Corvette Command Campaign March 1942 [5]

March 1942

HMCS Windflower

Slow convoy (SC/73) of 48 merchant ships from LIVERPOOL to ST JOHNS.

5th-9th March

Convoy departs LIVERPOOL, violent storm in Irish Sea and Western Approaches, only three stragglers but conditions very rough making convoy discipline a challenge for commodore. At least the U-Boats are having it rough too.

10th - 11th March

Storm force winds finally subside as high pressure system moves in but drop in temperature results in thick fog and limited visibility. Convoy Commodore orders HMSC Windflower to round up three stragglers from the storm. 

09.55 U-Boat sighted on surface, bearing 067 degrees at long range (2000yds), engaging straggler MV St Athan (3000t), general cargo, with E/S deck gun. 4'' gun to action stations, two rounds fired but no hits as E/S crash dives.  

10.04 ASDIC contact at medium range, bearing 046 degrees closing to short range, with D/C pattern dropped from stern rails. 

10.23 ASDIC maintains contact and second D/C pattern fired from starboard launchers, followed by third pattern from stern rails. 

10.42 ASDIC contact maintained, fourth D/C pattern fired from starboard launchers, flotsam and oil spotted on surface, ASDIC contact fades. Probable E/S sunk.

C/O orders an extra tot for all hands. Jolly Good Show!

HMCS Windflower to abandon search after W/O reports MV St Athan has re-joined convoy.

12th March

Fog disperses but poor weather conditions, with rough swell and gusting winds, although convoy makes good progress. 

22.36 Tanker M/V Empire Pride (16000t), in ballast, hit by torpedo on starboard side, settles on an even keel, crew picked up HMCS St Croix going alongside to lift off survivors despite rough seas. Exemplary seamanship!

22.58 M/V Loch Fyne (3000t), general cargo, hit by torpedo in engine room, goes down by stern, only two survivors picked up from raft. 

23.04 ASDIC detects E/S bearing 310 degrees, medium range (1200yds), closing to short range (200yds). D/C pattern fired from starboard and port launchers. Probable hits.

23.15 ASDIC loses contact with E/S. Despite repeated attempts to regain contact, E/S evades detection. 

23.45 Search for E/S called off, HMCS Windflower returns to convoy, ASDIC op given a talking to by Number One!

12th - 13th March

Expected Wolfpack attack fails to materialise, despite weather conditions improving and sea state calm, with light swell. Must have caught Jerry on the hop! C/O orders RADAR and ASDIC on watch for E/S activity, with extra lookouts posted just in case. The commodore orders all ships to maintain constant, zig zag as good visibility and calm sea will make an easy target for the U-Boats.

13th - 17th March

Weather remains good for remainder of convoy. No E/S activity, suggesting strong defence and convoy discipline have sent them packing!

18th March

Arrive ST JOHNS. A successful convoy, with only four merchants lost, one straggler, MV Quimper (9000t), in ballast, making port two days later. C/O orders all hands to remain aboard for refuelling and rearming, as next convoy to depart in two days time. 

That was a relatively uneventful escort job, with minimal losses to the convoy and one U Boat sunk as a 'probable' having taken four hits from the depth charge attack. The ASDIC operator did a cracking job but the RADAR and lookout weren't great, with the 4'' gun crew yet again failing to hit anything (although it was at long range). The crew of HMCS Windflower gained another 2VP for a major allied victory, which would have been 3VP if two out of three of those stragglers hadn't been lost.