Convoy OG 71 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Convoy OG.71 |
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| Part of World War II | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Germany |
 Royal Norwegian Navy |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Admiral Karl Dönitz | Vice-Admiral P E Parker DSO | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| 8 U-boats | 23 merchant ships 13 escorts |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 10 ships sunk (8 merchants, 2 escorts) |
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Imagine a long line of cargo ships sailing across the ocean, protected by warships. That's what a convoy is! Convoy OG 71 was one of these groups of merchant ships during World War II. It was the 71st convoy to travel from the British Isles to Gibraltar.
The convoy left Liverpool on August 13, 1941. Four days later, on August 17, a German spy plane called a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor spotted them. This was bad news for the convoy.
Starting on August 19, Convoy OG 71 faced a new and scary threat. It was the first convoy in the war to be attacked by a German submarine group called a wolfpack. Eight German U-boats (submarines) worked together to hunt the ships. In total, ten ships were sunk before the U-boats lost track of the convoy on August 23. This included eight merchant ships and two escort ships, adding up to over 15,000 tons of cargo lost.
Remembering Convoy OG 71
This convoy became known as the "Nightmare Convoy" because of how many ships and lives were lost. Eight merchant ships and two naval escort ships were sunk. More than 400 people died during the attacks.
One of the ships lost was the Aguila, which was the lead ship for the convoy. A shocking 152 people died from the Aguila. This included 22 young women who were part of the Women's Royal Naval Service, known as "Wrens." They had volunteered to work in Gibraltar.
After this terrible event, Wrens were no longer sent on passenger ships in convoys. Instead, they were transported on safer Royal Navy warships. To honor the lost Wrens, a new warship launched in 1942 was named HMS Wren. Also, a rescue lifeboat launched in 1951 was named Aguila Wren.
Of the ships that survived the attacks, five made it safely to Gibraltar. Ten other ships had to turn back and find safety in neutral Portugal. This retreat was a very difficult decision for the convoy leaders.
Two ships from neutral Ireland were carrying British coal. After this convoy, Irish ship owners decided it was too dangerous to sail their vessels in British convoys. By early 1942, this practice had stopped completely.
Ships in the Convoy
A total of 23 merchant ships joined Convoy OG 71 from Liverpool. These ships carried important supplies.
- Aguila (1917) - This passenger ship was sunk by a German U-boat on August 19. 146 people died on board. Six survivors later died when another ship, Empire Oak, was sunk. This was the lead ship of the convoy.
- Aldergrove (1918) - Sunk by a German U-boat on August 23.
- Alva (1934) - Sunk by a German U-boat on August 19.
- Ciscar (1919) - Sunk by a German U-boat on August 19.
- Clonlara (1926) - This Irish ship was sunk by a German U-boat on August 22. 19 people died.
- Empire Oak (1941) - Sunk by a German U-boat on August 22. 19 people died, including the six survivors from the Aguila.
- Spind (1917) - This Norwegian ship was damaged by one U-boat and then sunk by another on August 23. Luckily, no one died.
- Stork (1937) - Sunk by a German U-boat on August 23. 19 people died.
Many other merchant ships managed to reach Gibraltar or retreated to safe ports like Lisbon or Oporto.
Convoy Escorts
Several armed military ships protected the convoy during its journey. These ships were crucial for fighting off the U-boats.
- HNoMS Bath (I17) - This Norwegian destroyer was sunk by a German U-boat on August 19. 88 people died.
- HMS Zinnia (K98) - This British corvette was sunk by a German U-boat on August 23. 68 people died.
Other escort ships, like HMS Bluebell (K80), HMS Boreas (H77), HMS Campanula (K18), HMS Campion (K108), HMS Gurkha (G63), HMS Hydrangea (K39), HMS Lance (G87), HMS Leith (U36), HMS Vidette (D48), HMS Wallflower (K44), and HMS Wivern (D66), helped protect the convoy throughout its dangerous journey.
See also
- List of shipwrecks in August 1941
