Convoy ON 153
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Convoy ON.153
|partof=World War II
|date=11 December 1942 – 31 December 1942
|place=North Atlantic
|result=German tactical victory
|combatant2=25px United Kingdom
|commander1=Admiral Karl Dönitz
|commander2=Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE
|strength1=13 U-boats
|strength2=45 merchant ships
6 escorts
|casualties2=3 ships sunk
1 Damaged
249 killed
}}
{{Campaignbox Atlantic Campaign}}
Convoy ON-153 was the 153rd of the numbered series of ON convoys of merchant ships Outbound from the British Isles to North America. The World War II convoy departed Liverpool on 11 December 1942 and was met on 12 December by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. Two merchant ships and the escort group leader were sunk in a North Atlantic battle with U-boat Wolf pack Raufbold before reaching the Western Ocean Meeting Point (WOMP) where the Western Local Escort Force assumed responsibility for the convoy on 23 December. Surviving ships reached New York City on 31 December.{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ports/convoy2.php?suffix=ON.153&prefix=ON|title=Convoy ON.153 |publisher=Arnold Hague Convoy Database|accessdate=12 December 2024}}{{toclimit|2}}
Escorts
The convoy was protected by Escort Group B-7 comprising
- 2 Destroyers
:*Royal Navy – {{HMS|Chesterfield|I28|6}}, {{HMS|Firedrake|H79|6}}
:*Royal Navy - HMS Alisma, HMS Pink, HMS Snowflake, HMS Sunflower
:* British Lady
and by a Western Local Escort Force of
- 1 Destroyer
:*Royal Canadian Navy – HMCS Annapolis
- 3 Corvettes
:*Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Buctouche, HMCS Edmundston, HMCS Timmins
:*Royal Canadian Navy - HMCS Minas
U-boats
The convoy was attacked by 13 U-boats from Wolfpack Raufbold, namely
- {{GS|U-135|1941|2}}, {{GS|U-203||2}}, {{GS|U-211||2}}, {{GS|U-356||2}}, {{GS|U-409||2}}, {{GS|U-410||2}}, {{GS|U-439||2}}, {{GS|U-600||2}}, {{GS|U-609||2}}, {{GS|U-610||2}}, {{GS|U-621||2}}, {{GS|U-623||2}} and {{GS|U-664||2}}
Ships in the convoy
| class="wikitable sortable" | |
| scope="col" width="150px" |Name
! scope="col" width="160px" |Flag ! scope="col" width="30px" |Tonnage (GRT) ! scope="col" width="360px" |Notes | |
|---|---|
| align="left"|{{HMS|Alisma|K185|6}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Amstelkerk (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}} |align="right"|4,457 |align="left"|Bound for Freetown | |
| align="left"|{{HMCS|Annapolis|I04|6}}
|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 25 Dec - 27 Dec. Destroyer | |
| align="left"|Antilochus (1906)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|9,082 |align="left"|Bound for South Africa | |
| align="left"|Argolikos (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece}} |align="right"|4,786 |align="left"|Bound for St John's, Newfoundland | |
| align="left"|Asbjorn (1935)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|4,387 |align="left"|Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| align="left"|Bello (1930)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|6,125 |align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-610 | 2}}{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2519.html|title=Bello – Norwegian motor tanker|publisher=www.uboat.net|accessdate=13 November 2013}} On 16 Dec. 33 of 40 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Pink (K137) |
| align="left"|Bornholm (1930)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|3,177 |align="left"|Returned | |
| align="left"|British Lady (1923)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|6,098 |align="left"|Replenishment oiler | |
| align="left"|{{HMCS|Buctouche|K179|6}}
|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Canada (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Sweden}} |align="right"|5,527 |align="left"|12 passengers | |
| align="left"|{{HMS|Chesterfield|I28|6}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UK}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 19 Dec. Destroyer | |
| align="left"|City of Hongkong (1924)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|9,609 |align="left"|150 passengers. Bound for Karachi | |
| align="left"|City of Lille (1928)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|6,588 |align="left"|Bound for Basra | |
| align="left"|Comedian (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,122 |align="left"|Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| align="left"|{{HMCS|Edmundston|K106|6}}
|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 23 Dec - 29 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Emile Francqui (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Belgium}} |align="right"|5,859 |align="left"|11 Passengers. Sunk by {{GS|U-664 | 2}}{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2517.html|title=Emile Francqui – Belgian steam merchant|publisher=www.uboat.net|accessdate=13 November 2013}} on 16 Dec. 46 dead. |
| align="left"|Empire Grenadier (1942)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|9,811 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Empire Highway (1942)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|7,166 |align="left"|Bound for Beira | |
| align="left"|{{HMS|Firedrake|H79|6}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UK}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 17 Dec. Destroyer. Sunk by {{GS|U-211 | 2}}{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2522.html|title=HMS Firedrake (H79) – British Destroyer|publisher=www.uboat.net|accessdate=14 November 2013}} on 17 Dec. Broke in two in heavy weather. 170 of 196 crew died. Survivors picked up by HMS Sunflower |
