| Convoy SC.20 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Germany |
 Royal Canadian Navy United Kingdom | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | |||||
| Strength | |||||
| ~3 U-boats |
48 merchant ships 7 escorts | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
|
5 ships sunk 1 Damaged | |||||
Convoy SC 20 was the 20th of the numbered series of World War II Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island to Liverpool. The trade convoy left Halifax on 22 January 1941 and was found by U-boats of the 2nd and 9th Flotillas, operating from Lorient and Brest, respectively. Five ships were sunk before the convoy reached Liverpool on 8 February.
Ships in the convoy
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcor (1920) |  Netherlands
|
3,526 | |
| Allende (1928) |  United Kingdom
|
5,081 | |
| HMS Arbutus | Royal Navy
|
Escort 4 Feb - 8 Feb Corvette | |
| Baron Ogilvy (1926) | United Kingdom
|
3,391 | |
| Baron Yarborough (1928) | United Kingdom
|
3,388 | |
| Bernhard (1924) |  Norway
|
3,563 | Returned with engine defects and a sick man |
| Biafra (1933) | United Kingdom
|
5,405 | |
| Blairesk (1925) | United Kingdom
|
3,300 | |
| Calafatis (1917) |  Greece
|
4,443 | Romped and sunk by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 naval bomber, of I./KG.40, with the loss of 18 of her 31 crew |
| HMS Camellia | Royal Navy
|
Escort 4 Feb - 8 Feb Corvette | |
| Cape Corso (1929) | United Kingdom
|
3,807 | |
| Copeland (1923) | United Kingdom
|
1,526 | Rescue ship |
| Coryton (1928) | United Kingdom
|
4,553 | |
| Coultarn (1938) | United Kingdom
|
3,759 | |
| Dione II (1936) | United Kingdom
|
2,660 | Romped and sunk by U-93 on 4 Feb |
| Einar Jarl (1921) | Norway
|
1,858 | |
| Emmy (1914) | Greece
|
3,895 | Returned |
| Empire Engineer (1921) | United Kingdom
|
5,358 | Straggled and sunk by U-123 On 4 Feb |
| HMS Erica | Royal Navy
|
Escort 4 Feb - 08 Feb | |
| Evviva (1921) | Norway
|
1,597 | Returned |
| Flensburg (1922) | Netherlands
|
6,421 | |
| Flowergate (1911) | United Kingdom
|
5,161 | Arrived with furnace defects |
| Fylingdale (1924) | United Kingdom
|
3,918 | |
| Hadleigh (1930) | United Kingdom
|
5,222 | |
| HMS Harvester | Royal Navy
|
Escort 4 Feb - 8 Feb Destroyer | |
| Ila (1939) | Norway
|
1,583 | Returned |
| Inger Toft (1920) | United Kingdom
|
2,190 | |
| Ingertre (1921) | Norway
|
2,462 | |
| Ioannis M Embiricos (1934) | Greece
|
3,734 | Bombed and sunk northwest of Ireland, by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 naval bomber, of I./KG.40 |
| Kordecki (1930) |  Poland
|
1,975 | Returned |
| Lars Kruse (1923) | United Kingdom
|
1,807 | |
| Lylepark (1929) | United Kingdom
|
5,186 | Returned |
| Maclaren (1915) | United Kingdom
|
2,350 | Wrecked, salvaged, repaired |
| Manchester Division (1918) | United Kingdom
|
6,048 | |
| Maplecourt (1894) |  Canada
|
3,388 | Sunk by U-107 On 4 Feb |
| Maplewood (1930) | United Kingdom
|
4,566 | Capt A G Maundrell (Commodore) |
| Mathilda (1920) | Norway
|
3,650 | |
| Milcrest (1919) | United Kingdom
|
5,283 | |
| Myson (1927) |  France
|
4,564 | |
| Narocz (1915) | Poland
|
1,795 | Returned |
| HMCS Otter | Royal Canadian Navy
|
Escort 22 Jan - 23 Jan Armed yacht | |
| HMS Philante | Royal Navy
|
Escort 4 Feb - 8 Feb Armed yacht, acting as convoy escort vessel | |
| Pilar De Larrinaga (1918) | United Kingdom
|
7,046 | |
| Pontypridd (1924) | United Kingdom
|
4,458 | |
| Quistconck (1918) | United Kingdom
|
5,144 | |
| Ranella (1912) | Norway
|
5,590 | Straggler from BHX 104 |
| HMS Ranpura | Royal Navy
|
Escort 22 Jan - 4 Feb Armed merchant cruiser | |
| Rolf Jarl (1920) | Norway
|
1,917 | |
| Rozenburg (1918) | Netherlands
|
2,068 | Returned |
| Selbo (1921) | Norway
|
1,778 | |
| Sevill (1921) | United Kingdom
|
1,383 | |
| Sinnington Court (1928) | United Kingdom
|
6,910 | Returned |
| Telesfora De Larrinaga (1920) | United Kingdom
|
5,780 | |
| Trident (1917) | United Kingdom
|
4,317 | |
| Willesden (1925) | United Kingdom
|
4,563 |
References
- Hague pp.133&134
- Blair, p.233
- "Convoy SC.20". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "SS Calafatis [+1941]". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Dione II – British Steam Merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Empire Engineer – British Steam Merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "SS Ioannis M. Embiricos (+1941)". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
- "Maplecourt – Canadian Steam Merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
Bibliography
- Blair, Clay (1996). Hitler's U-boat War:The Hunters 1939–1942. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-58839-8.
- Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.