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{{short description|Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War}}
]
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
'''Convoy SC-118''' was the 118th of the numbered series of ] ] of merchant ships from ], ] to ].<ref>Hague 2000 p.133</ref> Sixty-one ships departed ] on 24 January 1943;<ref>Hague 2000 p.135</ref> and were met by ] Group B-2 consisting of ] ]s ] and ], the ] ], the ] ], ]s ], ], ] and ], and the ] ''Toward''.<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref>
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Convoy SC 118
|campaign=
|image=]
|caption= {{USS|Schenck|DD-159|6}} at sea
|partof=]
|date=4–7 February 1943
|place=]
|result=German tactical victory
|combatant1={{flag|United Kingdom|naval}}<br/>{{flag|Canada|naval-1911}}<br/>{{flag|United States|1912}}<br/>{{flag|Free French}}<ref>The Flower-class corvette ''Lobelia'' was then under Free French </ref>
|combatant2={{flagcountry|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|commander1= Captain H C C Forsyth RNR<br/>Commander Proudfoot RN
|commander2=] ]
|strength1= 64 freighters<br/>5 ]s<br/>2 ]<br/>4 ]s
|strength2= 20 submarines
|casualties1= 8 freighters sunk (51,592 ])<br/>445 killed/drowned
|casualties2= 3 submarines sunk<br/>101 killed/drowned<br/>45 captured
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Atlantic Campaign}}
}}


'''Convoy SC 118''' was the 118th of the numbered series of ] ] of merchant ships from ], ], to ].<ref>Hague 2000 p. 133</ref> The ships departed ] on 24 January 1943<ref name="Hague 2000 p.135">Hague 2000 p.135</ref> and were met by ] Group ] consisting of ] ]s {{HMS|Vanessa|D29|2}} and {{HMS|Vimy|D33|2}}, the {{sclass2|Treasury|cutter|0}} ] {{USCGC|Bibb|WPG-31|2}}, the {{sclass2|Town|destroyer|2}} {{HMS|Beverley|H64|2}}, {{sclass2|Flower|corvette}}s {{HMS|Campanula|K18|2}}, {{HMS|Mignonette|K38|2}}, {{HMS|Abelia|K184|2}} and {{ship|FFL|Lobelia|K05|2}}, and the ] ''Toward''.<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191">Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 191</ref>
On 4 February ] reported sighting the convoy and was promptly sunk by ''Beverly'' and ''Vimy'' after ''Bibb'' and ''Toward'' triangulated High-Frequency radio Direction-Finder (HF/DF or ]) location from the sighting report.<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref> Two ships were torpedoed by ] and ].<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref>


==Background==
On 5 February the convoy escort was reinforced by the ] ] and the ]s ] and ] from ].<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref>
]
As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the "]", Admiral ], the '']'' (''BdU'') or commander in chief of ]s, shifted focus to the mid-Atlantic to avoid aircraft patrols. Although convoy routing was less predictable in the mid-ocean, Dönitz anticipated that the increased numbers of U-boats being produced would be able to effectively search for convoys with the advantage of intelligence gained through '']'' decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3.<ref>Tarrant p. 108</ref> However, only 20 percent of the 180 trans-Atlantic convoys sailing from the end of July 1942 until the end of April 1943 lost ships to U-boat attack.<ref name="hag">Hague pp. 132, 137–38, 161–62, 164, 181</ref>


On 2 February {{GS|U-456||2}} sank three ships from ]. A survivor of one of the sunken ships was picked up by {{GS|U-632||2}} and told his rescuers a slower convoy was following behind HX 224.<ref name="Waters December 1966 p.96">Waters December 1966 p.96</ref>
In the pre-dawn hours of 7 February, U-boat Ace ''Kapitänleutnant'' Siegfied Freiherr von Forstner's ] torpedoed the 8,597-ton British freighter ''Afrika'', the 9272-ton Norwegian ] ''Daghild'', the 6500-ton Greek freighter ''Kalliopi'', the 6625-ton American ] ''Robert E. Hopkins'', the 6063-ton American cargo-liner ''Henry R. Mallory'', and the 1571-ton rescue ship ''Toward''.<ref>Hague 2000 p.137</ref> Two-hundred-seventy-two were lost from ''Henry R. Mallory's'' crew of 77, 34 ], and the 384 American military personnel she was transporting to ].<ref>Morison 1975 p.336</ref> Twenty-seven merchant sailors were lost from the other ships with 8500 tons of fuel oil, 13000 tons of diesel fuel, 7000 tons of general cargo, and 10500 tons of steel and lumber.<ref>Hague 2000 p.137</ref>


