Convoy SL 139/MKS 30 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Convoy SL 139/MKS 30
Part of World War II
Date 18–21 November 1943 Location North Atlantic Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  Canada	Germany
Commanders and leaders
Cdre. JS Dalison	Adm. Karl Dönitz
Strength
66 ships 19 escorts	29 U-boats
Casualties and losses
1 ship sunk 1 ship damaged 1 escort damaged	3 U-boats sunk

The Convoys SL 139 and MKS 30 were two groups of Allied ships that sailed together during World War II. This happened during the long and difficult Battle of the Atlantic. Convoy SL 139 was traveling from the South Atlantic to Britain. Convoy MKS 30 was sailing from Britain to the Mediterranean Sea. In November 1943, these two convoys met near Gibraltar. They then sailed together towards Britain. During their journey, they faced a large attack from German submarines, known as U-boats. This battle was part of Germany's renewed effort to sink Allied ships.

Why Convoys Sailed Together

During World War II, German U-boats were a big threat in the Atlantic Ocean. They tried to sink ships carrying important supplies to Britain. These supplies came from places like the United States, Canada, and other Allied countries.

The U-boat Threat

German U-boats had started attacking convoys again. These were groups of ships sailing together for safety. The U-boats were especially active on routes between the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. The German navy, called the Kriegsmarine, had set up patrol lines. These lines were off the coast of Portugal. They had already attacked other Allied convoys in October 1943.

Better Protection for Ships

To keep the ships safe, the British Admiralty decided to try something new. They started running convoys in tandem, meaning together. This brought ships from the South Atlantic and the Mediterranean routes together. They would meet near the Straits of Gibraltar. This way, more warships could protect a larger group of merchant ships.

Who Was Involved

The Allied Convoys

Convoy SL 139 left Freetown (in Africa) on November 2, 1943. It arrived near Gibraltar on November 16. This convoy had 42 ships. It was protected by nine warships, which formed an Escort Group.

Convoy MKS 30 sailed from Port Said (in Egypt) on November 2. It also arrived near Gibraltar on November 16 to meet SL 139.

The Combined Fleet

Once joined, the two convoys became a large group of 66 ships. They then sailed towards Britain. This combined convoy was protected by the 40th Escort Group. This group had seven warships. Their leader was Commander JS Dalison on the ship HMS Exe.

The German U-boat Groups

The German navy had a special group of U-boats called Schill. This group had been active in the area since October. For this attack, they were organized into three patrol lines. These lines were west of Portugal. German Luftwaffe (air force) planes also searched the ocean for the convoys.

• Schill 1: This was the southernmost group. It had seven U-boats. They were in a line west of Lisbon, Portugal.
• Schill 2: This group had ten U-boats. They were positioned west of Cape Finisterre in Spain.
• Schill 3: This was the northernmost group. It had twelve U-boats. They were about 150 nautical miles (278 km) north of Schill 2.

The Battle Unfolds

First Contact and Evasion

The two Allied convoys met at noon on November 16, 1943. They had 66 ships and were guarded by seven warships. Later that day, German aircraft spotted the combined convoys. This was southwest of Cape St Vincent. But the convoys managed to hide during the night.

U-boat Attacks Begin

On November 18, the convoys ran into the Schill 1 U-boat patrol line. The U-boat U-262 spotted them first. Two other U-boats, U-333 and U-515, joined for the first attack.

Allied Reinforcements

Also on November 18, the Allied escort force got stronger. The 7th Escort Group joined them. This was a Support Group of five warships. It was led by Commander LF Durnford-Slater on HMS Pheasant. Meanwhile, further north, the U-boat U-211 from Schill 2 was caught by a British Vickers Wellington plane. The plane dropped depth charges, and the U-boat was sunk.

Night Attacks and Damage

During the night of November 18-19, the U-boats tried to get past the escort ships. They made several attempts but failed. The U-boat U-333 was attacked by the Allied ship Exe. Exe rammed the U-boat, damaging it. U-333 had to go back to its base.

Meanwhile, U-515 attacked and damaged the Allied ship Chanticleer. Chanticleer was a sloop, a type of warship. It was badly damaged and had to be towed to an Allied base in the Azores. Chanticleer survived the long journey but was too damaged to be repaired. U-515 was also attacked and damaged. It had to retreat. This left U-262 to follow the convoy until Schill 2 could join the fight.

More Allied Support

On November 19, the convoys were joined by the 5th Escort Group. This was a Canadian group of six warships. It was led by the British frigate HMS Nene, commanded by Commander JD Birch. This group also acted as a Support Group. Later that day, two more destroyers, Winchelsea and Wrestler, joined. This brought the total number of escort warships to nineteen.

Second Wave of U-boat Attacks

At dusk on November 19, the convoys met the Schill 2 U-boat group. They attacked throughout the night of November 19-20. Again, the U-boats could not get past the strong escort screen. During this night, the U-boat U-536 was destroyed by the ships Nene and Snowberry. This was the first success for Canada's Support Group.

On November 20, the U-boats from Schill 2 stayed in contact. They were mostly just following the convoy now. They also came under attack from Allied patrol planes. However, in some gunfights, two Allied planes were shot down. A Liberator plane was shot down by U-648. An RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) Sunderland plane was shot down by U-618. No U-boats were lost or damaged by these air attacks. But the U-boat U-538 was caught by the ships Foley and Crane and was destroyed.

That night, November 20-21, the convoy and the chasing U-boats reached the Schill 3 group. These U-boats joined the battle. All their attacks were unsuccessful. No U-boats were destroyed during this time.

Final Reinforcements

On November 21, another Support Group joined the convoy. This was the 4th Escort Group. It had six warships, led by Commander EH Chavasse on Bentinck. Also, the Prince Robert, an RCN Armed Merchant Cruiser, joined. This ship was specially fitted with anti-aircraft guns.

Luftwaffe's Guided Missile Attack

On November 21, the German U-boat command called off their attack. But the convoy was now close enough for German planes based in Occupied France to reach them. In the afternoon of November 21, the Luftwaffe launched an attack. They used a new weapon: the Hs 293 guided missile.

Twenty-five He 177 planes took off. Each plane carried two Hs 293 missiles. These missiles were released several miles from the convoy. They were guided by radio control towards their targets. The Allied escort ships fired their anti-aircraft guns, especially Prince Robert. Despite this, two ships were hit. The ship Marsa was sunk. The ship Delius was damaged. During this air attack, two German planes had to return due to mechanical problems. Three other German planes did not return at all.

This was the only attack on the convoy by the Luftwaffe. The convoy continued its journey without any more problems. It arrived safely in Liverpool, Britain, on November 26, 1943.

What Happened Next

A Clear Allied Victory

Even though Germany gathered many U-boats for this attack, they failed to cause much damage to the convoy. No merchant ships were sunk by the U-boats. One Allied escort ship was damaged and later taken out of service. But the Allies destroyed three German U-boats.

The Luftwaffe also had a disappointing result. They had high hopes for their new guided missiles. But they only managed to sink one ship and damage another. They lost three of their own aircraft in the process.

For the Allies, this battle was a big success. It showed that they could protect their convoys and destroy attacking U-boats. This battle also proved that the strategy of using Support Groups was very effective. No less than three Support Groups were able to join the fight and help protect the convoys. This boosted the Allies' confidence in their ability to win the Battle of the Atlantic.