Convoy ON 207
Encyclopedia
ON 207 was a North Atlantic convoy
of the ONS/ON series
which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II
.
It was the subject of a major U-boat attack in October 1943, the fourth battle in the German Navy’s (Kriegsmarine KM
’s) autumn offensive.
and unaware of the poor results achieved during its attack on convoys ONS 20 and ON 206,
BdU(Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote, Commander of the Submarines) re-organized the boats then in the North Atlantic into patrol line Siegfried
to continue the offensive. The next convoy subjected to an attack was ON 207.
.
Composed of 52 ships it was escorted by Canadian escort group C-1, which comprised 3 destroyers; Forester
(Cdr JA Burnett as Senior Officer Escort), St Laurent and Assiniboine, frigate Ettrick and 3 corvettes; Agassiz, Galt and Celandine. The escort was augmented by the escort carrier Biter
, with 3 sloops (Crane, Pheasant and Chanticleer) as escort,
and the MAC
carrier Amastra, though she had to return to base early in the voyage with storm damage.
BdU had established the patrol line Seigfried of 18 boats.
It consisted of 7 boats from the disbanded group Schlieffen
, plus 11 others from bases in France
and Germany
. All the reinforcements were commanded by new skippers; 6 from Norway were also new boats, while the 5 from France were experienced boats with new commanders.
The Siegfried boats had fuel problems, so a re-fueling group was established north of the Azores, of 3 U-tankers
and a flak boat as escort.
When Allied intelligence learned of the position of Seigfried, it was decided to force an engagement with the wolfpack; several HX
and SC convoys
in the area were diverted away, whilst ON 207 was left to continue on course, as a bait convoy for the U-boats. ON 207 was massively reinforced by two support groups, 2nd EG commanded by Capt FJ Walker
, and B-7 EG, commanded by Cdr P Gretton, which detached from a successful trip with ON 206.
2 EG comprised 4 sloops (Starling
, Magpie, Wild Goose and Woodcock) and
was accompanied by the escort carrier Tracker. (Two of 2EG's sloops were absent at the time).
B 7 group at this point comprised 2 destroyers (Duncan and Vidette), and 2 corvettes (Loosestrife and Sunflower). B-7 also had 2 corvettes detached.
of 224 squadron RAF, attempting to make contact with the convoy. The Liberator attacked, and was joined by escorts Vidette and Duncan of B-7. They also attacked with depth charges, and U-274 was destroyed with all hands.
On 26th U-91 was attacked by a Liberator of 10 sqdn RCAF, but she escaped with little damage. Later in the day, another Liberator of 10 sqdn attacked and destroyed U-420.
On 29th B 7 detached to join ON 208, which was following several days behind; the group found U-282 shadowing the convoy. Duncan, Vidette and Sunflower attacked with depth charge and Hedgehog
, and U-282 was destroyed with all hands.
During the time ON 207 was in Siegfrieds patrol area, none of its boats were able to launch an attack, and none of ON 207s ships were harmed by enemy action.
While this action was taking place, Seigfried’s refuelling group was also under attack, from two USN Hunter-killer groups centred on the escort carriers Block Island
and Card
.
On the night of 25/26 October they attacked the U-tanker U-488, though she escaped with no damage; on 28th they attacked two U-boats, U-220, which was destroyed, and U-256 which was damaged and forced to return to base.
On 31st two more boats were attacked, U-91 which escaped again, and U-584, which was destroyed. Later that day destroyer Borie
destroyed U-405 in a 72 minute duel, that also saw Borie fatally damaged, sinking later that day.
ON 207 continued to its destination, arriving at New York on 4 November 1943.
Most of the U-boats were unable to make contact, and those that did were unable to shadow effectively in order to bring the pack together. Possibly the escorts were unfamiliar with their role as bait, and were too efficient at keeping the pack away from the convoy.
Following ON 207 BdU re-configured Siegfried to form 3 sub-groups to cover a wider area, but this failed to produce results. Also BdU was realizing that the new weapons and tactics underpinning the Autumn offensive were not being successful; and following the attack on ON 207 no further North Atlantic convoys were seriously harmed.
