WS convoys

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A WS convoy in the Atlantic

WS convoys (WS = Winston's Specials) were militarily secured, irregularly running British convoys of troop carriers and cargo ships. They transported British or allied troops and military cargo to all theaters of war during the Second World War. The British used large passenger ships and fast cargo ships as transport ships, which were secured by aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers. The total of 54 WS convoys with 741 ships suffered only one enemy-related loss ( WS 18 , mine barrier of a German mine ship).

However, the Navy succeeded in sinking parts of the convoy WS 21S  - nine cargo ships, two cruisers, an aircraft carrier and a destroyer - that were on their way to Malta after their successful arrival in Gibraltar as part of Operation Pedestal .

Starting position

After the beginning of the Second World War, Great Britain fell on the defensive in all theaters of war. Not only was the British motherland threatened after the Battle of Britain and the German invasion plans , there was also a threat of territorial loss in North and East Africa.

The island situation of Great Britain and its wide-ranging world empire constantly required large numbers of soldiers to be transported across the oceans.

Convoy system

The WS convoys drove as required, without a fixed route or schedule. The composition of a convoy often changed during the journey, as small partial convoy trains with a different destination split off or were joined by partial convoy.

They traveled frequently between Great Britain and its overseas territories. Less often (with the exception of Great Britain) they linked the overseas territories with one another. In the WS convoy there were many former passenger ships that were now serving as troop transports. These large ships, which carried several thousand soldiers, had the advantage that they could maintain an average speed of more than 20  kn (36 km / h). This made it impossible for German submarines to follow them. Sometimes there were also fast cargo ships in a convoy. Escorts from aircraft carriers, battleships, cruisers and destroyers accompanied the convoy against attacks by aircraft or surface ships. The name Winston's Specials was derived from Winston Churchill , the British Prime Minister at the time .

Convoys

The Mauretania drove in the WS 1 convoy together with the ...
... Aquitania and the ...
... Queen Mary (here a picture in New York Harbor)
The Dorsetshire often escorted WS convoys
The Sheffield protected the troop transports in WS 3 ...
... Oronsay ...
... Orontes and the ...
Duchess of York
The troop transport Empress of Canada drove in WS 4B
The Admiral Hipper attacked WS 5A and ...
... damaged the Berwick in the process
The Ramillies protected the large convoy WS 5B
The aircraft carrier Ranger secured the WS 12X and WS 24
  • WS 1 left Great Britain on June 29, 1940. 11,500 soldiers were transported to Ceylon on board the three large troop transporters Aquitania , Queen Mary and Mauretania . The security was carried out by the cruiser Cumberland and (in home waters) four destroyers, from Cape Town by the British cruiser Kent .
  • WS 2 transported a total of 23,000 soldiers from Great Britain in partial escorts to Suez and Bombay on board twelve passenger and five fast transport ships . The light cruisers Coventry and Hobart , three destroyers ( Kandahar , Kingston , Kimberley ) and two sloops ( Auckland , Flamingo ) took over the security .
