Convoy JW 55B was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in late December 1943, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely.
During the voyage JW 55B was approached by a German force centred on the battleship Scharnhorst; no contact was made with the convoy, but Scharnhorst was sunk, in the Battle of the North Cape, by the battleship HMS Duke of York, a handful of Royal Navy light surface combatants, and Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Stord.
Ships
The convoy, comprising 19 merchant ships, departed Loch Ewe on 20 December 1943. Close escort was provided by two destroyers and three other escort vessels. There was also an Ocean escort, comprising the destroyer Onslow (Captain J A McCoy commanding) and seven other Home Fleet destroyers. The convoy was initially accompanied by a local escort group, and joined later by the ocean escort of convoy JW 55A, out of Murmansk. A cruiser cover force comprising Belfast (Vice Admiral R Burnett commanding), Norfolk, and Sheffield also followed the convoy, to guard against attack by surface units. Distant cover was provided by a Heavy Cover Force comprising the battleship Duke of York, the cruiser Jamaica and four destroyers under the command of Vice Admiral Bruce Fraser.[1]
JW 55B was opposed by a force of thirteen U-boats in a patrol line, code-named Eisenbart, in the Norwegian Sea. A surface force comprising the battleship Scharnhorst and five destroyers was also in readiness, stationed at Altenfjord.
Action
JW 55B departed Loch Ewe on 20 December 1943 accompanied by its local escort of two minesweepers and two corvettes, and its close escort. Two days later on 22 December, it was joined by the ocean escort, while the local escort returned. At the same time the Cruiser Force, from Murmansk, and the Distant Cover Force, waiting at Akureyri, in Iceland, also put to sea, taking station in the Norwegian Sea. The convoy was sighted the same day by a patrolling German aircraft which commenced shadowing; a succession of aircraft were able to maintain contact over the next few days, sending accurate reports of course and speed to the surface force at Altenfjord.
On 25 December the convoy was sighted by U-601, an Eisenbart boat, and later that day Admiral Bey, in Scharnhorst, received permission to sortie with his force. That evening U-716 came close enough to fire on one of the escorts, while another was depth charged. Also on 25 December, JW 55B was joined by the ocean escort of JW 55A, which was accompanying the returning convoy RA 55A. Fraser was concerned a German surface force would reach JW 55B before he would, and ordered the convoy to reverse course. In the event this proved too difficult, but the convoy was slowed to 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) to assist the rendezvous.[2]
Scharnhorst was unable to make contact with JW 55B, but on 26 December was intercepted, first by Burnett's cruisers, then by Fraser's heavy units, and sunk in the Battle of the North Cape, after scoring only two minor hits on both Duke of York and destroyer Saumarez. Meanwhile, contact by the U-boats had been lost, and no further contact with JW 55B was made by the Eisenbart wolfpack.
On 28 December the convoy was met by the eastern local escort force, three Soviet destroyers and two minesweepers, and arrived at Kola without further incident on 30 December 1943.
Conclusion
The 19 ships of JW 55B arrived at Murmansk without loss, while the German attempt to attack the convoy had led to the loss of their last operational capital ship in Norway. Thereafter, until Tirpitz was returned to active service, the Allied Arctic convoys were under no serious threat from the German Navy's surface forces.
Ships involved
Allied ships
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMS Belfast |  Royal Navy |
Cruiser cover force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Light cruiser | |
| Bernard N Baker (1943) | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} United States |
7,191 | |
| HMS Borage | Royal Navy |
Escort 20 Dec – 22 Dec. Corvette | |
| British Statesman (1923) |  United Kingdom |
6,991 | |
| Brockholst Livingston (1942) | United States |
7,176 | |
| Cardinal Gibbons (1942) | United States |
7,191 | |
| HMS Duke of York | Royal Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Battleship | |
| Fort Kullyspell (1943) | United Kingdom |
7,190 | Commodore |
| Fort Nakasley (1943) | United Kingdom |
7,132 | |
| Fort Vercheres (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,128 | |
| HMS Gleaner | Royal Navy |
Close escort 20 Dec – 29 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| HMCS Haida | Royal Canadian Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Halcyon | Royal Navy |
Escort 28 Dec – 30 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| Harold L Winslow (1943) | United States |
7,176 | |
| HMS Honeysuckle | Royal Navy |
Close escort 20 Dec – 29 Dec. Corvette | |
| HMS Hound | Royal Navy |
Escort 20 Dec – 22 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| HMCS Huron | Royal Canadian Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Hussar | Royal Navy |
Escort 28 Dec – 30 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| HMS Hydra | Royal Navy |
Escort 20 Dec – 22 Dec. Minesweeper | |
| HMS Impulsive | Royal Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMCS Iroquois | Royal Canadian Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Jamaica | Royal Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Cruiser | |
| John J Abel (1943) | United States |
7,191 | |
| John Vining (1942) | United States |
7,191 | |
| John Wanamaker (1943) | United States |
7,176 | |
| HMS Matchless | Royal Navy |
Escort 25 Dec – 26 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Musketeer | Royal Navy |
Escort 25 Dec – 26 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Norfolk | Royal Navy |
Cruiser cover force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Heavy cruiser | |
| Norlys (1936) |  Panama |
9,892 | |
| Ocean Gypsy (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,178 | |
| Ocean Messenger (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,178 | |
| Ocean Pride (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,173 | |
| Ocean Valour (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,174 | |
| Ocean Viceroy (1942) | United Kingdom |
7,174 | |
| HMS Onslaught | Royal Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Onslow | Royal Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Opportune | Royal Navy |
Escort 25 Dec – 26 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Orwell | Royal Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Oxlip | Royal Navy |
Close escort 20 Dec – 29 Dec. Corvette | |
| HMS Saumarez | Royal Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Savage | Royal Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Scorpion | Royal Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Scourge | Royal Navy |
Ocean escort 22 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Sheffield | Royal Navy |
Cruiser cover force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Cruiser | |
| HNoMS Stord |  Royal Norwegian Navy |
Distant Cover Force 23 Dec – 27 Dec. Destroyer | |
| Thomas U Walter (1943) | United States |
7,176 | |
| HMS Virago | Royal Navy |
Escort 25 Dec – 26 Dec. Destroyer | |
| HMS Wallflower | Royal Navy |
Escort 20 Dec – 22 Dec. Corvette | |
| HMS Whitehall | Royal Navy |
Close escort 20 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer | |
| Will Rogers (1942) | United States |
7,200 | |
| HMS Wrestler | Royal Navy |
Close escort 20 Dec – 29 Dec. Destroyer. | |
Axis ships
Notes
References
- Blair, Clay (1998). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942-1945. ISBN 0-304-35261-6.
- Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
- Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
- Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
- Bob Ruegg, Arnold Hague : Convoys to Russia (1992) ISBN 0-905617-66-5
- Bernard Schofield : (1964) The Russian Convoys BT Batsford ISBN (none)
- JW 55B at Convoyweb