| Convoy HX.300 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofWorld War II | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Germany |  United Kingdom | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| AdmiralKarl Dönitz | Rear-Admiral Sir A T Tillard KBE DSO | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| unknown | 159 merchant ships 32 escorts | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| unknown | none | ||||
Convoy HX 300 was the 300th of the numbered series ofWorld War IIHX convoys ofmerchant ships fromHalifax toLiverpool. It started its journey on 17 July 1944 and was the largest convoy of the war, comprising 166 ships.
These HX convoys had been established shortly after declaration of war; and the first sailed on 16 September 1939.[1] Ships in convoy were less vulnerable tosubmarine attack than ships sailing independently, but the Allies had difficulty providing an adequate number of escortingwarships to establish a protective perimeter for detecting and defeating approaching submarines.British Admiraltyoperations research scientists evaluating convoy battles of 1941 and 1942 determined losses of ships in convoy were independent of convoy size, but varied with the number of attacking submarines and, when patrol aircraft were unavailable, with the number of escorting warships. They suggested convoy losses could be reduced by 64 percent by decreasing the frequency of convoys to increase the average number of merchant ships in each convoy from 32 to 54 and the number of escorting warships from 6 to 9.[2] Additional reduction of losses was theoretically possible with even larger convoys, but difficulties maneuvering large formations of ships and providing port services for simultaneous arrival of so many ships discouraged very large convoys until trade convoy escort warships were required to support theInvasion of Normandy. More than one hundred ships sailed in each of 7ON convoys and 9 HX convoys during the summer of 1944. HX 300 was the largest of these with 166 merchant ships arranged in 19 parallel columns to produce a formation approximately 9 miles (14 km) wide and 4 miles (6.4 km) long.[3] Ships sailing fromNew York City on 17 July 1944 were joined by 30 merchant ships sailing fromHalifax Harbour on 19 July, 24 sailing fromSydney, Nova Scotia on 20 July, and 3 fromSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador to form the largest trade convoy of the war.[4]
Ships sailing from New York were escorted byUnited States Navysubmarine chasersSC 1338 andSC 1340, and byWestern Local Escort Force (WLEF)Algerine-class minesweeperPortage andFlower-class corvettesChicoutimi,Kamsack andThe Pas. Ships sailing from Halifax were escorted by WLEF minesweeperWinnipeg and corvettesArvida,Pictou,Lethbridge andRosthern.Rosthern and the escorts from New York were detached when the remaining ships from Halifax assumed responsibility for the convoy on 20 July. Ships sailing from Sydney were escorted by WLEFIsles-class trawlersBaffin andMiscou, and NorwegianKing Haakon VII. The escorting warships from Sydney detached from the convoy after the escorting warships from Halifax assumed responsibility for the ships from Sydney on 22 July. The four warships from Halifax were detached whenMid-Ocean Escort Force group C5River-class frigateDunver and corvettesDauphin,Wetaskiwin,New Westminster,Hespeler,Algoma, andLong Branch assumed responsibility for the convoy on 24 July. The latter two corvettes had escorted the merchant ships sailing from St. Johns.Naval trawlers HMSCape Mariato and HMSSouthern Spray assumed responsibility for the convoy in the Western Approaches on 2 August. The convoy was not attacked by submarines and arrived inUnited Kingdom ports by 3 August 1944.[5]
After the seven Canadian warships of escort group C5 brought the largest convoy of theBattle of the Atlantic safely across the mid-ocean, many of the convoy's ships began offloading food, fuel, and materials to support the civilian population of theBritish Isles. One ship from the convoy waited inLoch Ewe to carry supplies to the United States garrison inIceland; nine ships waited in theFirth of Clyde untilconvoy JW 59 formed to carry war materials to theSoviet Union; and 46 waited atOban untilchannel ports were ready for them to offload food, fuel, andammunition for Allied armies moving east fromFrance, andtrucks,jeeps,half-tracks, andlocomotives to move those supplies to the front. HX 300 was one of six hundredWorld War II trade convoys fromNorth America to the British Isles. The following list describes theBritish,American,Norwegian,Greek,Dutch,Panamanian,Polish,Yugoslavian,French, andSwedish ships of this convoy and the cargoes they were transporting.[4]
