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26 Feb 1945

Convoy UC 58A.

The Channel section of this convoy departed St. Helens Roads around 1015A/26.

This section was made up of seven merchant vessels;
Excelsior (American, 6737 GRT, built 1943), Hegra (Norwegian (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Marine Panther (American, 11758 GRT, built 1944) and four, so far not identified merchant vessels which were later to be detached to the Bristol Channel (Mumbles Roads).

On departure from St. Helens Roads the convoy was escorted by the destroyer USS Davis (T/Lt.Cdr. T.D. Cunningham, USN, with COMTASKGR 61.6, T/Capt. J.A. Glick, USN on board) and the destroyer escorts USS Hurst (Lt. E.B. Winslow, USCG), USS Howard D. Crow (Lt. J.M. Nixon, USCG), USS Pettit (Lt. W.B. Rich, USCGR) and USS Koiner (Lt.Cdr. C.S. Judson, Jr., USN).

Around 1400A/26, they were joined by the following merchant vessels which came from Southend;
Bemis Heights (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Chesapeake Capes (American (tanker), 10297 GRT, built 1944), Markay (American (tanker), 10342 GRT, built 1942) and North Point (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944).
[Their escort, identity currently not known to us, did not the convoy.]

Around 1425A/26, the destroyers HMCS Iroquois (Capt. K.F. Adams, RCN) and HMCS Huron (Lt.Cdr. H.V.W. Groos, RCN) joined.

Around 0235A/27, HMCS Iroquois and HMCS Huron parted company. They took the four, so far unidentified merchant vessels with them to escort them to the Bristol Channel (Mumbles Roads).

Around 0820A/27, USS Hurst and USS Koiner parted company to proceed to Southampton.

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The Irish Sea Section of the convoy was made up of three sections, coming from the Clyde, Liverpool and the Bristol Channel.

The Clyde Section of the convoy departed on 26 February and was made up of only one merchant vessel, the Cottonwood Creek (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944). She was escorted by the destroyer escort USS Kretchmer (Lt.Cdr. R.C. Wing, USNR).

The Liverpool Section of the convoy departed on 26 February and was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Clan Chattan (British, 9545 GRT, built 1944), Durham (British, 10893 GRT, built 1934), Fort Robinson (American (tanker, 10172 GRT, built 1945), Fort Schuyler (Dutch (tanker), 10297, built 1944) and Idaho Falls (American (tanker, 10448 GRT, built 1944). They were escorted by the destroyer escort USS Marchand (Maynard F. Young, USCG, with COMCORTDIV 20, Lt.Cdr. W.B. Ellis, USCG, on board).

Around 1700A/26, the Clyde section joined the Liverpool section.

Around 2145A/26, the Fort Schuyler was detached to Milford Haven with engine trouble.

Around 2230A/26, two British escort vessels joined, this were the frigates HMS Montserrat (Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RD, RNR) and HMS Papua (A/Lt.Cdr. C.W. Leadbetter, RNR) from the 23rd Escort Group.

Around 0300A/27, the Bristol Channel Section of the convoy joined but did immediately merged with the convoy due to the thick fog. By 1035A/27, the Sections had fully merged.

The British Channel Section had departed on 26 February and was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Alcoa Pointer (American, 6711 GRT, built 1943), Black Warrior (American, 8271 GRT, built 1944), Bulkfuel (American (tanker), 11016 GRT, built 1944), Finnmark (Norwegian (tanker) 10297 GRT, built 1945), Memnon (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944), Mesa Verde (American (tanker) 10448 GRT, built 1944) and Prairie Grove (American (tanker) 10297 GRT, built 1944). They were escorted by the destroyer escorts USS Ricketts (Lt. L.F. Sudnik, USCG) and USS O'Reilly (Donald R. Shaul, USNR).

Around 0800A/27, HMS Montserrat and HMS Papua parted company.

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Around 1700A/27, the Channel Section and Irish Sea Section joined company.

Around 1820A/27, USS Marchand and USS O'Reilly parted company to proceed to Liverpool.

Around 1230N/3, the Clan Chattan and Durham were detached to proceed independently to their destination, Christobal, Panama Canal Zone where they arrived on 11 March.

Around 2025P/7, the Idaho Falls was detached to Port Arhur where she arrived on 14 March.

Around 1415Q/8, the Bemis Heights was detached to Baltimore where she arrived on 10 March.

Around 1430Q/8, the Alcoa Pointer was detached to Hampton Roads where she arrived on 9 March.

Around 0530Q/9, the Fort Robinson, Hegra, Mackay, Prairie Grove were detached to Philadelphia where they arrived later the same day.

The remainder of the convoy arrived at New York in the morning of 9 March. (1)

2 Mar 1945

Convoy UC 58B.

The Channel section of this convoy departed The Solent around 1100A/2.

