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CONVOY SC 53
Departed Sydney, C.B. on Nov. 4-1941 and arrived Liverpool on the 24th.
Arnold Hague's "The Allied Convoy System" gives 52 ships in this convoy
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Transcribed from several documents received from Tony Cooper - His source: Public Records Office, Kew. Further details have been added with the help of:
MOWT = Ministry of War Transport |
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Ship
|
Nationality
|
Cargo
|
Destination
|
Remarks
|
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Elwood
|
Panamanian
|
general
|
Hull
|
From SC 52
|
|
|
Greek
|
general
|
Avonmouth
|
From SC 51
Listed in SC 54 |
|
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Norwegian
|
sugar
|
Greenock
|
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54 |
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Egton
|
British
|
sugar
|
London
|
From SC 52
|
|
Solitaire
|
Norwegian
|
Tanker B
|
London (Thameshaven)
|
From SC 52
|
|
|
British
|
sugar
|
London
|
Listed in SC 54
|
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Venus
|
Dutch
|
phosphate
|
Tyne
|
–
|
|
Empire Woodcock
|
British
|
steel
|
Hull
|
From SC 52
|
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Harberton
|
"
|
general
|
Belfast
|
–
|
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Thistleford
|
"
|
general
|
Manchester
|
–
|
|
|
Russian
|
general - gasoline - carbon block
|
Archangel
|
See * in Notes
|
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Michael Jebsen
|
Danish / MOWT 1940
|
flour
|
London
|
From SC 52
|
|
Agia Marina
|
Greek
|
grain
|
Barry Docks
|
From SC 52
Returned to Sydney Listed in SC 54 |
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Novasli
|
Norwegian
|
wheat
|
Mersey
|
–
|
|
Theomitor
|
Greek
|
general
|
Manchester
|
From SC 52
In collision w/Empire Dorado |
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British
|
general - mail
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Liverpool
|
|
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Benedick
|
"
|
Adm. tanker B
|
Scapa
|
From SC 52
|
|
Megara
|
"
|
Tanker W
|
Heysham
|
–
|
|
Crusader
|
Panamanian
|
general
|
Liverpool
|
Sunk - See Notes
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Franche-Comté
|
French / MOWT 1940
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Tanker W
|
Swansea
|
–
|
|
British Captain
|
British
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Tanker W
|
London (Shellhaven)
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From HX 157 (not available)
Lost - See Notes |
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Kathariotisa
|
Greek
|
lumber
|
Belfast d.g. / Bristol
|
From SC 52
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|
Empire Dorado
|
British
|
none given
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Manchester
|
From SC 52
Sank - collision w/Theomitor (see Notes) |
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Greek
|
lumber
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London
|
Joined SC 54 - returned
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|
Trevalgan
|
British
|
cereals
|
Avonmouth
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–
|
|
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Norwegian
|
phosphates
|
Garston
|
Listed in SC 56
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Leonidas N. Condylis
|
Greek
|
steel - timber
|
London
|
Returned to Sydney
Listed in SC 54 |
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|
"
|
grain
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Swansea
|
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 55 |
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Atlanticos
|
"
|
grain
|
Tyne
|
–
|
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Badjestan
|
British
|
general - mail
|
Liverpool
|
Returned to Sydney
To SC 55 - did not sail Listed in SC 56 |
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Empire Rain
|
"
|
steel
|
Loch Ewe / Hull
|
–
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|
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Danish / MOWT 1940
|
general
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Liverpool
|
Listed in HX 158
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|
Empire Moorhen
|
British
|
steel - general
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Londonderry
|
–
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San Felix
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"
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Tanker B
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Swansea
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–
|
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Henrik Ibsen
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Norwegian
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phosphates
|
London
|
–
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|
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Greek
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cereals
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Belfast
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Listed in SC 54
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Rosewood
|
British
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Adm. tanker B
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Killingholme?
|
–
|
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Scottish Musician
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"
|
Tanker B
|
London
|
–
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|
|
"
|
sugar
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London
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To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 56 |
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Greek
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general - refrig.
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Liverpool
|
To SC 54 - did not sail
See * in Notes |
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|
British
|
steel - scrap
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Hull
|
Listed in SC 57
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Meridian
|
Panamanian
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general
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Archangel
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Sunk - See Notes
(see also **) |
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Norwegian
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steel - lumber
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London
|
To SC 54 - did not sail
Listed in SC 55 |
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Stratford
|
American
|
general
|
Reykjavik
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Returned to port (Argentia, N.F.)
