Convoy RA 55B
Encyclopedia
Convoy RA 55B was an Arctic convoy
during World War II
.
It was one of a series of convoys run to return Allied
ships from Soviet
northern ports to ports in Britain
.
It sailed at the end of December 1943, reaching British ports in early January 1944. All ships arrived safely.
Close escort was provided by the two destroyers, Whitehall and Wrestler, and three corvettes. These were supported by an Ocean escort of eight Home Fleet destroyers led by Onslow
(Capt.JA McCoy commanding).
Following the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December, which resulted in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst, the threat from German surface units was, for the time being, eliminated, and RA 55B dispensed with the usual distant cover by heavy units of the Home Fleet.
RA 55A was however threatened by a U-boat force of some thirteen boats in a patrol line, code-named Eisenbart, in the Norwegian Sea
, which had operated against all the December convoys.
On 1 January 1944 the local escort returned to Murmansk, leaving RA 55B to continue.
German air reconnaissance was unable to find RA 55B in the gloom of the polar night
, and although several Eisenbart boats made contact, their attacks were ineffectual.
RA 55B was able to shake off pursuit and on 7 January met the western local escort of two minesweepers, which brought the convoy into Loch Ewe
on the following day, 8 January 1944.
Close escort
Ocean escort
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...
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 was one of a series of convoys run to return Allied
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,...
ships from Soviet
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....
northern ports to ports in 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...
.
It sailed at the end of December 1943, reaching British ports in early January 1944. All ships arrived safely.
Forces
RA 55B consisted of eight merchant ships which departed from Kola Inlet on 31 December 1943.Close escort was provided by the two destroyers, Whitehall and Wrestler, and three corvettes. These were supported by an Ocean escort of eight Home Fleet destroyers led by Onslow
HMS Onslow (G17)
HMS Onslow was an O-class destroyer flotilla leader of the Royal Navy She was ordered from John Brown & Company at Clydebank, Glasgow on 3 September 1939. The ship was laid down on 1 July 1940 and launched on 31 March 1941. She was completed on 8 October 1941 at a cost of £416,942.Attached to the...
(Capt.JA McCoy commanding).
Following the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December, which resulted in the sinking of the German battleship Scharnhorst, the threat from German surface units was, for the time being, eliminated, and RA 55B dispensed with the usual distant cover by heavy units of the Home Fleet.
RA 55A was however threatened by a U-boat force of some thirteen boats in a patrol line, code-named Eisenbart, 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...
, which had operated against all the December convoys.
Action
RA 55A sailed from Kola with its escort on 31 December 1943, accompanied by an eastern local escort of three minesweepers.On 1 January 1944 the local escort returned to Murmansk, leaving RA 55B to continue.
German air reconnaissance was unable to find RA 55B in the 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:...
, and although several Eisenbart boats made contact, their attacks were ineffectual.
RA 55B was able to shake off pursuit and on 7 January met the western local escort of two minesweepers, which brought the convoy into Loch Ewe
Loch 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 the following day, 8 January 1944.
Conclusion
The eight ships of RA 55B arrived in Britain without loss, while all German attempts to attack the convoy had failed.Allied ships
Merchant ships- Daldorich
- Empire Stalwart
- Fort Columbia
- Fort Poplar
- James Gordon Bennet
- Lucerna
- San Ambrosio
- Thomas Kearns
Close escort
- Whitehall
- WrestlerHMS Wrestler (1918)HMS Wrestler was a W class destroyer launched by the Royal Navy in the latter stages of the First World War and active from 1939 to 1944 during the Second World War. She was the first Royal Navy ship to bear that name, and the only one to do so to date.-Construction:She was the tenth order in the...
- Gleaner
- Honeysuckle
- Oxlip
- Rhodedendron
Ocean escort
- OnslowHMS Onslow (G17)HMS Onslow was an O-class destroyer flotilla leader of the Royal Navy She was ordered from John Brown & Company at Clydebank, Glasgow on 3 September 1939. The ship was laid down on 1 July 1940 and launched on 31 March 1941. She was completed on 8 October 1941 at a cost of £416,942.Attached to the...
- Onslaught
- OrwellHMS Orwell (G98)HMS Orwell was an O-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that entered service in 1942. She saw action at the Battle of the Barents Sea, and was involved in convoy escort duties during the Battle of North Cape. In 1952 she was converted to a Type 16 frigate and was broken-up in June 1965....
- ImpulsiveHMS Impulsive (D11)HMS Impulsive was an I-class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She has been the only ship of the Navy to bear this name....
- HaidaHMCS Haida (G63)HMCS Haida is a Tribal-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy from 1943-1963.Haida sank more enemy surface tonnage than any other Canadian warship...
- HuronHMCS Huron (G24)HMCS Huron G24/216 was a Tribal class destroyer built by Vickers-Armstrongs on the River Tyne in England, and served in the Royal Canadian Navy. It was the first ship to bear this name...
- IroquoisHMCS Iroquois (G89)-External links:** at Haze Gray and Underway*...
Axis ships
U-boat force- U-314
- U-387
- U-601
- U-716German submarine U-716German submarine U-716 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.-Service record:While in the Arctic sea on April 23, 1945, U-716 was hit by depth charges by a hunter-killer group...
- U-957