HX-72
Homeward from Halifax (North Atlantic)20 Sep 1940 - 22 Sep 1940
The Convoy | 41 ships |
First sighting | On 20 Sep 1940 by U-47 |
Escorts | From 21st September Escort Group (Cdr. Knapp) with: Sloop Lowestoft Destroyer Shikari Corvettes La Malouine, Calenduala, Heartsease From 22nd September the destroyer Scimitar and Skate |
U-boats | U-29, U-32*, U-43, U-46, U-47*, U-48*, U-65, U-99*, U-100* * U-boats that fired torpedo or used the deck gun |
The battle | After sighting the convoy by U-47 the BdU tried to bring additional boats to the convoy, but not all ordered boats managed to reach it. U-47 had been for the last days serving as a weather boat and had only one torpedo on board. U-99 under Kptlt. Kretschmer reached the convoy as the first boat and sank 3 ships in the night of 20/21 Sept. On the morning of 21 Sept U-48 under Kptlt. Bleichrodt sank the Blairangus. The next evening U-100 under Kptlt. Schepke reached the convoy and sank during the night 7 ships for a total of 50,340 tons. A masterpiece in view of such a strong escort! |
Article compiled by Tom Linclau
Ships hit from convoy HX-72
Date | U-boat | Commander | Name of ship | Tons | Nat. | Map | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 Sep 1940 | U-99 | Otto Kretschmer | Invershannon | 9,154 | ![]() | br | A | |
21 Sep 1940 | U-99 | Otto Kretschmer | ![]() | Baron Blythswood | 3,668 | ![]() | br | B |
21 Sep 1940 | U-47 | Günther Prien | ![]() | Elmbank (d.) | 5,156 | ![]() | br | C |
21 Sep 1940 | U-48 | Heinrich Bleichrodt | ![]() | Blairangus | 4,409 | ![]() | br | D |
21 Sep 1940 | U-99 | Otto Kretschmer | ![]() | Elmbank | 5,156 | ![]() | br | E |
21 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | ![]() | Canonesa | 8,286 | ![]() | br | F |
21 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | Torinia | 10,364 | ![]() | br | G | |
21 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | ![]() | Dalcairn | 4,608 | ![]() | br | H |
21 Sep 1940 | U-48 | Heinrich Bleichrodt | ![]() | Broompark (d.) | 5,136 | ![]() | br | I |
22 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | Empire Airman | 6,586 | ![]() | br | J | |
22 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | ![]() | Scholar | 3,940 | ![]() | br | K |
22 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | ![]() | Frederick S. Fales | 10,525 | ![]() | br | L |
22 Sep 1940 | U-100 | Joachim Schepke | ![]() | Simla | 6,031 | ![]() | nw | M |
22 Sep 1940 | U-32 | Hans Jenisch | ![]() | Collegian (d.) | 7,886 | ![]() | br | N |
90,905 | ||||||||
11 ships sunk (72,727 tons) and 3 ships damaged (18,178 tons). Legend |
77 convoys on route HX were hit by U-boats in the war. Read more about them.
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