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St. Rosario
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British
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hides - timber - cased meat - cotton - 9 passengers
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Manchester
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Commodore Vessel
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Baron Dunmore
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"
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sugar
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London
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–
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City of Oxford
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"
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general
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Mersey
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–
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Daleby
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"
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ground nuts - manganese ore
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Mersey
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–
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"
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wheat - machinery - general
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Archangel
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Listed in SC 55
(later joined Convoy PQ 6 to Murmansk) |
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Greek
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lumber
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Mersey
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From SC 52
Listed in SC 54 |
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Llangollen
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British
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sugar
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Mersey
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–
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Malmanger
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Norwegian
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Adm. tanker B
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Clyde
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–
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Ravnefjell
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"
|
general
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Manchester
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Returned to port (St. John's)
Listed in SC 54 |
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Dutch
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Tanker W
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Stanlow
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Listed in SC 54
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West Neris
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Irish (ex. Am. 9/41)
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grain
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Belfast for Dublin
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Renamed Irish Oak
From SC 52 Returned to Sydney. Listed in SC 55 |
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|
British
|
none given
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Mersey
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Listed in SC 54
|
|
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Norwegian
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scrap iron
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Glasgow
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Listed in SC 54
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Elisha Walker
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Panamanian
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Tanker B
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Swansea
|
–
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Barberrys
|
British
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newsprint - steel
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Avonmouth
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From SC 52
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PLM 13
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–
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iron ore
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Tees
(arr. Reykjavik Nov. 22) |
From SC 51
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Petter II
|
Norwegian
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Tanker B
|
London (Thameshaven)
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Carras
|
Greek
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iron ore
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Newport
|
–
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Egyptian Prince
|
British
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general - 3 passengers
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Holyhead / Manchester
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From HX 158
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Lackenby
|
"
|
grain
|
London
|
–
|
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Empire Gannet
|
"
|
general
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Mersey
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–
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Georgios P.
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Greek
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zinc concentrates
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Avonmouth
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From SC 52
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Ships from Wabana (Convoy WSC 53)
Due to sail on Nov. 6 |
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Greek
|
iron ore
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Barry Roads f. o.
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From SC 52
Listed in SC 54 |
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Swedish
|
sugar
|
Liverpool
|
From SC 52
Aground - See Notes |
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British
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zinc concentrates
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Barry Roads f. o.
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Listed in SC 54
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"
|
Tanker W
|
Belfast
|
From SC 52
Listed in SC 55 |
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"
|
wheat
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Liverpool
|
From SC 52
Listed in SC 54 |
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Greek
|
iron ore
|
Barry Roads f. o.
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–
|
|
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–
|
iron ore
|
Glasgow
|
Listed in SC 54
|
|
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Swedish
|
iron ore
|
Barry Roads f. o.
|
Listed in SC 55
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|
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British
(see *** in Notes) |
iron ore
|
Barry Roads f. o.
|
Listed in SC 55
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British(?)
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iron ore
|
Middlesbrough
|
Listed in SC 54
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Notes: ** Meridian and Petrovski are crossed out in the Advance Sailing Telegram, and are also crossed out on a document for the next convoy, SC 54, with a note saying "Sailed in SC 53, advise of return not yet received". Note that Meridian was sunk and Petrovski is listed in Convoy PQ 5 to Murmansk, which left Hvalfjord, Iceland on Nov. 27-1941 - see external link below. *** The tonnage for Lorient is given as 4737 gt in the Advance Sailing Telegram. There was a French ship by this name of 4185 gt, which was taken over by MOWT in 1940 - same ship? Gudmundrå ran aground on Nov. 7, near St. Pierre Is., Newfoundland - total loss. Meridian was sunk by U-561 on Nov. 11 - there were no survivors. Crusader was sunk by the same U-boat on Nov. 14. There were no survivors (or, did 1 survive?). Empire Dorado was involved in a collision with the Greek Theomitor on Nov. 20 - taken in tow, sank Nov. 22. British Captain, on a voyage from Corpus Christi/Halifax/Methil Roads for Shellhaven with 9000 tons of motor spirits and fuel oil, sruck a mine on Dec. 2, near 54C Buoy. She had a crew of 44 and 10 gunners, 1 died. On Dec. 8, wreck in position 1 mile 240° 54C Buoy. Related external links: The Empire Ships - Provides more information on the Empire Ships sailing in this convoy. Russian Convoy Series - PQ 5 is included. To the next SC convoy in my list SC 54 |
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