1942
JANUARY 1942
Atlantic
Arcadia Conference - In late December and
early January, Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt with their Chiefs of
Staff met in Washington DC. They agreed to the setting up of a Combined Chiefs
of Staff Committee and to the defeat of Germany as the first priority.
15th - Destroyer "Hesperus" escorting
convoy HG78 sank "U-93" north of Madeira.
31st - Canadian troop convoy NA2 sailing
for Britain was attacked by "U-82" southeast of Nova Scotia. Destroyer "BELMONT"
was
lost with all hands.
31st - Ex-US Coast Guard cutter "CULVER"
was sunk by "U-105" west of the Bay of Biscay as she escorted Sierra Leone
convoy SL93.
Russian Convoys - Destroyer "MATABELE" (below - Navy Photos)
escorting Iceland/Russia convoy
PQ8 was sunk off Murmansk on the 17th by "U-454". Only two men
survived. None of the eight merchantmen in the convoy were lost although one was
damaged by a U-boat torpedo. In two return convoys in the month - QP5
and QP6 - 10 ships set out and arrived safely.
Battle of the Atlantic - U-boat strength was up to 250 with 90 operational.
Two-thirds were spread across the Atlantic, nearly a quarter in the
Mediterranean, and a few on patrol in the Arctic for Russian convoys. It was at
this time that Adm Doenitz, with never more than 10 or 12 U-boats at a time,
launched Operation' Paukenschlag' ('Drumroll') off the coasts of America. The
U-boat commanders enjoy their second 'Happy Time', especially against the
unescorted ships sailing in virtually peace-time conditions off the United
States. Warship patrols were started, but the USN found it hard to accept the
long, hard-fought lessons of the Royal Navy and establish convoys immediately.
Atlantic convoys still started and ended at Nova Scotia, so the first U-boats
operated off the Canadian coast south of there. Over 40 merchantmen were lost in
this area alone in January and February. By this time U-boats
were also sinking many ships off the US east coast. On the
weapons front, the forward-firing Hedgehog with its 24 A/S mortar bombs started
to enter RN service. Its first success did not come until late in the 1942.
Monthly Loss Summary, including Russian Convoys
- 48 British, Allied and neutral ships of 277,000 tons in the Atlantic from all
causes, 3 escorts
- 1 German U-boat.
Mediterranean
12th - German "U-374"
was torpedoed and sunk off the east coast of Sicily by
submarine "Unbeaten" (Lt-Cdr E. A. Woodward).
17th - During the month, Malta was
resupplied by three small convoys coming from the east. In the second, four fast
transports left Alexandria covered by Adm Vian's Mediterranean Fleet cruiser
force. On the 17th one of the close escorting destroyers, "GURKHA (2)",
was torpedoed north of Sidi Barrani by "U-133" and
scuttled. Next day the surviving ships were met by "Penelope" of Force K from
Malta, and got there on the 19th. During this period the Italian Navy had
escorted two substantial convoys to North Africa in time for Rommel's next
offensive. Malta continued to be heavily bombed for many months by the German
and Italian Air Forces.
North Africa - On the 21st, Rommel started
his second campaign. The first of two phases took him as far as Gazala just to
the west of Tobruk. El Agheila soon fell and Benghazi was occupied before the
month was out. On 1st February Eighth Army withdrew to Gazala and within a week
Rommel had come up. There he stayed until May 1942.
FEBRUARY 1942
Atlantic
2nd - As she attacked a damaged troopship
sailing from the Azores, "U-581"
was sunk by escorting destroyer "Westcott".
5th - "U-136" on patrol off Rockall sank
two escorts. The first was corvette "ARBUTUS" detached with destroyer "Chelsea"
from UK/Halifax convoy ONS63 to hunt for a reported U-boat.
6th - Returning from the American coast
where she sank destroyer "Belmont", "U-82" encountered UK/Sierra Leone convoy
OS18 north of the Azores and was destroyed by corvette "Tamarisk" and sloop
"Rochester".
11th - "U-136's" second success less than
a week later was Canadian corvette "SPIKENARD" escorting Halifax/UK convoy SC67.
