Part of the
Acorn Archive
Hearts of Oak
Athel Line
Ships
Atheltemplar
and Athelempress
Bravery and
sacrifice of Jervis Bay saves most of Convoy HX84
Back to ATHELEMPRESS Back to ATHELTEMPLAR
On the same day as SCOTTISH MAIDEN was sunk by U-99,
ATHELTEMPLAR had a fortunate escape.
With her fleet sister ATHELEMPRESS, she was part of
convoy HX84,
and both escaped unharmed
when the German Pocket
Battleship ADMIRAL SCHEER attacked the
convoy on 5th November 1940.
Merchant Ships
in Convoy HX84
Belgium - 2
EMILE FRANCQUI, PERSIER
Britain - 23
ANDALUSIAN, ATHELEMPRESS, ATHELTEMPLAR, BEAVERFORD,
BRAIRWOOD, CASTILIAN, CORDELIA, CORNISH CITY, DAN-Y-BRYN,
DELPHINULA, EMPIRE PENGUIN, ERODONA, FRESNO CITY,
JAMES J MAGUIRE, KENBANE HEAD, LANCASTER CASTLE, MAIDAN,
OIL RELIANCE, PACIFIC ENTERPRISE, RANGITIKI, SAN
DEMETRIO,
SOVAC, TREFUSIS, TREWELLARD.
France - 2
DANAÉ, SAINT GOBAIN
Greece - 1
ANNA BULGARI
Norway - 4
HJALMAR WESSEL, SOLFONN, CETUS, VARØY
Poland - 2
MORSKA WOLA, PUCK
Sweden - 3
STUREHOLM, VINGALAND, DELHI
Convoy
HX84 was under command of Rear-Admiral H. B. Maltby,
on the
CORNISH CITY.
Convoy HX 84 departed Halifax on 28 Oct 1940 with 38
ships bound for Liverpool. On 5th November, the ADMIRAL SCHEER ( 10,000 tons ) attacked the convoy,
escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS JERVIS BAY, Capt E.S. Fogarty Fegen;
Although unarmored and massively outgunned ( with seven elderly 6inch guns
against the SCHEER's 11inch main
battery ), Fegen attacked the German ship head on, ordering the convoy to
scatter. JERVIS BAY never once brought ADMIRAL SCHEER within the range of her
own guns, but fought on with her decks ablaze. 190 of her crew of 255 were
lost, including Captain Fegen. The delay allowed most of the convoy to get away.
Captain E.S. Fogarty Fegen, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
Jervis Bay
208 Merchant
Seamen lost their lives.
The six merchant ships sunk by Scheer from HX-84 totalled
33,331 tons. The cargo carried in the lost ships included 28,000 tons of
general cargo and military transport, 8,425 tons of general food, 8129 tons of
corn, 7,800 tons of steel.
~~~~o~~o~~~~
The ADMIRAL SCHEER
sank these seven British vessels
Approximate Position
84.52N : 32.34W
1,000 miles East of Newfoundland.
JERVIS BAY
( F 40 )
Aberdeen & Commonwealth Line
Built 1922 Vickers
14,164 tons
530ft 6ins x 68ft 3ins x39ft 9ins
1,977 nhp.; 16 knots; turbine engines
6 ins guns.
Serving
as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.
The action lasted for about an hour, the
JERVIS BAY sustaining the full weight of the enemy's fire and preventing
concentration on the convoy. At the end of that time the JERVIS BAY was heavily
on fire with every gun out of action, but night was coming on and the convoy,
having concealed its movements by throwing over smoke floats, had scattered
over a wide area. The JERVIS BAY though badly damaged, still continued to
float; two hours later she sank with colours flying. The number saved was 65,
including a few officers. The number lost was 33 officers and 147 ratings
killed, and one officer and nine ratings died of wounds. The STUREHOLM turned back gallantly and her commander,
Capt. Sven Olander, lowered boats and picked up the survivors.
BEAVERFORD
Canadian Pacific Railway Co.
Built 1928 Barclay, Curie & Co.,
Glasgow.
10,042 grt; 6,060
nrt.
503ft x 61ft 8ins x 37ft 5ins
1,574 nhp; 15.5 knots
Twin Screw
Capt. E. Pettigrew.
BEAVERFORD
attempted to defend the convoy after the JERVIS BAY
was put out of action, being caught up by the ADMIRAL SCHEER; although she made
the best defence possible with her meagre armament, in a determined fight for over four hours, she was sunk with 77 of her crew. Capt. Pettigrew was among those
killed.
FRESNO CITY
Reardon
Smith
4,955 tons
Capt. R. A. Lawson
One man killed.
KENBANE HEAD
Ulster S.S. Co.
Built 1919 Workman, Clark & Co.
5,225 tons
400ft 3ins x 52ft 3ins x 28ft 4ins
3,000 ihp; 13 knots; triple-expansion
engines.
Capt. T. F. Milner
Following the engagement with Jervis Bay
engaged the SCHEER caught up with KENBANE HEAD and sunk her with the loss of 23
men.
Capt. Milner was among the survivors.
MAIDAN
T. & J. Brocklebank
Built 1925 C. Connell & Co.
7,908 tons
470ft x 62ft 2ins x 32ft 4ins
1,047nhp; 12 knots; turbine engines.
Capt. C. L. Miller.
Maidan, 7,908 tons,
Capt. C. L. Miller
Lost with all hands, 90 officers and
men.
19 Europeans,
including a naval gunner, and 71 Indians.
MOPAN
Elder Fyffes
Built 1929 Cammell Laird & Co., Ltd. Birkenhead
5,389 tons
Capt. S. A. Sapsworth
68 prisoners of war taken.
TREWELLARD
Hain Steamship Co.
Built 1936 Lithgows
5,201 tons
432ft 3ins x 56ft 2ins x 24ft 8ins
469 nhp; 11 knots; triple-expansion
engines and LP turbine.
Capt. L. Daniel
The TREWELLARD was overtaken and sunk by
the SCHEER some hours after the action with JERVIS BAY, going down with the loss
of 14 men. Capt. Daniel was among the survivors, of whom 25 in three boats were
picked up by the steamship GLOUCESTER CITY, Capt. Smith, O.B.E.
~~~o~~~
The tanker SAN DEMETRIO was hit, and abandoned on fire.
Two days later her Second Officer's boat saw her, and SAN
DEMETRIO, still on fire.
The decision was made to re-board her.
All charts and navigating equipment had been destroyed in
the fire.
The fires were put out, and the engine started.
She was then brought in on her own power to the Clyde.
This remarkable voyage is commemorated in the film
"San Demetrio, London"
Raymond
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