Convoy SL 78
Convoy SL 78 was the 78th of the numbered series of World War II SL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean traveled independently to Freetown to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. Twenty-five merchant ships departed Freetown on 18 June 1941.[1] U-boats sank eight ships before the convoy reached Liverpool on 12 July.[2]
Convoy SL.78 | |||||
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Part of World War II | |||||
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Belligerents | |||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||
Admiral Karl Dönitz | Vice-Admiral G T C P Swabey CB DSO | ||||
Strength | |||||
~4 U-boats |
26 merchant ships 19 escorts | ||||
Casualties and losses | |||||
8 merchants sunk |
Ships in the Convoy
Allied merchant ships
A total of 26 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sierra Leone or later in the voyage.[3]
Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Aliakmon (1913) | ![]() |
4,521 | |
Arundo (1930) | ![]() |
5,163 | |
Atle Jarl (1919) | ![]() |
1,173 | |
Baron Napier (1930) | ![]() |
3,559 | |
Batna (1928) | ![]() |
4,399 | |
Blackheath (1936) | ![]() |
4,637 | Collision with corvette escort HMS Arbutus (K86) on 11 July |
Camerata (1931) | ![]() |
4,875 | |
Criton (1927) | ![]() |
4,564 | Captured from the Vichy French by HMS Cilicia on 19 June, and being sailed back to Europe from West Africa. Intercepted by two Vichy French warships, Air France IV and Edith Germaine, near Freetown on 21 June and sunk by their gunfire.[4][5] (see also Commander Bernard Peter de Neumann GM RN, second time sunk in the space of one month) |
Empire Ability (1931) | ![]() |
7,603 | Sunk by U-69[6] |
Esneh (1919) | ![]() |
1,931 | |
George J Goulandris (1913) | ![]() |
4,345 | Sunk by U-66[7] W of Canary Islands |
Kalypso Vergotti (1918) | ![]() |
5,686 | Straggler was sunk by U-66.[8] All 36 crew lost |
Keilehaven (1919) | ![]() |
2,968 | |
Leonidas N Condylis (1912) | ![]() |
3,923 | |
Mary Slessor (1930) | ![]() |
5,027 | Convoy Vice commodore's ship |
Michael Jebsen (1927) | ![]() |
2,323 | Did Not Reform With Convoy |
Oberon (1911) | ![]() |
1,996 | Sunk by U-123[9] |
P.L.M.22 (1921) | ![]() |
5,646 | Sunk by U-123[10] |
Parthenon (1908) | ![]() |
3,189 | |
Rio Azul (1921) | ![]() |
4,088 | Sunk by U-123[11] post-dispersal from this convoy |
River Lugar (1937) | ![]() |
5,423 | Sunk by U-69[12] |
Rolf Jarl (1920) | ![]() |
1,917 | |
Sobo (1937) | ![]() |
5,353 | Convoy commodore's ship – Vice-Admiral G T C P Swabey CB DSO |
St Anselm (1919) | ![]() |
5,614 | Sunk by U-66[13] |
Stad Arnhem (1920) | ![]() |
3,819 | Joined Convoy HX 135 after dispersal |
Venus (1907) | ![]() |
1,855 | |
Convoy escorts
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.[3]
Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
---|---|---|---|---|
HMS Arbutus (K86) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 11 Jul 1941 |
HMS Armeria (K187) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
HMS Asphodel (K56) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
HMS Aster (K188) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
HMS Begonia (K66) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Bridgewater (L01) | ![]() |
Bridgewater-class sloop | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
HMS Burdock (K126) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
HMS Chelsea (I35) | ![]() |
Town-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Convolvulus (K45) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Esperance Bay (F67) | ![]() |
Armed merchant cruiser and troopship | 18 Jun 1941 | 27 Jun 1941 |
HMS Fleur De Lys (K122) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 30 Jun 1941 | 30 Jun 1941 |
HMS Jasmine (K23) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Larkspur (K82) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HNoMS Mansfield (G76) | ![]() |
Town-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Pegasus | ![]() |
Fighter catapult ship | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Pimpernel (K71) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Rhododendron (K78) | ![]() |
Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
HMS Shropshire (73) | ![]() |
County-class heavy cruiser | 26 Jun 1941 | 27 Jun 1941 |
HMS Verity (D63) | ![]() |
Modified W-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
References
- Hague, pp.138&142
- Blair, pp.302&303
- "Convoy SL.78". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Merchant Seamen as Prisoners of War – British Merchant Navy Graves in Timbuktu – SS Criton". Gordon Mumford (MN). Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- "SS Criton [+1941]". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
- "Empire Ability – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "George J Goulandris – Greek Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Kalypso Vergotti – Greek Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Oberon – Dutch Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "P.L.M.22 – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Rio Azul – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "River Lugar – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "St Anselm – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
Bibliography
External links
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