==Battle==
] sank the straggling 5730-ton British freighter ''Harmala'' with 8500 tons of iron ore and 53 crewmen<ref>Hague 2000 p.137</ref> while ''Lobelia'' sank ].<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref>


===4 February 1943===
] ] J sank ] on 7 February.<ref>Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191</ref> ] sank the 4265-ton British freighter ''Newton Ash'' that night with 32 crewmen and 6500 tons of grain, stores, and mail. On 9 February ''Kapitänleutnant'' von Forstner was awarded the ] for ships sunk by U-402 from this convoy and from ] on the previous patrol. SC-118 reached ] without further loss on 12 February.<ref>Hague 2000 p.135</ref>
A careless merchant seaman of convoy SC 118 fired a pyrotechnic snowflake projector aboard the Norwegian freighter SS ''Vannik'' in the pre-dawn darkness of 4 February.<ref name="Waters December 1966 p.96"/> {{GS|U-187||2}} observed the snowflake display, reported sighting the convoy, and was promptly sunk by ''Beverly'' and ''Vimy'' after ''Bibb'' and ''Toward'' triangulated the submarine's location from the sighting report, using high-frequency radio direction-finder (HF/DF or ]).<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191"/> The destroyers rescued 44 of the submarine's crew.<ref>Waters December 1966 p.97</ref> The Polish freighter ''Zagloba'' was torpedoed on the unprotected side of the convoy by {{GS|U-262||2}} and {{GS|U-413||2}} torpedoed the straggling American freighter ''West Portal''.<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191"/>


== References == ===5 February 1943===
On 5 February the convoy escort was reinforced by the {{sclass2|Treasury|cutter|0}} ] {{USCGC|Ingham|WPG-35|2}} and the {{sclass|Wickes|destroyer}}s {{USS|Babbitt|DD-128|6}} and {{USS|Schenck|DD-159|6}} from ].<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191"/> The reinforced escort damaged ''U-262'' and {{GS|U-267||2}}.<ref>Waters December 1966 p. 98</ref>


===7 February 1943===
* {{cite book| title=The Allied Convoy System 1939-1945 |author=Hague, Arnold |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2000 |id=ISBN 1-55750-019-3}}
In the pre-dawn hours of 7 February, ''Kapitänleutnant'' ]'s {{GS|U-402||2}} torpedoed the British freighter ''Afrika'', Norwegian ] ''Daghild'', Greek freighter ''Kalliopi'', American ] ''Robert E. Hopkins'', American ] {{USS|Henry R. Mallory|ID-1280|2}}, and ] ''Toward''.<ref name="Hague 2000 p.137">Hague 2000 p.137</ref>
* {{cite book| title=North Atlantic Run |author=Milner, Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |id=ISBN 0-87021-450-0}}

* {{cite book| title=History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1943 |author=Morison, Samuel Eliot |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |year=1975}}
''Henry R. Mallory'' was capable of {{convert|14|kn|lk=in}} but had been straggling well astern of the convoy for several days and was not zig-zagging in that exposed position.<ref name="Waters December 1966 p.102">Waters December 1966 p.102</ref> ''Mallory'' would normally have been assigned to one of the faster ], but there had been no Iceland section of the preceding convoy HX 224.<ref name="Waters December 1966 p.102"/> No commands came from the ] after ''Mallory'' was torpedoed, no flares were sent up, no radio distress message was sent out, and no orders were given to abandon ship.<ref>Waters December 1966 p.103</ref> There were heavy casualties from ''Mallory''{{'}}s crew of 77, 34 ], and the 136 American soldiers, 172 American sailors, and 72 American Marines she was transporting to ].<ref>Morison 1975 p. 336</ref>
* {{cite book| title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939-1945 |author=Rohwer, J. and Hummelchen, G. |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1992 |id=ISBN 1-55750-105-X}}