This section was made up of 15 merchant vessels;
The troop transport (American, 12097 GRT, built 1943) and naval troop tranports USS General W.H. Gordon (17811 GRT, built 1944) (Capt. R.E. Wood, USCG) and USS General William Weigel (17811 GRT, built 1945) (Capt. T.Y. Awalt, USCG) were among them. [The identity of the remaining 12 ships is currently not known to us.]

On departure from The Solent the convoy was escorted by the escort destroyers USS Koiner (Lt.Cdr. C.S. Judson, Jr., USN), USS Hurst (Lt. E.B. Winslow, USCG) and USS Ramsden (Lt.Cdr. S.T. Baketel, USCGR).

Around 1325A/2, the frigates HMCS New Waterford (T/A/Cdr. W.E.S. Briggs, DSC, RCNR) and HMCS Loch Morlich (T/Lt. G.F. Crosby, RCNVR) joined.

Around 1430A/2, the frigates HMCS Loch Achanalt (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.W. Hart, RCNVR) and HMCS Teme (T/Lt. D.P. Harvey, RCNVR) joined.

Around 1910A/2, ' Force 26 ', made up of destroyers HMS Faulknor (Cdr. Douglas Eric Holland-Martin, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN), HMS Bulldog (?), HMCS Iroquois (Capt. K.F. Adams, RCN), HMCS Huron (Lt.Cdr. H.V.W. Groos, RCN) and frigate HMS Barbados (T/A/Lt.Cdr. E.G. Donald, RNVR) joined.

Around 2355A/2, USS Ramsden parted company to escort three ships coming from Plymouth to the convoy. This were the following ships;
Troop transports Athos II (French, 15276 GRT, built 1927) and General George W. Goethals (American, 12093 GRT, built 1942). The landing ship HMS Princess Josephine Charlotte (A/Lt.Cdr. J.E. Bromley, RNR) was also with them. They joined the convoy around 0150A/3. The corvettes HMS Narcissus (T/Lt. R. Stott, RNR) and HMCS Lunenburg (T/Lt. W.S. Thomson, RCNVR) also escorted the ships to the rendezvous and then returned to Plymouth.

Around 0245A/3, 13 ships, including HMS Princess Josephine Charlotte were detached to proceed up the Irish Sea. USS Ramsden and all the British and Canadian escorts went with them.

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The Irish Sea Section of the convoy was made up of three sections, coming from the Clyde, Liverpool and the Bristol Channel.

The Clyde Section of the convoy departed on 2 March and was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Empire Paladin (British (tanker), 8141 GRT, built 1944) and Empire Paragon (British, 9888 GRT, built 1944). They were escorted by the destroyer escort USS O'Reilly (Donald R. Shaul, USNR).

Around 1010A/2, ' Force 37 ', made up of the frigates HMS Duckworth (Cdr. R.C.S. Garwood, RN), HMS Berry (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C.S. Pirie, RNVR), HMS Cooke ( Lt. N.D. Cornwall, RN), HMS Domett (T/A/Lt.Cdr. S. Gordon, RNVR), HMS Essington (T/A/Lt.Cdr. S.A. Lampard, RNVR) and HMS Rowley (Lt.Cdr. F.J.G. Jones, RNR) joined.

Around 1745A/2, ' Force 37 ' parted company.

Around 1910A/2, the Liverpool section of the convoy joined. This had departed Liverpool on 2 March and was made up of the escort carriers USS Bogue (T/Capt. G.J. Dufek, USN) and USS Card (T/Capt. R.C. Young, Jr., USN) were also part of the Liverpool section. The Liverpool section was escorted by the destroyer escort USS Marchand (Maynard F. Young, USCG, with COMCORTDIV 20, Lt.Cdr. W.B. Ellis, USCG, on board).

Around 2235A/2, the frigates HMS Montserrat (Cdr. G.W. Gregorie, RD, RNR) and HMS Papua (A/Lt.Cdr. C.W. Leadbetter, RNR) of the 23rd Escort Group joined the convoy.

Around 0325A/3, the Bristol Channel section of the convoy joined. This was made up of the following merchant vessels;
Chapel Hill Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), Exminster (American, 6683 GRT, built 1944), Fort Schuyler (Dutch (tanker), 10297, built 1944), Malden Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944) and Washington Express (Norwegian, 3643 GRT, built 1933). They were escorted to the rendezvous by four British escorts [so far unidentified] which did not join the convoy.

Around 1330A/3, the Empire Paragon parted company with engine trouble. She set course for Milford Haven escorted by HMS Papua.

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Around 1730A/3, the Channel section and Irish Sea section joined company. HMS Montserrat was then detached.

Around 2355Q/11, USS Bogue and USS Card parted company to proceed to Norfolk, Virginia escorted by USS Hurst.

The remainder of the convoy arrived at New York in the morning of 12 March. (2)

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