegian Hilda Knudsen in station 86 (crude oil for Havre), joining from Bermuda, but returned. This ship is not included in the original A 1 form, but does appear in the Advance Sailing Telegram below. Hague's listing for HX 50 is available on the page naming ships in all HX convoys, and as will be seen, some of his station numbers differ from the above. Note also that he has not included Athelking in this convoy (this ship may also have returned, see note in the Advance Sailing Telegram).

* British Ardour and Shirak have been crossed out on the original form, with a notation next to their names saying "Halifax". They may have sailed with the Bermuda convoy, but went into Halifax(?) - See also Hilda Knudsen and Henry Dundas in the Advance Sailing Telegram.


Advance Sailing Telegram

Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew.

Note that some of the ships in this AST are not mentioned on the A 1 form above

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Remarks
Halifax section
Norwegian
sugar
Bristol
From HX 49
"
lumber
Falmouth
From HX 49
To HX 51 - did not sail
To HX 52 - did not sail
(Follow link to Pollux)
"
pit props
Hull
From HX 49
To HX 51 - did not sail
To HX 52 - did not sail
(Follow link to Ravnanger)
Prince Rupert City
British
scrap iron
Newport
From HX 49
Trecarrell
"
steel - lumber
Liverpool
From HX 49
Calliope
Panamanian
Tanker B
Southampton
From HX 48
To HX 51 - did not sail
("to remain at Halifax until further orders")
Dimitrios Inglessis
Greek
grain - timber
London
To HX 51 - did not sail
To HX 52 - did not sail
Listed in HX 53
Marathon
"
grain
Liverpool
Nicolas
"
grain
Dublin
Blairatholl
British
pit props
Tyne
Listed in HX 51
Joannis
Greek
pit props
Birkenhead
Toronto City
British
general
Cardiff
Atos
Swedish
steel
Bordeaux
To HX 51 - did not sail
(Sunk Aug. 3-1940 - see this external page)
Canadian
Panamanian
general
Liverpool
Crown Arun
British
timber
Preston
Listed in HX 53
Baltrover
"
general
Liverpool
Commodore Vessel
Ethel Radcliffe
"
grain
Hull
Listed in HX 51
Leda
Panamanian
Tanker B
Brest f. o.
From HX 49
Falsterbo
Swedish
wood pulp
London
Ekaterini Coumantarou
Greek
general
Liverpool
Rio Dorado
British
grain
London
Trelissick
"
steel - lumber
Liverpool
Listed in HX 51
Auretta
"
steel
Swansea
Chelsea
"
grain
Cardiff
Gitano
"
steel - general
Hull
Norwegian
general - copper
Belfast f. o.
Manchester Commerce
British
general
Manchester
Mill Hill
"
pig iron
Swansea
Pacific President
"
general
London
Vice Commodore
Prins Maurits
Dutch
tin plate - general
Portland / London
Norwegian
steel
Portland / London
Kingswood
British
grain
London
Peleus
Greek
grain
Belfast
Listed in HX 51
Nolisement
British
grain
Manchester
Olympos
Greek
cotton - sulphur
Mersey
Listed in HX 51
The following ships appear on a separate document - note that some of these belong in the Bermuda portion, denoted with a B (Hilda Knudsen is not mentioned on the A 1 form)
Bradford City
British
grain - lumber
Liverpool
From HX 51

B

Henry Dundas
"
Tanker
East-West
B
"to be sent back to Halifax"
See * in Notes
Listed in HX 59
Urla
"
lumber
Leith
From HX 49
Norwegian
Tanker
Manchester
From HX 49
City of Hankow
British
general
Hull
Antonis
Greek
pulp
London
Norwegian
lumber
Cardiff
See Notes
Michael L. Embiricos
Greek
steel - lumber
Southampton
From HX 49
Norwegian
general
Portland f. o.
"
Tanker
Brest
B
Returned to port?
(destination has been changed to Bermuda)
Lous L-D
French
general
Belfast f. o.
See Notes
Joining from Bermuda - Sailed June 12
Janus
Swedish
Tanker B
Falmouth
From HX 49
(does not show up again on this site until HX 79)
Raranga
British
refrig.
Liverpool
From HX 49
Cornish City
"
grain - lumber
London
President Sergent
French / Br. July-1940
Tanker B
Brest f. o.
To BHX 51 - returned
(taken over by Br. at Bermuda)
Cardita
British
Tanker B
Brest f. o.
Returned to port?
(destination has been changed to Bermuda)
Athelking
"
Tanker B

Brest f. o.

