For an alphabetical listing of convoy codes, see List of Allied convoy codes during World War II.
Code prefix |
Route |
First sailing |
Last sailing |
Number of convoys |
Notes |
BB |
Belfast or River Clyde to Bristol Channel |
1940 from Belfast - 1945 from Clyde |
1943 from Belfast - 1945 from Clyde |
|
|
BC |
Bristol Channel to Bay of Biscay |
|
|
|
outward and return convoys used same number |
BD |
White Sea to Dikson Island |
September 1943 |
|
|
|
BK |
White Sea to Kola Inlet |
Summer 1941 |
|
|
|
BTC |
Bristol Channel to River Thames |
1944 |
1945 |
|
|
CE |
St. Helens Roads to Southend-on-Sea |
|
|
|
|
CW |
Southend-on-Sea to St. Helens Roads |
|
|
|
|
DB |
Dikson Island to White Sea |
1942 |
|
|
|
DF |
River Clyde to Faroe Islands |
|
|
|
military ferry service |
DS |
River Clyde to Reykjavík |
|
|
|
military ferry service |
EC |
Southend-on-Sea to Oban via Firth of Forth |
1941 |
1941 |
|
temporary substitution for EN convoys |
EN |
Methil, Fife to Oban via Loch Ewe |
|
|
|
temporarily replaced by EC convoys during 1941 |
FD |
Faroe Islands to River Clyde |
|
|
|
military ferry |
FN |
River Thames to Firth of Forth |
|
|
|
|
FP |
Brest via British Isles to Norway |
April 1940 |
May 1940 |
|
French and Polish troop convoys |
FS |
Firth of Forth to River Thames |
1939 |
1945 |
|
|
FS |
Brest via British Isles to Norway |
April 1940 |
May 1940 |
|
French supply convoys |
GREYBACK |
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime to Newhaven, East Sussex |
|
|
|
ferry service |
GS |
Grimsby to Southend-on-Sea |
1940 |
1940 |
|
|
HM |
Holyhead to Milford Haven |
|
|
|
|
HN |
Bergen to Methil, Fife |
1939 |
1940 |
|
|
HXA |
Western Approaches to English Channel |
1939 |
1945 |
|
English channel section of same numbered HX convoys – no sailings from 1940 to 1944 |
KB |
Kola Inlet to White Sea |
|
|
|
|
KP |
Kola Inlet to Pechengsky District |
|
|
|
|
MH |
Milford Haven to Holyhead |
|
|
|
|
MT |
Methil, Fife to River Tyne |
|
|
|
|
NP |
British Isles to Norway |
April 1940 |
May 1940 |
|
troop convoys |
OA |
River Thames (or Methil, Fife after July 1940) to Liverpool |
7 September 1939 |
24 October 1940 |
234 |
merged with OB convoy in the southwest approaches |
OB |
Liverpool to the Atlantic Ocean |
7 September 1939 |
21 July 1941 |
345 |
merged with OA convoy in the southwest approaches - ON and OS convoys replaced OB convoys |
ON |
Methil, Fife to Bergen |
1939 |
1940 |
|
|
PW |
Portsmouth to Wales |
|
|
|
|
SD |
Iceland to River Clyde |
|
|
|
military ferry service |
SG |
Southend-on-Sea to Grimsby |
1940 |
1940 |
|
|
SILVERTIP |
Newhaven, East Sussex to Dieppe, Seine-Maritime |
|
|
|
ferry service |
TBC |
River Thames to Bristol Channel |
1944 |
1945 |
|
|
TM |
British Isles to Norway |
April 1940 |
May 1940 |
|
troop convoys |
TP |
Norway to British Isles |
May 1940 |
May 1940 |
|
troop convoys |
UR |
Loch Ewe (later Belfast) to Reykjavík |
|
|
|
|
WN |
River Clyde, Oban and Loch Ewe to Firth of Forth |
|
|
|
|
WP |
Wales to Portsmouth |
|
|
|
|
Code prefix |
Route |
First sailing |
Last sailing |
Number of convoys |
Notes |
AT |
United States to British Isles |
March 1942 |
1945 |
|
troopships |
BHX |
Bermuda to Liverpool |
May 1940 |
March 1941 |
97 (# 41-137) |
sailed from Bermuda and merged with same number HX convoy at sea |
CK |
Charleston, South Carolina to British Isles |
1944 |
1944 |
|
rarely used |
CT |
British Isles to Canada |
1941 |
1941 |
|
troopships |
CU |
Caribbean (later New York City) to Liverpool |
20 March 1943 |
30 May 1945 |
73 |
14-knot convoys of tankers with some fast cargo ships |
GUF |
Mediterranean to Chesapeake Bay |
29 November 1942 |
16 April 1945 |
22 |
faster ships |
GUS |
Mediterranean to Chesapeake Bay |
21 December 1942 |
27 May 1945 |
92 |
slower ships |
HG |
Gibraltar to Liverpool |
26 September 1939 |
19 September 1942 |
89 |
replaced by MKS convoys after Operation Torch |
HX |
Halifax Harbour (later New York City) to Liverpool |
16 Sept 1939 |
23 May 1945 |
377 |
9-knot convoys for ships of sustained speeds less than 15 knots |
HXF |
Halifax Harbour to Liverpool |
