Convoy JW 59

The convoy JW 59 was an allied northern sea convoy that was put together in August 1944 in Loch Ewe , Scotland , and drove to the Soviet Murmansk . The Allies lost two escort vehicles, the Canadian escort carrier Nabob , which was irreparably damaged, and eleven aircraft. Two submarines were lost on the German side.

Composition and securing

Escort carrier HMS Vindex

The HMS Bickerton before being torpedoed. The HMS Kent and the HMS Trumpeter can be seen in the background

Rescue ship Rathlin

The convoy JW 59 consisted of 35 cargo ships. On August 15, 1944, they left Loch Ewe ( Lage ) in the direction of Murmansk ( Lage ). The escort carriers HMS Vindex and HMS Striker , the cruiser HMS Jamaica and the destroyers HMS Milne , HMS Marne , HMS Meteor , HMS Musketeer and HMS Caprice were responsible for securing the convoy . The escort service was carried out by the 20th and 22nd escort groups, with the destroyers HMS Keppel and HMS Whitehall , the sloops HMS Cygnet , HMS Kite , HMS Mermaid , HMS Peacock , the frigate HMS Loch Dunvegan and the corvettes HMS Bluebell , HMS Camellia , HMS Charlock , HMS Honeysuckle and HMS Oxlip . There was also a Soviet transfer unit north of the convoy with the battleship Arkhangelsk (formerly HMS Royal Sovereign ) and the destroyers Scharki , Schiwuchi , Schjuchi , Schestki , Derzki , Doblestny , Dostojny and Dejatelny . At the same time, two British carrier groups drove with them to carry out air raids on the German battleship Tirpitz . It was a group with the carriers HMS Indefatigable , HMS Formidable and HMS Furious , the battleship HMS Duke of York , the cruisers HMS Devonshire , HMS Berwick and 14 destroyers. The second group consisted of the escort carriers HMS Trumpeter , Nabob (Canadian) and the 5th Escort Group with the destroyers HMS Bickerton , HMS Aylmer , HMS Bligh , HMS Garlies , HMS Kreats and HMS Kempthorne . There were also eleven US submarine fighters who were transferred to the Soviet Union. From August 24th, a Soviet escort group reinforced the escort with the destroyers Baku , Gremyashchi , Gromki and Razjarenny , two guard ships, four minesweepers and four U-fighters. As with other convoy trains, Soviet submarines operated at the exits of Norwegian fjords. There were L-15 at Laksfjord, S-51 at Nordkyn, S-104 at Makkaur, S-103 at Kongsfjord , S-15 at Tana Fjord and M-201 at Syltefjord.

Surname	Type	flag	Measurement in GRT	Whereabouts
Arkhangelsk	freighter	Soviet Union	9150
British Promise	freighter	United Kingdom	8443
Charles A McAllister	freighter	United States	7176
Charles Dauray	freighter	United States	7176
Clark Howell	freighter	United States	7196
David B Johnson	freighter	United States	7198
Edward H Crockett	freighter	United States	7167
Edward L Grant	freighter	United States	7176
Ellijah Kellog	freighter	United States	7176
Empire buttress	freighter	United Kingdom	2905
FT Frelinghusen	freighter	United States	7176
Fort Glenora	freighter	United Kingdom	7126
Frank Gilbreth	freighter	United States	7176
Herbrand	freighter	Norway	9108
John La Farge	freighter	United States	7176
Jose Marti	freighter	United States	7176
Josephine Shaw Lowell	freighter	United States	7176
Leo J Duster	freighter	United States	7176
Luculus	freighter	United Kingdom	6546
Nacella	freighter	United Kingdom	8196
Oakley Wood	freighter	United States	7210
Rathlin	Rescue ship	United Kingdom	1600
Samannan	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Samcalia	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Samconstant	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Samgara	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Samidway	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Sam loyalty	freighter	United Kingdom	7210
Samlyth	freighter	United Kingdom	7210
Samsuva	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Samtredy	freighter	United Kingdom	7219
Silas Weir Mitchell	freighter	United States	7176
Thomas Donaldson	freighter	United States	7210
Thomas H Sumner	freighter	United States	7167
Warren Delano	freighter	United States	7210

course

Three missile-armed Fairey Swordfish

From August 20, 1944, discovered by a Junkers Ju 88 east of Jan Mayen , the convoy ran into the field of vision of the “Trutz” submarine group, consisting of U 344 , U 668 , U 394 and U 363, on August 21 and U 997 . U 344 sank the Sloop Kite ( location ) and was sunk one day later by a Swordfish of the HMS Vindex ( location ) in an air attack . The other submarines U 703 , U 354 , U 365 , and U 711 also reached the convoy on August 22nd.

After a first British air raid on Tirpitz, located in the Altafjord, failed on August 20th due to bad weather, they attacked again on August 22nd. The Germans managed in time to fog the Tirpitz . The anti-aircraft guns and fighters of Jagdgeschwader 5 shot down eleven attackers. The Tirpitz was not damaged, but four BV 138 , one He 115 and two Ar 196 were destroyed in the Kolvik sea air base . U 354 sighted the escort group and attacked. It hit the Canadian escort carrier Nabob and the destroyer HMS Bickerton ( Lage ) with a TV torpedo . The HMS Bickerton was so badly damaged that it had to be sunk. The Nabob leaned to one side but was able to reach a port. It was not repaired, however.

Up to August 24, further submarine attacks were carried out on the convoy, but they were unsuccessful. On August 23, the sloops sank HMS Mermaid and HMS Peacock , the frigate HMS Loch Dunvegan and the guide boat of the 20th Escort Group, the destroyer HMS Keppel U 354 ( location ). On August 25, the convoy reached the Kola Bay off Murmansk .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c} Jürgen Rohwer , Gerhard Hümmelchen : Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, August 1944. Retrieved January 18, 2017 . 
2. ^ Arnold Hague: Arnold Hague Convoy Database, JW Convoy Series. Retrieved January 18, 2017 . 

 Map with all coordinates: OSM | WikiMap