Convoy HX 156
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Convoy HX-156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax to Liverpool.[1] Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941,[1] and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of Gleaves class destroyer Niblack, Clemson class destroyer Reuben James, Wickes class destroyer Tarbell, and Benson class destroyers Benson and Hilary P. Jones.[2]
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The Action
31 October 1941
U-552 sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed Reuben James as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report.[3] A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine.[3] The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.[3]
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II.[4] U-552 was driven off by the escort; but U-567 found the convoy that afternoon.
1 November 1941
Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941.
U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November.[2] The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.[1]
Ships in the Convoy[5]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alchiba (1920) |  Netherlands |
4,427 | Iceland |
| Ancylus (1935) |  United Kingdom |
8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia |
| Anna Knudsen (1931) |  Norway |
9,057 | |
| HMCS Annapolis (I04) |  Royal Canadian Navy |
Escort 22 Oct - 24 Oct Destroyer |
|
| Arabian Prince (1936) | United Kingdom |
1,960 | 4 Passengers |
| Athelvictor (1941) | United Kingdom |
8,410 | |
| HMS Begonia (K66) |  Royal Navy |
Escort 01 Nov - 04 Nov Corvette |
|
| Benmacdhui (1911) | United Kingdom |
6,869 | |
| Brabant (1938) |  Belgium |
2,483 | 2 Passengers |
| Bralanta (1936) | Norway |
9,608 | |
| British Governor (1926) | United Kingdom |
6,840 | Scapa Flow |
| HMS Broke (D83) | Royal Navy |
Escort 01 Nov - 04 Nov Flotilla leader |
|
| HMS Buxton (H96) | Royal Navy |
Escort 01 Nov - 04 Nov Destroyer |
|
| HMS Camellia (K31) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct - 04 Nov Corvette |
|
| Cape Breton (1940) | United Kingdom |
6,044 | |
| Charlbury (1940) | United Kingdom |
4,836 | |
| Chepo (1919) |  Panama |
5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 |
| Clan Macquarrie (1913) | United Kingdom |
6,471 | |
| Comanchee (1936) | United Kingdom |
6,837 | |
| Delilian (1923) | United Kingdom |
6,423 | |
| Edam (1921) | Netherlands |
8,871 | 27 Passengers |
| HNoMS Eglantine |  Royal Norwegian Navy |
Escort 01 Nov - 05 Nov | |
| Eidanger (1938) | Norway |
9,432 | |
| El Capitan (1917) | Panama |
5,255 | Onward To N Russia |
| El Estero (1920) | Panama |
4,219 | |
| Empire Confidence (1935) | United Kingdom |
5,023 | 12 Passengers |
| Empire Day (1941) | United Kingdom |
7,242 | CAM ship |
| Empire Foam (1941) | United Kingdom |
7,047 | CAM ship |
| Empire Rainbow (1941) | United Kingdom |
6,942 | CAM ship |
| Empire Tern (1919) | United Kingdom |
2,479 | |
| Gallia (1939) | Norway |
9,974 | |
| Ganymedes (1917) | Netherlands |
2,682 | |
| Gudrun Maersk (1937) | United Kingdom |
2,294 | Iceland to Belfast |
| K G Meldahl (1938) | Norway |
3,799 | |
| HMS King Sol (FY235) | Royal Navy |
Escort 01 Nov | |
| Kollbjorg (1937) | Norway |
8,259 | |
| HMS Larkpsur (K82) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct - 05 Nov | |
| Leiv Eiriksson I (1936) | Norway |
9,952 | Ex-Iceland |
| Leonatus (1938) | Panama |
2,242 | |
| Lewant (1930) |  Poland |
1,942 | 2 Passengers |
| Maihar (1917) | United Kingdom |
7,563 | 1 Passenger |
| Markhor (1929) | United Kingdom |
7,917 | |
| Mergus (1906) |  Sweden |
1,368 | Iceland to Clyde |
| HNoMS Montbretia | Royal Norwegian Navy |
Escort 31 Oct - 05 Nov | |
| Munin (1899) | Norway |
1,285 | Iceland To Clyde |
| Nestor (1913) | United Kingdom |
14,629 | 197 Passengers |
| Norefjord (1920) | Norway |
3,082 | |
| O A Knudsen (1938) | Norway |
11,007 | |
| Polar Chief (1897) | United Kingdom |
8,040 | |
| Prince De Liege (1938) | Belgium |
2,588 | |
| Prins Willem Van Oranje (1938) | Netherlands |
1,303 | |
| San Alvaro (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,385 | 4 Passengers |
| San Arcadio (1935) | United Kingdom |
7,419 | 1 Passenger |
| San Emiliano (1939) | United Kingdom |
8,071 | 4 Passengers |
| Sandanger (1938) | Norway |
9,432 | |
| Skaraas (1936) | Norway |
9,826 | |
| Sourabaya (1915) | United Kingdom |
10,107 | 28 Passengers |
| Stanlake (1923) | United Kingdom |
1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy |
| Svanholm (1922) | United Kingdom |
1,321 | |
| Troubadour (1920) | Norway |
5,808 | 6 Passengers |
| USS Alchiba (AKA-6) (1939) |  United States |
6,198 | Reykjavik Armed 'Attack cargo ship' |
| USS Benson (DD-421) |  United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct - 01 Nov Destroyer |
|
| USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct - 01 Nov Destroyer |
|
| USS Niblack (DD-424) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct - 01 Nov Destroyer |
|
| USS Reuben James (DD-245) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct - 03 Nov Sunk by U-552 on 31 Oct 41 (prior to US declaration of war) |
|
| USS Tarbell (DD-142) | United States Navy |
Escort 24 Oct - 01 Nov Destroyer |
|
| HMS Verity (D63) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct - 04 Nov Destroyer |
|
| HMS Wolverine (D78) | Royal Navy |
Escort 31 Oct - 04 Nov WW1-era Destroyer |
Notes
References
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