I have added the details on ships sunk and casualties with the help of:
"The Allied Convoy System", Arnold Hague,
"Axis Submarine Successes of WW II", Jürgen Rohwer, and
"The World's Merchant Fleets". R. W. Jordan.

Ships sailing from:
L=Liverpool, M=Milford, G=Clyde, A=Aultbea, BEL=Belfast (crossed out ships did not sail).

Norw=Norwegian, Br=British, Gr=Greek, Am=American (U.S.), Pa=Panamanian, Du=Dutch, Sw-Swedish, Bel=Belgian
†=died

For info, some of the ships in this convoy had previously arrived the U.K. with Convoy HX 216, others had arrived with HX 215, a few with HX 214 (see also HX 213).
Note also that a few later returned to the U.K. in Jan.-1943 with Convoy HX 222, HX 223 (or HX 224).

It looks like the formation originally had 12 columns, with the ships in columns 11 and 12 later moved to other stations as noted.

Marquesa
Montevideo/Buenos Aires
(Br)

The cancelled El Aleto, Kollbjørg and Norbris are listed in Convoy ON 155.
Geo W. McKnight is also listed in that convoy, joining from St. John's - see Notes below.
Comedian and Magdala also show up again in ON 155 - sailing with that convoy from Halifax to New York.
Empire Marvell also cancelled from ON 155, but is listed in ON 157, as is the Norwegian San Andres.

Average speed: 7.14 knots

The convoy had 43 ships, 29 were still present when off Sable Island, 21 at New York.

Daily noon positions of convoy are available on request via the contact address provided at the bottom of this page.

Gales were experienced from Dec. 15 to Dec. 22, with poor visibility. The convoy hove to on the 19th, and by the forenoon of Dec. 20, 29 ships were present, while the following were missing:
Santos (see Notes for ON 152), Antilochus, Canada, Amstelkerk, Vaalaren, Marquesa, Otina, Empire Grenadier (the latter rejoined at 16:00 Dec. 26), Geo. W. McKnight (sailed with Convoy ON 155 from St. John's to New York), Jan van Goyen.
City of Lille was missing from daylight on Dec. 22.

The Norwegian Bello was sunk by U-610 at 05:43 on Dec. 16 - see my page about Bello, which also mentions Regent Lion, damaged in the same attack (Commodore gives the time as 05:57 for the attack on the latter).
Emile Francqui was torpedoed (and sunk) by U-664 at 17:25 on Dec. 16, 46 died, 41 survived.
Otina was sunk by U-621 at 19:10 on Dec. 20 with the loss of 60 men - there were no survivors.
(Times given above are from the Commodore's notes).

From the Commodore's notes:
Station keeping was "quite good", except for Sovac "who was very erratic and dangerous"...."had to be turned out of front line. The captain and chief engineer require severe censure. It is known she has done badly in previous convoys".

As for signalling, the following ships are noted as very good:
Tetela, Comedian, Tucurinca, Tortuguero, Saint Bertrand, British Lady, Hilary, Magdala, Torr Head, Nueva Granada, City of Hongkong - Argolikos "has poor signalling lamp". Also, Argolikos "began reporting shortage of fuel on the 20th - this is very bad and requires investigation and severe censure. She was sent off specially with one corvette to St. John's, N.F. at 07:00/23".

Sovac, Canada and Walter Jennings "are unable to do convoy speed, should be noted as 9 knots ships" Also, Walter Jennings "made W/T signal when in sight of convoy and escort requires drastic action".

Mafuta, bunkered at Immingham with Yorkshire coal, was smoking very badly.
Robert F. Hand (tanker), "funnel on fire two nights running 16th and 17th requires severe censure and investigation".

Following ships were really good:
Tetela, Magdala, Hilary, Nueva Granada, Kaldfonn, Saint Bertrand, Comedian.

Commodore's account on voyage:
"Convoy settled down well, but the gales started P.M. 15th December and terrible weather came along till 23rd practically hove to on several days. Submarines attacked during morning 16th and at 05:43 Bello and Regent Lion were torpedoed and later just after dark at 17:25 Emile Francqui also torpedoed, it was reported to me next day that at 22:45/16th HMS Firedrake had been torpedoed and that Sunflower had got 6 officers and 20 men survivors. It is unknown whether any survivors were picked up from the other ships (see external links at the end of this page). All occurred in heavy gale. By God's mercy this heavy weather undoubtedly saved more losses to the convoy. Majority of convoy kept together somehow, each day apparently two or three ships fell away during the stormy nights. At 19:10/20th Otina torpedoed position did not tally with convoy position but cleverly the Senior Wireless Operator obtained a D/F bearing which placed her on our starboard quarter. Course was altered by two turns - 40° to the southward and this took convoy away and this was the last heard of submarines. Otina was straggling, perhaps 20-30 miles away. The escort was sadly depleted, only three corvettes for 29 ships. However on 23rd USS Cole and three corvettes arrived, which was very heartening. The weather cleared on 24th and after having been reduced to 0.8, 1.7, 1.2 knots on some days on Xmas Day the convoy gladly went along at about 10 knots evidently a current helping and this was kept up to New York. It is sad though for 21 ships for New York from Sable Island to have only two corvettes as escort.

The smartness of G. A. Brewer, Senior Wireless Operator in Pandorian in getting the D/F bearing of Otina when torpedoed, was very valuable indeed and requires commendation and recognition".

Escorts:
Local: Molde
HMS Firedrake, HMS Chesterfield, HMS Sunflower, HMS Alisma, HMS Pink, HMS Snowflake.
USS Cole (23rd), HMCS Timmins, HMCS Edmundston (listed by Commodore as Edmonton, my guess is it should be HMCS Edmundston), HMCS Buctouche (23rd).
From Dec. 25: Annapolis, USS Dallas, HMCS Minas.

No air cover was supplied on Dec. 24, 25 or 26, but aircraft seen on Dec. 27 near Sable Island.

HMS Firedrake was sunk by U-211 on Dec. 17. The Commodore says:
As the ocean escort was reduced to 3 (Firedrake having been torpedoed), Pink* had to be sent to Azores on 20th for fuel and Chesterfield sent away on 19th for St. John's N.F. for fuel. Only three corvettes were left, no chance of oiling. These three under Sunflower worked gallantly and well and it was not till 11:00/23rd that USS Cole arrived and at 13:25/23rd three corvettes, Timmins, Edmundston, Buctouche joined, which was heartening. Later when to the South of Sable Island, the Halifax ships left at 14:45/27th and only two corvettes went on with 21 ships for New York. Surely this was bad. Annapolis and Minas went off with only 8 ships to Halifax, the two US destroyers Cole and Dallas having already gone.

* According to the sinking report for Bello, her survivors were landed in St. John's by Pink on Dec. 29

Related external links:
The loss of Emile Francqui
The loss of Otina
The attack on Regent Lion

More details on all the Norwegian ships named in this convoy can be found in the alphabetical ship lists of this website.

Back to Convoy Index