Convoy ON 166
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Convoy ON 166 was the 166th of the numbered ON series of merchant ship convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. Sixty-three ships departed Liverpool 11 February 1943 and were met the following day by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3 consisting of the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".s Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and the Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".s Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities".. The convoy suffered losses before arriving at New York City, US.
Background
As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the Germans' "second happy time", Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU) or commander in chief of U-Boats, shifted focus to the mid-Atlantic to avoid aircraft patrols. Although convoy routing was less predictable in the mid-ocean, Dönitz anticipated that the increased numbers of U-boats being produced would be able to effectively search for convoys with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3.[1] However, only 20 percent of the 180 trans-Atlantic convoys sailing from the end of July 1942 until the end of April 1943 lost ships to U-boat attack.[2]
21 February
On 20 February Template:GS sighted the convoy scattered by sailing eight days in a northwesterly gale. Template:GS torpedoed the straggling Norwegian Stigstad on the morning of 21 February. Template:GS was sunk by a No. 120 Squadron RAF B-24 Liberator that afternoon, and Campbell sank a U-boat that evening. Postwar analysis concluded that Campbell sank Template:GS,[3] but later re-evaluation indicated that the attack may have destroyed Template:GS.[4]
Template:GS torpedoed the British Empire Trader at 2032 and the Norwegian NT Nielsen Alonso at 0153 on the night of February 21–22. Both ships were hit by a single torpedo on the port side, flooding the forward hold, and boiler room, respectively.[5] Template:ORP from the following convoy ONS 167 was ordered to reinforce the convoy escort.
22 February
Template:GS torpedoed the British Empire Redshank and American Chattanooga City and Expositor after sunset 22 February, but was damaged by depth charges from the recently arrived Burza. Campbell was disabled in a collision with U-606. Twelve men were rescued from the crew of the sinking U-boat. Burza left the convoy to tow Campbell back to port. The convoy rescue ship Stockport was sunk by U-604 while returning to the convoy after rescuing men from the three ships torpedoed by U-606.[6]
23 February
Template:GS torpedoed the Panamanian Winkler at 0420 and Norwegian Glittre at 0425. Template:GS torpedoed the American Hastings about 0430 and British Eulima at 0458 on 23 February.[5] Spencer, Rosthern and Chilliwack remained with the convoy and Dianthus left to refuel.[7]
24 February
Template:GS torpedoed the Norwegian Ingria at 0520 before dawn on 24 February.[5] Template:GS torpedoed the straggling American Liberty ship Jonathan Sturges.
25 February
U-628 hit the British Manchester Merchant with two torpedoes on the starboard side at 0527 before dawn 25 February.[5][8]
Aftermath
The U-boats discontinued the attack on 26 February. The surviving ships in the convoy were joined by Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". from Halifax, Nova Scotia on 28 February with escorts Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"., Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". and Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities"..[9] They reached New York City on 3 March 1943.[10]
Ships in convoy
| Name[11] | Flag[11] | Dead[7] | Tonnage[11] | Cargo[7] | Notes[11] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amastra (1935) | Template:Flagicon | 8,031 gross register tons (GRT) | |||
| Aruba (1929) | Template:Flagicon | 3,979 GRT | general cargo | ||
| Beauregard (1920) | Template:Flagicon | 5,976 GRT | returned to England | ||
| Brasil (1935) | Template:Flagicon | 8,130 GRT | |||
| Charles H Cramp (1920) | Template:Flagicon | 6,220 GRT | straggled 1 March[5] | ||
| Chattanooga City (1921) | Template:Flagicon | 0 | 5,687 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS 22 Feb |
| City of Canberra (1927) | Template:Flagicon | 7,484 GRT | carried convoy commodore Capt W E B Magee DSO RN | ||
| Delilian (1923) | Template:Flagicon | 6,423 GRT | |||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,177 GRT | 16 passengers | Liberty ship; returned to England | |
| El Almirante (1917) | Template:Flagicon | 5,248 GRT | returned to England | ||
| El Coston (1924) | Template:Flagicon | 7,286 GRT | joined from Iceland 16 Feb but returned to Iceland when leaking condenser caused water shortage[5] | ||