  • WS 3 was divided into the slow WS 3S and the fast WS 3F convoy. WS 3S drove with the transporter Oropesa and four cargo ships to Cape Town and from there to Aden . The security was provided by the cruiser Sheffield and six destroyers. The Sheffield was later replaced by the Cumberland . WS 3F brought the seven transporters Capetown Castle , Winchester Castle , Georgic , Oronsay , Orontes , Monarch of Bermuda and Duchess of York via Cape Town to Aden. The escort was carried out by the heavy cruiser Dorsetshire . In the Gulf of Aden, additional security was added by the light cruisers Caledon and Carlisle , the destroyer Kimberley and two sloops. The trip took a total of 44 days.
  • Parts of the British 2nd Panzer Division were transported in the WS 4A convoy . The four troop carriers Almanzora , Highland Monarch , Scythia and Stirling Castle and eight cargo ships with an escort from the cruisers Cornwall and Cairo , the auxiliary cruisers Pretoria Castle , Kanimbla and the light cruisers Carlisle and Perth drove .
  • The WS 4B brought further parts of the British 2nd Panzer Division and the Australian 18th Infantry Brigade to Suez . 23,800 soldiers drove in the ten transporters Andes , Empress of Canada , Strathallan , Strathnaver , Reina del Pacifico , Orcades , Strathaird , Otranto , Duchess of Atholl and Viceroy of India , escorted by the cruisers Norfolk and Edinburgh . From Cape Town changing escort ships, such as the cruisers Devonshire , Cumberland , Hawkins , Shropshire , Southampton and Carlisle .
  • The convoy WS 5A was the only WS convoy that was attacked by a German surface ship on the open sea. Leaked on December 18, 1940 with ten troop carriers and twelve transport ships with a total of 13,800 soldiers, the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper encountered the convoy in the North Atlantic about 700 nautical miles west of Cape Finisterre . Due to the British escort, consisting of the cruisers Bonaventure and Naiad (replaced on December 24th by the cruisers Berwick and Dunedin ) the aircraft carriers Furious and Argus , six destroyers and four corvettes, the Admiral Hipper only dared a brief attack. The cruiser Berwick and the troop transporters Empire Trooper and Arabistan were damaged.
  • The WS 5B was one of the largest WS convoys. 40,000 soldiers drove to Suez in 21 troop transports. The fuse consisted of the battleship Ramillies , the cruisers Australia , Naiad , Phoebe and twelve destroyers.
  • WS 12X drove from Halifax, Canada, with six US troop ships to Cape Town. Over 20,000 British soldiers on board. The American Task Group 14.4 took over the backup, u. a. with the aircraft carrier Ranger and eight destroyers.
  • WS 18 left Great Britain with 20 ships. On May 15, 1942, he overran a mine barrier that had previously been laid by the German mine ship Doggerbank . The freighter Soudan sank and the Hecla was damaged.
  • The WS 19W convoy consisted only of the troop transport Queen Mary , which alone transported 9500 soldiers. At the beginning of her voyage she secured the anti-aircraft cruiser Cairo and four destroyers, later the cruisers Mauritius and Devonshire . Her sister ship, the Queen Elizabeth , also sailed on the same route in WS 19Y .
  • WS 21S left Great Britain on August 2, 1942 and reached Gibraltar on August 10, 1942 without losses. On August 11th, large parts of the convoy drove on to Malta as part of Operation Pedestal . The Germans sank nine cargo ships, two cruisers, an aircraft carrier and a destroyer.
  • With more than 20,000 soldiers in the troop transports Wakefield , Mount Vernon , West Point , Leonard Wood , Joseph T. Dickman and Orizaba was WS 24 go. The American escort group TG.14.4 took over the escort. with the escort carrier Ranger , the cruisers Quincy , Vincennes and the destroyers Wainwright , Moffett , McDougal , Winslow , Mayrant , Trippe , Rhind and Rowan .

