Convoy HX 126
| Convoy HX.126 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
.svg){kind=small} Germany |
 United Kingdom | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | Rear-Admiral F B Watson DSO | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| 9 U-boats |
37 merchant ships 18 escorts | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 9 ships sunk | |||||
Convoy HX 126 was the 126th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed Halifax on 10 May 1941[1] and were escorted across the North Atlantic by the armed merchant cruiser Aurania intended to provide protection against merchant raiders. Aurania was poorly equipped to defend the convoy from attacks beginning on 19 May by U-boats of the 1st, 2nd and 7th Flotillas, operating out of Brest, Lorient and St Nazaire, respectively.[2] U-boats sank nine ships prior to arrival of the 12th Escort Group on 21 May. Surviving ships reached Liverpool on 28 May.[1]
Ships in the convoy[3]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Arabis |  Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 23 May Corvette | |
| Athelprincess (1929) |  United Kingdom
|
8,882 | |
| Aurania | Royal Navy
|
Escort 10 May – 21 May Armed merchant cruiser | |
| Barnby (1940) | United Kingdom
|
4,813 | Straggled and sunk by U-111[4] |
| Baron Carnegie (1925) | United Kingdom
|
3,178 | |
| Baron Elgin (1933) | United Kingdom
|
3,942 | |
| Bente Maersk (1928) | United Kingdom
|
5,722 | |
| British Freedom (1928) | United Kingdom
|
6,985 | Straggled 20 May |
| British Security (1937) | United Kingdom
|
8,470 | Sunk by U-556[5] |
| British Splendour (1931) | United Kingdom
|
7,138 | |
| HMS Burnham | Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 22 May Destroyer | |
| HMS Burwell | Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 26 May Destroyer | |
| HMCS Chambly |  Royal Canadian Navy
|
Escort Corvette | |
| Cockaponset (1919) | United Kingdom
|
5,995 | Sunk By U-556[6] |
| Darlington Court (1936) | United Kingdom
|
4,974 | Sunk By U-566[7] |
| HMS Dianella | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May Corvette | |
| Dorelian (1923) | United Kingdom
|
6,431 | |
| Eemland (1906) |  Netherlands
|
4,188 | Straggled 20 May |
| Elusa (1936) | Netherlands
|
6,235 | Sunk By U-93[8] |
| Empire Kudu (1919) | United Kingdom
|
6,622 | |
| HMS Gladiolus | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May – 26 May Corvette | |
| Gretavale (1928) | United Kingdom
|
4,586 | |
| Hada County (1921) |  Norway
|
4,853 | |
| Harpagus (1940) | United Kingdom
|
5,173 | Sunk By U-109.[9] Rescue Ship |
| Havsten (1930) | Norway
|
6,161 | |
| HMS Heliotrope | Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 23 May Corvette | |
| Hindustan (1940) | United Kingdom
|
5,245 | Rear-Admiral F B Watson DSO (Commodore) |
| John P Pedersen (1930) | Norway
|
6,128 | Sunk By U-94[10] |
| Karabagh (1932) | United Kingdom
|
6,427 | |
| HMS Keppel | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May – 26 May Destroyer leader | |
| HMS Kingcup | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May – 28 May Corvette | |
| HMT Lady Elsa | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May ASW trawler | |
| HMS Malcolm | Royal Navy
|
Escort 20 May – 22 May Destroyer leader | |
| HMS Mallow | Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 23 May Corvette | |
| Morgenen (1930) | Norway
|
7,093 | |
| Nicoya (1929) | United Kingdom
|
5,364 | |
| Norman Monarch (1937) | United Kingdom
|
4,718 | Sunk By U-94[11] |
| HMT Northern Gem | Royal Navy
|
Escort ASW trawler | |
| HMT Northern Wave | Royal Navy
|
Escort ASW trawler | |
| HMCS Orillia | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Escort Corvette | |
| Regent Panther (1937) | United Kingdom
|
9,556 | |
| Ribera (1940) | United Kingdom
|
5,559 | Straggled 20 May |
| Rosewood (1931) | United Kingdom
|
5,989 | Iceland |
| Rothermere (1938) | United Kingdom
|
5,356 | Sunk By U-98[12] |
| HMS Sabre | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May – 27 May World War I-era destroyer | |
| Salando (1920) | Netherlands
|
5,272 | Returned |
| HMS Scimitar | Royal Navy
|
Escort 22 May – 24 May World War I-era destroyer | |
| HMS Springbank | Royal Navy
|
Escort 23 May Anti-aircraft ship | |
| Tongariro (1925) | United Kingdom
|
8,720 | |
| Toward (1923) | United Kingdom
|
1,571 | Rescue Ship |
| HMS Tribune | Royal Navy
|
Escort 10 May Submarine | |
| HMS Venomous | Royal Navy
|
Escort 26 May – 28 May Destroyer | |
| HMS Verbena | Royal Navy
|
Escort 21 May – 23 May Corvette | |
| Westport (1918) | United Kingdom
|
5,665 | Joined Ex Convoy SC 31 |
| Winona County (1919) | United Kingdom
|
6,159 | Returned |
References
- ^ a b Hague p.127
- ^ Rohwer &Hummelchen, p.62
- ^ "Convoy HX.126". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Barnby – British steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "British Security – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Cockaponset – British steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Darlington Court – British motor merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Elusa – Dutch motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Harpagus – British steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "John P Pedersen – Norwegian motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Norman Monarch – British steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
- ^ "Rothermere – British steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2013.
Bibliography
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.
- Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.