Hi James

U-53 made contact with a convoy of 18 to 20 merchants, escorted by 5 destroyers west of Lisbon at 09.55 hours on 17 November 1939. When the U-boat approached for a submerged attack, the commander lost situation awareness and this almost led to a collision with one of the steamers while on periscope depth. Another unsuccessful attack with a spread of three torpedoes was carried out west of Vigo at 16.38 hours the next day. The BdU then ordered U-53 to shadow the convoy and send bearing signals for U-41 and U-43 which operated further north. However, U-53 eventually lost contact northwest of Cape Finisterre in the evening on 19 November. The BdU relieved Ernst-Günter Heinicke as commander of U-53 after returning to Germany because he had not show enough fighting spirit.

It is very likely that this convoy shadowed by U-53 was HG-7.

Best regards
Rainer

Crew member of uboat.net