36th Escort Group (Royal Navy)
Encyclopedia
36th Escort Group was a British formation of the Royal Navy
which saw action during the Second World War, principally in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The group operated mainly on the Gibraltar
and South Atlantic convoy routes, and was involved in several convoy battles, including Convoy HG 76, one of the first Allied victories in the Atlantic campaign.
, destined to become Britains most successful anti-submarine warfare
commander.
The group comprised 2 sloops, Stork and Deptford (Lt Cdr HR White),and 7 corvettes
Convulvulus (Lt RS Connel),
Gardenia (Lt Cdr Firth),
Marigold
(Lt J Renwick),
Penstemon (Lt Cdr J Byron),
Rhodedendron (Lt Cdr LA Sayers),
Samphire
(Lt Cdr FT Renny) and
Vetch (Lt Cdr HJ Beverley).
, in August 1941. This was uneventful, as no attack developed. The groups next few convoys, to Gibraltar and the South Atlantic, were equally uneventful, giving the group time to drill and practice group exercises.
In December 1941 36 EG escorted HG 76 in company with the escort carrier Audacity
and her destroyer consorts.
Over a period of 8 days the escort force destroyed 4 U-boats, 3 of them by 36 EG, for the loss of 2 ships and 2 warships, one of which was carrier Audacity. Hailed as a major victory, HG 76 was the first time heavy losses had been inflicted on an attacking U-boat force.
In April 1942 the group accompanied OG 82. With a group reduced to Stork and 4 corvettes, (Convulvulus, Gardenia, Penstemon and Vetch), 36 EG destroyed one U-boat, U-252, with no ships lost.
In June 1942 HG 84, escorted by Stork with 3 corvettes (Convulvulus, Gardenia and Marigold) was attacked by the U-boat group Endrass. The groups aggressive defence caused damage to 5 U-boats, but no kills, while 5 ships were sunk. The destroyer Wild Swan
, sent as reinforcement, was also sunk in an air attack.
In June Walker left the group to take command of Liverpool base and 36 EG was disbanded, its vessels being transferred to other groups.
During its 13 month history 36 EG had escorted 16 convoys. It saw the loss of 9 ships and 2 warships, for the destruction of 4 U-boats and another 5 damaged. Over 400 ships conveyed by 36 EG arrived safely.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
which saw action during the Second World War, principally in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The group operated mainly on the Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and South Atlantic convoy routes, and was involved in several convoy battles, including Convoy HG 76, one of the first Allied victories in the Atlantic campaign.
Formation
36th Escort Group (36 EG) was formed in October 1941 led by HMS Stork under the command of Cdr FJ "Johnnie" WalkerFrederic John Walker
Captain Frederic John Walker, CB, DSO and three Bars, RN was a British Royal Navy officer noted for his exploits during World War II...
, destined to become Britains most successful anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
commander.
The group comprised 2 sloops, Stork and Deptford (Lt Cdr HR White),and 7 corvettes
Convulvulus (Lt RS Connel),
Gardenia (Lt Cdr Firth),
Marigold
HMS Marigold (K87)
HMS Marigold was a of the Royal Navy.-Career:Marigold was launched from the yards of Hall, Russell & Company, of Aberdeen, Scotland on 16 November 1940...
(Lt J Renwick),
Penstemon (Lt Cdr J Byron),
Rhodedendron (Lt Cdr LA Sayers),
Samphire
HMS Samphire (K128)
HMS Samphire was a that served in the Royal Navy.She was built by Smiths Dock Company, in South Bank-on-Tees, and was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 30 June 1941.-Wartime service:...
(Lt Cdr FT Renny) and
Vetch (Lt Cdr HJ Beverley).
Service history
36 Escort Group's first convoy was HG 70, a group of 24 ships homebound from GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, in August 1941. This was uneventful, as no attack developed. The groups next few convoys, to Gibraltar and the South Atlantic, were equally uneventful, giving the group time to drill and practice group exercises.
In December 1941 36 EG escorted HG 76 in company with the escort carrier Audacity
HMS Audacity (D10)
|HMS Audacity was a British escort carrier of the Second World War and the first of her kind. She was originally the German merchant ship Hannover, captured by the Royal Navy in the West Indies in March 1940 and renamed Sinbad, then Empire Audacity. She was converted and commissioned as HMS Empire...
and her destroyer consorts.
Over a period of 8 days the escort force destroyed 4 U-boats, 3 of them by 36 EG, for the loss of 2 ships and 2 warships, one of which was carrier Audacity. Hailed as a major victory, HG 76 was the first time heavy losses had been inflicted on an attacking U-boat force.
In April 1942 the group accompanied OG 82. With a group reduced to Stork and 4 corvettes, (Convulvulus, Gardenia, Penstemon and Vetch), 36 EG destroyed one U-boat, U-252, with no ships lost.
In June 1942 HG 84, escorted by Stork with 3 corvettes (Convulvulus, Gardenia and Marigold) was attacked by the U-boat group Endrass. The groups aggressive defence caused damage to 5 U-boats, but no kills, while 5 ships were sunk. The destroyer Wild Swan
HMS Wild Swan (D62)
HMS Wild Swan was member of the V and W class of destroyers, of the "Admiralty modified W" type. Wild Swan, like most of the rest of class was launched too late for World War I....
, sent as reinforcement, was also sunk in an air attack.
In June Walker left the group to take command of Liverpool base and 36 EG was disbanded, its vessels being transferred to other groups.
During its 13 month history 36 EG had escorted 16 convoys. It saw the loss of 9 ships and 2 warships, for the destruction of 4 U-boats and another 5 damaged. Over 400 ships conveyed by 36 EG arrived safely.
U-boats destroyed
- U-131 sunk by Penstemon,Stork, aircraft and 3 other warships on 17 December 1941
- U-574 rammed by Stork on 19 December 1941
- U-567German submarine U-567German submarine U-567 was a type VII C submarine of the German Kriegsmarine during the Second World War.She was commissioned on 24 October 1939 and her keel laid down on 27 April the following year. She was launched on 6 March 1941 and entered service in 3rd U-boat Flotilla on 24 April the same...
depth-charged by Deptford on 21 December 1941 - U-252 depth-charged by Vetch and Storkon 14 April 1942
Table: convoys escorted
| Outbound | Homebound |
|---|---|
| . | HG 70 |
| OS 6 | SL 89 |
| OS 11 | . |
| OG 76 | HG 76 |
| OG 80 | HG 80 |
| OG 82 | HG 82 |
| OG 84 | HG 84 |
| OG 86 | HG 86 |
| OG 88 | HG 88 |