| Name[5] | Flag[5] | Destination[4] | Tonnage(GRT)[5] | Cargo[5] | Notes[5] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agia Marina (1912) |  Greece | Avonmouth | 4,151 | Grain &armoured fighting vehicles | Joined from Sydney |
| Albert S. Burleson (1943) |  United States | Europe | 7,244 | General cargo | Liberty ship fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Aleksandar I (1927) |  Yugoslavia | Liverpool | 5,948 | Sugar | |
| Alexander Ramsey (1942) | United States | Immingham | 7,181 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| Amelia Earhart (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| American Press (1920) | United States | Port of Hull | 5,131 | General cargo including explosives | Joined from Halifax |
| Ancylus (1935) |  United Kingdom | Clyde | 8,017 | USN fuels | Merchant aircraft carrier tanker ferrying a deck-load of non-operational aircraft joined from St.John's, Newfoundland |
| Andrew Turnbull (1944) | United States | Europe | 7,240 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Anna N Goulandris (1921) | Greece | Thames | 4,358 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Anson P. K. Safford (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | Explosives | Liberty ship |
| Anthony Wayne (1942) | United States | Liverpool | 7,181 | Landing craft and locomotives | Liberty ship |
| Athelduke (1929) | United Kingdom | Bromborough | 8,966 | Molasses | |
| Athelprince (1926) | United Kingdom | Salt End | 8,782 | Molasses | Joined from Sydney |
| Athelregent (1930) | United Kingdom | Greenock | 8,881 | Molasses | Carried 59 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Augustus P. Loring (1944) | United States | Thames | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| B. F. Shaw (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Baxtergate (1925) | United Kingdom | Thames | 5,531 | Wheat | Joined from Sydney |
| Ben A. Ruffin (1944) | United States | Europe | 7,182 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Bente Maersk (1928) | United Kingdom | Firth of Clyde | 5,722 | Gas oil | Serving as escort oiler |
| Bernhard (1924) |  Norway | Liverpool | 3,563 | Sugar | |
| Billy Mitchell (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Bonita (1918) |  Panama | Thames | 4,929 | Lumber | Joined from Sydney |
| British Colonel (1921) | United Kingdom | Leith | 6,999 | Gas oil | Serving as escort oiler carrying 70 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| British Promise (1942) | United Kingdom | Soviet Union | 8,443 | Alcohol | Cargo loaded atPhiladelphia |
| Cairnvalona (1918) | United Kingdom | Tyne | 4,929 | Refrigerated general cargo | Joined from Sydney fitted withHF/DF |
| Calobre (1919) | Panama | Belfast | 6,891 | Motor vehicles | |
| Cataraqui Park (1944) | United States | Bristol | 2,877 | Lumber | Joined from Sydney |
| Charles Brantley Aycock (1942) | United States | Newport | 7,176 | Explosives and poison gas | Liberty ship |
| Charles D. McIver (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Charles Dauray (1944) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,176 | General cargo including locomotives | Liberty ship |
| Charles J. Folger (1943) | United States | Immingham | 7,194 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| Chesapeake (1928) | United Kingdom | Firth of Clyde | 8,955 | Diesel oil and aircraft | Serving as escort oiler carrying 58 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Christine Marie (1919) | United Kingdom | Rochester | 3,895 | Woodpulp | Joined from St.John's, Newfoundland |
| Christopher Gadsden (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,177 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| City of Lancaster (1924) | United Kingdom | Thames | 3,041 | Asphalt, sugar & rum | |
| City of Leicester (1926) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 3,351 | Flour & general cargo | Joined from Sydney |
| Clan MacInnes (1920) | United Kingdom | Avonmouth | 4,672 | Flour & general cargo | Joined from Halifax |
| Clark Howell (1944) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,198 | General cargo including locomotives | Liberty ship |
| Clyde L. Seavey (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Clydefield (1928) | United Kingdom | Scapa Flow | 7,365 | Fuel oil | |