{{GS|U-614||2}} sank the straggling British freighter ''Harmala''<ref name="Hague 2000 p.137"/> while ''Lobelia'' sank {{GS|U-609||2}}.<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191"/>

] J of ] sank ''U-614'' on 7 February.<ref name="Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p.191"/> ''U-402'' sank British freighter ''Newton Ash'' that night. On 9 February ''Kapitänleutnant'' von Forstner was awarded the ] for ships sunk by ''U-402'' from this convoy and from ] on the previous patrol. SC 118 reached ] without further loss on 12 February.<ref name="Hague 2000 p.135"/>

==Ships in convoy==

{|Class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" width="150px" |Name<ref name="haguedatabase">{{cite web|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/sc/index.html|title=SC convoys|publisher=Arnold Hague Convoy Database|accessdate=2011-05-29}}</ref>
! scope="col" width="120px" |Flag<ref name="haguedatabase"/>
! scope="col" width="25px" |Dead<ref name="Hague 2000 p.137"/>
! scope="col" width="30px" |Tonnage ]<ref name="haguedatabase"/>
! scope="col" width="100px" |Cargo<ref name="Hague 2000 p.137"/>
! scope="col" width="300px" |Notes<ref name="haguedatabase"/>
|-
|align="left" |''Acme'' (1916)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|6,878
|align="left" |Petrol & oil
|
|-
|align="left" |''Adamas'' (1918)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|align="right"|0
|align="right"|4,144
|align="left" |Steel & lumber
|align="left" |Sank 8 Feb after collision with {{SS|Samuel Huntington||2}}
|-
|align="left" |''African Prince'' (1939)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|8,031
|align="left" |Bauxite and ammunition
|align="left" |Carried convoy commodore Capt H C C Forsyth RD RNR
|-
|align="left" |'']'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|23
|align="right"|8,597
|align="left" |4,000 tons steel & 7,000 tons general cargo
|align="left" |Sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left" |''Ann Skakel'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|4,949
|align="left" |General cargo
|align="left" |Veteran of ]; Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
|-
|align="left" |''Arizpa'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|0
|align="right"|5,437
|align="left" |Stores
|
|-
|align="left" |''Athelprince'' (1926)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|8,782
|align="left" |Diesel & naptha
|align="left" |Convoy vice-commodore was ship's master
|-
|align="left" |''Baron Haig'' (1926)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|3,391
|align="left" |Sugar
|
|-
|align="left" |''Baron Ramsey'' (1929)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|3,650
|align="left" |Iron ore
|align="left" |Veteran of ]
|-
|align="left" |''Bestik'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|2,684
|align="left" |Steel & lumber
|
|-
|align="left" |''Blairdevon'' (1925)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|3,282
|align="left" |Steel & lumber
|
|-
|align="left" |''Celtic Star'' (1918)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|5,575
|align="left" |refrigerated & general cargo
|
|-
|align="left" |''Cetus'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|2,614
|align="left" |Sugar
|align="left" |Veteran of ]; survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left" |''City of Khios'' (1925)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|5,574
|align="left" |Sugar
|
|-
|align="left" |'']'' (1927)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|align="right"|0
|align="right"|9,272
|align="right"|13,000 tons Diesel
|align="left" |Veteran of ]; sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}}, {{GS|U-614||2}} & {{GS|U-608||2}}
|-
|align="left" |''Dallington Court'' (1929)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|6,889
|align="left" |Wheat
|align="left" |Survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left" |''Danae II'' (1936)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|2,660
|align="left" |Bauxite
|align="left" |Veteran of ]
|-
|align="left" |''Danby'' (1937)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|4,281
|align="left" |Linseed & grain
|
|-
|align="left" |''Daylight'' (1931)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|9,180
|align="left" |General cargo
|align="left" |Escort oiler; Detached to Iceland 9 Feb; survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left" |''Deido'' (1928)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|3,894
|align="left" |Petrol
|
|-
|align="left" |''Dettifoss'' (1930)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Iceland}}
|
|align="right"|1,564
|align="left" |General cargo
|align="left" |Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
|-
|align="left" |''Dordrecht'' (1928)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}
|
|align="right"|4,402
|align="left" |Palm oil
|align="left" |Returned to Halifax
|-
|align="left" |{{SS|Empire Gareth||2}} (1942)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|2,847
|align="left" |Bauxite
|
|-
|align="left" |{{SS|Empire Liberty||2}} (1941)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|7,157
|align="left" |General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|''Glarona'' (1928)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|9,912
|align="left"|fuel oil & Diesel
|
|-
|align="left"|''Gogra'' (1919)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|5,190
|align="left"|General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|''Gold Shell'' (1931)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|8,208
|align="left"|Petrol
|
|-
|align="left"|''Grey County'' (1918)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|align="right"|3
|align="right"|5,194
|align="left"|General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|''Gulf of Mexico'' (1917)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|7,807
