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CONVOY HX 56
Cruising Order & Advance Sailing Telegram

Convoy HX 56 Cruising Order
Departed Halifax on July 7-1940 and arrived Liverpool on the 22nd (Arnold Hague says 48 ships).
Transcribed from A 1 form received from Roger Griffiths (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

Nationalities have been added with the help of "The World's Merchant Fleets 1939", R. W. Jordan.

Br=British, Am=American, Norw=Norwegian, Da=Danish, Sw=Swedish, Hu=Hungarian, Est=Estonian, Du=Dutch, Bel=Belgian

MoWT = Ministry of War Transport

B = ships joining from Bermuda.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
Celtic Monarch
pit props
West Hartlepool
(Br)
21
Donacilla
lube oil
London
(Br)
31
Beechwood
pit props
Hull
(Br)
41
Pacific Grove
general
London
(Br)
51
Sulairia
general
Glasgow
(Br)
61
Europa
general
Liverpool
(Da/Br)
71
Dalcairn
grain
Liverpool
(Br)
81
Bayano
general
Liverpool
(Br)
91
Queen City
scrap - general ev.
Manchester
(Br)
12
Brynymor
grain
Hull
(Br)
22
Inger Toft
pit props
Tyne
(Da/Br)
32
Vancouver
kerosene
London
(Br)
42
Tricula
fuel oil
Thames
(Br)
52
Granby*
timber
Clyde
(Br)
62
Eastern Trader
steel - general ev.
Liverpool
(Am/MoWT 1940)
72
British Ardour
benzine
Belfast
(Br)
82
Montreal City
general - general ev.
Milford Haven
(Br)
92
Shirak
benzine
Belfast
(Br)
13
Warkworth
London
(Br)
23
Uffington Court
grain
London
(Br)
33
Kirnwood
timber
London
(Br)
43
King Robert
steel - pit props
West Hartlepool
(Br)
53
Brockley Hill
timber
Clyde
(Br)
63
Thyra
pulp wood
Manchester
(Norw)
73
Kelet*
iron ore
Milford Haven
(Hu)
83
Bengore Head
general
Belfast
(Br)
93
Dosinia
gasoline
Belfast
(Br)
14 24 34 44
Gunborg
Clyde
(Sw)
54 64
Forbes Hauptmann
Birkenhead
(Am/MoWT 1940)
74
Silverelm
Liverpool
(Br)
84
Barrgrove
steel - timber
Belfast - Hull
(Br)
94
Everleigh
Avonmouth
(Br)
15 B
Hopepeak
lumber-wheat
Hull
(Br)
25 B
Alexia
fuel oil
Scapa
(Br)
35 B
Ahamo
fuel oil
Scapa
(Br)
45 B
Craftsman
general-expl.
Liverpool
(Br)
55 B
Speybank
nitrates
Liverpool
(Br)
65 B
Empire Confidence
sugar-general-expl.
Clyde
(Br)
75 B
Lake Hallwil
see below

B Ruahine
wool-dairy
Liverpool
(Br)

85 B
Atheltemplar
fuel oil
Clyde
(Br)
95 B
Beemsterdijk
general
Belfast
(Du)
16 26
Western Prince
(Br)
36 B
Auris
crude & fuel oil
Clyde
(Br)
46 B
Iroquois
gas oil
London
(Br)
56 B
San Conrado
gasoline - kerosene
Clyde
(Br)
66 B
Flowergate
sugar
Methil
(Br)
76 B
Athelviking
Admiralty fuel
Clyde
(Br)

Lake Hallwil
general
Methil/London
(Est)

86 B
Rancher
general-expl.
Liverpool
(Br)
96 B
Port Wellington
Avonmouth
(Br)
17 27 37 B
British Courage
fuel oil
Clyde
(Br)
47 B
Bruxelles
sugar
Liverpool
(Bel)
57 B
Storaas
fuel oil
(Norw)
67 B
Sea Giant*
(Br salvage tug)
Glasgow
77 B
Ruahine
see station 75
87 97
Western Prince joined at 20:00 on the 19th(?) in 56 30N 13 44W - reason unknown (not mentioned in Advance Sailing Telegram).

