Convoy JW 56A

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.

Ships

The convoy consisted of 20 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 12 January 1944. Close escort was provided by a force led by HMS Inconstant and two corvettes, with two more destroyers joining later. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer HMS Hardy (Capt. W. G. A. 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 HMS Kent (R.Adm A. F. E. Palliser), HMS Berwick and HMS Bermuda also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units. Convoy JW 56A was opposed by a U-boat force of 10 boats in a patrol line, code-named Isengrim, in the Norwegian Sea.

Action

Convoy JW 56A departed Loch Ewe 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, Convoy 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 the storm abated and on 21 January Convoy 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 Convoy JW 56A passed the northernmost U-boat of the patrol line, U-739, which broadcast an alert and commenced shadowinLater 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-716 hit Andrew G Curtin, which sank. Later, at around 5am, U-957 under the command of Gerhard Schaar 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 Convoy 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 re-inforce the following convoy JW 56B. Convoy 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 Convoy JW 56A a qualified success. The convoy was followed into Murmansk five days later by Convoy JW 56B.

Allied order of battle

Convoyed ships

Ships in convoy[1]
Name Year Flag GRT Notes
Loch Ewe to Akureyri, 12−18 January
Aert Van Der Neer 1942  Netherlands 7,170
Andrew G Curtin 1943  United States 7,200
Charles Scribner 1943  United States 7,176
Edwin L Drake 1943  United States 7,176
Empire Ploughman 1943  Merchant Navy 7,049
Fort Bellingham 1942  Merchant Navy 7,153
Fort Slave 1942  Merchant Navy 7,134
Noreg 1931  Norway 7,605
Penelope Barker 1942  United States 7,177 Convoy Commodore Ivan Whitehorn
Richard H Alvey 1942  United States 7,191
San Adolfo 1935  Merchant Navy 7,365 Escort oiler
San Cirilo 1937  Merchant Navy 8,012
Thorstein Veblen 1943  United States 7,176
William Tyler Page 1943  United States 7,176
Woodbridge N Ferris 1943  United States 7,200
Akureyri to Murmansk, 21–28 January
Aert Van Der Neer 1942  Netherlands 7,170 Via Akureyri 18–21 January
Andrew G Curtin 1943  United States 7,200 Sunk by U-716 0 surv
Charles Scribner 1943  United States 7,176
Edwin L Drake 1943  United States 7,176
Empire Ploughman 1943  Merchant Navy 7,049
Fort Bellingham 1942  Merchant Navy 7,153 Convoy Commodore Whitehorn, damaged, U-360, sunk U-957
Fort Slave 1942  Merchant Navy 7,134
Noreg 1931  Norway 7,605
Penelope Barker 1942  United States 7,177 Sunk by U-278
Richard H Alvey 1942  United States 7,191
San Adolfo 1935  Merchant Navy 7,365 Escort oiler
San Cirilo 1937  Merchant Navy 8,012
Thorstein Veblen 1943  United States 7,176
William Tyler Page 1943  United States 7,176
Woodbridge N Ferris 1943  United States 7,200

Ships left at Akureyri

Ships under repair[2]
Name Year Flag GRT Notes
Charles Bulfinch 1943  United States 7,176
Jefferson Davis 1942  United States 7,176
John A Quitman 1943  United States 7,176
Joseph N Nicollet 1943  United States 7,176
Nathaniel Alexander 1942  United States 7,177

Escort forces

Escort forces (in relays)[3]
Name Flag Type Notes
Loch Ewe to Iceland
HMS Cygnet  Royal Navy Black Swan-class sloop 12–18 January
HMS Borage  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Departed for Loch Ewe, 18 January
HMS Dianella  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 12–27 January
HMS Poppy  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 12–27 January
HMS Wallflower  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette Departed for Loch Ewe, 18 January
HMS Orestes  Royal Navy Algerine-class minesweeper 12–22 January
HMS Ready  Royal Navy Algerine-class minesweeper 12–22 January
Met Loch Ewe escort force en route, joined oceanic escort
HMS Inconstant  Royal Navy I-class destroyer 12–27 January
HMS Savage  Royal Navy S-class destroyer 16–27 January
HNoMS Stord  Royal Norwegian Navy S-class destroyer 16–27 January
Oceanic escort
HMS Hardy  Royal Navy V-class destroyer 21–27 January
HMS Obdurate  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 21–25 January
HMS Offa  Royal Navy O-class destroyer 21–27 January
HMS Venus  Royal Navy V-class destroyer 21–27 January
HMS Vigilant  Royal Navy V-class destroyer 21–27 January
HMS Virago  Royal Navy V-class destroyer 21–27 January
HMS Dianella  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 12–27 January
HMS Poppy  Royal Navy Flower-class corvette 12–27 January
Cruiser cover
HMS Bermuda  Royal Navy Fiji-class cruiser 23–26 January
HMS Berwick  Royal Navy County-class cruiser Turned back, mechanical defects, re-joined later
HMS Kent  Royal Navy County-class cruiser 23–26 January
Eastern local escort
Gremyashchy  Soviet Navy Gnevny-class destroyer 27–28 January
Grozny  Soviet Navy Gnevny-class destroyer 27–28 January
Razumny  Soviet Navy Gnevny-class destroyer 27–28 January
Razyaryonny  Soviet Navy Gnevny-class destroyer 27–28 January
HMS Gleaner  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper 26–28 January
HMS Speedwell  Royal Navy Halcyon-class minesweeper 26–28 January
T-111  Soviet Navy Admirable-class minesweeper 26–28 January
T-114  Soviet Navy Admirable-class minesweeper 26–28 January
T-117  Soviet Navy Admirable-class minesweeper 26–28 January

Footnotes

  1. ^ Jordan 2006, p. 127; Mitchell & Sawyer 1990, p. 65; Kindell 2026; Woodman 1994, pp. 378−379.
  2. ^ Woodman 1994, p. 377.
  3. ^ Ruegg & Hague 1993, p. 59; Rohwer & Hümmelchen 2005, p. 300; Woodman 1994, p. 377.

Bibliography

  • Jordan, Roger W. (2006) [1999]. The World's Merchant Fleets 1939: The Particulars and Wartime Fates of 6,000 Ships (2nd ed.). London: Chatham/Lionel Leventhal. ISBN 978-1-86176-293-1.
  • Kindell, Don (2026). "JW Convoy Series: Convoy JW 56A". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 5 March 2026.
  • Mitchell, W. H.; Sawyer, L. A. (1990). The Empire Ships (2nd ed.). London, New York, Hamburg, Hong Kong: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-275-4.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (2005) [1972]. Chronology of the War at Sea, 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (3rd rev. ed.). London: Chatham. ISBN 1-86176-257-7.
  • Ruegg, Bob; Hague, Arnold (1993) [1992]. Convoys to Russia: Allied Convoys and Naval Surface Operations in Arctic Waters 1941–1945 (2nd rev. enl. ed.). Kendal: World Ship Society. ISBN 0-905617-66-5.
  • Woodman, Richard (1994). Arctic Convoys 1941–1945 (hbk. ed.). London: John Murray. ISBN 0-7195-5079-3.

Further reading

  • Blair, Clay (1998). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942−1945. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.
  • Kemp, Paul (1993). Convoy: Drama in Arctic Waters. London: Arms and Armour. ISBN 978-1-85409-130-7 – via Archive Foundation.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Niestlé, Axel (1998). German U-Boat losses during World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
  • Schofield, Bernard (1964). The Russian Convoys. London: BT Batsford. OCLC 906102591 – via Archive Foundation.
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