|align="left"|Oil & petrol
|
|-
|align="left"|''H M Flagler'' (1918)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Panama}}
|
|align="right"|8,208
|align="left"|Furnace fuel oil
|align="left"|Escort oiler
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1935)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|53
|align="right"|5,730
|align="left"|8,500 tons iron ore
|align="left"|Straggled and sunk by {{GS|U-614||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''Helder'' (1920)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}
|
|align="right"|3,629
|align="left"|General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1916)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|272
|align="right"|6,063
|align="left"|383 passengers & general cargo
|align="left"|Veteran of ]; sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''Ioannis Frangos'' (1912)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|
|align="right"|3,442
|align="left"|Grain
|
|-
|align="left"|''Julius Thomsen'' (1927)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Denmark}}
|
|align="right"|1,151
|
|align="left"|Detached to Greenland
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1910)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|align="right"|4
|align="right"|4,965
|align="left"|6,500 tons steel & lumber
|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''King Stephen'' (1928)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|5,274
|align="left"|Grain
|
|-
|align="left"|''Kiruna'' (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Sweden}}
|
|align="right"|5,484
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|Veteran of ] and ]
|-
|align="left"|''Lagarfoss'' (1904)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Iceland}}
|
|align="right"|1,211
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|Detached to Iceland 9 Feb; survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left"|''Makedonia'' (1942)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|
|align="right"|7,044
|align="left"|Flour
|
|-
|align="left"|''Mana'' (1920)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Honduras}}
|
|align="right"|3,283
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''Maud'' (1930)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|3,189
|align="left"|Sugar
|
|-
|align="left"|''New York City'' (1917)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|2,710
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|Veteran of ]
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1925)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|32
|align="right"|4,625
|align="left"|6,500 tons grain, mail & military stores
|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''Norbryn'' (1922)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|5,087
|align="left"|Tea & rubber
|
|-
|align="left"|''Permian'' (1931)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Panama}}
|
|align="right"|8,890
|
|align="left"|Survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left"|''Petter II'' (1922)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|7,417
|align="left"|Gas oil
|
|-
|align="left" |'']'' (1914)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|
|align="right"|4,077
|align="left" |Grain
|align="left" |Sunk by {{GS|U-266||2}}
|-
|align="left" |''Radmanso'' (1914)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|Sweden}}
|
|align="right"|4,280
|align="left"|Sulphur
|
|-
|align="left"|''Radport'' (1925)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|5,355
|align="left"|General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|''Redgate'' (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|4,323
|align="left"|General cargo
|
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|0
|align="right"|6,625
|align="left"|8,500 tons furnace fuel oil
|align="left"|Escort oiler; sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left"|{{SS|Samuel Huntington||2}} (1942)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|7,181
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|]
|-
|align="left"|''Sheaf Holme'' (1929)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|
|align="right"|4,814
|align="left"|Potash & general cargo
|align="left"|Survived this convoy and ]
|-
|align="left"|''Sommerstad'' (1926)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|5,923
|align="left"|Lubricating oil
|
|-
|align="left"|''Stad Arnhem'' (1920)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Netherlands}}
|
|align="right"|3,819
|align="left"|Phosphates
|
|-
|align="left"|''Tilemachos'' (1911)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Greece|old}}
|
|align="right"|3,658
|align="left"|Grain
|
|-
|align="left" |'']'' (1923)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|58
|align="right"|1,571
|
|align="left" |Rescue ship; sunk by {{GS|U-402||2}} 7 Feb
|-
|align="left" |''Vacuum'' (1920)
|align="left" |{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|7,020
|align="left" |Petrol
|
|-
|align="left" |''Vannik'' (1940)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Norway}}
|
|align="right"|1,333
|align="left" |General cargo
|align="left" |Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1920)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|5,376
|align="left"|Stores
|align="left"|Straggled and sunk by {{GS|U-413||2}} 4 Feb
|-
|align="left"|''William Penn'' (1921)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|United States|1912}}
|
|align="right"|8,447
|align="left"|Petrol
|
|-
|align="left"|''Yemassee'' (1922)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Panama}}
|
|align="right"|2,001
|align="left"|General cargo
|align="left"|Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
|-
|align="left"|'']'' (1938)
|align="left"|{{flagcountry|Poland}}
|
|align="right"|2,864
|align="left"|Ammunition & general cargo
|align="left"|Sunk by {{GS|U-262||2}} 4 Feb
|}