29 Sept 1939 |
12 February 1940 |
17 |
fast sections of HX convoys |
JW |
Iceland to White Sea |
25 December 1942 |
12 May 1945 |
17 (# 51-67) |
replaced PQ convoys |
KJ |
Kingston, Jamaica to United Kingdom |
|
|
|
|
KMF |
Firth of Clyde to Mediterranean |
26 October 1942 |
23 May 1945 |
45 |
faster ships to the Mediterranean |
KMS |
Liverpool to Mediterranean |
22 October 1942 |
27 April 1945 |
98 |
slower ships to the Mediterranean - 1st 12 sailed independently, remainder sailed with OS convoys and detached west of Gibraltar |
MKF |
Mediterranean to Firth of Clyde or Liverpool |
12 November 1942 |
4 June 1945 |
45 |
faster ships from the Mediterranean |
MKS |
Mediterranean to Liverpool |
12 November 1942 |
25 May 1945 |
103 |
slower ships from the Mediterranean- 1st 11 sailed independently, remainder merged with SL convoys west of Gibraltar |
NA |
Canada to British Isles |
|
|
|
troopships |
OG |
Liverpool to Gibraltar |
2 October 1939 |
17 October 1943 |
95 |
early sailings every 5th merged OA/OB convoy became an OG convoy at sea - later OG convoys sailed from Liverpool |
ON |
Liverpool to Halifax Harbour |
26 July 1941 |
27 May 1945 |
307 |
replaced OB convoys for North American destinations - alternate convoys included slower ships until the ONS convoys started |
ONS |
Liverpool to Halifax Harbour |
15 March 1943 |
21 May 1945 |
51 |
slower ships westbound on the ON convoy route |
OS |
Liverpool to Sierra Leone |
24 July 1941 |
27 May 1945 |
131 |
replaced OB convoys for non-North American destinations - included KMS convoys detached west of Gibraltar |
PQ |
Iceland to White Sea |
29 September 1941 |
2 September 1942 |
18 |
replaced by JW convoys |
QP |
White Sea to Iceland |
28 September 1941 |
17 November 1942 |
15 |
replaced by RA convoys |
RA |
White Sea to Scotland |
30 December 1942 |
23 May 1945 |
17 (# 51-67) |
replaced QP convoys |
RB |
United States to British Isles |
September 1942 |
September 1942 |
1 |
small passenger steamers |
SC |
Sydney, Nova Scotia (or Halifax Harbour or New York City) to Liverpool |
15 August 1940 |
26 May 1945 |
177 |
7-knot convoys of eastbound ships too slow for the 9-knot HX convoys |
SL |
Sierra Leone to Liverpool |
14 September 1939 |
25 November 1944 |
178 |
merged with MKS convoys west of Gibraltar |
TA |
British Isles to United States |
|
|
|
large troopships |
TC |
Canada to British Isles |
1939 |
1941 |
|
troopships carrying Canadian troops |
TCU |
Caribbean (later New York City) to Liverpool |
|
|
|
14-knot CU convoys of tankers and fast cargo ships with troopships |
TU |
British Isles to United States |
1943 |
1944 |
|
troopships |
TUC |
Liverpool to Caribbean (later New York City) |
|
|
|
14-knot UC convoys of tankers and fast cargo ships with some troopships |
UC |
Liverpool to Caribbean (later New York City) |
15 February 1943 |
3 June 1945 |
71 |
14-knot convoys of tankers with some fast cargo ships |
UGF |
Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean |
24 October 1942 |
8 April 1945 |
22 |
faster ships - (UGF-1) was the invasion force for Operation Torch |
UGS |
Chesapeake Bay to Mediterranean |
13 November 1942 |
28 May 1945 |
95 |
slower ships |
UT |
United States to British Isles |
1943 |
1944 |
|
troopships |
Code prefix |
Route |
First sailing |
Last sailing |
Number of convoys |
Notes |
AH |
Aruba to Halifax Harbour |
July 1942 |
September 1942 |
|
a brief tanker series |
ARG |
Boston to Argentia, Newfoundland |
|
|
|
USN convoys |
AW |
Aruba to Curaçao |
|
|
|
local tanker traffic |
BS |
Corner Brook, Newfoundland to Sydney, Nova Scotia |
|
|
|
a brief series |
BW |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to St. John's, Newfoundland |
1942 |
|
|
|
BX |
Boston to Halifax Harbour |
21 March 1942 |
22 May 1945 |
|
|
CK |
Havana, Cuba to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
CL |
St. John's, Newfoundland to Sydney, Nova Scotia |
|
|
|
|
CP |
Curaçao to Panama Canal |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
CW |
Panama Canal to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
CZ |
Curaçao to Panama Canal |
|
|
