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Notable events involving Reindeer include:

20 Oct 1940

Convoy HX 82.

This convoy departed Halifax on 20 October 1940.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Amstel (Dutch, 2115 GRT, built 1925), Caledonia (Norwegian (tanker), 9892 GRT, built 1936), City of Barcelona (British, 5787 GRT, built 1930), Empire Bison (British, 5972 GRT, built 1919), Erviken (Norwegian, 5019 GRT, built 1921), Manchester Exporter (British, 5277 GRT, built 1918), Murena (Dutch (tanker), 8252 GRT, built 1931) and Nova Scotia (British, 6796 GRT, built 1926).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) and the destroyers HMCS St Croix (Lt.Cdr. H. Kingsley, RCN) and HMCS St.Francis (Lt.Cdr. H.F. Pullen, RCN).

Around 1100Q/21, the Amstel and Erviken were detached from the convoy due to their slow speed. They proceeded to Sydney, Cape Brenton Island from where they were to be sailed in the slow SC convoy series. They both arrived at Sydney on 22 October.

Around 1800Q/21, HMCS St Croix and HMCS St.Francis were detached to return to Halifax.

Around 1100Q/22, the Sydney section of the convoy, SHX 82, joined. It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Bodegraven (Dutch, 5541 GRT, 1929), Cairnesk (British, 5007 GRT, built 1926), Chr. J. Kampmann (Canadian, 2281 GRT, built 1924), Dorelian (British, 6431 GRT, built 1923), Eskdalegate (British, 4250 GRT, built 1930), Esmond (British, 4976 GRT, built 1930), Gregalia (British, 5802 GRT, built 1929), Malaya (British, 8654 GRT, built 1921), Manchester Progress (British, 5620 GRT, built 1938), Maplewood (British, 4566 GRT, built 1930), Myson (British (former French, 4601 GRT, built 1927), Olaf Bergh (Norwegian, 5811 GRT, built 1921), Prins Frederik Hendrik (Dutch, 1288 GRT, built 1936), Ruckinge (British, 2869 GRT, built 1939), Scottish Monarch (British, 4719 GRT, built 1938), Tacoma City (British, 4738 GRT, built 1929) and Wearwood (British, 4597 GRT, built 1930).

HMS Alaunia had made rendezvous with convoy SHX 82 around 0900Q/22 in position 45°08'N, 56°02'W, and then guided it to the main convoy. On HMS Alaunia joining the escort of convoy SHX 82, the armed yachts HMCS Reindeer (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Skinner, RCNR) and HMCS Husky (Lt. H. Freeland, RCNR), parted company.

During the night of 22/23 October the Empire Bison straggled from the convoy in approximate position 44°40'N, 54°07'W. She never rejoined the convoy and continued her passage to the U.K. independently. She was however torpedoed and sunk on 1 November 1940 by the German submarine U-124.

On 23 October the convoy encountered heavy weather and around 1515Q/23, in position 44°10'N, 52°00'W, the Bodegraven and Scotish Morach were detached. The Bodegraven, with damage to her forecastle, returned to Halifax arriving on 26 October. The Scottish Monarch, with defects to her steering gear, also arrived at Halifax on 26 October.

Around 1500Q/24, in position 45°50'N, 49°15'W, the Olaf Berg broke down and parted company with the convoy. She was able to proceed to St. John's, Newfouldland for repairs where she arrived on 26 October.

Around 1600Q/24, convoy BHX 82, merged with convoy HX 82. The following merchant vessels then joined the convoy; Afrika (British, 8597 GRT, built 1920), Cape Horn (British, 5643 GRT, built 1929), City of Oxford (British, 2759 GRT, built 1926), Egba (British, 4989 GRT, built 1914), El Ciervo (British (tanker), 5841 GRT, built 1923), Elax (British (tanker), 7403 GRT, built 1927), Empire Gannet (British, 5630 GRT, built 1919), Governor (British, 5571 GRT, built 1918), Inverlee (British (tanker), 9158 GRT, built 1938), Onoba (British (tanker), 6256 GRT, built 1938), Opalia (British (tanker), 6195 GRT, built 1938), Orduna (British, 15507 GRT, built 1914), Patella (British (tanker), 7468 GRT, built 1927), Toorak (British (tanker), 8627 GRT, built 1927) and Toulouse (Norwegian, 7027 GRT, built 1934).

During the night of 28/29 October, in approximate position 56°00'N, 33°00'W, the Prins Frederik Hendrik straggled from the convoy. She arrived at Liverpool on 4 November 1941.