Battle of the Atlantic -
U-boats extended Operation 'Paukenschlag' as far south as the Caribbean and
started by shelling installations and sinking tankers off Aruba, Curacoa,
Trinidad and other oil ports. However, they were still active elsewhere in the
Atlantic, and east of Newfoundland a pack of five attacked convoy ON67 (36
ships). Eight ships were lost, of which six were the ever-valuable tankers. The
Royal Navy suffered a major setback when U-boats in the Atlantic changed from
the Enigma 'Hydra' code to 'Triton'. This was not be broken until December 1942
- a ten month delay. But all was not lost as 'Hydra' was still used in European
waters. This, together with signals traffic analysis and the vast amount of
experience built up to date, meant that a remarkably accurate picture could be
drawn of U-boat operations and intentions.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 73 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 430,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 2 corvettes and 2
US destroyers off Newfoundland and the US east coast
- 2 German U-boats
MARCH 1942
Atlantic
Russian Convoy PQ13 and Return QP9 - These
next two convoys set out around the 20th, again covered by the Home
Fleet. Off North Cape on the 24th "U-655"
was rammed and sunk by minesweeper "Sharpshooter"
escorting QP9. Of the 19 merchantmen in this convoy all reach Iceland in safety.
PQ13 and its escort, including cruiser "Trinidad" and destroyers "Eclipse" and
"Fury", were scattered by severe gales and heavily attacked. On the 29th
three German destroyers encountered the escort north of Murmansk. "Z-26"
was sunk, but in the action "Trinidad"
was
hit and disabled by one of her own torpedoes. As
the cruiser limped towards Kola Inlet an attack by "U-585" failed and she was
sunk by "Fury". Five of the 19 ships with PQ13 were lost - two to U-boats, two
to aircraft, and one by the destroyers. "Trinidad" reached Russia.
27th - UK/Middle East troop convoy WS17
was on passage southwest of Ireland. As "U-587" headed for American waters her
sighting report was detected and she was sunk by the convoy escort including
destroyers "Aldenham", "Grove", "Leamington"" and "Volunteer". This was the
first success using HF/DF
- ship-borne, high frequency direction-finding.
Battle of the Atlantic -
Losses due to U-boats continued at a high rate in US and West
Indian waters with over 40 ships sunk in March, many of them valuable tankers.
Over the next few months RN and RCN escorts and a RAF Coastal Command squadron
were loaned to the Americans. Ten corvettes were also transferred to the US
Navy.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 98 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 547,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes
- 1 German
destroyer and 5 U-boats, including 2 by US aircraft off Newfoundland
Mediterranean
11th - Adm Vian's cruiser force returned
to Alexandria after searching for Axis shipping and covering the passage of
cruiser "Cleopatra" from Malta. North of Sidi Barrani, flagship "NAIAD"
was
torpedoed by "U-565" and went down.
20th - Adm Vian sailed on the
from Alexandria with four fast supply ships for Malta escorted by cruisers
"Cleopatra", "Dido", "Euryalus" and "Carlisle" plus destroyers. Seven 'Hunt'
class escort destroyers came from Tobruk and as they carried out anti-submarine
sweeps ahead of the convoy, "HEYTHROP"
was sunk off Sidi Barrani by "U-652". The remaining six
joined the convoy to bring the total number of destroyers to 16. The convoy
fought its way through in the Second Battle of Sirte Gulf. All four transports
were lost to air attack, two off Malta and two in harbour before much of their
cargo could be off-loaded.
26th - Destroyer "JAGUAR" and the tanker
she was escorting to Tobruk were both sunk by "U-652" off Sidi Barrani.
APRIL 1942
Atlantic
14th - "U-252"
attacked UK/Gibraltar convoy OG82 southwest of Ireland and was
sunk by sloop "Stork" and corvette "Vetch" of the 36th EG (Cdr Walker). This was
one of the first successful attacks using 10cm Type 271 radar. From now
on the new radar and HF/DF would play an increasing part in the sinking of
U-boats.
14th - The US Navy had its first warship
success against U-boats when destroyer "Roper" sank "U-85" off the east coast of
America.
Russian Convoys - During the month, Russian convoy PQ14
set out from Iceland with 24 ships. Only seven arrived. One was sunk by a U-boat
and another 16 had to turn back because of the weather. Return convoy QP10
lost four of its 16 ships around the same time, two each to U-boats and
aircraft. Towards the end of the month convoys PQ15 and QP11
sailed. Both had cruisers in close support and PQ15 was covered by units of the
Home Fleet including battleships "King George V" and the American "Washington".
