Convoy OG 82

Convoy OG 82
Part of World War II
Date14 April 1942
Locationeastern Atlantic
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Germany United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
BdU: Admiral Karl Dönitz Commodore:Capt. AJ Baxter
SO Escort: Cdr. Frederic John Walker
Strength
1 U-boat 17 Ships
5 Escorts
Casualties and losses
1 U-boat destroyed No Ships sunk

OG 82 was an Allied convoy of the OG (Outward to Gibraltar) series during World War II. The action involving this convoy resulted in the destruction of a U-boat, and also had consequences for German U-boat strategy.

Forces involved

OG 82 comprised 17 ships outward bound to Gibraltar, carrying war materials and trade goods. The convoy commodore was Captain AJ Baxter in Baron Yarborough, and the convoy was protected by an understrength escort group. This was 36th Escort Group, consisting of the sloop Stork and the corvettes Convolvulus, Penstemon and Vetch, joined later by Gardenia and led by Cdr FJ "Johnnie" Walker. These were accompanied by two CAM ships, Empire Eve and Empire Heath, and the rescue ship Toward.[1]

Action

OG 82 left Liverpool on 8 April 1942. On 14 April 1942 OG 82 was at the western edge of the Bay of Biscay when it was encountered by U-252, inbound to France after completing her first war patrol. Her skipper, KL Kai Lerchner, sent a sighting report stating that the convoy was lightly escorted and that he was starting to shadow.

His radio signal was picked up and DFed by Royal Navy land stations and reported to Walker. He quickly dispatched his four corvettes to search for the U-boat, which was picked up on radar by Vetch. As Vetch closed to attack, U-252 crash-dived and launched two torpedoes which narrowly missed the corvette. Arriving in Stork, Walker then sent the others corvettes back to the convoy and commenced a hunt with Vetch Together they made several attacks, dropping 45 depth charges in total, and U-252 was destroyed.[2]

No further attacks took place and OG 82 arrived at Gibraltar on 20 April without loss.

Ships in the convoy

Name[3] Flag[3] Dead[4] Tonnage (GRT)[3] Cargo[4] Notes[3]
Baron Ramsey (1929) United Kingdom3,650
Baron Yarborough (1928) United Kingdom3,388
Cara (1929) United Kingdom 1,760
City of Lancaster (1924) United Kingdom3,041
Convolvulus Royal Navy Escort 9 April – 20 April
Crane (1937) United Kingdom785
Empire Eve (1941) United Kingdom5,979CAM ship
Empire Heath (1941) United Kingdom6,643CAM ship
Empire Snipe (1919) United Kingdom2,497Bound for Lisbon
Gardenia Royal Navy Escort 13 April – 20 April
Guido (1920) United Kingdom3,921
Leadgate (1925) United Kingdom2,125Joined late and straggled (18 April)
Macbrae (1924) United Kingdom2,117
Narvik Royal Navy6,991Escort 8 April – 9 April
Newton Pine (1925) United Kingdom 4,212
Ogmore Castle (1919) United Kingdom2,481
Ousel (1922) United Kingdom 1,533
Pencarrow (1921) United Kingdom 4,841Bound for Lisbon
Penstemon Royal Navy Escort 9 April – 20 April
Shuna (1937) United Kingdom1,575
Stork Royal Navy Escort 9 April – 20 April
Toward (1923) United Kingdom1,571Rescue ship
Vetch Royal Navy Escort 9 April – 20 April

Aftermath

This small action resulted in the destruction of one U-boat, but had far-reaching consequences. U-252’s disappearance, after reporting an encounter with a lightly escorted convoy, was similar to the disappearance six weeks previously of U-82 in the same area. From this BdU concluded (erroneously) that the Allies were running a decoy operation, sending heavily armed anti-submarine vessels disguised as a weak convoy to act as a U-boat trap. He therefore instructed his U-boat force to avoid attacking convoys in the Biscay area, an unexpected benefit to the Allies from this brief action.[2]

Notes

  1. ↑ Hague p
  2. 1 2 Blair p553
  3. 1 2 3 4 "ON convoys". Andrew Hague Convoy Database. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
  4. 1 2 Hague 2000 p.146

References

External links

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