During the night of 30/31 October, in approximate position 59°00'N, 24°00'W, the Empire Gannet straggled from the convoy. She arrived at Greenock on 7 November 1941.

Around 0630O/31, in position 59°25'N, 23°09'W, HMS Alaunia parted company with the convoy to return to Halifax.

Around 1100A/1, in approximate position 57°00'N, 15°00'W, the A/S escort joined, it was made up of the destroyers HMS Veteran (Cdr. J.E. Broome, RN), HMS Verity (Cdr. R.H. Mills, RN), HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. J.B. Palmer, RN), HMS Broke (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, RN), HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN), HMS Chelsea (Lt.Cdr. R.D.H.S. Pankhurst, RN) and the corvettes HMS Arabis (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Stewart, RNR), HMS Camellia (Lt.Cdr. E.M. Mackay, RNR) and HMS Heliotrope (Lt.Cdr. J. Jackson, RNR).

On 3 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived at Oban; Cairnesk, Maplewood, Opalia, Ruckinge and Tacoma City.

On 3 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived at Oban; Cairnesk, Maplewood, Opalia, Ruckinge and Tacoma City.

On 4 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived in the Clyde; Afrika, Caledonia, Chr. J. Kampmann, Dorelian, Elax, Inverlee, Myson, Patella, Toorak and Wearwood.

On 4 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived in Belfast Lough; Eskdalegate, Esmond, Malaya and Orduna.

On 4 November 1940, the following merchant vessels arrived at Liverpool; Cape Horn, City of Barcelona, City of Oxford, Egba, El Ciervo, Governor, Gregalia, Manchester Exporter, Manchester Progress, Murena, Nova Scotia, Onoba and Toulouse.

Of the escort HMS Camellia arrived at Oban on 3 November 1940 having escorted the Oban section of the convoy there.

On 3 November 1940, HMS Broke, HMS Sardonyx, HMS Arabis and HMS Heliotrope arrived at Londonderry.

On 3 November 1940, HMS Verity arrived at Greenock.

On 4 November 1940, HMS Veteran, HMS Witherington and HMS Chelsea arrived at Liverpool. (1)

21 Oct 1940

Convoy SHX 82.

This convoy departed Sydney, Cape Brenton Island, on 21 October 1940. It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Bodegraven (Dutch, 5541 GRT, 1929), Cairnesk (British, 5007 GRT, built 1926), Chr. J. Kampmann (Canadian, 2281 GRT, built 1924), Dorelian (British, 6431 GRT, built 1923), Eskdalegate (British, 4250 GRT, built 1930), Esmond (British, 4976 GRT, built 1930), Gregalia (British, 5802 GRT, built 1929), Malaya (British, 8654 GRT, built 1921), Manchester Progress (British, 5620 GRT, built 1938), Maplewood (British, 4566 GRT, built 1930), Myson (British (former French), 4061 GRT, built 1927), Olaf Bergh (Norwegian, 5811 GRT, built 1921), Prins Frederik Hendrik (Dutch, 1288 GRT, built 1936), Ruckinge (British, 2869 GRT, built 1939), Scottish Monarch (British, 4719 GRT, built 1938), Tacoma City (British, 4738 GRT, built 1929) and Wearwood (British, 4597 GRT, built 1930).

On departure from Sydney the convoy was escorted by the armed yachts HMCS Reindeer (Lt.Cdr. E.G. Skinner, RCNR) and HMCS Husky (Lt. H. Freeland, RCNR).

Around 0900Q/22, in position 45°08'N, 56°02'W, the two armed yachts parted company after the armed merchant cruiser HMS Alaunia (Capt.(Retd.) H.J. Woodward, DSO and Bar, RN) had joined to guide the convoy to the main convoy.

Around 1100Q/22, convoy SHX 82 merged with convoy HX 82. (2)

10 Jun 1941

Convoy SC 34.

This convoy departed Halifax on 10 June 1941.