| Cyrus T. Brady (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Dalhanna (1930) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 5,571 | Lard & general cargo | |
| Daniel Drake (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| David Bushnell (1942) | United States | Liverpool | 7,181 | Explosives | Liberty ship |
| Daylight (1931) | United States | Heysham | 9,180 | Petrol, oil & barges | |
| Dimitrios Chandris (1910) | Greece | Thames | 4,643 | General cargo | Joined form Sydney |
| Dolly Madison (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship |
| Dramatist (1920) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 5,443 | General cargo | |
| Eastern Guide (1918) | United States | Loch Ewe | 3,704 | General cargo including lumber and 300 depth charges bound forIceland | |
| Edward J. Filene (1944) | United States | Europe | 7,240 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Edward Bellamy (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Edward L. Grant (1943) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,176 | General cargo including locomotives | Liberty ship |
| Elg (1930) | Norway | Greenock | 4,014 | Sugar & rum | |
| Elijah Kellogg (1944) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,176 | Locomotives & machinery | Liberty ship |
| Elijah White (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Eliphalet Nott (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| Elisabeth Dal (1910) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 4,258 | Wheat | Joined from Sydney; constructive total loss following collision |
| Elizabeth Blackwell (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including pontoons | Liberty ship |
| Empire MacCallum (1943) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 8,252 | Grain | Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax |
| Empire Mallory (1941) | United Kingdom | Avonmouth | 6,327 | Ore concentrates | |
| Empire Mouflon (1921) | United Kingdom | Hartlepool | 3,234 | General cargo including explosives | Joined from Sydney |
| Empire Pibroch (1942) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 7,046 | Refrigerated general cargo | Carried convoy commodore RADM Sir A T Tillard KBE DSO |
| Empire Treasure (1943) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 7,022 | Meat, flour & general cargo | Joined from Halifax fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Evanger (1920) | Norway | Tyne | 3,869 | General cargo including barges | |
| Exilona (1919) | United States | Europe | 4,971 | General cargo including motor vehicles | |
| Ferncourt (1938) | Norway | Manchester | 9,918 | Diesel oil & armoured fighting vehicles | Serving as escort oiler |
| Fluor Spar (1919) | United States | Cardiff | 5,055 | General cargo including explosives | Joined from Halifax |
| Fort Nipagon (1942) | United Kingdom | Thames | 7,132 | General cargo | |
| Francis D. Culkin (1944) | United States | Europe | 7,210 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Francis N. Smith (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | Explosives | Liberty ship fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Frank Wiggins (1943) | United States | Immingham | 7,176 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship |
| Franka (1918) | Yugoslavia | Liverpool | 5,273 | Sugar | |
| Frontenac (1928) | Norway | Portsmouth | 7,350 | USN fuel | Serving as escort oiler carrying 10 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Gabriel Duval (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Gatineau Park (1942) | United Kingdom | Hull | 7,128 | General cargo including ammunition | Joined from Sydney fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| George P. Garrison (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,244 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Georgian (1920) | United States | Europe | 5,825 | General cargo including motor vehicles | |
| Gerard Dou (1941) |  Netherlands | Thames | 7,242 | Sugar & general cargo | Carried convoy vice-commodore Vice-Admiral Sir R H O Lane-Poole KBE CB |
| Gerassimos Vergottis (1920) | Greece | Liverpool | 6,343 | Woodpulp | Joined from Halifax |
| Glarona (1928) | Norway | Manchester | 9,912 | Crude oil & aircraft | |
| Gylfe (1930) | Norway | Grangemouth | 6,129 | Diesel fuel | |