|
|
FH |
Saint John, New Brunswick to Halifax Harbour |
late 1942 |
|
|
|
G |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Puerto Rico |
|
|
|
|
GAT |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Trinidad via Aruba |
|
|
|
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GJ |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Kingston, Jamaica |
|
|
|
|
GK |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
GM |
Galveston, Texas to Mississippi River |
|
|
|
|
GN |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to New York City |
|
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|
GP |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Panama Canal |
|
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|
|
GS |
Greenland to Sydney, Nova Scotia, or St. John's, Newfoundland |
|
|
|
USN escorted convoys |
GZ |
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to Panama Canal |
1942 |
|
|
|
HA |
Halifax Harbour to Curaçao |
1942 |
September 1942 |
|
replaced HT convoys |
HF |
Halifax Harbour to Saint John, New Brunswick |
|
|
|
|
HHX |
Halifax Harbour to meet HX convoys originating in New York City at the Halifax Ocean Meeting Point (HOMP) |
|
|
|
|
HJ |
Halifax Harbour to St. John's, Newfoundland |
|
|
|
|
HK |
Houston, Texas to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
HON |
Halifax Harbour to ON convoys at the Halifax Ocean Meeting Point (HOMP) |
|
|
|
|
HS |
Halifax Harbour to Sydney, Nova Scotia |
|
|
|
|
HT |
Halifax Harbour to Trinidad |
May 1942 |
1942 |
|
replaced by HA convoys |
JG |
Kingston, Jamaica to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
|
|
|
|
JH |
St. John's, Newfoundland to Halifax Harbour |
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|
|
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JN |
St. John's, Newfoundland to Labrador |
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|
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KG |
Key West, Florida to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
|
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|
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KH |
Key West, Florida to Houston, Texas |
|
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|
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KN |
Key West, Florida to New York City |
|
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KP |
Key West, Florida to Mississippi River |
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KS |
New York City to Key West, Florida |
|
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|
|
KW |
Key West, Florida to Havana, Cuba |
|
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|
|
LC |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to St. John's, Newfoundland |
|
|
|
|
LN |
St. Lawrence River to Labrador |
|
|
|
|
MG |
Mississippi River to Galveston, Texas |
|
|
|
|
NG |
New York City to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
|
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|
|
NJ |
Newfoundland (island) coast to St. John's, Newfoundland |
|
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|
|
NK |
New York City to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
NL |
Labrador to St. Lawrence River |
|
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PG |
Panama Canal to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
1942 |
1942 |
|
PK |
Pilottown, Louisiana to Key West, Florida |
|
|
|
|
QS |
Quebec to Sydney, Nova Scotia |
|
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|
|
SB |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to Corner Brook, Newfoundland |
1942 |
|
|
|
SG |
Sydney, Nova Scotia (later St. John's, Newfoundland) to Greenland |
1942 |
1942 |
|
USN escorted convoys |
SH |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to Halifax Harbour |
|
|
|
|
SHX |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to HX convoys |
|
|
|
|
SJ |
San Juan, Puerto Rico to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
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|