It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Aaro (British (former Danish), 1426 GRT, built 1925), Baron Ruthven (British, 3178 GRT, built 1925), Baron Vernon (British, 3642 GRT, built 1929), Berkel (Dutch, 2130 GRT, built 1930), Bjorkhaug (Norwegian, 2094 GRT, built 1919), Bonde (Norwegian, 1570 GRT, built 1936), Borgfred (Norwegian, 2183 GRT, built 1920), Clunepark (British, 3491 GRT, built 1928), Cordelia (British (tanker), 8190 GRT, built 1932), Dinaric (British, 2555 GRT, built 1919), Eastmoor (British, 5812 GRT, built 1922), Einvik (Norwegian, 2000 GRT, built 1918), Empire Buffalo (British, 6404 GRT, built 1919), Fido (Norwegian, 1857 GRT, built 1919), Filleigh (British, 4856 GRT, built 1928), Geddington Court (British, 6903 GRT, built 1928), Gunvor Maersk (British, 1977 GRT, built 1931), Hartbridge (British, 5080 GRT, built 1927), Hindsholm (British, 1512 GRT, built 1922), Iron Baron (British, 3231 GRT, built 1911), Keila (British, 3621 GRT, built 1905), Lagarto (British, 5072 GRT, built 1917), Leighton (British, 7412 GRT, built 1921), Margit (British, 1735 GRT, built 1924), Mariston (British, 4557 GRT, built 1924), Michalios (Greek, 3742 GRT, built 1908), Milcrest (British, 5283 GRT, built 1919), Nicolaos Piangos (Greek, 4499 GRT, built 1912), Nicolas (Greek, 4540 GRT, built 1910), Pennington Court (British, 6098 GRT, built 1924), Redpool (British, 4848 GRT, built 1924), Scorton (British, 4813 GRT, built 1939), Snar (Norwegian, 3176 GRT, built 1920), Solhavn (Norwegian, 1630 GRT, built 1918) and Vestland (Norwegian, 1934 GRT, built 1916).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranpura (A/Capt.(Retd.) H.T.W. Pawsey, OBE, RN) and auxiliary patrol boats HMCS Raccoon (T/Lt. N.G. Bennett, RCNR) and HMCS Reindeer (Lt. L.G. Cumming, RCNVR). Both patrol vessels returned to Halifax on the 11th.

In the morning of the 15th the destroyer HMCS Restigouche (Cdr. H.N. Lay, RCN) joined to guide the convoy towards convoy HX 132.

Around 2100O/16, Convoy SC 34 took station astern of convoy HX 132.

The combined convoy was then escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranpura, destroyers HMCS Restigouche, HMCS Saguenay (Lt. P.E. Haddon, RCN), HMCS Columbia (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) S.W. Davis, RN), Niagara (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) E.L. Armstrong, RCN), HMS Ramsey (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Stannard, VC, RNR), HMS Richmond (Lt.Cdr. A.F.L. Evans, RN) and the corvettes HMS Candytuft (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) F.B. Collinson, RD, RNR) and HMCS Cobalt ( T/Lt. C.J. Angus, RCNR).

HMS Ranpura, HMCS Saguenay, HMS Ramsay, HMS Richmond, HMS Candytuft and HMCS Cobalt parted company with the combined convoy around 1020Z/23 to proceed to Reykjavik.

Other A/S vessels had joined by that time but sources vary on their composition and the time they were with the convoy.

The relief A/S escorts most likely involved in escorting HX 132 and / or SC 34 were; destroyers HMS Broke (Cdr. B.G. Scurfield, RN), HMS Venomous (Cdr. H.P. Henderson, RN), HMS Sabre (Lt. P.W. Gretton, DSC, RN), HMS Saladin (Lt.Cdr. L.J. Dover, RN), HMS Shikari (Lt.Cdr. H.N.A. Richardson, RN), HMS Lincoln (Lt. R.J. Hanson, RN), corvettes HMS Abelia (T/Lt. F. Ardern, RNR), HMS Alisma (A/Lt.Cdr. M.G. Rose, RANVR), HMS Anemone (Lt.Cdr. H.G. Boys-Smith, DSO, RNR), HMS Sunflower (Lt.Cdr. J.T. Jones, RNR), HMS Veronica (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) D.F. White, RNR), mineweeepers HMS Gossamer (Lt.Cdr. A.D.H. Jay, RN), HMS Hazard (Lt.Cdr. J.R.A. Seymour, RN), HMS Hebe (Lt.Cdr. J.B.G. Temple, DSC, RN), HMS Hussar ( Lt.Cdr. D.H.P. Gardiner, RN), A/S trawlers HMS St. Elstan (T/Lt. G. Butcher, RNVR), HMS St. Kenan (T/Lt. R.R. Simpson, RNR) and HMS St. Zeno (T/Lt. J.K. Craig, RNVR). The catapult ship HMS Pegasus (Capt.(Retd.) P.G. Wodehouse, DSO, RN) apparently also joined the convoys.

[This will have to be further researched in the future.]

The convoys at a certain point apparently separated again. Convoy HX 132 arrived in U.K. waters on 28 June 1941. Convoy SC 34 arrived in U.K. waters on 29 June 1941.