Convoy HX 231

Convoy HX 231 was the 231st of the numbered series of Second World War HX convoys of merchant ships from HalifaX to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 25 March 1943 and were met on 31 March by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-7. The convoy was found on 4 April and attacked by eleven U-boats of the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 10th U-boat flotillas, operating out of Brest, La Rochelle, St Nazaire and Lorient, respectively. These U-boats formed the wolfpack Löwenherz (Lionheart). The U-boats sank six ships before losing contact on 7 April. Two U-boats, U-632 and U-635, were sunk. Surviving ships from the convoy reached Liverpool on 10 April.

Convoy HX.231
Part of World War II

North Atlantic Ocean map
Date25 March – 10 April 1943
Location
North Atlantic Ocean
Belligerents
Nazi Germany Germany  Canada
United Kingdom United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Karl Dönitz Charles Ramsay (Commodore)
Strength
11 U-boats 67 merchant ships
19 escorts
Casualties and losses
2 U-boats sunk 6 ships sunk

Ships in the convoy
Name[1] Flag (GRT) Notes
HMS Alisma  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April Corvette
Amastra (1935)  United Kingdom 8,031
Ancylus (1935)  United Kingdom 8,017
Aruba (1929)  Netherlands 3,979 Arrived with rudder damage
Asbjorn (1935)  United Kingdom 4,387
Athelregent (1930)  United Kingdom 8,881
Athos (1937)  Norway 8,267
Atlantida (1924)  Honduras 4,191
Beaverhill (1928)  United Kingdom 10,041
Blitar (1923)  Netherlands 7,065 Romped and sunk by U-632 on 6 April after attack the previous day by U-229, 26 dead[2]
British Ardour (1928)  United Kingdom 7,124 Escort Oiler. Sunk by U-706 on 5 April, no casualties[3]
British Confidence (1936)  United Kingdom 8,494
HMS Buxton (H96)  Royal Navy Escort 27–31 March, Destroyer
HMCS Chicoutimi  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 27–31 March, Corvette
City of Lyons (1926)  United Kingdom 7,063
Clan Cameron (1937)  United Kingdom 7,243
HMS Eclipse  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
Eli Whitney (1942)  United States 7,181
Empire Chief (1897)  United Kingdom 8,040 Tanker carrying fuel oil
Empire Coleridge (1942)  United Kingdom 9,798 Tanker carrying petrol. Fitted with AND
Empire Dickens (1942)  United Kingdom 9,819 Tanker carrying petrol
Empire Marvell (1941)  United Kingdom 9,812 Tanker carrying petrol & paraffin
Erin (1932)  United Kingdom 5,841
Esso Dover (1921)  United States 8,880
F J Wolfe (1932)  United Kingdom 12,190 Escort Oiler. Returned
Fort Finlay (1942)  United Kingdom 7,134
Fort Jemseg (1943)  United Kingdom 7,134
Fort Thompson (1942)  United Kingdom 7,134
HMS Fury  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April, Destroyer
Geo W McKnight (1933)  United Kingdom 12,502
Georgian (1920)  United States 5,825
HMS Icarus  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
HMS Inglefield  Royal Navy Escort 6–8 April Destroyer
Jamaica Planter (1936)  United Kingdom 4,098 Vice-Commodore
Joel R Poinsett (1943)  United States 7,176
Katy (1931)  Norway 6,825
HMCS Kenora  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–28 March Minesweeper
Kent (1918)  United Kingdom 8,697
Lady Rodney (1929)  United Kingdom 8,194 Halifax to St John's, Newfoundland
Laurelwood (1929)  United Kingdom 7,347
Lochmonar (1924)  United Kingdom 9,412 Returned
HMS Loosestrife  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April Corvette; landed 72 Survivors from Waroonga at Londonderry Port on 9 April 1943
Manchester Port (1935)  United Kingdom 7,071
HMCS Milltown  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 27–31 March, Minesweeper
Mobilgas (1937)  United States 9,925
Mosdale (1939)  Norway 3,022
Narvik Escort 9–10 April
Nassa (1942)  United Kingdom 8,134 Fitted with AND
Noah Webster (1943)  United States 7,176 Returned
Norheim (1941)  Norway 9,816
Norvinn (1930)  Panama 6,322
Ocean Volunteer (1942)  United Kingdom 7,174
Ornefjell (1937)  Norway 1,334 Bound for Halifax
Pandorian (1941)  United Kingdom 4,159
Pierre Soule (1943)  United States 7,191
HMS Pink  Royal Navy Escort 29 March – 9 April, Corvette
Pleiades (1939)  United States 3,600
Port Sydney (1914)  United Kingdom 9,129
HMCS Quesnel  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–31 March, Corvette
Raphael Semmes (1942)  United States 6,165
Reinholt (1939)  Norway 4,799
Salland (1920)  Netherlands 6,447
Saluta (1906)  United Kingdom 6,261 Returned
San Adolfo (1935)  United Kingdom 7,365
San Ambrosio (1935)  United Kingdom 7,410
Santa Maria (1942)  United States 6,507
HMCS Saskatoon  Royal Canadian Navy Escort 25–28 March, Corvette
Scebeli (1937)  Norway 3,025 Detached and independent 1 April
Shillong (1939)  United Kingdom 5,529 Sunk by U-630 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack, 71 dead[4]
Slemmestad (1928)  Norway 4,258
HMS Snowflake  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, corvette, landed 54 Survivors from British Ardour at Londonderry Port
Sovac (1938)  United Kingdom 6,724
Stephen C Foster (1943)  United States 7,106
Sunoil (1927)  United States 9,005 Straggler zig-zagging on 4 April due to engine trouble. Sunk by U-530 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-563 in an earlier attack; lost with all 69 hands[5]
HMS Tay  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, Frigate
Thomas Sumter (1942)  United States 7,177 Romped
Tjibadak (1929)  Netherlands 7,083
Torr Head (1937)  United Kingdom 5,021
Tulsa (1919)  United States 5,083
Tyndareus (1916)  United Kingdom 11,361 Admiral Sir Charles Ramsey (Commodore)
USS Merak  United States Navy 6,982 Stores and passenger ship. 138 passengers
Vaalaren (1936)  Sweden 3,406 Romped 4 April, sunk by U-229 on 5 April, lost with all 38 hands[6]
HMS Vidette  Royal Navy Escort 31 March – 9 April, Destroyer
Waroonga (1914)  United Kingdom 9,365 Sunk by U-630 on 5 April, after being damaged by U-635 in an earlier attack. 19 dead[7]
William Mulholland (1942)  United States 7,176
William Whipple (1942)  United States 7,181

References
  1. "Convoy HX.231". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  2. "Blitar – Dutch Steam Merchant". Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  3. "British Ardour – British Steam Tanker". Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  4. "Shillong – British Motor Merchant". Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  5. "Sunoil – American Motor Tanker". Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  6. "Vaalaren – Swedish Motor Merchant". Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  7. "Waroonga – British Steam Merchant". Uboat.Net. Retrieved 6 November 2013.

Bibliography
  • Gretton, Peter (1974). Crisis Convoy. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-925-1.

Further reading
  • Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. ISBN 1-86176-147-3.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (2005) [1972]. Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (3rd rev. ed.). London: Chatham. ISBN 978-1-86176-257-3.
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