==See also==
* ]

== Notes ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== References ==


* {{cite book|last= Edwards|first= Bernard|title= Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-boats at War|year= 1996|isbn= 0-304-35203-9|pages= 141–145, 147–151, 199|ref = {{sfnRef|Edwards}}
{{reflist|2}}
}}
* {{cite book| title=The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 |last=Hague|first=Arnold|publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=2000 |isbn=1-55750-019-3}}
* {{cite book| title=North Atlantic Run |author=Milner, Marc |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1985 |isbn=0-87021-450-0}}
* {{cite book| title=History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1943 |author=Morison, Samuel Eliot |publisher=Little, Brown and Company |year=1975}}
* {{cite book| title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945 |author1=Rohwer, J. |author2=Hummelchen, G. |publisher=Naval Institute Press |year=1992 |isbn=1-55750-105-X}}
* {{cite book| title=The U-Boat Offensive 1914–1945 |author=Tarrant, V.E. |publisher=Arms and Armour |year=1989 |isbn=1-85409-520-X}}
* {{citation |last=Waters |first=John M. Jr.|title=Stay Tough |publisher=United States Naval Institute Proceedings |date=December 1966}}


] ]
] ]
]

Latest revision as of 12:55, 16 November 2022

Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War

Convoy SC 118
Part of Battle of the Atlantic

USS Schenck at sea
Date4–7 February 1943
LocationNorth Atlantic
Result German tactical victory
Belligerents
 United Kingdom
 Canada
 United States
 Free French		  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Captain H C C Forsyth RNR
Commander Proudfoot RN		 Admiral Karl Dönitz
Strength
64 freighters
5 destroyers
2 cutters
4 corvettes		 20 submarines
Casualties and losses
8 freighters sunk (51,592 GRT)
445 killed/drowned		 3 submarines sunk
101 killed/drowned
45 captured
Atlantic campaign

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

Convoy SC 118 was the 118th of the numbered series of World War II slow convoys of merchant ships from Sydney, Cape Breton Island, to Liverpool. The ships departed New York City on 24 January 1943 and were met by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group B-2 consisting of V-class destroyers Vanessa and Vimy, the Treasury-class cutter Bibb, the Town-class destroyer Beverley, Flower-class corvettes Campanula, Mignonette, Abelia and Lobelia, and the convoy rescue ship Toward.

Background

A painting of a large grey ship at sea, black smoke coming from its funnel
A painting of one the ships in the convoy, SS Radport

As western Atlantic coastal convoys brought an end to the "second happy time", Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote (BdU) or commander in chief of U-boats, shifted focus to the mid-Atlantic to avoid aircraft patrols. Although convoy routing was less predictable in the mid-ocean, Dönitz anticipated that the increased numbers of U-boats being produced would be able to effectively search for convoys with the advantage of intelligence gained through B-Dienst decryption of British Naval Cypher Number 3. However, only 20 percent of the 180 trans-Atlantic convoys sailing from the end of July 1942 until the end of April 1943 lost ships to U-boat attack.

On 2 February U-456 sank three ships from convoy HX 224. A survivor of one of the sunken ships was picked up by U-632 and told his rescuers a slower convoy was following behind HX 224.

Battle

4 February 1943

A careless merchant seaman of convoy SC 118 fired a pyrotechnic snowflake projector aboard the Norwegian freighter SS Vannik in the pre-dawn darkness of 4 February. U-187 observed the snowflake display, reported sighting the convoy, and was promptly sunk by Beverly and Vimy after Bibb and Toward triangulated the submarine's location from the sighting report, using high-frequency radio direction-finder (HF/DF or Huff-Duff). The destroyers rescued 44 of the submarine's crew. The Polish freighter Zagloba was torpedoed on the unprotected side of the convoy by U-262 and U-413 torpedoed the straggling American freighter West Portal.