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SQ |
Sydney, Nova Scotia to Quebec |
|
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|
|
TAG |
Trinidad to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base via Aruba |
1942 |
|
|
|
TAW |
Trinidad to Key West via Curaçao |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
TG |
Trinidad to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
|
|
|
|
TH |
Trinidad to Halifax Harbour |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
TO |
Trinidad to Curaçao |
|
|
|
WA |
Curaçao to Aruba |
|
|
|
|
WAT |
Key West to Trinidad via Curaçao |
|
|
|
|
WS |
Wabana, Newfoundland and Labrador to Sydney, Nova Scotia |
|
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|
XB |
Halifax Harbour to Boston |
18 March 1942 |
|
|
|
ZC |
Panama Canal to Curaçao |
|
|
|
|
ZG |
Panama Canal to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base |
|
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|
|
Code prefix |
Pacific routes |
First sailing |
Last sailing |
Number of convoys |
Notes |
AN |
Admiralty Islands to New Guinea |
|
|
|
|
BG |
Milne Bay to New Guinea (OR) Brisbane to Gladstone, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
BN |
New Britain to New Guinea |
|
|
|
|
BT |
Sydney to United States (OR) Brisbane to Townsville, Queensland |
1943 (Sydney to US) |
1944 (Sydney to US) |
|
Sydney to US were troop convoys |
BV |
Brisbane to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
CO |
Newcastle, New South Wales to Melbourne and Adelaide |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
DG |
Thursday Island, Queensland to Merauke |
|
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|
|
DT |
Darwin, Northern Territory to Thursday Island, Queensland |
|
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|
|
FM |
Milne Bay to Port Moresby |
|
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|
|
GB |
New Guinea to Milne Bay |
|
|
|
|
GD |
Merauke to Thursday Island, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
GF |
Adelaide to Fremantle, Western Australia |
|
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|
|
GI |
New Guinea to Philippines |
|
|
|
|
GP |
Sydney to Townsville, Queensland and Brisbane |
|
|
|
|
GT |
Gladstone, Queensland to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
IG |
Philippines to New Guinea |
|
|
|
|
LQ |
Great Barrier Reef to Brisbane |
|
|
|
|
MB |
Port Moresby to `Fall River` Milne Bay |
|
|
|
|
MF |
Port Moresby to Milne Bay `Fall River` |
|
|
|
|
MS |
Melbourne to Singapore |
November 1941 |
February 1942 |
|
|
MT |
Port Moresby to Townsville, Queensland |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
MV |
Milne Bay to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
NA |
Langemak Bay to Admiralty Islands |
|
|
|
|
NB |
New Guinea to New Britain |
|
|
|
|
NE |
New Zealand to Panama Canal |
|
|
|
|
NLY |
Lingayen Gulf – Jayapura – Leyte |
|
|
|
|
NS |
New Caledonia to Sydney |
|
|
|
|
NT |
New Guinea to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
OC |
Melbourne to Newcastle, New South Wales |
|
|
|
|
PG |
Brisbane to Sydney |
|
|
|
|
PQ |
Townsville, Queensland to Port Moresby |
1942 |
1942 |
|
|
PT |
Pearl Harbor to Tarawa |
|
|
|
|
PV |
Melbourne to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
QL |
Brisbane to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
SN |
Sydney to New Caledonia |
|
|
|
|
ST |
Sydney to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
SV |
Sydney to Townsville, Queensland |
|
|
|
|
T |
Hollandia to Manila |
|
|
|
|
TD |
Thursday Island, Queensland to Darwin, Northern Territory |
|
|
|
|
TD |
New Zealand to northern Australia |
|
|
|
|
TN |
Townsville, Queensland to New Guinea |
|
|
|
|
TP |
Tarawa to Pearl Harbor |
|
|
|
|
TS |
Townsville, Queensland to Sydney and Brisbane |
|
|
|
|
VB |
Townsville, Queensland to Brisbane |
|
|
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|
VK |
Sydney to Wellington |
|
|
|
|
VS |
Townsville, Queensland to Sydney |
|
|
|
|
ZT |
New Zealand to Sydney |
|
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