Convoy ON 115

Convoy ON 115 was a trade convoy of 43 merchant ships with 12 escort ships during the second World War. The convoy departed Liverpool on 24 July 1942 and arrived at Boston 8 August. Three ships were lost to U-boats during the crossing and two were damaged.

Convoy ON.115
Part of World War II
Date24 July – 8 August 1942
Location
North Atlantic
Belligerents
Germany United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz Admiral Sir A J Davies KBE CB (Commodore)
Strength
13 U-boats 43 merchant ships
12 escorts
Casualties and losses
3 ships sunk
2 Damaged

Name

It was the 115th of the numbered series of ON convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America.

Action

The ships departed Liverpool on 24 July 1942 and were joined on 25 July[1] by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group C-3. They were found on 29 July by the seven U-boats of Wolfpack Wolf. Six U-boats formed Wolfpack Pirat on 1 August and reached the convoy on 2 August. Three ships were sunk before contact was lost in misty weather on 3 August.[2] Surviving ships reached Boston on 8 August.[1]

Ships in the Convoy[1]
Name Flag Tonnage (GRT) Notes
HMCS Agassiz (K129)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 31 Jul – 3 Aug. Corvette
Agwidale (1918)  United States 4,763 Collision then straggled
Arletta (1925)  United Kingdom 4,870 Straggled and sunk by U-458[3] on 5 Aug SSW of Cape Race. 36 of the 41 crew died. Survivors were picked up by USS Menemsha (AG-39)
Asbjorn (1935)  United Kingdom 4,387 Bound for Sydney
Athelchief (1939)  United Kingdom 10,000 Bound for Curaçao
Belgian Soldier (1941)  Belgium 7,167 Torpedoed and damaged by U-553 then straggled and was sunk by U-607[4] on 4 Aug. 21 dead.
Brimanger (1929)  Norway 4,883 Bound for New York City
Cistula (1939)  Netherlands 8,097 Bound for Halifax
Collingsworth (1920)  United States 5,101 Bound for New York City
Corner Brook (1925)  United Kingdom 5,767 Bound for Halifax
Delhi (1925)  Sweden 4,571 Bound for New York City
Dorcasia (1938)  United Kingdom 8,053 Bound for New York City
El Lago (1920)  Panama 4,221 Straggled
Emma Bakke (1929)  Norway 4,721 13 Passengers, Bound for New York City
Empire Heywood (1942)  United Kingdom 7,030 Bound for New York City
Empire Ocean (1941)  United Kingdom 6,765 Ashore 4 Aug 42; Sank In Tow 5 Aug 42
Empire Southey (1942)  United Kingdom 7,041
Empire Spray (1941)  United Kingdom 7,242 Bound for Halifax
Empire Trader (1908)  United Kingdom 9,990 Bound for New York City then Auckland
G S Walden (1935)  United Kingdom 10,627 Tanker. Torpedoed by U-552[5] On 3 Aug E Of Cape Race And Towed Into St.John's, Newfoundland. 1 Dead
HMCS Galt (K163)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 3 Aug. Corvette
Gyda (1934)  United Kingdom 1,695 Bound for Halifax
HMCS Hamilton (I24)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 2 Aug. Destroyer
Herbrand (1935)  Norway 9,108 Bound for Halifax
Hoegh Hood (1936)  Norway 9,351 Bound for Halifax
Jamaica Planter (1936)  United Kingdom 4,098 Bound for New York City
Katy (1931)  Norway 6,825 Bound for New York City
HMCS La Malbaie (K273)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 3 Aug – 8 Aug. Corvette
Lochkatrine (1922)  United Kingdom 9,419 Freighter. In ballast. Sunk by U-553.[6] 9 Dead. Survivors picked up by HMCS Hamilton And HMCS Agassiz
HMCS Louisburg (K143)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 3 Aug . Took in damaged G S Walden to St.John's, Newfoundland
Lucellum (1938)  United Kingdom 9,425 Returned
Manchester Trader (1941)  United Kingdom 5,671 Bound for Halifax thence Saint John, New Brunswick. Rear-Admiral H C Rawlings DSO (Vice-Commodore)
Montreal City (1920)  United Kingdom 3,066 Bound for New York City
Mount Evans (1919)  Panama 5,598 Bound for New York City
Norsk Tank (1928)  Norway 9,720 Bound for Halifax
Ornefjell (1937)  Norway 1,334 Bound for Halifax
Otina (1938)  United Kingdom 6,217 Bound for Halifax
Pacific Grove (1928)  United Kingdom 7,117 17 Passengers, Bound for New York City. Admiral Sir A J Davies KBE CB (Commodore)
Regent Panther (1937)  United Kingdom 9,556 Bound for New York City
HMCS Rimouski (K121)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 3 Aug – 8 Aug. Corvette
Robert F Hand (1933)  United Kingdom 2,197 Bound for Halifax
HMCS Sackville (K181)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 4 Aug. Corvette
HMCS Saguenay (D79)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 1 Aug. Destroyer
San Ernesto (1939)  United Kingdom 8,078 Bound for New York City
Seminole (1936)  United Kingdom 10,389 Bound for New York City
HMCS Skeena (D59)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 31 Jul. Destroyer sunk U-588 with depth charges on 31 Jul
Solfonn (1939)  Norway 9,925 Bound for Aruba
Tilapa (1928)  United Kingdom 5,392 Bound for Halifax
Topdalsfjord (1921)  Norway 4,271 Bound for Hampton Roads
Tudor Prince (1940)  United Kingdom 1,914 Bound for Halifax
USS Swanson (DD-443)  United States Navy Escort. Destroyer
HMS Verity (D63)  Royal Navy Escort 3 Aug – 8 Aug. Destroyer
Westland (1931)  Netherlands 5,888 9 Passengers, Bound for New York City
HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175)  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25 Jul – 2 Aug. Corvette. Sunk U-588 with depth charges on 31 Jul
HMS Witch (D89)  Royal Navy Escort 2 Aug. Destroyer

References
  1. "Convoy ON.115". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  2. Rohwer & Hummelchen, pp.144, 152 & 153
  3. "Arlette – British steam tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  4. "Belgian Soldier – Belgian steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  5. "G S Walden – British motor tanker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  6. "Lochkatrine – British motor merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 12 November 2013.

Bibliography
  • Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.
  • Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
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