Convoy JW 57

HMS Chaser

Arctic naval operations of World War II

Weserübung Norwegian Campaign Convoys Claymore Gauntlet PQ 7 PQ 8 PQ 12 Sportpalast PQ 13 PQ 14 QP 10 PQ 15 QP 11 PQ 16 PQ 17 Rösselsprung QP 13 Wunderland PQ 18 QP 14 Doppelschlag QP 15 JW 51A JW 51B Regenbogen Barents Sea JW 55B Ostfront North Cape JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58

Convoy JW 57 was an Arctic convoy sent from Great Britain by the Western Allies to aid the Soviet Union during World War II. It sailed in February 1944, reaching the Soviet northern ports at the end of the month. All ships arrived safely. For several days JW 57 was attacked by a German U-boat force; one escort vessel was sunk, and two U-boats were destroyed in counter-measures, during this operation.

Ships

The convoy consisted of 45 merchant ships which departed from Loch Ewe on 20 February 1944. Close escort was provided by a force led by Cdr IJ Tyson in the destroyer Keppel, with three other destroyers and four corvettes. The force was supported by an Ocean escort of 14 destroyers led by V.Adm IG Glennie in the cruiser Black Prince, and the escort carrier Chaser with her escort of two destroyers and two frigates. The convoy was also accompanied initially by a local escort group from Britain, and joined later by a local escort group from Murmansk. There was no capital ship force providing distant cover, as Germany’s only remaining heavy unit in the Arctic, Tirpitz, was still non-operational following the attack by British X-craft (Operation Source), but a cruiser cover force comprising Berwick and Jamaica followed the convoy, to guard against attack by smaller surface units.

JW 57 was opposed by a U-boat force of 14 boats, arranged in two patrol lines code-named Werewolf (10 boats) and Hartmut (4 boats).

Action

JW 57 departed Loch Ewe on 20 February 1944, accompanied by its local escort, the minesweeper Rattlesnake and three others, with two corvettes. The close escort joined the same day.

On 22 February they were met by the Ocean escort, and by Chaser and her group, while the local escort returned.

On 23 February the convoy was sighted by German reconnaissance aircraft, which were attacked by Chaser's Martlets.

On 24 February the U-boats gained contact, but were unsuccessful in their attacks, while U-713 was sunk in a counter-attack by Keppel, assisted by a Swordfish from Chaser.^[1]

On 25 February the U-boats again attacked, and on this day U-990 torpedoed the destroyer Mahratta. She quickly sank, with the loss of most of her crew; there were 17 survivors.^[2] Also on 25 February a Catalina from Sullom Voe attacked and destroyed U-601.^[3]

No further losses and JW 57 reached Kola safely on 28 February.

Conclusion

All 45 ships arrived safely, despite determined U-boat opposition, and two U-boats had been destroyed. However the loss of Mahratta was keenly felt among men of the escort force, taking the edge off the victory.^[4]

Notes

↑ Kemp p171-172
↑ Blair p515
↑ Kemp p172
↑ Kemp (1993) p195

References

Clay Blair : Hitler's U-Boat War [Volume 2]: The Hunted 1942-1945 (1998) ISBN 0-304-35261-6 (2000 UK paperback ed.)
Paul Kemp : Convoy! Drama in Arctic Waters (1993) ISBN 1-85409-130-1
Paul Kemp : U-Boats Destroyed ( 1997) . ISBN 1-85409-515-3
Axel Neistle : German U-Boat Losses during World War II (1998). 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 57 at Convoyweb

Arctic convoys of World War II

1941

Outbound	Dervish PQ 1 PQ 2 PQ 3 PQ 4 PQ 5 PQ 6

Homebound	QP 1 QP 2 QP 3

1942

Outbound	PQ 7a PQ 7b PQ 8 PQ 9 PQ 10 PQ 11 PQ 12 PQ 13 PQ 14 PQ 15 PQ 16 PQ 17 PQ 18 Operation FB JW 51A JW 51B

Homebound	QP 4 QP 5 QP 6 QP 7 QP 8 QP 9 QP 10 QP 11 QP 12 QP 13 QP 14 QP 15 RA 51

1943

Outbound	JW 52 JW 53 JW 54A JW 54B JW 55A JW 55B

Homebound	RA 52 RA 53 RA 54A RA 54B RA 55A RA 55B

1944

Outbound	JW 56A JW 56B JW 57 JW 58 JW 59 JW 60 JW 61 JW 61A JW 62 JW 63

Homebound	RA 56 RA 57 RA 58 RA 59 RA 59A RA 60 RA 61 RA 61A RA 62 RA 63

1945

Outbound	JW 64 JW 65 JW 66 JW 67

Homebound	RA 64 RA 65 RA 66 RA 67

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