| Hall J. Kelley (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,180 | Military stores including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Hartlepool (1932) | United Kingdom | Tyne | 5,500 | Lumber | Joined from Sydney |
| Helder (1920) | Netherlands | Liverpool | 3,629 | Sugar & rum | Joined from Halifax |
| Henrik Ibsen (1906) | Norway | Ipswich | 4,671 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Hoegh Hood (1936) | Norway | Liverpool | 9,351 | USN fuel & aircraft | |
| Horace H. Harvey (1943) | United States | Scapa Flow | 7,218 | USN fuel | Liberty ship |
| Horace Williams (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including explosives & motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Howard T. Ricketts (1943) | United States | Port of Hull | 7,176 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| James B. Duke (1944) | United States | Immingham | 7,200 | Explosives & machinery | Liberty ship |
| James Bowdoin (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| James Ives (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Jan Van Goyen (1919) | Netherlands | Thames | 5,704 | Sugar & powdered milk | |
| Jean Baptiste Le Moyne (1943) | United States | Firth of Clyde | 7,218 | USN fuel | Liberty ship |
| John B. Hamilton (1944) | United States | Glasgow | 7,247 | General cargo including tractors & sulfur | Liberty ship |
| John Catron (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including trailers | Liberty ship fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| John La Farge (1943) | United States | Firth of Clyde | 7,176 | Locomotives & building materials | Liberty ship |
| John McLoughlin (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| John Mitchell (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,191 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| John W. Garrett (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Junior Van Noy (1919) | United States | Europe | 2,372 | Military stores & explosives | Army repair ship |
| Kohistan (1933) | United Kingdom | Glasgow | 5,884 | General cargo | |
| Kronprinsessen Margareta (1914) |  Sweden | Swansea | 3,746 | General cargo | |
| Lansdowne Park (1943) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 2,861 | Woodpulp | Joined from Halifax |
| Leo J. Duster (1943) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,176 | General cargo including explosives and locomotives | Liberty ship |
| Lista (1920) | Norway | Manchester | 3,671 | General cargo including motor vehicles | |
| Lucerna (1930) | United Kingdom | Thames | 6,556 | Gas oil | Serving as escort oiler carrying 50 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Macoma (1936) | Netherlands | Firth of Clyde | 8,069 | USN fuel | Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax |
| Maliakos (1912) | Greece | Thames | 3,903 | Woodpulp | Joined from Sydney |
| Margarita Chandris (1920) | Greece | Thames | 5,401 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Maud (1930) | Norway | Liverpool | 3,189 | Sugar | |
| Merchant Royal (1928) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 5,008 | Newsprint | Joined from Sydney |
| Michael J. Stone (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Mimosa (1905) | Greece | Thames | 3,071 | Lumber | Joined from Sydney |
| Minerva (1930) | Norway | Liverpool | 5,883 | General cargo including landing craft | |
| Mobile City (1920) | United States | Europe | 6,157 | General cargo | Joined from Halifax |
| Morska Wola (1924) |  Poland | Garston, Merseyside | 3,208 | General cargo including explosives | |
| Mount Othrys (1919) | Greece | Leith | 6,527 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Nacella (1943) | United Kingdom | Soviet Union | 8,196 | Aviation gasoline | Fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Nanceen (1929) |  France | Thames | 2,895 | Woodpulp & motor vehicles | Joined from Halifax |
| Nathan Clifford (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,200 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Nathaniel Matthews (1944) | United Kingdom | Hartlepool | 2,437 | General cargo | |
| Noah Brown (1944) | United States | Avonmouth | 7,240 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Norma (1930) | Norway | Liverpool | 4,487 | Sugar & general cargo | |
| Norsk Tank (1928) | Norway | Manchester | 9,720 | Fuel oil | |
| Ocean Fame (1942) | United Kingdom | Thames | 7,173 | Sugar | Fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Odysseus (1913) | Greece | Thames | 4,577 | Ammunition & general cargo | |