On the 30th the QP11 cruiser "Edinburgh"
was
torpedoed twice by "U-456" and had to turn back for Murmansk.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 74 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 439,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 1 US destroyer
mined off Florida
- 2 German U-boats
Mediterranean
As the bombing reached a peak, Malta was awarded
the George Cross
MAY 1942
Atlantic
Return Russian Convoy QP11
- QP11 departed Russia on the 28th April and on
the 30th cruiser "Edinburgh" was torpedoed twice by U-boat. As she limped
back to Russia, three German destroyers attacked QP11, but only managed to sank
a straggler. They found the cruiser on the 2nd. In a series of confused
fights, "Edinburgh" disabled the "Hermann Schoemann" by gunfire, but was then
torpedoed for a third time by either "Z-24" or "Z-25". Both "EDINBURGH" and
"HERMANN SCHOEMANN"
were scuttled on the 2nd. The surviving 12
merchantmen of QP11 got through to Reykjavik, Iceland on the 7th. Convoys
PQ16
and QP12 passed through in May. PQ16 started out for Russian with 35
ships but one returned, six were lost to heavy aircraft attacks and one to
U-boats. QP12 had one return but the other 14 reach Iceland.
Battle of the Atlantic - U-boat strength approached 300 with over 100
operational. A fairly complete convoy system was being introduced off the US
east coast from Florida north, but the submarines were now concentrating in the
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. They could now spend more time on station assisted
by 'Milchcow' supply boats. The result was that Allied losses continued at a
high rate, especially among tankers. In the North Atlantic, convoy ONS92 lost
seven ships in one night to a pack attack.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 122 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 585,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 2 cruisers, 1
destroyer and 1 submarine
- 1 German destroyer, 1 U-boat by US Coast Guard
off east coast of America
Mediterranean
2nd - Two U-boats were lost to the Royal
Navy at opposite ends of the Med. On the 2nd, east of Gibraltar, "U-74"
was
sunk by destroyers "Wishart" and "Wrestler" and
RAF aircraft of No 202 Squadron.
North Africa - From Gazala, Gen Rommel
started the second phase of his advance towards Egypt on the 26th with a main
attack around Bir Hakeim.
28th - In the second U-boat loss, "U-568"
attacked Tobruk supply traffic, was hunted down and sunk by
destroyer "Hero", and escort destroyers "Eridge" and "Hurworth".
JUNE 1942
Atlantic
Battle of the Atlantic -
In the first six months of 1942, submarines worldwide had sunk
585 ships of over 3,000,000 tons, mostly in the Atlantic - and a large
proportion of these in American waters where losses remained high in the
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. At the same time the 108 new U-boats entering
service far outweighed the 13 sunk in the Atlantic in this period.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 128 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 650,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 1 destroyer and 1
submarine
- 2 U-boats by US forces off Cuba and Bermuda
Mediterranean
North Africa - After more than two weeks
of fierce attack and counter-attack, British forces pulled out of
'Knightsbridge'. Tobruk was surrounded by the 18th and three days later
surrendered. Another two days and the Axis forces were back in Egypt. Eighth
Army prepared to make its last stand at El Alamein.
2nd - Attacks on Allied shipping making
for Tobruk before its fall brought further losses to both sides. Aircraft of FAA
815 Squadron and RAF No 203 Squadron damaged "U-652" off Sollum on the
Egyptian/Libyan border. She was scuttled by a torpedo fired from "U-81".
12th - Ten days after the loss of "U-652"
and further east off Sidi Barrani, escort destroyer GROVE was
sunk by "U-77" as she returned to Alexandria after
escorting supply ships to Tobruk.
12th-16th - Malta Convoys 'Harpoon' from Gibraltar,
'Vigorous' from Alexandria -
Two of 'Harpoon's'
six ships reached Malta for the loss of two destroyers and serious damage to
three more and a cruiser by the Italian Navy and German and Italian aircraft.
Meanwhile the Operation 'Vigorous' force of 11 ships and their escorts
sailed from Haifa and Port Said, and were met on the 13th off Tobruk by Adm Vian
with seven light cruisers and 17 destroyers. By the 14th, two ships had
been lost to air attack and two more damaged. That evening Vian learnt an
Italian battlefleet with two battleships, two heavy and two light cruisers plus
destroyers had sailed south from Taranto. The chances of driving them off were
slim. Early on the 15th
the first of five course reversals were made as 'Vigorous' tried to break
through to Malta. That evening 'Vigorous' finally turned back for Alexandria.
Now into the early hours of the 16th, cruiser HERMIONE was torpedoed and sunk by "U-205". None of the 'Vigorous'
ships reached Malta. One cruiser, three destroyers and two merchant ships had
been lost in the attempt.
