Convoy HX 112 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Convoy HX 112
Part of Second World War
Date 15/17 March 1941 Location Western Approaches Result British victory
Belligerents
Germany	United Kingdom  Canada
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz	convoy: escort : Cdr Donald Macintyre
Strength
5 U-boats	41 ships 6 escorts
Casualties and losses
2 U-boats sunk	6 ships sunk

Convoy HX 112 was a group of ships traveling together across the North Atlantic Ocean during the Second World War. This journey was part of the larger battle of the Atlantic, where German U-boats (submarines) tried to stop supplies from reaching Britain. This particular convoy became famous because two very successful German U-boat commanders, Otto Kretschmer (on U-99) and Joachim Schepke (on U-100), lost their submarines during the battle. Kretschmer was captured, and Schepke was killed.

Getting Ready for the Journey

Convoy HX 112 was heading east from Halifax, Canada, to Liverpool, England, in March 1941. It was carrying important war supplies, especially lots of fuel oil, which Britain desperately needed.

The convoy was protected by a group of warships called the 5th Escort Group. This group included two destroyers, HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc, and two smaller ships called corvettes. Commander Donald Macintyre led this escort group from HMS Walker. Because the cargo was so important, two extra destroyers joined the escort as the convoy got closer to Britain, in an area known as the Western Approaches.

On March 15, 1941, a German U-boat, U-110, spotted Convoy HX 112. Its commander, Fritz-Julius Lemp, sent a message to other U-boats and started following the convoy. Soon, four more U-boats joined him: U-99 (led by Kretschmer), U-100 (led by Schepke), U-37, and U-74. They were ready to attack.

The Battle Begins

The U-boat attack started on the night of March 15. U-110 managed to hit a tanker with a torpedo, causing it to catch fire. Luckily, the tanker survived and made it to port later. The escort ships worked hard to stop other U-boat attacks that night.

During the day, the U-boats stayed on the surface, keeping up with the convoy. As night fell on March 16, they tried to attack again.

U-99 managed to sneak into the convoy from the north. In less than an hour, it sank three tankers and one cargo ship, and also damaged another tanker. It stayed hidden among the convoy ships and sank another cargo ship about 15 minutes later before escaping.

Meanwhile, the escort ships were searching for U-boats outside the convoy. Around 1:30 AM, they found U-100 moving on the surface. It quickly dived underwater, but HMS Walker attacked it with depth charges (underwater bombs). U-100 avoided more damage and surfaced again. Just after 3 AM, HMS Vanoc spotted it and bravely rammed the U-boat. Commander Schepke was killed when Vanoc crashed into his submarine, and U-100 sank with most of its crew.

While this was happening, U-99 was trying to get away. It almost crashed into a destroyer in the dark and quickly dived. HMS Walker detected U-99 using its ASDIC (a type of sonar). Walker then dropped depth charges, severely damaging the U-boat. To save his submarine from being crushed as it sank deeper, Commander Kretschmer brought U-99 back to the surface. The surrounding warships immediately fired on it. U-99 was sunk, but Kretschmer and most of his crew were rescued and taken prisoner.

After these intense battles, there were no more attacks on Convoy HX 112. The convoy safely arrived in Liverpool on March 20.

Ships in the Convoy

A total of 41 merchant ships joined Convoy HX 112. These ships carried vital supplies like fuel and other war materials. Six of these merchant ships were sunk during the U-boat attacks.

Convoy Escorts

Many armed military ships protected the convoy during its journey. These included destroyers, corvettes, a cruiser, and an armed merchant cruiser. Their job was to find and fight off the attacking U-boats, keeping the valuable cargo ships safe.

What Happened Next

Convoy HX 112 lost six ships, which was a significant loss of supplies. However, the sinking of two U-boats, especially those commanded by famous heroes like Kretschmer and Schepke, was a big victory for the Allies. This battle, along with the successful defense of Convoy OB 293 and the loss of another top U-boat commander, Günther Prien, and his submarine U-47 the week before, marked an important moment in the Battle of the Atlantic. It showed that the Allies were getting better at defending their convoys against the German U-boats.