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convoy SC 94

{{short description|Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{Infobox military conflict

| conflict = Convoy SC 94

| campaign =

| image = U-210 PA-037443.jpg

| image_size = 300px

| caption = U-210 photographed from Assiniboine{{'}}s deck, 6 August 1942

| partof = Battle of the Atlantic

| date = 5–10 August 1942

| place = North Atlantic

| result = German victory

| combatant1 = {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} United Kingdom
{{flagicon|Canada|1921}} Canada
{{flagdeco|Poland|1928}} Poland

| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany|naval}} Germany

| commander1 = VADM D F Moir
LCDR A. Ayer RNRMilner pp.142-147

| commander2 = BdU:Karl Dönitz

| strength1 = 35 freighters
3 destroyers
6 corvettes

| strength2 = 19 submarines

| casualties1 = 11 freighters sunk (50,780GRT)
1 destroyer damaged
1 corvette damaged
61 killed/drowned

| casualties2 = 2 submarines sunk
46 killed/drowned
42 captured

}}

{{Campaignbox Atlantic Campaign}}

Convoy SC 94 was the 94th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool.Hague 2000 p.133 The ships departed Sydney on 31 July 1942Hague 2000 p.135 and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group C-1.

Background

As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the Second Happy Time, Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (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 the area with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3.Tarrant p.108 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.Hague pp.132, 137-138, 161-162, 164, 181

Battle

=Discovery on 5 August=

{{GS|U-593||2}} reported the convoy on 5 August and torpedoed the Dutch freighter Spar.Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 153

=Attack of 6 August=

Assiniboine{{'}}s Type 286 radar spotted {{GS|U-210||2}} in a heavy fog on 6 August. The destroyer closed on the contact and briefly spotted the submarine twice before losing her in the fog. The submarine reappeared crossing the destroyer's bow at a range of {{convert|50|yd}}, and both ships opened fire. The range was too close for Assiniboine{{'}}s {{convert|4.7|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} guns to engage, but her .50-calibre machine guns shot up the submarine's deck and conning tower. This kept the Germans from manning their {{convert|88|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} deck gun, but the {{convert|20|mm|in|abbr=on|2}} flak gun was already manned and firing. It punched holes through the destroyer's plating that set some petrol tanks on the deck afire and disabled 'A' gun. The destroyer was unable to ram U-210 until the rear 4.7-inch gun hit the conning tower, killing the entire bridge crew and the .50-caliber machine guns were able to silence the flak gun. This caused Lieutenant Sorber, the senior surviving officer, to order the submarine to dive, but this meant that she had to hold a straight course while doing so. Assiniboine was able to take advantage of this and rammed U-210 abaft the conning tower whilst she was diving. This caused the electric motors to fail, damaged her propellers and led to water entering the submarine, as a result of which Sorber ordered the ballast tanks to be blown and the submarine to be abandoned. The destroyer rammed her again when U-210 resurfaced, dropped a pattern of depth charges set to detonate at shallow depth and hit her one more time with a 4.7-inch shell before the submarine finally sank.Douglas pp. 505-507

=Attack of 8 August=

{{GS|U-379||2}} torpedoed the British freighter Anneberg and American freighter Kaimoku on the afternoon of 8 August while {{GS|U-176||2}} torpedoed the British freighters Kelso and Trehata and Greek freighter Mount Kassion.Hague 2000 p.137 Three undamaged ships were abandoned in the resulting panic. One of them, the British freighter Radchurch, was later torpedoed by U-176. The Shakespeare-class destroyer leader {{HMS|Broke|D83|2}} and the Polish destroyer {{ORP|Błyskawica||2}} arrived to reinforce the escort, while Dianthus left the convoy to repair damage incurred while ramming and sinking U-379.

=Attack of 10 August=

{{GS|U-438||2}} torpedoed the Greek freighter Condylis in daylight on 10 August while {{GS|U-660||2}} torpedoed the British freighters Cape Race, Empire Reindeer and Oregon. The remainder of the convoy reached Liverpool on 13 August.