Tabular overview

Convoy Departure Arrivals Ships
WS 1 June 29, 1940 in Great Britain (GB) July 29, 1940 in Ceylon 3
WS 2 August 5, 1940 in the UK September 14, 1940 in Suez 16
WS 3A p October 3, 1940 in the UK November 3, 1940 merged with WS 3B 5
WS 3B F October 7, 1940 in the UK November 16, 1940 in Suez 6th
WS 3C November 1, 1940 in Cape Town November 23, 1940 in Suez 2
WS 4 November 2, 1940 in the UK December 23, 1940 in Suez 17th
WS 4B November 18, 1940 in the UK December 28, 1940 in Suez 10
WS 5A December 18, 1940 in the UK February 16, 1941 in Freetown 25th
WS 5B January 12, 1941 in the UK March 3, 1941 in Suez 20th
WS 5BX February 24, 1941 Partial escort from WS 5 B February 4, 1941 in Bombay 4th
WS 6A February 9, 1941 in the UK April 15, 1941 in Prim 29
WS 6B February 17, 1941 in the UK ?? in Freetown 4th
WS 7 March 24, 1941 in the UK May 6, 1941 in Suez 21st
WS 7X May 1, 1941 Partial escort from WS 7 May 5, 1941 in Bombay 4th
WS 8A April 26, 1941 in the UK June 13, 1941 in Suez 15th
WS 8B May 22, 1941 in the UK 4th July 1941 in Aden 7th
WS 8X May 31, 1941 in the UK July 11, 1941 in Aden 3
WS 8C August 9, 1941 in Clyde (GB) August 13, 1941 19th
WS 9A June 3, 1941 in the UK July 21, 1941 in Aden 15th
WS 9AX July 18, 1941 Partial escort from WS 9A July 22, 1941 in Bombay 3
WS 9A2 July 11, 1941 in Durban July 18, 1941 in Aden 3
WS 9B June 30, 1941 in the UK August 14, 1941 in Suez 12
WS 9BX August 13, 1941 Partial escort from WS 9B August 16, 1941 in Bombay 2
WS 9C July 13, 1941 in the UK July 20, 1941 in Gibraltar 9
WS 10 August 3, 1941 in the UK September 6, 1941 in Cape Town 19th
WS 10 September 6, 1941 in Cape Town September 23, 1941 in Aden 8th
WS 10B September 6, 1941 Partial escort from WS 10 September 20, 1941 in Bombay 5
WS 10X August 10, 1941 in the UK September 27, 1941 in Aden 6th
WS 11 August 31, 1941 in the UK October 19, 1941 in Aden 19th
WS 11B October 17, 1940 Partial escort from WS 11 October 22, 1941 in Bombay 12
WS 11X September 17, 1941 in the UK 25 September 1941 in Gibraltar 15th
WS 12 October 1, 1941 in the UK November 20, 1941 in Aden 24
WS 12Y November 17, 1941 Partial escort from WS 12 December 23, 1941 in Colombo 3
WS 12V November 24, 1941 in Colombo November 28, 1941 in Singapore 2
WS 12X November 10, 1941 in Halifax December 9, 1941 in Cape Town 6th
WS 12Z UK November 13, 1941 December 1941 dissolution into WS 12ZA and WS 12ZB 16
WS 12ZA December 1941 Partial escort from WS 12Z January 4, 1941 in Aden 3
WS 12ZB December 1941 Partial escort from WS 12Z January 6, 1942 in Bombay 8th
WS 14 December 9, 1941 in the UK January 19, 1941 in Cape Town 28
WS 14A January 19, 1942 Partial escort from WS 14 January 22, 1942 in Aden ?
WS 14B January 19, 1942 Partial escort from WS 14 January 28, 1942 in Bombay ?
WS 15 January 12, 1942 in the UK February 26, 1942 Dissolution into WS 15A and WS 15B 23
WS 15A February 26, 1942 Partial escort from WS 15 March 1, 1942 in Aden ?
WS 15B February 26, 1942 Partial escort from WS 15 March 4, 1942 in Bombay ?
WS 16 February 17, 1942 in the UK April 3, 1942 Dissolution into WS 16A and WS 16B 21st
WS 16A April 3, 1942 Partial escort from WS 16 April 6, 1942 in Aden 3
WS 16B April 3, 1942 Partial escort from WS 16 April 8, 1942 in Bombay 11
WS 17 March 23, 1942 in the UK May 11, 1942 Dissolution into WS 17A and WS 17 B 32
WS 17A May 11, 1942 Partial escort from WS 17 May 14, 1942 in Aden 4th
WS 17B May 11, 1942 Partial escort from WS 17 May 16, 1942 in Bombay 9
WS 17BZ May 10, 1942 Partial escort from WS 17B May 19, 1942 in Bombay 7th
WS 18 April 15, 1942 in the UK June 2, 1942 Dissolution into WS 18A and WS 18B 20th
WS 18A June 2, 1942 Partial escort from WS 18 June 4, 1942 in Aden 3
WS 18B June 2, 1942 Partial escort from WS 18 June 7, 1942 in Bombay 17th
WS 19 May 10, 1942 in the UK June 27, 1942 Dissolution into WS 19A and WS 19B 17th
WS 19A June 27, 1942 Partial escort from WS 19 June 30, 1942 in Aden ?
WS 19B June 27, 1942 Partial escort from WS 19 July 1, 1942 in Bombay ?
WS 19P June 1, 1942 in the UK July 7, 1942 in Cape Town 23
WS 19Q June 1942 Partial escort from WS 19P July 8, 1942 in Suez 1
WS 19L July 7, 1942 Partial escort from WS 19P July 17, 1942 in Aden 10
WS 19PA July 17, 1942 Partial escort from WS 19P July 20, 1942 in Aden 11
WS 19PB July 17, 1942 Partial escort from WS 19P July 23, 1942 in Bombay 6th
WS 19W May 23, 1942 in the UK June 22, 1942 in Suez 1
WS 19Z June 5, 1942 in the UK June 12, 1942 in Gibraltar 5