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
of the ONS/ON series
ON convoys
The ON convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Battle of the Atlantic .-History:...
which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
It was the subject of a major U-boat attack in October 1943, the fourth battle in the German Navy’s (Kriegsmarine KM
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
’s) autumn offensive.
Background
Still believing their new weapons and tactics gave them an advantage, despite the losses suffered by wolfpack SchlieffenWolf pack Schlieffen
Schlieffen was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II.-Service history:Schlieffen was formed in October 1943 to operate against the North Atlantic convoy routes and comprised 14 boats....
and unaware of the poor results achieved during its attack on convoys ONS 20 and ON 206,
BdU(Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote, Commander of the Submarines) re-organized the boats then in the North Atlantic into patrol line Siegfried
Wolf pack Siegfried
Siegfried was a "wolfpack" of German U-boats that operated during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II.-Service history:Siegfried was formed in October 1943to operate against the North Atlantic convoy routes and comprised 18 boats....
to continue the offensive. The next convoy subjected to an attack was ON 207.
Protagonists
ON 207 departed Liverpool on 18 October 1943, bound for New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Composed of 52 ships it was escorted by Canadian escort group C-1, which comprised 3 destroyers; Forester
HMS Forester (H74)
HMS Forester was a F class destroyer of the British Royal Navy, commissioned in 1935, that saw service in World War II, seeing action in Norway, in the Mediterranean, on the Russian and Atlantic Convoys, and during the Normandy landings before being sold for scrap in early 1946.-Construction:The...
(Cdr JA Burnett as Senior Officer Escort), St Laurent and Assiniboine, frigate Ettrick and 3 corvettes; Agassiz, Galt and Celandine. The escort was augmented by the escort carrier Biter
HMS Biter (D97)
HMS Biter was a Royal Navy escort carrier during the Second World War. She was laid down as a merchant ship at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard at Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 28 December 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 6 May...
, with 3 sloops (Crane, Pheasant and Chanticleer) as escort,
and the MAC
Merchant aircraft carrier
Merchant aircraft carriers were bulk cargo ships with minimal aircraft handling facilities, used during World War II by Britain and the Netherlands as an interim measure to supplement British and United States-built escort carriers in providing an anti-submarine function for convoys...
carrier Amastra, though she had to return to base early in the voyage with storm damage.
BdU had established the patrol line Seigfried of 18 boats.
It consisted of 7 boats from the disbanded group Schlieffen
Wolf pack Schlieffen
Schlieffen was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II.-Service history:Schlieffen was formed in October 1943 to operate against the North Atlantic convoy routes and comprised 14 boats....
, plus 11 others from bases in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. All the reinforcements were commanded by new skippers; 6 from Norway were also new boats, while the 5 from France were experienced boats with new commanders.
The Siegfried boats had fuel problems, so a re-fueling group was established north of the Azores, of 3 U-tankers
German Type XIV submarine
The Type XIV U-boat was a modification of the Type IXD, designed to resupply other U-boats. They were nicknamed "Milchkuh/Milchkühe " . They had no torpedo tubes or deck guns, only anti-aircraft guns. Due to its large size, the Type XIV could resupply other boats with 400 tons of fuel, four...
and a flak boat as escort.
When Allied intelligence learned of the position of Seigfried, it was decided to force an engagement with the wolfpack; several HX
HX convoys
The HX convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. They were east-bound convoys and originated in Halifax, Nova Scotia from where they sailed to ports in the United Kingdom...
and SC convoys
SC convoys
The SC convoys were a series of North Atlantic convoys that ran during the battle of the Atlantic during World War II.They were east-bound slow convoys originating in Sydney, Cape Breton ; from there they sailed to ports in the UK, mainly Liverpool.For a time after the entry of the...
in the area were diverted away, whilst ON 207 was left to continue on course, as a bait convoy for the U-boats. ON 207 was massively reinforced by two support groups, 2nd EG commanded by Capt FJ Walker
Frederic John Walker
Captain Frederic John Walker, CB, DSO and three Bars, RN was a British Royal Navy officer noted for his exploits during World War II...
, and B-7 EG, commanded by Cdr P Gretton, which detached from a successful trip with ON 206.