Ships in the convoy

=Allied merchant ships=

A total of 35 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sydney or later in the voyage.{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html|title=SC convoys|publisher=Arnold Hague Convoy Database|accessdate=2011-05-29}}

Class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col" width="160px" |Name

! scope="col" width="140px" |Flag

! scope="col" width="25px" |Dead

! scope="col" width="50px" |Tonnage (GRT)

! scope="col" width="100px" |Cargo

! scope="col" width="350px" |Notes

align="left"|Aghios Spyridon (1905)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece}}

|

|align="right"|3,338

|align="left"|Grain

|align="left"|Survived this convoy and convoy SC 104

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Anneberg (1902)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|0

|align="right"|2,537

|align="left"|3,200 tons woodpulp

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-379

2}} 8 Aug
align="left"|Bifrost (1923)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Sweden}}

|

|align="right"|4,949

|align="left"|Flour

|

align="left"|Boston City (1920)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|2,870

|align="left"|General cargo

|align="left"|Survived this convoy, convoy ON 127, convoy SC 104 & convoy SC 122

align="left"|Brisk (1923)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}

|

|align="right"|1,594

|align="left"|Flour & general cargo

|

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Cape Race (1930)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|0

|align="right"|3,807

|align="left"|13 passengers, 3,979 tons lumber & 1,040 tons steel

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-660

2}} 10 Aug
align="left"|Castilian (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|3,067

|align="left"|General cargo

|align="left"|Veteran of convoy HX 84

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Condylis (1914)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece}}

|align="right"|9

|align="right"|4,439

|align="left"|6,924 tons grain & trucks

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-660

2}} & {{GS|U-4382}} 10 Aug
align="left"|Daleby (1929)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|4,640

|align="left"|General cargo

|

align="left"|Drakepool (1924)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|4,838

|align="left"|(in ballast)

|align="left"|Survived this convoy and convoy SC 122

align="left"|{{SS|Empire Antelope2}} (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|4,945

|align="left"|General cargo

|align="left"|Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy SC 107

align="left"|Empire Moonbeam (1941)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|6,849

|align="left"|Phosphates

|align="left"|Survived to be sunk the following month in convoy ON 127

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Empire Reindeer (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|0

|align="right"|6,259

|align="left"|5,950 tons woodpulp & general cargo

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-660

2}} 10 Aug
align="left"|Empire Scout (1936)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|2,229

|align="left"|Grain

|align="left"|Ship's master was convoy vice-commodore

align="left"|Hagood (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States}}

|

|align="right"|6,866

|align="left"|Diesel

|

align="left"|Illinoian (1918)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States}}

|

|align="right"|6,473

|align="left"|Mail & general cargo

|

align="left"|Inger Lise (1939)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}

|

|align="right"|1,582

|align="left"|Lumber

|align="left"|Survived this convoy and convoy SC 104

align="left"|Ingerfem (1912)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}

|

|align="right"|3,987

|align="left"|Iron ore

|align="left"|Survived this convoy and convoy SC 104

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Kaimoku (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States}}

|align="right"|4

|align="right"|6,367

|align="left"|US Army stores

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-379

2}} 8 Aug
{{no2}}

|align="left"|Kelso (1924)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|3

|align="right"|3,956

|align="left"|2,000 tons ammunition & 2,618 tons general cargo

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-176

2}} 8 Aug
align="left"|Mars (1925)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}

|

|align="right"|1,582

|align="left"|Flour

|align="left"|Survived this convoy and convoy SC 104

align="left"|Melmore Head (1918)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|5,273

|align="left"|General cargo

|align="left"|Veteran of convoy SC 7; survived to be sunk 4 months later in convoy ON 154

