Corvette Command Campaign February 1942 [4]

February 1942

HMCS Windflower

Slow convoy (SC/71) of sixty five merchant ships from ST JOHNS to LIVERPOOL

14th February

Weather fog with snow showers on departure from ST JOHNS, although sea state dead calm. E/S may well take advantage of poor visibility to lurk off shore. Convoy commodore orders immediate zig zagging as precaution, although some older merchant vessels find it difficult to maintain position.

13.35 Torpedo hits MV Atlantan (7000t) with cargo of steel, which shifts causing capsize. Some of the crew picked up by rescue ship SS Bury (1700t) but she is also torpedoed while picking up survivors and goes down quickly by the bow. SOE orders all escorts to begin co-ordinated ASDIC and RADAR sweep for E/S. 

14.15 ASDIC picks up close range (300yds) contact and depth charge attack set for shallow depth, tight pattern, no luck! ASDIC contact subsequently lost but re-acquired at medium range (1800yds), with faint trace. E/S successfully evades, probably going deep. CO orders extra lookouts and ASDIC on constant watch, as wolfpack now presumed to be tracking convoy.

15th-16th February

Weather improves with good visibility and calm seas, although haze makes it difficult for lookouts to observe E/S. Crew on action stations, constant watch.

11.47 RADAR detects contact on surface at long range (3100yds), bearing 087 degrees, but lookouts unable to confirm E/S due to haze. 

12.13 Torpedo hit on MV Empire Liberty (7000t), ship settles slowly as cargo of grain absorbs damage and limits flooding of No1 hold. Crew abandon ship and picked up. 

13.05 Torpedo hit on MV Dunboyne (3000t), general cargo, goes down by the stern sinking quickly but most of crew picked up from the water. 

RADAR contact with E/S lost. Assumed to have withdrawn due to lack of torpedoes but may well return after dark. CO orders constant RADAR and ASDIC watch.

02.45 RADAR detects surface contact at medium range (1800yds), bearing 242 degrees. Star shell fired to illuminate but no visual identification. Course set to intercept but E/S evades, using convoy as cover.

03.01 Torpedo hit on tanker MV George H. Jones, (12000t), lubrication oil. Fire breaks out forward but contained by crew, allowing them to abandon ship via stern life rafts. Torpedo tracks comb two ships in convoy.

03.05 Torpedo hit on ammunition ship SS Arica (5000t), explodes, no survivors. RADAR confirms E/S contact lost, the explosion no doubt letting the U-Boat slip away.

February 17th-28th 

Weather deteriorates to fog and snow then full Force 10 gale, with high seas and storm force winds. This shakes off the U-Boats but life very uncomfortable for ships complement, as galley fires out and mess deck swamped.  

February 29th Arrive LIVERPOOL.

That was a bad convoy for HMCS Windflower, with some poor lookout rolls allowing the U-Boats to strike without being attacked in return, while the weather once again gave the enemy an edge. The RADAR and ASDIC crews did comparatively well but the wolfpack overwhelmed the convoy at one point, leading to six ships being lost including the rescue ship. In the wash up, however, it was still an minor allied victory and was followed up by some useful crew upgrades for the ship's complement, who are now veterans of four convoys.