Convoy through the Wolf Packs -
the story of Convoy HG 76
(Part One)
(From The Orcadian dated May 2, 2002)

The 36th Escort Group, under the leadership of Captain Walker of HMS Stork sailed on the December 14, 1941, to escort 32 merchant ships on their way to the west coast ports of Great Britain.

On this occasion, all ships of the Escort Group had been alerted to the fact that groups of U-boats, or “Wolf Packs” as they were then known, were lying in wait to attack and destroy this homeward bound convoy HG 76.

The Escort Group were this time aided by three destroyers sent from Gibraltar to accompany the convoy for the first few days out to sea, then they would return to Gibraltar again. The remainder of the escort consisted of the usual two sloops, seven corvettes, and also the utility aircraft-carrier, Audacity.

The Martlet planes flying off Audacity had previously proved to be of immense value to the Escort Group. They would take off and range far and wide, searching out the shadowing U-boats, occasionally forcing them to dive and remain submerged during the hours of daylight. They also took an active part in shooting down or chasing off enemy spotter planes which operated from occupied France. These continually gave the enemy U-boats our position, course and speed.

On leaving the Gibraltar Straits the corvettes formed the main Asdic screen for the convoy, whilst the destroyers acting as scouts ranged further afield to prevent any U-boats from closing in on the convoy.

During the second day at sea, December 15, the escorts were greatly encouraged by the news that one of the destroyers, Nestor, while forming the outer A/S screen had attacked a U-boat. There were no survivors.

The next day passed uneventfully apart from the fact that the aircraft from the Audacity had spotted U-boats some distance away beyond the horizon in the act of submerging. That, and other signals being picked up frequently from the enemy made the whole escort group aware of the approaching danger to the convoy.

On the December 17, aircraft from the Audacity again spotted a U-Boat and went into the attack with bombs, preventing the craft from submerging. The destroyer HMS Stanley, the Stork and the corvette HMS Penstemen raced to the scene and finished her off. Fifty-five survivors were picked up and taken prisoner.

For the benefit of the ship’s company of the Samphire the position at noon each day was marked off on an old chart and pinned to the notice board. On looking at the chart, one could see at a glance that this was definitely another slow convoy. Proceeding at a speed of somewhere around eight knots found us on December 18 approximately 800 miles to the west of Gibraltar.

This was another day of success for the destroyers. HMS Blankey forced a U-Boat to the surface with depth charges. Aided by the Stanley, the submarine was sent to the bottom. The commander and 42 crew were taken prisoner.

During the hours of darkness on December 19, the enemy again tried to penetrate the convoy’s protective screen Their object now was to get within torpedo range of the aircraft carrier Audacity, which generally took up station in the centre of the convoy in the hours of darkness.

Things began to take place in rapid succession when the Stanley made contact with a submarine. With depth charges all set, she steamed into the attack. Apparently the U-Boat had already manoeuvered into firing position, firing her torpedoes at the Stanley as she drew nearer; she scored a direct hit on the destroyer’s magazine. The Stanley instantaneously exploded and sank.

Bill Harcus put down his memories of Convoy HG 76 on canvas. Here, his painting shows HMS Stork ramming the German U-boat which had just sunk the British destroyer Stanley. Bill Harcus was the coxwain on the Samphire lifeboat that went to pick up survivors

HMS Stork, which was in the immediate vicinity spotted the U-Boat on the surface, took immediate action and rammed the enemy. In doing so, the Stork damaged her own bows, and carried away her Asdic gear. Realising that his A/S equipment was no longer in commission, Captain Walker signalled to the Samphire to assist in picking up survivors from the rammed U-Boat.

Being the nearest escort, the Samphire was on the scene almost immediately. From our bridge came this order: “Volunteer boat’s crew to pick up survivors.”

We scrambled on board, were smartly lowered away and proceeded to row in the direction from whence came the sound of voices appealing for help.

This was a new and exciting experience for us. Greatly aided by an occasional flash from the ship’s searchlight, we succeeded in picking out, and hauling on board our small craft, five of Hitler’s much-vaunted “supermen.”

While we were gone, No. 2 sea boat had also been launched. They managed to pick up another survivor. Seven other members of the U-Boat’s crew were also saved by the corvette, while we were away in the boats.

On arriving alongside with our prisoners, the boats were hoisted with all possible speed. The Samphire had been directed to carry out an intensive search for possible Stanley survivors. We were unaware of the fact till then, that it had been one of the escort group that had gone up with a bang.

The lifeboat returns to the Samphire with five German prisoners on board. The 1st Lieutenant is shown using his revolver to keep the prisoners down.

Much valuable time had been lost while picking up the U-Boat’s crew. On reaching the scene of the Stanley disaster, it was apparent that there would be few survivors to be rescued. The sea was covered with a thick film of fuel oil. Again launching the sea boats, a thorough search was made over a wide area of sea.