5 February 1943

On 5 February the convoy escort was reinforced by the Treasury-class cutter Ingham and the Wickes-class destroyers USS Babbitt and USS Schenck from Iceland. The reinforced escort damaged U-262 and U-267.

7 February 1943

In the pre-dawn hours of 7 February, Kapitänleutnant Siegfried von Forstner's U-402 torpedoed the British freighter Afrika, Norwegian tanker Daghild, Greek freighter Kalliopi, American tanker Robert E. Hopkins, American cargo liner Henry R. Mallory, and convoy rescue ship Toward.

Henry R. Mallory was capable of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) but had been straggling well astern of the convoy for several days and was not zig-zagging in that exposed position. Mallory would normally have been assigned to one of the faster HX convoys, but there had been no Iceland section of the preceding convoy HX 224. No commands came from the bridge after Mallory was torpedoed, no flares were sent up, no radio distress message was sent out, and no orders were given to abandon ship. There were heavy casualties from Mallory's crew of 77, 34 Navy gunners, and the 136 American soldiers, 172 American sailors, and 72 American Marines she was transporting to Iceland.

U-614 sank the straggling British freighter Harmala while Lobelia sank U-609.

B-17 Flying Fortress J of No. 220 Squadron RAF sank U-614 on 7 February. U-402 sank British freighter Newton Ash that night. On 9 February Kapitänleutnant von Forstner was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for ships sunk by U-402 from this convoy and from Convoy SC 107 on the previous patrol. SC 118 reached Liverpool without further loss on 12 February.