Vancouver (also cancelled from HX 55), sailed in HX 57, and Brockley Hill (cancelled from HX 57, sailed in HX 58) are not mentioned in the Advance Sailing Telegram for this convoy. Note, however, that the AST has several ships (listed as cancelled) that are not not included in this A 1 form.

The ships denoted * were unable to maintain pre-arranged convoy speed. They are crossed out on the form, having dropped out of the convoy, Sea Giant already while in the Bermuda section - she shows up again in HX 60 later that month. Granby dropped out on the 7th due to engine failure and was sent back to Halifax, while Kelet dropped out at 05:00 on the 8th, unable to catch up with convoy.

There's another note for Granby in the Advance Sailing Telegram, saying: "Sent back and sailed independently presumably for Clyde as signal saying Belfast was despatched the day she sailed 8/7".

The Bermuda portion was escorted by HMS Ausonia.

It'll be noticed, when comparing the above with Arnold Hague's listing for HX 56 at ships in all HX convoys, that he has some of the ships in different stations from what is given in the original convoy documents. Also, he says Empire Confidence became a straggler. He spells Forbes Hauptman with 1 n. A. Hague does not mention Sea Giant in his listing.


Advance Sailing Telegram

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

Ship
Nationality
Cargo
Destination
Remarks
Halifax section
Eastern Trader
American / MoWT 1940
steel - special
Liverpool
Became Br. Empire Razorbill
From HX 55
Montreal City
British
general - special
Milford Haven
From HX 55
Norwegian
lumber
Manchester
From HX 55
Queen City
British
scrap - special
Manchester
From HX 55
Innerton
"
grain
Avonmouth
From HX 55*
To HX 57 - did not sail
Listed in HX 58
* The AST says this ship was from HX 55, but she's not mentioned in the AST for that convoy.
Beechwood
"
pit props
Hull
Europa
Danish / MoWT 1940
general
Liverpool
Commodore Vessel
Barrgrove
British
steel - lumber
Newport
Norwegian
pig iron
Swansea
To HX 57 - did not sail
To HX 58 - did not sail
To HX 59 - did not sail
To HX 60 - did not sail
Listed in HX 61
City of Oxford
British
general
Avonmouth
Listed in HX 57
Daldorch
"
steel - special
Liverpool
See also Bermuda portion below
Listed in HX 57
King Robert
"
steel - pit props
West Hartlepool
Sulairia
"
general
Glasgow
Warkworth
"
grain
London
Bayano
"
general
London
Brynymor
"
grain
Hull
Bengore Head
"
grain
Belfast
Listed in HX 57
Dalcairn
"
grain
Belfast / Newcastle
Everleigh
"
grain
Manchester
Pacific Grove
"
general - aircraft
Glasgow
Vice Commodore
Silverelm
"
general
Liverpool
Uffington Court
"
grain
London
Norwegian
timber
Belfast
To HX 57 - did not sail
Listed in HX 58
Zeus
Greek
grain
Southampton
Listed in HX 57
Tricula
British
Tanker B
Mersey f. o.
See alo HX 53
Dosinia
"
Tanker W
Manchester
See alo HX 51
British Ardour
"
Tanker W
Manchester
See alo HX 50
Shirak
"
Tanker W
Manchester
See alo HX 50
Norwegian
Tanker B
Clyde f. o.
Listed in HX 57
Donacilla
British
Tanker B
London
Inger Toft
Danish / MoWT 1940
pit props
Tyne
Norwegian
general
Liverpool
Listed in HX 57
Horn Shell
British
Tanker W
"To remain at Halifax"
Listed in HX 57
Gypsum Queen
"
steel
Birkenhead
Listed in HX 57
The following ships appear on a separate document, with no mention of which section they belong to - note, however, that one of these belong in the Bermuda portion, denoted with a B
Empire Confidence
British
sugar - general - Naval stores - explosives
London
B
Celtic Monarch
"
pit props
West Hartlepool
See alo HX 54
Kirnwood
"
timber
London
Gunborg
Swedish
pulp wood
Barrow
Granby
British
timber
Belfast f. o.
See note in A 1 form
Forbes Hauptmann
American / MoWT 1940
scrap - explosives
Birkenhead
Became British Empire Kittiwake
Later Norw. Norfalk
Kelet
Hungarian
iron ore
Port Talbot
Joining from Bermuda - Sailed July 6
Escorted by HMS Ausonia
Sea Giant
British
Tug
Glasgow
From HX 55
See note in A 1 form above
Alexia
"
Adm. tanker B
Liverpool
From HX 55
Carperby
"
sugar
Methil f. o.
From HX 55
Listed in HX 57
Lake Hallwil
Estonian
general
London
Hopepeak
British
wheat - lumber
Hull
From HX 55
Atheltemplar
"
Adm. tanker B