At last, a man was seen clinging to a lifebuoy, another was clasping a spar which was sticking straight out of the water making it easy to detect with a beam of searchlight. Both men were unconscious when dragged on board the boat.

Later on, we came across a piece of wreckage with another survivor clinging on to it, although he was also unconscious. When we got him on board, we found he was wearing no less than three lifebelts. He proved to be the ship’s cook. He had been a survivor of the Ark Royal, making his way home on the Stanley.

Being twice torpedoed in such a short time gave him cause to hate the enemy no less than anyone else on board. He was now a passenger on the Samphire. However, an “action station” was now found for him, and he was detailed off to stand guard on the 13 U-Boat prisoners while the ship’s company was at action stations.

The other two Stanley survivors failed to make satisfactory progress. They had swallowed fuel oil while they were in the water. Being coxwain of No. 1 sea boat, I was detailed to transfer them to HMS Stork, where they could receive medical attention.

The SS Ruckinge could be seen on the horizon far astern. She had been hit by a torpedo during the night. Her crew had taken to the boats and were rescued by the SS Finland.

HMS Samphire was directed to leave off escorting and return to the torpedoed ship to investigate the possibility of salvaging her. On approaching the SS Ruckinge, we could see that she had received a direct hit to the engine room, leaving a gaping hole in her side large enough to drive a bus through.

On boarding the merchantman, there were obvious signs that the vessel had been abandoned in haste. Our First Lieutenant made a thorough survey of the ship and returned to the Samphire to make his report. He thought that the ship could be salvaged by towing her back to Gibraltar.

On communicating with the Flotilla Leader, it was decided impracticable to tow the Ruckinge back to Gibraltar, owing to the near presence of U-boats. It was decided that the Samphire should sink her with gunfire, then return to the convoy as a U-boat attack was expected again in the hours of darkness.

The Ruckinge had been carrying a large cargo of cork, which would make her almost unsinkable. However, when the gun crews got to work on her, they soon had her holed all along the waterline. Pumping a number of high explosive incendiary shells into her fore and aft, she was eventually set alight. Leaving her burning, we set off in the direction of the convoy to take up our position in the A/S screen.

The slow-moving convoy continued its zig-zag course homewards. The night of December 20 passed without any attempt being made to attack the ships being escorted.

We were aware of the fact that the Wolf Packs had not deserted their intended prey. We thought they were resting and licking their wounds prior to another concentrated attack, and we were right.

The “stalkers” had received a signal from Doenitz’s U-boat HQ, commanding them to hold on to the convoy because the Endress Group was being sent to their aid. Lieutenant Endress was first officer with Prien on the U-47 when he entered Scapa Flow on the night of October 13/14, 1939. Endress was in charge of the torpedo firing mechanism when the Royal Oak was sunk.

The morning of December 21 promised another lovely day. The sea looked for all the world like a sea of glass; ideal weather for the hostile craft, but not favourable for the slow-moving ships under escort.

Spotter planes took off from the Audacity once again in search of the crafty German submarines. Apparently they had learned a lesson, and were now proceeding submerged until it was dark, when they would glide to the surface and overtake the convoy at high speed, the object being to break through the corvettes’ Asdic screens, and launch their torpedoes at the merchantmen.

This drawing by Bill Harcus tracks out the course of Convoy HG 76, showing where it encountered the enemy and the action that took place along the way. Lieutenant Endress launched his attack on the convoy on December 21, 1941. His signal to U-boat headquarters that night was the last one he sent home.

During the day a Martlet plane spotted an object miles away from the convoy. Our ship was at once directed by Captain Walker to proceed to the given position and investigate the report.

Arriving near the scene, an object practically submerged was soon detected, but it could not be identified; it was merely breaking the surface as it wallowed in the slight ocean swell. It appeared to be the hull of an overturned craft of some description.

In an attempt to establish whether it was that of a U-boat or other type of vessel, depth-charges with shallow settings were expertly dispatched by throwers to land and explode beneath its hull. They had no revealing effect on the object, so the four-inch gun was then brought into commission.

With a few well-placed shells, it was sent to the bottom of the deep. It would forever remain one of the many unsolved mysteries of the sea. Now, it would no longer be a menace to ships passing on their lawful routes.

During the day, aircraft from the Audacity were in luck. They spied a U-boat on the surface. Diving to the attack, they scored a lucky hit on target. The bomb may have gone down its conning tower, but anyway it sank immediately, leaving only one survivor to be picked up by the escort group.

On sinking the derelict, the Samphire turned round and set her course to overtake the convoy once more. It was now almost out of sight, only the masts and funnels of the rear column could be seen above the horizon.

Darkness would overtake us before we reached our station in the Asdic screen.

Convoy through the Wolf Packs - the story of Convoy HG 76 (Part Two) - click here