WS 19Y June 17, 1942 in the UK July 18, 1942 in Suez 1
WS 20 June 21, 1942 in the UK August 1, 1942 in Cape Town 22nd
WS 20A August 1, 1942 Partial escort from WS 20 August 6, 1942 in Aden ?
WS 20B August 1, 1942 Partial escort from WS 20 August 9, 1942 in Bombay ?
WS 21 July 29, 1942 in the UK September 10, 1942 in Cape Town 12
WS 21A September 10, 1942 Partial escort from WS 21 September 16, 1942 in Aden 6th
WS 21B September 10, 1942 Partial escort from WS 21 September 19, 1942 in Bombay 6th
WS 21P July 17, 1942 in the UK August 16, 1942 in Cape Town 13
WS 21P August 16, 1942 in Cape Town August 29, 1942 in Aden 10
WS 21PG August 19, 1942 Partial escort from WS 21P September 1st Hormuz 3
WS 21S August 2, 1942 in the UK August 10, 1942 in Gibraltar 14th
WS 22 August 29, 1942 in the UK October 10, 1942 in Cape Town 20th
WS 22 October 10, 1942 in Cape Town October 12, 1942 in Mombasa 2
WS 22A October 12, 1942 Partial escort from WS 22 October 16, 1942 in Aden 4th
WS 22B October 12, 1942 Partial escort from WS 22 October 17, 1942 in Bombay 6th
WS 23 October 4, 1942 in the UK November 17, 1942 in Cape Town 8th
WS 23A November 17, 1942 Partial escort from WS 23 November 21, 1942 in Aden 4th
WS 23B November 17, 1942 Partial escort from WS 23 November 24, 1942 in Bombay 4th
WS 24 October 31, 1942 in the UK December 13, 1942 in Durban 7th
WS 24A December 13, 1942 Partial escort from WS 24 December 28, 1942 in Aden 1
WS 24B December 6, 1942 Partial escort from WS 24 December 17, 1942 in Bombay 2
WS 25 December 18, 1942 in the UK January 18, 1942 in Durban 9
WS 25W December 23, 1942 in the UK January 18, 1943 in Suez 1
WS 26 January 23, 1943 in the UK March 11, 1943 in Cape Town 17th
WS 26A March 11, 1943 Partial escort from WS 26 March 15, 1943 in Aden 7th
WS 26B March 11, 1943 Partial escort from WS 26 March 17, 1943 in Bombay 6th
WS 27 February 27, 1943 in the UK April 9, 1943 in Aden 6th
WS 28 March 16, 1943 in the UK April 30, 1943 in Aden 15th
WS 29 April 16, 1943 in the UK April 28, 1943 in Freetown 13
WS 29A April 20, 1943 in the UK May 4, 1943 in Freetown 2
WS 29 May 6, 1943 in Freetown June 2, 1943 in Cape Town 15th
WS 29A June 2, 1943 Partial escort from WS 29 June 8, 1943 in Aden ?
WS 29B June 2, 1943 Partial escort from WS 29 June 10, 1943 in Bombay ?
WS 30 May 21, 1943 in the UK July 3, 1943 in Colombo, July 4, 1943 in Aden, July 9, 1943 in Bombay 5
WS 31 June 21, 1943 in the UK August 13, 1943 in Bombay 7th
WS 32 July 20, 1943 in the UK September 6, 1943 in Aden, September 10, 1943 in Bombay 8th
WS 33 August 17, 1943 in the UK September 3, 1943 Gibraltar, October 31, 1943 Aden, November 4, 1943 Bombay 17th

Overview by years

year Convoys Ships losses
1940 8th 84 0
1941 19th 287 0
1942 18th 278 1
1943 9 92 0
total 54 741 1

See also

literature

  • Arnold Hague: The allied convoy system 1939-1945. Its organization, defense and operation. US Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 2000, ISBN 1-55750-019-3 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, July 1940 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  2. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, August 1940 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  3. ↑ a b Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, October 1940 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  4. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, November 1940 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  5. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, December 1940 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  6. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, January 1941 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  7. ↑ Clay Blair : The U-Boat War, The Jäger 1939-1942. Wilhelm Heyne Verlag , Munich 1998, ISBN 3-453-12345-X , Appendix 16.
  8. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronicle of the Sea War 1939–1945, April 1942 , accessed on November 28, 2012.
  9. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, May 1942 , accessed on November 28, 2012.
  10. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronicle of the Sea War 1939–1945, June 1942 , accessed on December 2, 2012.
  11. ↑ Jürgen Rohwer, Gerhard Hümmelchen: Chronik des Maritime War 1939–1945, November 1941 , accessed on November 20, 2012.
  12. ^ A b Arnold Hague: The allied convoy system 1939–1945.
  13. ↑ a b without escort ships