Returned?
(destination has been changed to Bermuda)
British Ardour
"
Tanker W
East-West
"to be sent back to Halifax"
See * in Notes
(listed in HX 56)
Appalachee
"
Tanker W
London
British Viscount
"
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Monkleigh
"
scrap iron
Swansea
Athelmonarch
"
Tanker - molasses
Greenock
Shirak
"
Tanker W
Milford Haven f. o.
"to be sent back to Halifax"
See * in Notes
(listed in HX 56)
Geo. W. McKnight
"
Tanker B
Southampton
Queen Victoria
"
wheat
Liverpool
Zealandic
"
refrig.
Portland / London
Athelduke
"
Tanker - molasses
Liverpool
Lycia
"
bauxite
Manchester
To HX 51 - did not sail
HX 54 - did not sail
Listed in HX 55
Conus
"
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Norwegian
general
Mersey f. o.
Athelprincess
British
Tanker - molasses
Liverpool
Culebra
"
sugar
London
Mactra
"
Tanker B
Manchester
Again, note that Bradford City also joined from Bermuda - see A 1 form above.


Notes:
Commodore Rear Admiral N. C. Allen (retired) was in Baltrover, Vice Commodore was Captain J. S. Stuart of Pacific President, Rear Commodore in Raranga.

* I believe Shirak, British Ardour and Henry Dundas, which have been crossed out in the Advance Sailing Telegram, may have sailed with the Bermuda convoy, but went into Halifax and did not join the main convoy.

There were initially 29 ships in the convoy - 16 are said to have joined with the BHX feeder convoy from Bermuda for a total of 45 ships, 43 of which were still present at the local escort rendezvous point - the Norwegian Arosa having dropped astern ("not under control") in 41 15N 53 40W - did not rejoin - and the French Louis L-D having "deserted the convoy during the night of Saturday 22nd June 1940 - unobserved, but probably about 2200 in hazy weather and before moon rise" (according to Commodore's comments). Approx. position 49N 25W .

The Bermuda portion joined at 12:30 on June 19 in 43 47N 38 42W, one day late due to dense fog and very low visibility.

Average convoy speed: 8 knots.

Commodore's comments on station keeping:
"British ships - very good. Neutrals - fair. There were 15 neutrals in this convoy - 11 of these for their first time. A number of them were unable to make 9 knots in fine weather."

Commodore's comments on W/T signalling:
"There was a certain amount of oscillation taking place in the convoy and I had to make signals about it. It was found impossible to trace it by D.F., but the Ocean Escort and my own Chief P. O. Telegraphist both suspected a Greek ship named Joannis - position 32 immediately astern of Commodore."

Commodore's comments on ship's unable to maintain pre-arranged speed:
"Norwegian ship Balla (very small), Greek Joannis, British ship Nolisement were the worst offenders. None of these ships appeared capable of more than 8 3/4 knots in the finest weather, and then only for a short period. No other reasons are known."

Ocean Escort: Armed merchant cruiser (former passenger vessel) HMS Voltaire in company from Halifax until 13:15 on Monday, June 24-1940, parting company in 50 21N 17 43W.
Local Escorts: Corvettes HMS Heartsease and HMS Arabis for "A" portion, destroyers HMS Whirlwind (S.O.) and HMS Volunteer.

A. Hague names the following escorts (extracted from this list of HX convoy escorts received from D. Kindell; dates are European style, day/month/year):
Arabis - From 25/06/40 to 27/06/40
Assiniboine - From 13/06/40 to 14/06/40
Heartsease - From 25/06/40 to 27/06/40
Saguenay - From 13/06/40 to 14/06/40
Voltaire - From 13/06/40 to 24/06/40
Volunteer - From 25/06/40 to 27/06/40
Whirlwind - From 25/06/40 to 27/06/40

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