| align="left"|Geo W McKnight (1933)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|2,502 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Gulf of Mexico (1917)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}} |align="right"|7,807 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Hilary (1931)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|7,403 |align="left"|365 Passengers, Bound for Freetown | |
| align="left"|Idefjord (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|4,287 |align="left"|Bound for Halifax | |
| align="left"|Jan Van Goyen (1919)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}} |align="right"|5,704 |align="left"|Fell Out Disabled | |
| align="left"|Kaldfonn (1936)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|9,931 |align="left"| | |
| align="left"|Mafuta (1920)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Belgium}} |align="right"|6,322 |align="left"|Bound for Freetown | |
| align="left"|Magdala (1931)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}} |align="right"|8,248 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Mahana (1917)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|10,951 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Marquesa (1918)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|8,979 |align="left"|Bound for Montevideo | |
| align="left"|{{HMCS|Minas|J165|6}}
|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 25 Dec - 31 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| align="left"|Norbris (1930)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Panama}} |align="right"|7,619 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|North Gaspe (1938)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|888 |align="left"| | |
| align="left"|Nueva Granada (1937)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|9,968 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Otina (1938)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|6,217 |align="left"|Straggled | |
| align="left"|Pandorian (1941)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|4,159 |align="left"|Bound for New York City. Rear-Admiral Sir E Manners KBE (Commodore) | |
| align="left"|HMS Pink
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 20 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Regent Lion (1937)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|9,551 |align="left"|Tanker. Torpedoed and damaged by {{GS|U-610 | 2}}{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship.html?shipID=3446|title=Regent Lion – British motor tanker|publisher=www.uboat.net|accessdate=13 November 2013}} on 16 Feb. Hulk towed to Falmouth, Cornwall, arriving 5 Jan 43 |
| align="left"|Robert F Hand (1933)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|2,197 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Saint Bertrand (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,522 |align="left"|Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick | |
| align="left"|Salamis (1939)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|8,286 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|San Andres (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|1,975 |align="left"|Returned | |
| align="left"|Sandanger (1938)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|9,432 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Santos (1928)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|4,639 |align="left"|Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| align="left"|HMS Snowflake
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Solstad (1927)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|5,952 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Sovac (1938)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|6,724 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|{{HMS|Sunflower|K41|6}}
|align="left"|{{navy|UKGBI}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 12 Dec - 23 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Tetela (1926)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,389 |align="left"|10 Passengers, Bound for New York City. Vice-commodore is Ship's Master | |
| align="left"|{{HMCS|Timmins|K223|6}}
|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}} |align="right"| |align="left"|Escort 23 Dec - 31 Dec. Corvette | |
| align="left"|Torr Head (1937)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,021 |align="left"|Bound for Saint John, New Brunswick | |
| align="left"|Tortuguero (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,285 |align="left"|10 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| align="left"|Tucurinca (1926)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}} |align="right"|5,412 |align="left"|10 Passengers. Bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia | |
| align="left"|Vaalaren (1936)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Sweden}} |align="right"|3,406 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Vestfold (1931)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Panama}} |align="right"|4,547 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Villanger (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}} |align="right"|4,884 |align="left"|Bound for New York City | |
| align="left"|Walter Jennings (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}} |align="right"|9,564 |align="left"|Bound for New York City |
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
| last = Hague
| first = Arnold
| title = The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945
| year = 2000
| isbn = 1-86176-147-3
| ref = {{sfnRef|Hague}}
}}
- Tramp to Queen autobiography by Capt. John Treasure Jones, The History Press (2008) {{ISBN|978 0 7524 4625 7}}
External links
- [http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/ports/convoy2.php?suffix=ON.153&prefix=ON ON.153 at convoyweb]