| Convoy SC 129 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofWorld War II | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
.svg) Germany |  United Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| AdmiralKarl Dönitz | Comm: RD Binks B-2 Group: Cdr.D MacIntyre | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 25 U-boats | 25 ships 8 escorts | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1 U-boat destroyed 2 U-boats damaged 53 dead | 2 ships sunk (7,627GRT) 3 dead | ||||||
SC 129 was aNorth Atlanticconvoy of theSC series which ran during theBattle of the Atlantic inWorld War II. It was one of several convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month ofMay 1943.
SC 129 was an east bound convoy of 25 ships, plus local contingents, which sailed fromNew York on 2 May 1943 bound forLiverpool and carrying war materials.
Mid-Ocean Escort Force group B2 joined the convoy fromSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on 6 May. Escort group B2 was led by CdrD MacIntyre inHMSHesperus; other ships of this group were destroyerHMS Whitehall and fivecorvettes. They were joined for the voyage by twoarmed trawlers, plus aconvoy rescue ship and anoiler.
Arrayed against them in the North Atlantic were patrol linesRhein,Elbe andDrossel, though although in the event onlyElbe, re-configured and comprising 21 U-boats, engaged SC 129.
First contact with the convoy was made on 11 May byU-504, which called up other boats fromElbe and commenced shadowing. The radio activity alerted theAdmiralty to the threat, and they ordered Support Group 5, comprisingescort carrierHMSBiter and fourdestroyers to join. At that time SG 5 was supporting HX 237, under attack by boats fromRhein andDrossel, but was then in range ofCoastal Command aircraft, and it was decided SC 129 was in more need.[1]
The report byU-504 had brought up about a dozen U-boats, and on the evening of 11 May one of these,U-402, slipped past the escorts and torpedoed two ships. These were the freighterAntigone, and the Norwegian freighterGrado. Both ships sank,Antigone with the loss of three of her crew. MacIntyre was, in his own words, "furious" that ships under his group's protection had been sunk;[2] in the previous nine months they had escorted tens of convoys without loss. MacIntyre organized a vigorous hunt for the U-boat; she was found byHMS Gentian, attacked with depth charges, and so badly damaged she was forced to abandon her patrol and return to base. Later that night HMSHesperus got a contact withU-223 and attacked; by depth charge and ramming.U-223 was also so badly damaged she was forced to retire.
On returning to the convoy HMSHesperus found another U-boat in the early hours of 12 May. This wasU-186, tracking the convoy. HMSHesperus quickly closed in, and as the U-boat crash-dived, attacked with depth charges. This time the boat was destroyed, all hands were lost.[3][4]
During 12 May the assembled U-boats made over a dozen separate attempts to penetrate the escort screen, but an aggressive defence by the warships, despite being low on fuel and ammunition, prevented any losses.
On 13 May the convoy was joined by HMSBiter and her group; HMSHesperus and her group were able to re-fuel and re-arm, and HMSBiter was able to mount continuous air patrols. At thisBdU saw there was nothing to be achieved, and the attack by theElbe boats was called off, though they continued to shadow. On 17 May this too was abandoned, andElbe was disbanded.
During this period, one of theDrossel boats,U-607, encountered a neutral Irish freighter,Irish Oak, on 15 May and despite her clear markings torpedoed her.The incident caused a political controversy in Ireland, as there were allegations thatIrish Oak had warned the convoy of the presence of U-boats: This was firmly rejected by her owners and the Irish government. The U-boat commander received a mild reprimand.
SC 129 arrived without further incident in Liverpool on 22 May 1943.
SC 129 was a success for theAllies. Despite the loss of two ships, 23 ships had arrived safely. Added to this, an attack by a wolfpack of 12 U-boats had been beaten off, one U-boat had been destroyed, and two more so badly damaged they had to return to base. The convoy was another in a series of set-backs suffered by theU-boat Arm collectively known asBlack May.
| Date | Name | Nationality | Casualties | GRT | Sunk by... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May 1943 | Antigone | British | 3 | 4,545 | U-402[5] |
| 11 May 1943 | Grado | Norwegian | none | 3,082 | U-402[6] |
| Date | Number | Type | Location | Casualties | Sunk by... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 May 1943 | U-186 | IXC/40 | Atlantic, N of theAzores 41°54′N31°49′W / 41.900°N 31.817°W /41.900; -31.817 | 53 | d/c attack by HMSHesperus[7] |
| Date | Number | Type | Location | Hit by... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 May | U-402 | VIIC | Atlantic, NW of the Azores | d/c attack by HMSGentian |
| 11 May | U-223 | VIIC | Atlantic, NW of the Azores | d/c, ramming attack byHesperus |