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CONVOY ON 279

Convoy ON 279 Cruising Order
Departed Southend on Jan. 17-1945 and arrived New York on Febr. 5 (Arnold Hague says 46 ships).
Received from Robert Martin (his source: Public Records Office, Kew).

See also Convoy HX 323, HX 324, HX 325, HX 326 etc.

Br=British, Norw=Norwegian, Am=American, Du=Dutch
H=Halifax portion
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11
Harlesden
Baltimore
(Br)
21
Art Young
(Am)
31
Empire Tide
(Br)
41
Marquesa
H
(Br)
51
Frederic A. Kummer
(Am)
61
Empire Pickwick
H
 (Br)
 71
George Eldridge
(Am)		 81
Charles L. McNary
(Am)		 91
Strathcona Park
H
(Br)		 101
Forest
H
(Br)		 111
Sammont
H
(Br)
12
Ivaran
(Norw)
22
James H. Couper
(Am)
32
Lunsford Richardson
(Am)
42
52
Dageid
(Norw)
62
Chesapeake
(Br)
 72
Gefion
(Norw)		 82
Junius Smith
Philadelphia
(Am)		 92 102
Alfred C. Ritchie*
(Am)		 112
13
Samzona
H
(Br)
23
Franklin P. Mall
(Am)
 33
Elmer A. Sperry
(Am)		 43
Winthrop L. Marvin
(Am)		 53
Narich(?)		 63
British Harmony
(Br)		 73 83
Alcoa Trader
(Am)		 93 103 113
Fort Mattagami
Boston
(Br)
14 24
William Crawford**
(Am)		 34
F. A. C. Muhlenberg
(Am)		 44
Stad Maassluis
Neuvitas, Cuba
(Du)		 54
Angus McDonald
(Am)		 64
John Gorrie
(Am)		 74 84
Edam
(Du)		 94
David B. Johnson
(Am)		 104
Frederick Bouchard
(Am)		 114
Gatineau Park
H
(Br)
15
Fort Orleans
H
(Br)		 25 35 45
Russell A. Alger
(Am)		 55 65
Anna Dickinson
(Am)		 75
W. P. Few
(Am)		 85
Glaucus
H
 (Br)		 95
Thalatta
(Norw)		 105
Cartago
(Am)		 115
Empire Rhodes
H
(Br)
16 26 36
Robert Fechner
(Am)		 46 56 66 76
Dundee
RV
H
 (Br)		 86 96
Kaituna
H
(Br)		 106 116
* Probably a mis-spelling of Albert C. Ritchie.
** Probably William H. Crawford.

The Rescue Vessel Dundee was on her 11th voyage as such, joining from Clyde on Jan 18-1945 - to Halifax Febr. 2. She subsequently returned to Clyde from Halifax with Convoy HX 338, Febr. 14-Febr. 27. ("Convoy Rescue Ships 1940-1945", Arnold Hauge).


Notes:
Commodore Admiral Sir C. G. Ramsey K.C.B. was in Cartago, Vice Commodore was Captain R. Pritchard in Strathcona Park. (This is the first time I've ever seen the Commodore ship having station so far back in the convoy).

The Commodore says that station keeping was very poor; the most unsatisfactory convoy he had yet had.

For info, Frederic A. Kummer had recently made a voyage to Murmansk. She returned to the U.K. in Nov.-1944 with Convoy RA 61 (she had previous travelled to Murmansk with Convoy JW 60 - ref. my Arctic Convoys page, as well as the last external link provided below).

Escorts:
HMS Tintagel Castle (S.O.), Iman? HMS Dianella, HMS Poppy, HMS Starwort, HMCS Matapedia, HMCS Hepatica, Tra..?, Victoria (possibly HMS Victorian?), Ville (E.G. W1).

Related external links:
Liberty Ships - The vast majority of the ships listed as American in the above table were Liberty ships. This site lists them alphabetically (includes "Sam" ships).
List of Liberty Ships by Hull No. - Includes info on the men for whom the ships were named (from Wikipedia).

This site has more on the the "Park" and "Fort" ships mentioned in this convoy.
Empire Ships listed in alphabetical order. The site allso has a section listing the "Sam"-ships, and other Liberty ships that came under the British flag.

Russian Convoy Series

Back to Convoy Index

To the next ON convoy in my list ON 280
will be added, as will ON 281 through ON 305
In the meantime, see Ships sailing in all ON convoys


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