uboat.net

  Front page - Fighting the U-boats - Allied Warships

Follow us on Twitter
@uboatnet

Notable events involving Sorel include:

30 Aug 1942

Convoy HX 205.

This convoy departed Halifax on 30 August 1942.

On departure from Halifax the convoy was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alcoa Master (American, 5114 GRT, built 1919), Alcoa Rambler (American, 5500 GRT, built 1919), Antilochus (British, 9082 GRT, built 1906), Audacious (Panamanian, 7166 GRT, built 1913), Beaverhill (British, 10041 GRT, built 1928), Bello (Norwegian (tanker), 6125 GRT, built 1930), Brilliant (American (tanker), 9132 GRT, built 1930), Brimanger (Norwegian, 4883 GRT, built 1929), British Character (British (tanker), 8453 GRT, built 1941), British Glory (British (tanker), 6995 GRT, built 1928), Cefalu (Honduran, 5221 GRT, built 1930), City of Bombay (British, 7140 GRT, built 1937), Clan MacPherson (British, 6940 GRT, built 1929), Emma Bakke (Norwegian, 4721 GRT, built 1929), Empire Airman (British (tanker), 9813 GRT, built 1942), Empire Emerald (British (tanker), 8032 GRT, built 1941), Empire Gold (British (tanker), 8028 GRT, built 1941), Empire Kamal (British, 7862 GRT, built 1938), Exchester (American, 4999 GRT, built 1919), Ferncourt (British (tanker), 9918 GRT, built 1938), Fort Amherst (British, 3489 GRT, built 1936), Gdynia (Swedish, 1636 GRT, built 1934), Grey County (Norwegian, 5194 GRT, built 1918), Hoegh Scout (Norwegian (tanker), 9924 GRT, built 1939), James J. Maguire (British (tanker), 10525 GRT, built 1939), Katy (Norwegian (tanker), 6825 GRT, built 1931), Kosmos II (Norwegian (whale factory ship serving as tanker), 16966 GRT, built 1931), Lady Rodney (Canadian, 8194 GRT, built 1929), Lancastrian Prince (British, 1914 GRT, built 1940), Luminetta (British (tanker), 6159 GRT, built 1927), Lynghaug (Norwegian, 2829 GRT, built 1919), Magdala (Dutch (tanker), 8248 GRT, built 1931), Mark Twain (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Minerva (Norwegian, 5883 GRT, built 1930), Molda (Norwegian, 5137 GRT, built 1937), Nicania (British (tanker), 8179 GRT, built 1942)), Norheim (Norwegian (tanker), 9816 GRT, built 1941), Nortun (Panamanian, 3663 GRT, built 1940), Ocean Rider (British, 7178 GRT, built 1942), Ocean Verity (British, 7174 GRT, built 1942), Pacific Grove (British, 7117 GRT, built 1928), Port Alma (British, 8400 GRT, built 1928), Rapana (British (tanker), 8017 GRT, built 1935), Reverdy Johnson (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Richard Henry Lee (American, 7191 GRT, built 1941), Robin Goodfellow (American, 6885 GRT, built 1920), Saint Bertrand (British, 5522 GRT, built 1929), Sandanger (Norwegian (tanker), 9432 GRT, built 1938), Thorshov (Norwegian (tanker), 9955 GRT, built 1935), Thorshovdi (Norwegian (tanker), 9944 GRT, built 1937), Turrialba (British, 4961 GRT, built 1909), Ulysses (Dutch, 2655 GRT, built 1918), Walt Whitman (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942), Waroonga (British, 11243 GRT, built 1914), Westland (Dutch, 5888 GRT, built 1931), William Wirt (American, 7191 GRT, built 1942), Zacapa (American, 5013 GRT, built 1909) and Zebulon B. Vance (American, 7176 GRT, built 1942).

The escort carrier (in an aircraft ferry role), HMS Dasher (Cdr. C.N. Lentaigne, DSO, RN) and the rescue ship Melrose Abbey (British, 1924 GRT, built 1929) were also part of the convoy.

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Vanoc (A/Cdr. C.F.H. Churchill, RN), HMS Buxton (Lt.Cdr. I.J. Tyson, RD, RNR) and the corvettes HMCS Camrose (T/Lt L.R. Pavillard, RCNVR), HMCS Midland (T/Lt. A.B. Taylor, RCNR) and HMCS Sorel (T/Lt. M.H. Wallace, RCNR).

Around 0930Z/2, the destroyer HMS Viscount (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Waterhouse, RN) and corvette HNoMS Potentilla joined in position 46°23'N, 51°37'W. HMS Vanoc and HMS Buxton then parted company.

Around 1100Z/2, the corvettes HNoMS Acanthus, HNoMS Eglantine, HNoMS Montbretia and HMS Borage (T/Lt.Cdr. A. Harrison, RNR) joined the convoy in position 46°33'N, 51°24'W. HMCS Camrose, HMCS Midland and HMCS Sorel then parted company.

Also on 2 September the Fort Amherst and Lady Rodney left the convoy for St. Johns, Newfoundland.

Around 1310Z/2, HMS Viscount left the convoy due to a machinery defect having developed. She returned to St. Johns, Newfoundland to effect repairs.

Around 1940Z/2, the destroyer HMS Broke (Lt.Cdr. A.F.C. Layard, RN) joined as temporary replacement of HMS Viscount.

Around 2000Z/4, HMS Viscount rejoined the convoy in position 50°27'N, 39°41'W. HMS Broke then parted company.

Around 2000Z/8, in position 56°17'N, 18°17'W, the merchant vessel Beaverhill was detached. She took HMS Borage with her as escort. The corvette was to escort her until 07°00'W after which she was to proceed to Londonderry.

Around 0300Z/10, HMS Dasher parted company to proceed independently to the Clyde.

Around 0530Z/10, the Loch Ewe portion of the convoy was detached to proceed there unescorted. At the same time HNoMS Potentilla was detached to proceed to Greenock.

The main portion of the convoy arrived in U.K. water later on the 10th. (1)

As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.