Convoy battles

HX-79

Halifax/ New York - UK (North Atlantic)

The Convoy	49 ships
First sighting	On 19 Oct, 1940 by U-47
Escorts	From 19th September Escort Group (LCdr. Russell) with: Destroyers HMS Whitehall and HMS Sturdy Corvettes HMS Hibiscus, HMS Heliotrope, HMS Coreopsis and HMS Arabis A/S Trawlers HMS Lady Elsa, HMS Blackfly, HMS Angle Minesweeper HMS Jason Submarine O-14
U-boats	U-28, U-46, U-47, U-48, U-100 * U-boats that fired torpedo or used the deck gun
The battle	After sighting the convoy by U-47 BdU ordered some boats against the HX-72 from the just finished battle against SC-7. U-47 stay in touch with the convoy and brought up the other boats. In the face of the strong escort the boats sank during the night 19/20th October 12 ships for a total of 75,069 tons.

Article compiled by Tom Linclau

Date	U-boat	Commander	Ship hit	GRT	Nat.
19 Oct, 1940	U-38	Heinrich Liebe	Bilderdijk	6.856
19 Oct, 1940	U-38	Heinrich Liebe	Matheran	7.653
19 Oct, 1940	U-46	Engelbert Endrass	Ruperra	4.548
19 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	Shirak (d.)	6.023
19 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	Uganda	4.966
19 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	Wandby	4.947
20 Oct, 1940	U-100	Joachim Schepke	Caprella	8.230
20 Oct, 1940	U-100	Joachim Schepke	Loch Lomond	5.452
20 Oct, 1940	U-100	Joachim Schepke	Sitala	6.218
20 Oct, 1940	U-46	Engelbert Endrass	Janus	9.965
20 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	Athelmonarch (d.)	8.995
20 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	La Estancia	5.185
20 Oct, 1940	U-47	Günther Prien	Whitford Point	5.026
20 Oct, 1940	U-48	Heinrich Bleichrodt	Shirak	6.023
(d.) = the ship was damaged in that attack.

12 ships sunk for a total of 75.069 GRT
2 ships damaged for a total of 15.018 GRT

Locations of ships hit from convoy HX-79.

Some 77 convoys on route HX were hit by U-boats in the war.
Read more about them.