Convoy HX 49 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Convoy HX 49
Part of World War II
Date 21/22 June 1940 Location Atlantic Ocean
Belligerents
Germany	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
V.Adm. Karl Dönitz	V.Adm. L D Mackinnon
Strength
3 U-boats	50 merchant ships 2 escorts
Casualties and losses
no losses	3 ships sunk 1 ship sunk after dispersal

Convoy HX 49 was a group of ships traveling together for safety during World War II. This convoy was part of the Battle of the Atlantic, a long fight at sea. It was the 49th convoy in a series that sailed from Halifax, Canada to Liverpool, England. German submarines, called U-boats, attacked Convoy HX 49. Three of its 50 ships were sunk during the attack. Another ship was lost later, after the convoy had split up.

What Was Convoy HX 49?

During World War II, ships carrying important supplies often traveled in groups called convoys. This helped protect them from enemy attacks. Convoy HX 49 was made up of two main parts.

Joining Forces at Sea

One part, with 26 ships, left Halifax on June 9, 1940. These ships had come from the eastern coast of the United States. A naval officer, Vice Admiral LD Mackinnon, led this group. An armed merchant ship, the Ausonia, and two Canadian destroyers helped protect them.

The second part, called BHX 49, joined them on June 13. This group had 24 ships from the Caribbean Sea and South America. They had left Bermuda on June 8. The Ragputana and another local escort protected them.

The German U-boat Threat

The German Navy had many U-boats (submarines) patrolling the Atlantic Ocean. These U-boats were looking for Allied convoys to attack. When Convoy HX 49 was sailing, five German U-boats were in the area. They were ready to strike.

The Attack on Convoy HX 49

As Convoy HX 49 got closer to Britain, more escort ships joined it. These were two sloops, Sandwich and Fowey. Sloops were small warships used for escorting convoys.

First Loss: The Moordrecht

Before the main attack, one ship, the Moordrecht, left the convoy. It was heading for a port in neutral Spain. On June 20, a German U-boat, U-48, found the Moordrecht. The U-boat sank the ship without warning. Sadly, 25 people on board died.

Night Attack by U-boats

The next evening, June 21, U-47 found Convoy HX 49. It was about 50 miles south of Cape Clear Island in Ireland. The U-boat's commander, Gunther Prien, was a famous German submarine captain. He steered his U-boat right into the middle of the convoy.

U-47 then fired a torpedo and sank the tanker San Fernando. A tanker is a ship that carries oil. After the attack, the U-boat had to quickly dive deep to avoid being hit by another ship. This sudden attack caused the convoy to scatter, meaning the ships spread out.

Later that same night, two more ships were found and sunk. U-30 sank the Randsfjord. Then, U-32 sank the Eli Knudsen.

Aftermath of the Attack

At dawn on June 22, the two escort sloops, Fowey and Sandwich, worked to gather the scattered ships. They managed to bring most of the convoy back together. Convoy HX 49 continued its journey without any more losses. The main group of ships arrived safely in Liverpool on June 24.

Ships Lost

Merchant ships lost

Name	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Date sunk	Notes
Moordrecht	Netherlands	7,493	20 June	Was heading to Spain. Sunk by U-48. 25 people died.
San Fernando	United Kingdom	13,056	21 June	Sunk by U-47. 49 survivors were rescued by the Fowey and Sandwich.
Randsfjord	Norway	3,999	22 June	Sunk by U-30. 4 people died. 29 survivors were rescued by the Port Hobart.
Eli Knudsen	Norway	9,026	22 June	Sunk by U-32. 37 survivors were rescued by the Sandwich.