2 EG comprised 4 sloops (Starling
HMS Starling (U66)
HMS Starling was a Modified Black Swan-class sloop of the Royal Navy. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Govan, Scotland, launched on 14 October 1942, and commissioned on 1 April 1943....
, Magpie, Wild Goose and Woodcock) and
was accompanied by the escort carrier Tracker. (Two of 2EG's sloops were absent at the time).
B 7 group at this point comprised 2 destroyers (Duncan and Vidette), and 2 corvettes (Loosestrife and Sunflower). B-7 also had 2 corvettes detached.
The Action
On 23 October 1943 U-274 was sighted by an air patrol, a LiberatorB-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
of 224 squadron RAF, attempting to make contact with the convoy. The Liberator attacked, and was joined by escorts Vidette and Duncan of B-7. They also attacked with depth charges, and U-274 was destroyed with all hands.
On 26th U-91 was attacked by a Liberator of 10 sqdn RCAF, but she escaped with little damage. Later in the day, another Liberator of 10 sqdn attacked and destroyed U-420.
On 29th B 7 detached to join ON 208, which was following several days behind; the group found U-282 shadowing the convoy. Duncan, Vidette and Sunflower attacked with depth charge and Hedgehog
Hedgehog (weapon)
The Hedgehog was an anti-submarine weapon developed by the Royal Navy during World War II, that was deployed on convoy escort warships such as destroyers to supplement the depth charge. The weapon worked by firing a number of small spigot mortar bombs from spiked fittings...
, and U-282 was destroyed with all hands.
During the time ON 207 was in Siegfrieds patrol area, none of its boats were able to launch an attack, and none of ON 207s ships were harmed by enemy action.
While this action was taking place, Seigfried’s refuelling group was also under attack, from two USN Hunter-killer groups centred on the escort carriers Block Island
USS Block Island (CVE-21)
USS Block Island was a for the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first of two escort carriers named after Block Island Sound off Rhode Island. Block Island was launched on 6 June 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation of Seattle, Washington, under a Maritime Commission...
and Card
USS Card (CVE-11)
USS Card was a Bogue-class escort aircraft carrier. Her hull was laid down on 27 October 1941 as a C-3 cargo ship but it was acquired from the Maritime Commission while under construction and was converted into an escort carrier.She was launched as AVG 11 on 27 February 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma...
.
On the night of 25/26 October they attacked the U-tanker U-488, though she escaped with no damage; on 28th they attacked two U-boats, U-220, which was destroyed, and U-256 which was damaged and forced to return to base.
On 31st two more boats were attacked, U-91 which escaped again, and U-584, which was destroyed. Later that day destroyer Borie
USS Borie (DD-215)
USS Borie was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship named for Ulysses S. Grant's Secretary of the Navy, Adolph E. Borie...
destroyed U-405 in a 72 minute duel, that also saw Borie fatally damaged, sinking later that day.
ON 207 continued to its destination, arriving at New York on 4 November 1943.
Conclusion
With 3 U-boats destroyed for no ships lost ON 207 was undoubtedly an Allied victory; but if Admiralty was hoping to inflict a crushing blow to UbW by wiping out a wolf pack, this success eluded them.Most of the U-boats were unable to make contact, and those that did were unable to shadow effectively in order to bring the pack together. Possibly the escorts were unfamiliar with their role as bait, and were too efficient at keeping the pack away from the convoy.
Following ON 207 BdU re-configured Siegfried to form 3 sub-groups to cover a wider area, but this failed to produce results. Also BdU was realizing that the new weapons and tactics underpinning the Autumn offensive were not being successful; and following the attack on ON 207 no further North Atlantic convoys were seriously harmed.
Table
U-boats destroyed| Date | Number | Type | Captain | Casualties | Sunk by… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 October 1943 | U-274 | VIIC | O/L Jordan | 48 | Lib B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... "Z" 224 Sqdn RAF Vidette Duncan |
| 26 October 1943 | U-420 | VIIC | O/L Reese | 49 | Lib "A" 10 Sqdn RCAF |
| 29 October 1943 | U-282 | VIIC | O/L Muller | 48 | Duncan Vidette Sunflower |