| Oscar Chappell (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,244 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| Ovula (1938) | Netherlands | Southampton | 6,256 | Diesel fuel and aircraft | Serving as escort oiler |
| Peik (1930) | Norway | Derry | 6,099 | Furnace fuel oil | Joined from Halifax |
| Pencarrow (1921) | United Kingdom | Cardiff | 4,841 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Peter V. Daniel (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | Explosives | Liberty ship |
| Pierre Gibault (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles and explosives | Liberty ship |
| Pomona (1920) | United States | Europe | 7,583 | General cargo | Joined from Halifax |
| Prometheus (1925) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 6,095 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Joined from Halifax |
| Rapana (1935) | United Kingdom | Firth of Clyde | 8,017 | USN fuel | Merchant aircraft carrier joined from Halifax |
| Riley (1936) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 4,993 | Grain | Joined from Sydney |
| Robert M. La Follette (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,191 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Rudby (1924) | United Kingdom | River Tyne | 4,846 | Grain | Joined from Halifax |
| Saintonge (1936) | United Kingdom | Thames | 9,386 | USN fuel | Serving as escort oiler carrying 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Salando (1920) | Netherlands | Thames | 5,272 | General cargo including motor vehicles | |
| Samfield (1943) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 7,219 | Steel & lumber | Fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Samsperrin (1944) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 7,219 | Grain | |
| Samuel Ashe (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,177 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Samuel Johnson (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,191 | General cargo | Liberty ship |
| Samuel Nelson (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | Motor vehicles | Liberty ship |
| Samuel Parker (1942) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo | Liberty ship joined from Halifax |
| San Valerio (1913) | United Kingdom | Isle of Grain | 6,493 | Furnace fuel oil | Serving as escort oiler |
| Senga (1913) | Yugoslavia | Glasgow | 5,140 | Steel & woodpulp | Joined from Sydney |
| Silas Weir Mitchell (1943) | United States | Firth of Clyde | 7,176 | Locomotives and explosives | Liberty ship fitted withAnti-torpedo Net Device |
| Skeldergate (1930) | United Kingdom | Manchester | 4,251 | Woodpulp | Joined from Sydney |
| Solstad (1927) | Norway | Birkenhead | 5,952 | Lubricating oil | |
| Stalowa Wola (1924) | Poland | Sunderland | 3,133 | General cargo including explosives | |
| Suerte (1910) | Panama | 3,649 | |||
| Thomas Donaldson (1944) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,210 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship |
| Thorshov (1935) | Norway | London | 9,955 | Diesel fuel and aircraft | Serving as escort oiler carrying 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Tilapa (1928) | United Kingdom | Thames | 5,392 | Meat and general cargo | Joined from Halifax |
| Torr Head (1937) | United Kingdom | Glasgow | 5,021 | Metal & general cargo | Veteran ofconvoy ON 67; joined from Halifax |
| Trocas (1927) | United Kingdom | Thames | 7,406 | Furnace fuel oil | |
| Tynebank (1922) | United Kingdom | Liverpool | 4,651 | Sugar | |
| Voco (1925) | United Kingdom | Birkenhead | 5,090 | Lubricating oil | Carried 60 spare depth charges for escorting warships |
| Warren Delano (1944) | United States | Soviet Union | 7,210 | General cargo including locomotives | Liberty ship |
| William R. Davie (1942) | United States | Liverpool | 7,177 | General cargo including explosives | Liberty ship |
| Wind Rush (1918) | United States | Cardiff | 5,586 | Motor vehicles and explosives | Veteran ofconvoy JW 51A andconvoy ON 166 |
| Winona (1919) | United States | Liverpool | 6,197 | General cargo including ammunition and motor vehicles | Veteran ofconvoy SC 7 |
| Wisla (1928) | Poland | Bristol | 3,106 | General cargo | Veteran ofconvoy ON 154; joined from Halifax |
| Zamalek (1921) | United Kingdom | 1,567 | convoy rescue ship; veteran ofconvoy PQ 17 andconvoy SC 130 | ||
| Zane Grey (1943) | United States | Europe | 7,176 | General cargo including motor vehicles | Liberty ship |