Ships in convoy

Name Flag Dead Tonnage (GRT) Cargo Notes
Acme (1916)  United States 6,878 Petrol & oil
Adamas (1918)  Greece 0 4,144 Steel & lumber Sank 8 Feb after collision with Samuel Huntington
African Prince (1939)  United Kingdom 8,031 Bauxite and ammunition Carried convoy commodore Capt H C C Forsyth RD RNR
Afrika (1920)  United Kingdom 23 8,597 4,000 tons steel & 7,000 tons general cargo Sunk by U-402 7 Feb
Ann Skakel (1920)  United States 4,949 General cargo Veteran of convoy SC 107; Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
Arizpa (1920)  United States 0 5,437 Stores
Athelprince (1926)  United Kingdom 8,782 Diesel & naptha Convoy vice-commodore was ship's master
Baron Haig (1926)  United Kingdom 3,391 Sugar
Baron Ramsey (1929)  United Kingdom 3,650 Iron ore Veteran of convoy SC 42
Bestik (1920)  Norway 2,684 Steel & lumber
Blairdevon (1925)  United Kingdom 3,282 Steel & lumber
Celtic Star (1918)  United Kingdom 5,575 refrigerated & general cargo
Cetus (1920)  Norway 2,614 Sugar Veteran of convoy HX 84; survived this convoy and convoy SC 130
City of Khios (1925)  United Kingdom 5,574 Sugar
Daghild (1927)  Norway 0 9,272 13,000 tons Diesel Veteran of convoy ON 127; sunk by U-402, U-614 & U-608
Dallington Court (1929)  United Kingdom 6,889 Wheat Survived this convoy and convoy SC 130
Danae II (1936)  United Kingdom 2,660 Bauxite Veteran of convoy HX 84
Danby (1937)  United Kingdom 4,281 Linseed & grain
Daylight (1931)  United States 9,180 General cargo Escort oiler; Detached to Iceland 9 Feb; survived this convoy and convoy SC 130
Deido (1928)  United Kingdom 3,894 Petrol
Dettifoss (1930)  Iceland 1,564 General cargo Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
Dordrecht (1928)  Netherlands 4,402 Palm oil Returned to Halifax
Empire Gareth (1942)  United Kingdom 2,847 Bauxite
Empire Liberty (1941)  United Kingdom 7,157 General cargo
Glarona (1928)  Norway 9,912 fuel oil & Diesel
Gogra (1919)  United Kingdom 5,190 General cargo
Gold Shell (1931)  United Kingdom 8,208 Petrol
Grey County (1918)  Norway 3 5,194 General cargo
Gulf of Mexico (1917)  United States 7,807 Oil & petrol
H M Flagler (1918)  Panama 8,208 Furnace fuel oil Escort oiler
Harmala (1935)  United Kingdom 53 5,730 8,500 tons iron ore Straggled and sunk by U-614 7 Feb
Helder (1920)  Netherlands 3,629 General cargo
Henry Mallory (1916)  United States 272 6,063 383 passengers & general cargo Veteran of convoy ON 154; sunk by U-402 7 Feb
Ioannis Frangos (1912)  Greece 3,442 Grain
Julius Thomsen (1927)  Denmark 1,151 Detached to Greenland
Kalliopi (1910)  Greece 4 4,965 6,500 tons steel & lumber Sunk by U-402 7 Feb
King Stephen (1928)  United Kingdom 5,274 Grain
Kiruna (1921)  Sweden 5,484 General cargo Veteran of convoy HX 79 and convoy ON 154
Lagarfoss (1904)  Iceland 1,211 General cargo Detached to Iceland 9 Feb; survived this convoy and convoy SC 130
Makedonia (1942)  Greece 7,044 Flour
Mana (1920)  Honduras 3,283 General cargo Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
Maud (1930)  Norway 3,189 Sugar
New York City (1917)  United Kingdom 2,710 General cargo Veteran of convoy SC 107
Newton Ash (1925)  United Kingdom 32 4,625 6,500 tons grain, mail & military stores Sunk by U-402 7 Feb
Norbryn (1922)  Norway 5,087 Tea & rubber
Permian (1931)  Panama 8,890 Survived this convoy and convoy SC 122
Petter II (1922)  Norway 7,417 Gas oil
Polyktor (1914)  Greece 4,077 Grain Sunk by U-266
Radmanso (1914)  Sweden 4,280 Sulphur
Radport (1925)  United Kingdom 5,355 General cargo
Redgate (1929)  United Kingdom 4,323 General cargo
Robert E. Hopkins (1921)  United States 0 6,625 8,500 tons furnace fuel oil Escort oiler; sunk by U-402 7 Feb
Samuel Huntington (1942)  United States 7,181 General cargo Liberty ship
Sheaf Holme (1929)  United Kingdom 4,814 Potash & general cargo Survived this convoy and convoy SC 130
Sommerstad (1926)  Norway 5,923 Lubricating oil
Stad Arnhem (1920)  Netherlands 3,819 Phosphates
Tilemachos (1911)  Greece 3,658 Grain
Toward (1923)  United Kingdom 58 1,571 Rescue ship; sunk by U-402 7 Feb
Vacuum (1920)  United States 7,020 Petrol
Vannik (1940)  Norway 1,333 General cargo Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
West Portal (1920)  United States 5,376 Stores Straggled and sunk by U-413 4 Feb
William Penn (1921)  United States 8,447 Petrol
Yemassee (1922)  Panama 2,001 General cargo Detached to Iceland 9 Feb
Zagloba (1938)  Poland 2,864 Ammunition & general cargo Sunk by U-262 4 Feb

See also

Notes

  1. The Flower-class corvette Lobelia was then under Free French
  2. Hague 2000 p. 133
  3. ^ Hague 2000 p.135
  4. ^ Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 191
  5. Tarrant p. 108
  6. Hague pp. 132, 137–38, 161–62, 164, 181
  7. ^ Waters December 1966 p.96
  8. Waters December 1966 p.97
  9. Waters December 1966 p. 98
  10. ^ Hague 2000 p.137
  11. ^ Waters December 1966 p.102
  12. Waters December 1966 p.103
  13. Morison 1975 p. 336
  14. ^ "SC convoys". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 29 May 2011.

References

  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-boats at War. pp. 141–145, 147–151, 199. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Hague, Arnold (2000). The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-019-3.
  • Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-450-0.
  • Morison, Samuel Eliot (1975). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1943. Little, Brown and Company.
  • Rohwer, J.; Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-105-X.
  • Tarrant, V.E. (1989). The U-Boat Offensive 1914–1945. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-520-X.
  • Waters, John M. Jr. (December 1966), Stay Tough, United States Naval Institute Proceedings
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