Convoy JW 56A
Encyclopedia
Convoy JW 56A was an Arctic convoy
sent from Great Britain
by the Western Allies
to aid the Soviet Union
during World War II
. It sailed in January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. Twelve ships arrived safely.
During the voyage JW 56A was attacked by a German
U-boat
force; three ships were sunk and one of the escorts damaged in the operation.
on 12 January 1944.
Close escort was provided by a force led by Inconstant
and two corvettes, with two more destroyers joining later. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer Hardy
(Capt. WGA Robson commanding) and five other destroyers.
The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk.
A cruiser cover force comprising Kent
(R.Adm AFE Palliser), Berwick
and Bermuda also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units.
JW 56A was opposed by a U-boat force of 10 boats in a patrol line, code-named Isengrim, in the Norwegian Sea
.
on 12 January 1944, accompanied by its local escort, of two minesweepers and two corvettes, and a close escort of three destroyers and two corvettes.
Three days out from Loch Ewe, on 15 January, JW 56A ran into a storm, forcing the convoy to shelter at Akureyri
in Iceland, which it reached on 18 January.
After another three days days the storm abated and on 21 January JW 56A was able to depart, though five ships were forced to drop out with storm damage. The convoy was joined on 21 January by Hardy and her group, but the following day the local escort departed, leaving an escort force of ten warships to see the convoy through.
Despite search patrols by German aircraft the convoy was not found in the prevailing gloom of the polar night
, but on 25 January JW 56A passed the northernmost U-boat of the patrol line, U-739, which broadcast an alert and commenced shadowing.
Later on 25 January the attack started, continuing throughout the day and following night. The seven boats in contact made a total of seventeen attacks over a twelve hour period.
The first success was a hit by U-360 on the destroyer Obdurate, which was forced to retire with damage.
Later U-278 hit Penelope Barker, which sank.
Just after midnight U-360 hit Fort Bellingham, which was crippled, and U-957 hit Andrew G Curtin, which sank.
Later, at around 5am, U-957 also hit Fort Bellingham, which was sunk.
All other attacks were beaten off, and during 26 January the convoy was able to shake off further pursuit.
On 27 January JW 56A was met by the local escort, three Soviet destroyers from Murmansk
, and the ocean escort detached, to head back through the Isengrim patrol area to meet and re-inforce the following convoy JW 56B
.
Meanwhile JW 56A arrived at Kola without further losses on 28 January 1944.
Convoy JW 56A was followed into Murmansk five days later by JW 56B.
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
sent from Great Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by the Western Allies
Western Allies
The Western Allies were a political and geographic grouping among the Allied Powers of the Second World War. It generally includes the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth, the United States, France and various other European and Latin American countries, but excludes China, the Soviet Union,...
to aid the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It sailed in January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. Twelve ships arrived safely.
During the voyage JW 56A was attacked by a German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
force; three ships were sunk and one of the escorts damaged in the operation.
Ships
The convoy consisted of 20 merchant ships which departed from Loch EweLoch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
on 12 January 1944.
Close escort was provided by a force led by Inconstant
HMS Inconstant (H49)
HMS Inconstant was an I-class destroyer laid down as TCG Muavenet for the Turkish Navy by Vickers Armstrong Naval Construction Works at Barrow-in-Furness on 24 May 1939, purchased in September 1939 by the Royal Navy, launched on 24 February 1941 and commissioned on 24 January 1942.Inconstant...
and two corvettes, with two more destroyers joining later. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer Hardy
HMS Hardy (R08)
HMS Hardy was a V-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service during the Second World War.She built by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, laid down on 14 May 1942, launched 18 March 1943, and completed 14 August 1943....
(Capt. WGA Robson commanding) and five other destroyers.
The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and was also joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk.
A cruiser cover force comprising Kent
HMS Kent (54)
HMS Kent was a heavy cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the late 1920s. She was the lead ship of the Kent subclass. After completion the ship was sent to the China Station where she remained until the beginning of the Second World War, aside from a major refit in 1937–38...
(R.Adm AFE Palliser), Berwick
HMS Berwick (65)
HMS Berwick was a Royal Navy County class heavy cruiser, of the Kent subclass. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , with the keel being laid down on 15 September 1924...
and Bermuda also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units.
JW 56A was opposed by a U-boat force of 10 boats in a patrol line, code-named Isengrim, in the Norwegian Sea
Norwegian Sea
The Norwegian Sea is a marginal sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Norway. It is located between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea and adjoins the North Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Barents Sea to the northeast. In the southwest, it is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
.
Action
JW 56A departed Loch EweLoch Ewe
Loch Ewe is a sea loch in the region of in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The shores are inhabited by a traditionally Gàidhlig speaking people living in or sustained by crofting villages, the most notable of which, situated on the north-eastern shore, is the Aultbea settlement...
on 12 January 1944, accompanied by its local escort, of two minesweepers and two corvettes, and a close escort of three destroyers and two corvettes.
Three days out from Loch Ewe, on 15 January, JW 56A ran into a storm, forcing the convoy to shelter at Akureyri
Akureyri
Akureyri is a town in northern Iceland. It is Iceland's second largest urban area and fourth largest municipality ....
in Iceland, which it reached on 18 January.
After another three days days the storm abated and on 21 January JW 56A was able to depart, though five ships were forced to drop out with storm damage. The convoy was joined on 21 January by Hardy and her group, but the following day the local escort departed, leaving an escort force of ten warships to see the convoy through.
Despite search patrols by German aircraft the convoy was not found in the prevailing gloom of the polar night
Polar night
The polar night occurs when the night lasts for more than 24 hours. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, the polar day, or midnight sun, occurs when the sun stays above the horizon for more than 24 hours.-Description:...
, but on 25 January JW 56A passed the northernmost U-boat of the patrol line, U-739, which broadcast an alert and commenced shadowing.
Later on 25 January the attack started, continuing throughout the day and following night. The seven boats in contact made a total of seventeen attacks over a twelve hour period.
The first success was a hit by U-360 on the destroyer Obdurate, which was forced to retire with damage.
Later U-278 hit Penelope Barker, which sank.
Just after midnight U-360 hit Fort Bellingham, which was crippled, and U-957 hit Andrew G Curtin, which sank.
Later, at around 5am, U-957 also hit Fort Bellingham, which was sunk.
All other attacks were beaten off, and during 26 January the convoy was able to shake off further pursuit.
On 27 January JW 56A was met by the local escort, three Soviet destroyers from Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
, and the ocean escort detached, to head back through the Isengrim patrol area to meet and re-inforce the following convoy JW 56B
Convoy JW 56B
Convoy JW 56B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late January 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the beginning of February. All ships arrived safely....
.
Meanwhile JW 56A arrived at Kola without further losses on 28 January 1944.
Conclusion
Despite the loss of three ships, and the return of five others, twelve ships had arrived safely, making JW 56A a qualified success.Convoy JW 56A was followed into Murmansk five days later by JW 56B.