Convoy OG 69
Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War
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Convoy OG 69 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 69th of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 20 July 1941[1] and was found on 25 July by Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of Kampfgeschwader 40. Nine ships were sunk by submarine attacks continuing through 30 July.[2]
| Convoy OG.69 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Italy |
 United Kingdom | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
8 U-boats 2 Italian submarines |
28 merchant ships 17 escorts | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
9 ships sunk 68 killed | |||||||
Submarines
The convoy was initially located by German Naval signals intelligence (B-Dienst), then visual confirmation was provided by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft. A total of 10 boats were directed to intercept the convoy – eight U-boats from Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine and two submarines from Fascist Italy's Regia Marina.
| Name | Type | First contact | Ships sunk | Ships damaged | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-68 | IXC | 26 July 1940 | none | ||
| U-79 | VIIC | 26/27 July 1940 | Kelwin | ||
| U-126 | IXC | 26/27 July 1940 | Erato, Inga I, | ||
| U-203 | VIIC | 26/27 July 1940 | Hawkinge, Lapland, Norita | ||
| U-331 | VIIC | none | none | ||
| U-561 | VIIC | 27 July 1940 | Wrotham | ||
| U-562 | VIIC | none | none | ||
| U-564 | VIIC | none | none | ||
| Barbarigo | Marcello-class submarine | 22 July 1940 | none | [2] | |
| Pietro Calvi | Calvi-class submarine | none | none | [2] | |
Ships in the convoy
Allied merchant ships
A total of 28 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool, with some being sunk after detaching from the convoy to head to other destinations.[3]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjutant (1922) |  United Kingdom |
1,931 | Bound for Gibraltar |
| Afghanistan (1940) | United Kingdom |
6,992 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Arabistan (1929) | United Kingdom |
5,874 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Charlbury (1940) | United Kingdom |
4,836 | Bound for Rio de Janeiro |
| City of Lyons (1926) | United Kingdom |
7,063 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Como (1910) | United Kingdom |
1,295 | Bound for Lisbon |
| Dayrose (1928) | United Kingdom |
4,113 | In ballast |
| Empire Dawn (1941) | United Kingdom |
7,241 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Empire Voice (1940) | United Kingdom |
6,828 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Erato (1923) | United Kingdom |
1,335 | Sunk by U-126[4] on 27 July. There were nine dead. The survivors, including the ship's master, were picked up by HMS Begonia and landed at Gibraltar. Capt C M Ford Rd RNR (Commodore) |
| Hawkinge (1924) | United Kingdom |
2,475 | Sunk by U-203[5] on 27 July. There were 15 dead. Survivors were picked up by HMS Sunflower and HMS Vanoc. |
| Inga I (1921) |  Norway |
1,304 | Torpedoed, broke in two, and sunk by U-126[6] on 27 July. There were nine dead. The survivors were picked up by one of the escorts and landed at Gibraltar. |
| Kellwyn (1920) | United Kingdom |
1,459 | Sunk by U-79[7] on 27 July. There were 14 dead. The nine survivors were picked up by HMT St Nectan. |
| Lapland (1936) | United Kingdom |
1,330 | Sunk by U-203[8] on 28 July. There were no dead. Survivors were picked up by HMS Rhododendron. |
| Larchbank (1925) | United Kingdom |
5,151 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Norita (1924) |  Sweden |
1,516 | Sunk by U-203[9] on 28 July. There were two dead. |
| Pelayo (1927) | United Kingdom |
1,345 | Bound for Gibraltar |
| Rhineland (1922) | United Kingdom |
1,381 | Bound for Lisbon |
| Romney (1929) | United Kingdom |
5,840 | Bound for Alexandria |
| Ruth I (1900) | Norway |
3,531 | Bound for Cádiz |
| Shahristan (1945) | United Kingdom |
7,309 | 68 passengers. Bound for Cape Town. Sunk by U-371[10] on 30 July southeast of the Azores, after detaching from the convoy. |
| Sheaf Crown (1929) | United Kingdom |
4,868 | Bound for Huelva |
| Shuna (1937) | United Kingdom |
1,575 | Returned |
| Sitoebondo (1916) |  Netherlands |
7,049 | Bound for Cape Town. Sunk by U-371[11] on 30 July after detaching from the convoy. There were 19 dead. |
| Thistlegorm (1940) | United Kingdom |
4,898 | Bound for Cape Town |
| Tintern Abbey (1939) | United Kingdom |
2,471 | |
| Wrotham (1927) | United Kingdom |
1,884 | Torpedoed, and sank in 30 seconds, by U-561[12] on 27 July. There were no dead. The nine survivors were picked up by HMS Fleur de Lys and HMS Rhododendron and landed at Gibraltar. |
| Yorkwood (1936) | United Kingdom |
5,401 | Bound for Cape Town |
Convoy escorts
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.[3]
| Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Alisma |  Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 21 July 1941 | 26 July 1941 |
| HMS Begonia | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 20 July 1941 | 28 July 1941 |
| HMS Black Swan | Royal Navy |
Black Swan-class sloop | 19 July 1941 | 20 July 1941 |
| HMS Dianella | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 21 July 1941 | 26 July 1941 |
| HMT Drangey | Royal Navy |
ASW (Anti-submarine warfare) trawler | 20 July 1941 | 20 July 1941 |
| HMS Fleur De Lys | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 27 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMS Goodwin | Royal Navy |
Armed boarding vessel | 19 July 1941 | 20 July 1941 |
| HMS Jasmine | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 20 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMS Kingcup | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 21 July 1941 | 26 July 1941 |
| HMT Lady Hogarth[13] | Royal Navy |
ASW trawler | 27 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMT Lady Shirley[14] | Royal Navy |
ASW trawler | 27 July 1941 | 31 July 1941 |
| HMS Larkspur | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 20 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMT Paynter | Royal Navy |
ASW trawler | 19 July 1941 | 20 July 1941 |
| HMS Pimpernel | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 20 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMS Rhododendron | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 20 July 1941 | 30 July 1941 |
| HMT St Nectan | Royal Navy |
ASW trawler | 20 July 1941 | 1 August 1941 |
| HMS Sunflower | Royal Navy |
Flower-class corvette | 21 July 1941 | 27 July 1941 |