Clyde

San Emiliano
"
Tanker B
"To proceed to Halifax to await orders"
Listed in HX 57
Panamanian / Norw. mngrs.
Adm. tanker B
Devonport
Listed in HX 59
Iroquois
British
Tanker B
London
San ? illegible
"
Tanker B
To HX 57
Daldorch
"
scrap iron - steel - explosives
Middlesbrough
To HX 57
See Halifax portion above
San Conrado
"
Tanker
"To proceed to Halifax to await orders"
Listed in HX 61
Beemsterdijk
Dutch
general
Liverpool
Rio Azul
British
scrap iron
Ardrossan
Listed in HX 57
Speybank
"
nitrates
Liverpool
Ahamo
"
Adm. tanker B
Scapa
Auris
"
Tanker B
Manchester
Rancher
"
general - explosives
Liverpool
Craftsman
"
general - explosives
Liverpool
From HX 55
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
Port Wellington
British
meat - butter
Avonmouth
El Grillo
"
Tanker (crude oil)
Manchester
To HX 57 - did not sail
(does not show up until HX 85)
Flowergate
"
sugar
Hull
From HX 55
Norwegian
Adm. tanker B
Portsmouth
Listed in HX 57
Darina
British
Tanker W
"To proceed to Halifax to await orders"
Listed in HX 63
Norwegian
Tanker W
"To proceed to Halifax to await orders"
Listed in HX 62
British Courage
British
Tanker B
London
Ruahine
"
wool - dairy produce
Liverpool
San Arcadio
"
Tanker B
Belfast f. o.
Listed in HX 57
Athelviking
"
Adm. tanker B
Clyde
From HX 54
Listed in HX 57
Bruxelles
Belgian
sugar
Avonmouth
Additionally, Empire Confidence, as noted above.


Notes:
Commodore, Rear Admiral Peyne(? hard to read) was in Europa, Vice Commodore H. S. Pearley was in Pacific Grove, and Rear Commodore in Sulairia.

Speed: 8 1/2 knots.

The Commodore is not impressed with the ships' ability to keep their stations, saying it was the worst he had ever experienced, and is equally critical with regard to visual and W/T signalling.

Ocean Escort: HMS Comorin - sailed with convoy from Halifax, parted company at 18:30 on the 20th and proceeded with east coast section of the convoy.
Local Escort: The only vessels I can desipher with a fair amount of certainty are Hearstease, Warwick, Rochester and Leith.

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):
Comorin - From 07/07/40 to 20/07/40
Hastings - From 19/07/40 to 20/07/40
Heartsease - From 19/07/40 to 22/07/40
Leith - From 19/07/40 to 22/07/40
Ottawa - From 07/07/40 to 08/07/40
Rochester - From 19/07/40 to 22/07/40
Saguenay - From 07/07/40 to 08/07/40
Warwick - From 19/07/40 to 22/07/40


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