Convoy JW 56B - Misplaced Pages

v t e Arctic naval operations of World War II
1940 Weserübung Narvik Alphabet Wilfred Juno 1941 Claymore Polyarny 1942 Sportpalast Rösselsprung Doppelschlag Zarin Wunderland Cape Pikshuev Orator Motovsky Gulf Barents Sea Regenbogen 1943 Kara Sea Zitronella Ostfront North Cape 1944 Mascot Petsamo–Kirkenes Convoys 1941 Dervish PQ 1 PQ 2 PQ 3 PQ 4 PQ 5 PQ 6 PQ 7 QP 1 QP 2 QP 3 QP 4 1942 PQ 8 PQ 9/10 QP 10 PQ 11 PQ 12 PQ 13 QP 13 PQ 14 QP 14 PQ 15 QP 15 QP 11 PQ 16 PQ 17 PQ 18 FB JW 51A JW 51B QP 5 QP 6 QP 7 QP 8 QP 9 QP 12 RA 51 1943 JW 52 JW 53 JW 54A JW 54B JW 55A JW 55B RA 52 RA 53 RA 54A RA 54B RA 55A RA 55B 1944 JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58 JW 59 JW 60 JW 61 JW 61A JW 62 JW 63 JW 64 RA 56 RA 57 RA 58 RA 59 RA 59A RA 60 RA 61 RA 61A RA 62 RA 63 1945 JW 64 JW 65 JW 66 JW 67 RA 64 RA 65 RA 66 RA 67

Arctic naval operations of World War II

1940

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1944

Convoys
1941

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1945

Convoy JW 56B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the beginning of February. All ships arrived safely. During the voyage JW 56B was attacked by a German U-boat force; no merchant ships were sunk, though one of the escorts was lost. One attacking U-boat was destroyed in the operation.

Ships

The convoy consisted of 17 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 22 January 1944. Close escort was provided by a force of two destroyers and three other escort vessels. There was also an ocean escort, comprising the destroyer Milne (Capt. IMR Campbell commanding) and six other destroyers. The convoy was accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by a further escort force, from the preceding convoy JW 56A. A cruiser cover force comprising Kent (R.Adm AFE Palliser), Berwick and Bermuda was also at sea, to guard the two convoys against attack by surface units.

JW 56B was opposed by a U-boat force of fifteen boats, code-named Werewolf, in the Barents Sea.

Action

JW 56B departed Loch Ewe on 22 January 1944, ten days after the preceding convoy, JW 56A. It was accompanied by its local escort, the destroyer Wrestler, a corvette, and two minesweepers, and the close escort of five warships. On 26 January, the day JW 56A came under attack, the local escort departed, to be replaced by the ocean escort of six Home Fleet destroyers. On 29 January the convoy came into the area where JW 56A had been attacked. Waiting there were the ten U-boats of wolfpack Isengrim, re-inforced with five newcomers and re-organized as the group Werewolf. At midday on 29 January JW 56B was sighted by U-956 and reported, though U-956 came under heavy attack when she was detected. By the morning of 30 January the U-boats had assembled, but JW 56B had also been re-inforced, being joined by the ocean escort of JW 56A, seven destroyers led by Hardy. Six of the U-boats made contact, mounting a total of thirteen attacks during that day. They were unable to reach the merchant ships, but U-278 hit Hardy with an acoustic torpedo. She was crippled and abandoned, to be sunk later by an attending destroyer. In response U-314 was destroyed by Whitehall and Meteor. Following this the Werewolf pack abandoned its assault, and JW 56B arrived at Kola three days later, on 2 February.

Conclusion

German U-boat Command (BdU) was delighted with the actions against convoys JW 56A and 56B, believing they had sunk seven escorts and damaged another four, with four ships sunk and a further six damaged. The actual losses from the two convoys were three ships, and one escort sunk and one damaged. Twenty nine ships from both convoys arrived safely.

Notes

Kemp p166
Blair p514

References

Blair, Clay (1998). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942-1945. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.
Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5
Bernard Schofield : (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford ISBN (none)
JW 56B at Convoyweb

Arctic convoys of World War II

1941

Outbound	Dervish PQ 1 PQ 2 PQ 3 PQ 4 PQ 5 PQ 6
Homebound	QP 1 QP 2 QP 3

1942

Outbound	PQ 7a PQ 7b PQ 8 PQ 9 PQ 10 PQ 11 PQ 12 PQ 13 PQ 14 PQ 15 PQ 16 PQ 17 PQ 18 Operation FB JW 51A JW 51B
Homebound	QP 4 QP 5 QP 6 QP 7 QP 8 QP 9 QP 10 QP 11 QP 12 QP 13 QP 14 QP 15 RA 51

1943

Outbound	JW 52 JW 53 JW 54A JW 54B JW 55A JW 55B
Homebound	RA 52 RA 53 RA 54A RA 54B RA 55A RA 55B

1944

Outbound	JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58 JW 59 JW 60 JW 61 JW 61A JW 62 JW 63
Homebound	RA 56 RA 57 RA 58 RA 59 RA 59A RA 60 RA 61 RA 61A RA 62 RA 63

1945

Outbound	JW 64 JW 65 JW 66 JW 67
Homebound	RA 64 RA 65 RA 66 RA 67

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