JULY 1942
Atlantic
Destruction of Russian Convoy PQ17 - On the
27th June, PQ17
left Reykjavik, Iceland with 36 ships, of which two returned. The British
Admiralty believed the Germans were concentrating their heavy ships in northern
Norway. In fact pocket battleship "Lutzow" had run aground off Narvik, but this
still left battleship "Tirpitz", pocket battleship "Admiral Scheer" and heavy
cruiser "Admiral Hipper". At this time PQ17 had just passed to the north of Bear
Island, after which German aircraft sank three merchantmen. Fear of attack by
the German ships led the British First Sea Lord in London to decide the fate of
the convoy. In the evening of the 4th the support cruisers were ordered to
withdraw and the convoy to scatter. The merchantmen were now to the north of
North Cape. Thirty-one tried to make for the isolated islands of Novaya Zemlya
before heading south for Russian ports. Between the 5th and 10th July, 20 of
them were lost, half each to the aircraft and U-boats sent to hunt them down.
Eventually 11 survivors and two rescue ships reached Archangel and nearby ports
between the 9th and 28th.
3rd - "U-215"
sank an escorted ship south of Nova Scotia and was lost
in the counter-attack by British armed trawler "Le Tiger" (Free French trawler
"Le Tigre" according to some sources).
11th - Northwest of the Canaries, UK/West
Africa convoy OS.33 was attacked and "U-136" sunk by frigate "Spey", sloop
"Pelican" and Free French destroyer "Leopard".
24th - Canadian destroyer "St Croix", with
the Canadian C2 group escorting UK/North America convoy ON115, sank "U-90" off
Newfoundland.
31st - In mid-Atlantic, Canadian destroyer
"Skeena" and corvette "Wetaskiwan" of the C3 group (see below for "C"
designation) with ON113 sank "U-588".
31st - On passage out, "U-213" stumbled
across a convoy west of the Bay of Biscay, where she was sunk by the escort
including sloops "Erne", "Rochester" and "Sandwich".
Battle of the Atlantic - Pending
the setting up of support Escort Groups later in the year, vessels allocated
mainly to convoy protection were designated by their nationality - "A" for
American, "B" for British, "C" for Canadian. The American convoy system was now
extended into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, and merchantmen sinkings went
down as U-boat losses started to mount. Nevertheless, with 140 operational
U-boats out of a total of 330, the Germans had more than enough to continue the
offensive in the North Atlantic as well as maintain concentrations off Sierra
Leone, Venezuela and Brazil. For some months to come it was again the tankers
that lost heavily, off the coasts of Venezuela and Trinidad.
Monthly Loss Summary, including Russian Convoys
- 101 British, Allied and neutral ships of 511,000 tons in the Atlantic from all
causes
- 11 German and 1 Italian U-boats, including 2 by RAF Bay of Biscay
patrols; 1 by RCAF off Nova Scotia; and 3 by US forces in the Caribbean and off
the east coast of America
AUGUST 1942
Atlantic
3rd - On anti-U-boat patrol between the
Shetlands and Norway, submarine "Saracen" torpedoed "U-335" on passage out.
Attacks on Halifax/UK convoy
SC94 - In the space of five days slow Halifax/UK convoy SC94 (33
ships) was attacked by a total of 17 U-boats and lost 11 merchantmen. Southeast
of Greenland two U-boats were sunk by ships of the Canadian C1 group. On the
6th, Canadian destroyer "Assiniboine" shelled and rammed "U-210". Two days
later on the 8th, British corvette "Dianthus" also with C1 group, depth
charged and rammed "U-379" to destruction. Four more U-boats were damaged in
defence of the convoy.
Brazil - The sinking of five Brazilian
ships by U-boats off their own coast in the middle of the month finally drove
Brazil to declare war on Germany and Italy on the 22nd August. Bases in the
country extended Allied control over the South Atlantic.
28th - "U-94"
attacked Trinidad/Cuba convoy TAG15 off Jamaica. Damaged by
a US Navy Catalina, she was finished off by Canadian corvette "Oakville".
Battle of the Atlantic -
For some time now aircraft of RAF Coastal Command had used the Leigh
light searchlight in conjunction with ASV radar to illuminate and attack U-boats
at night on the surface. The Germans now introduced the Metox detector which
enabled
U-boats to pick up the 1.5m wavelength transmissions of
the existing ASV sets in time for them to submerge. They thus moved one step
ahead of the Allies in the scientific war. The RAF's important Bay of Biscay
patrols lost effectiveness accordingly.
Monthly Loss Summary
- 106 British, Allied and
neutral ships of 544,000 tons in the Atlantic from all causes, 1 US destroyer by
collision off Nova Scotia
- 9 U-boats including 1 by RAF Bay of Biscay
patrols; 3 by US aircraft in Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and off Iceland; 1
Italian by unknown causes, possibly by RAF Bay of Biscay patrols.
Mediterranean