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Mount Kassion (1918)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece}}

|align="right"|0

|align="right"|5,273

|align="left"|9,700 tons general cargo

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-176

2}} 8 Aug
align="left"|Mount Pelion (1917)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece}}

|

|align="right"|5,655

|align="left"|General cargo

|align="left"|Survived to be sunk 2 months later in convoy SC 107

align="left"|Norelg (1920)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}

|

|align="right"|6,103

|align="left"|General cargo

|

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Oregon (1920)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|11

|align="right"|6,008

|align="left"|1 passenger & 8,107 tons general cargo

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-660

2}} & {{GS|U-4382}} 10 Aug
align="left"|Osric (1919)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Sweden}}

|

|align="right"|1,418

|align="left"|Timber

|

align="left"|Panos (1920)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|4,914

|align="left"|Coal

|

align="left"|Penolver (1912)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|3,721

|align="left"|Grain & general cargo

|

{{no2}}

|align="left"|Radchurch (1910)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|0

|align="right"|3,701

|align="left"|Iron ore

|align="left"|Abandoned undamaged & sunk by {{GS|U-176

2}} 9 Aug
{{no2}}

|align="left"|Spar (1924)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}

|align="right"|3

|align="right"|3,616

|align="left"|Mail & 4,900 tons general cargo

|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-593

2}} 5 Aug
{{no2}}

|align="left"|Trehata (1928)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|align="right"|31

|align="right"|4,817

|align="left"|3,000 tons steel & 3,000 tons food

|align="left"|Carried convoy commodore VADM Dashwood Fowler Moir DSO; sunk by {{GS|U-176

2}} 8 Aug
align="left"|Tynemouth (1940)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|UKGBI|civil}}

|

|align="right"|3,168

|align="left"|Lumber & steel

|align="left"|Survived this convoy, convoy SL 125 & convoy ON 154

align="left"|Veni (1901)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}

|

|align="right"|2,982

|align="left"|Steel & woodpulp

|align="left"|Survived this convoy & convoy ON 154

align="left"|Willemsplein (1910)

|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}

|

|align="right"|5,489

|align="left"|Iron ore

|align="left"|Survived this convoy & convoy ON 127

=Convoy escorts=

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.Milner 1985 p.285

class="wikitable sortable"
scope="col" width="150px" |Name

! scope="col" width="180px" |Flag

! width="200px" |Type

! width="80px" |Joined

! width="80px" |Left

align="left"|{{HMCS|Assiniboine|I18|6}}

|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|River|destroyer

|1931}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMCS|Battleford|K165|6}}

|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{ORP|Błyskawica}}

|align="left"|{{navy|Poland}}

|align="left"|{{sclass|Grom|destroyer}}

|align="right"|8 Aug 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMS|Broke|D83|6}}

|align="left"|{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="left"|Shakespeare-class destroyer leader

|align="right"|8 Aug 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMCS|Chilliwack|K131|6}}

|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMS|Dianthus|K95|6}}

|align="left"|{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|8 Aug 1942, due to damage
from sinking {{GS|U-379

2}}
align="left"|{{HMS|Nasturtium|K107|6}}

|align="left"|{{naval|United Kingdom}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMCS|Orillia|K119|6}}

|align="left"|{{naval|Canada|1911}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

align="left"|{{HMS|Primrose|K91|6}}

|align="left"|{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="left"|{{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}

|align="right"|31 Jul 1942

|align="right"|13 Aug 1942

See also

Notes

{{reflist|2}}

References

  • {{cite book |last1=Douglas |first1=W. A. B.|last2=Sarty |first2=Roger |author3=Michael Whitby |author4=Robert H. Caldwell |author5=William Johnston |author6=William G. P. Rawling |title=No Higher Purpose|series=The Official Operational History of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War, 1939–1943 |volume=2, pt. 1 |year=2002|publisher=Vanwell |location=St. Catharines, Ontario |isbn=978-1-55125-061-8}}
  • {{cite book| title=The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 |author=Hague, Arnold |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-1-55750-019-9}}
  • {{cite book| title=North Atlantic Run |author=Milner, Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |isbn=978-0-87021-450-9}}
  • {{cite book| title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 |author1=Rohwer, J. |author2=Hummelchen, G. |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1992 |isbn=978-1-55750-105-9}}
  • {{cite book| title=The U-Boat Offensive 1914–1945 |author=Tarrant, V.E. |publisher=Arms and Armour |year=1989 |isbn=978-1-85409-520-6}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Convoy SC 094}}

SC094

Category:Naval battles of World War II involving Canada

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