| El Oceano (1925) | Template:Flagicon | 6,767 GRT | |||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,039 GRT | returned to England | ||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 9,891 GRT | joined Halifax to New York; survived this convoy and convoy HX 229 | ||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1937) | Template:Flagicon | 6,007 GRT | |||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1935) | Template:Flagicon | 5,023 GRT | |||
| Empire Redshank (1919) | Template:Flagicon | 0 | 6,615 GRT | (in ballast) | torpedoed by Template:GS & scuttled by escort 22 Feb |
| Empire Trader (1908) | Template:Flagicon | 0 | 9,990 GRT | 985 tons chemicals | veteran of convoy HX 79; torpedoed by Template:GS & scuttled by escort 23 Feb |
| Empire Wordsworth (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 9,891 GRT | |||
| Eulima (1937) | Template:Flagicon | 63 | 6,207 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS 23 February |
| Exilona (1919) | Template:Flagicon | 4,971 GRT | |||
| Expositor (1919) | Template:Flagicon | 6 | 4,959 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS |
| Fort Thompson (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,134 GRT | coal | ||
| Fort Vermillion (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,133 GRT | |||
| Franz Klasen (1932) | Template:Flagicon | 1,194 GRT | |||
| Gateway City (1920) | Template:Flagicon | 5,432 GRT | veteran of convoy PQ 18 | ||
| George W McKnight (1933) | Template:Flagicon | 2,502 GRT | |||
| Glittre (1928) | Template:Flagicon | 3 | 6,402 GRT | (in ballast) | veteran of convoy ON 67; acting as escort oiler; sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS 23 Feb |
| Gyda (1934) | Template:Flagicon | 1,695 GRT | general cargo | straggled and lost following 24 Feb collision with Fort Thompson[5] | |
| Hastings (1920) | Template:Flagicon | 9 | 5,401 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS 23 Feb |
| Ingria (1931) | Template:Flagicon | 0 | 4,391 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS 24 Feb |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 56 | 7,176 GRT | (in ballast) | Liberty ship straggled & sunk by Template:GS 24 Feb[5] |
| Kaipaki (1939) | Template:Flagicon | 5,862 GRT | |||
| Lechistan (1929) | Template:Flagicon | 1,937 GRT | general cargo | straggled 20 Feb[5] | |
| Lochmonar (1924) | Template:Flagicon | 9,412 GRT | 28 passengers | ship's master was convoy vice commodore | |
| Madoera (1922) | Template:Flagicon | 9,382 GRT | straggled 24 Feb & damaged by Template:GS[5] | ||
| Manchester Merchant (1940) | Template:Flagicon | 36 | 7,264 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS 25 Feb |
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,176 GRT | Liberty ship straggled with steering failure | ||
| Markay (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 10,342 GRT | joined from Iceland 16 Feb; romped 23 Feb | ||
| Molda (1937) | Template:Flagicon | 5,137 GRT | general cargo | ||
| N T Nielsen-Alonso (1900) | Template:Flagicon | 3 | 9,348 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS 22 Feb |
| Pacific Exporter (1928) | Template:Flagicon | 6,734 GRT | |||
| Pacific Grove (1928) | Template:Flagicon | 7,117 GRT | |||
| Pan-Maine (1936) | Template:Flagicon | 7,237 GRT | |||
| Pan-Maryland (1938) | Template:Flagicon | 7,701 GRT | |||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,191 GRT | Liberty ship veteran of convoy PQ 17 | ||
| Skandinavia (1940) | Template:Flagicon | 10,044 GRT | veteran of convoy ON 67 | ||
| Stigstad (1927) | Template:Flagicon | 3 | 5,964 GRT | (in ballast) | straggled & sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS 21 Feb[5] |
| Stockport (1911) | Template:Flagicon | 63 | 1,683 GRT | (rescued crewmen of sunken ships) | rescue ship; sunk by Template:GS while rescuing survivors |
| Tai Shan (1929) | Template:Flagicon | 6,962 GRT | 12 passengers | ||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,176 GRT | Liberty ship romped & arrived New York 28 Feb | ||
| Script error: No such module "WPSHIPS utilities". (1942) | Template:Flagicon | 7,176 GRT | Liberty ship returned to England | ||
| Tortuguero (1921) | Template:Flagicon | 5,285 GRT | |||
| Tropic Star (1926) | Template:Flagicon | 5,088 GRT | |||
| Wind Rush (1918) | Template:Flagicon | 5,586 GRT | |||
| Winkler (1930) | Template:Flagicon | 20 | 6,907 GRT | (in ballast) | sunk by Template:GS & Template:GS 23 Feb |
See also
References
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- ↑ Tarrant p.108
- ↑ Hague pp.132, 137-138,161-162,164&181
- ↑ Morison 1975 p.338
- ↑ Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.194
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Hague 2000 pp.92&162
- ↑ a b c Hague 2000 pp.161-162
- ↑ Hague 2000 p.162
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Hague 2000 p.159
- ↑ a b c d Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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Bibliography
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".