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Escort Group B7

February 13, 2024

Escort Group B7 was a British formation of the Royal Navy which saw action during the Second World War; principally in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Escort Group B7
ActiveWorld War II
Country United Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Empire
BranchRoyal Navy
TypeEscort Group
RoleAnti-submarine warfare
Size~Nine ships
Part ofWestern Approaches Command
Garrison/HQLisahally
EngagementsConvoy ON 153
Convoy ONS 5
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Commander W. E. Banks
Cdr E. H. Tilden
Cdr Peter Gretton

Formation edit

Escort Group B7 was one of seven such British naval groups which served with the Mid-Ocean Escort Force (MOEF). It provided convoy protection in the most dangerous middle section of the North Atlantic route. The MOEF was originally to be five American, five British and four Canadian groups. B7 was formed in the spring of 1942, following the inability of the USN to form groups A-4 and A-5 due to other commitments. To replace them, two new escort groups, Escort Group B6 and Escort Group B7, were formed.

Service history edit

 
B-7 Group Leader HMS Firedrake

Led by HMS Firedrake, under the leadership of Commander William Banks, B7 comprised six Flower-class corvettes; HMS Loosestrife from the disbanded American group A-5, and Alisma, Coreopsis, Jonquil, Pink and Sunflower.[1][2] These were joined later by the destroyers HMS Chesterfield and Ripley.

B7's first convoys, in the spring of 1942, were uneventful and as the Battle of the Atlantic increased in intensity in the summer and autumn, the group's charges were escorted without loss. In December, while escorting Convoy ON 153, the convoy came under attack, and three ships were sunk. During this action, on 11 December, Firedrake was torpedoed by the U-boat U-211 and sank with the loss of 168 of her crew, including her commander and the group's Senior Officer – Escort (SOE), Commander Eric Tilden. Thirty-five survived the torpedoing but only 27 managed to get on board Sunflower, which was under the command of Captain John Treasure Jones.[3]

 
Corvettes of B7 Group moored in Londonderry. Alisma, Dianella, Sunflower & Kingcup. The white areas are where the official censor has painted out security sensitive material
 
B7 Group Leader HMS Duncan

B7's new SOE was Cdr Peter Gretton, of HMS Duncan, a tough and capable leader, who quickly molded the group to his own image. At this point B7 comprised the destroyer Duncan, Vidette, the frigate HMS Tay, and the corvettes HMS Alisma, Loosestrife, Pink, Sunflower and Snowflake.

After several convoys had been escorted without loss, B7 covered Convoy HX 231 in April 1943. This came under attack by the Lowenherz U-boat wolfpack, which sank six ships, fo the loss of two submarines destroyed and five damaged. In May 1943, B7 escorted Convoy ONS 5, sometimes regarded as the turning point of the Atlantic campaign.
In a week long battle against three wolfpacks, Star, Amstel and later Fink, Convoy ONS 5 lost 13 ships, for the destruction of six U-boats, and the disabling of seven. At least four of these were credited to ships of B7. Later that month returning with Convoy SC 130, B7 saw the destruction of between three and five U-boats (sources vary) for no losses. at least one of these was credited to ships of B7.

A series of uneventful convoys followed, as the U-boat Arm withdrew from the North Atlantic after 'Black May', while Gretton lobbied for a chance for B7 to operate as a Support Group.[4] In October 1943 this was given, as the German U-boat Arm launched its autumn offensive.

B7 was involved in the battles for convoys ONS 20 and ON 206, Convoy ON 207 and Convoy ON 208, during which period nine U-boats were destroyed. The battle for Convoy ONS20/206 saw six U-boats sunk, of which U-631 was credited to Sunflower and U-844 was damaged by Duncan, to be destroyed later in an air attack. Convoy ON 207 saw three U-boats destroyed, U-282 by ships of B7, another shared with aircraft.

During this period B7 had steamed 6,700 nmi (7,700 mi; 12,400 km), crossing the Atlantic five times. The group members had refuelled at sea on six occasions, and had also re-armed with depth charges at sea.[5]

Following this B7 returned to escort duty on the North Atlantic route, continuing without major incident until the group was disbanded in the summer of 1944 as part of the preparations for Operation Neptune, the naval contribution to the Normandy invasion.

Losses edit

Ships lost edit

  • HMS Firedrake torpedoed and sunk by U-211 escorting convoy ON 153 on 16 December 1942.[6]

U-boats destroyed edit

Source:[7]

  • U-192 depth-charged by Pink on 5 May 1943.
  • U-638 depth-charged by Loosestrife on 5/6 May 1943.
  • U-125 rammed by HMS Oribi and finished off with gun-fire by Snowflake on 6 May 1943.
  • U-531 depth-charged by Snowflake and hit by Hedgehog (a new type of anti-submarine mortar) from Vidette on 6 May 1943.
  • U-381 depth-charged by Snowflake and hit by Hedgehog from Duncan on 19 May 1943.
  • U-631 depth-charged by Sunflower on 17 October 1943.
  • U-274 attacked by aircraft, hit by Hedgehog from Duncan on 26 October 1943.
  • U-282 by Duncan and Vidette on 29 October 1943.

Commanding officers - Senior Officer Escort edit

Senior Officer Escort
From To Name
4 May 1942 1 September 1942 Cdr William Eric Banks
1 September 1942 17 December 1942 Cdr Eric Henry Tilden
December 1942 May 1944 Cdr Peter Gretton

Notes edit

  1. ^ Rohwer & Hummelchen 1992 p. 227
  2. ^ HMS Alisma was manned by Australians - Tramp to Queen p. 76
  3. ^ Tramp to Queen pp. 69–79
  4. ^ Gretton p. 163
  5. ^ Gretton p. 175
  6. ^ Blair pp 128–129
  7. ^ Kemp pp. 113–14, 119, 152–54

References edit

  • Blair, Clay (2000) [1996]. Hitler's U-boat War: The Hunters, 1939–1942 (Modern Library Paperback, NYC ed.). New York City: Random House. ISBN 978-0-307-87437-5.
  • Peter Gretton : Convoy Escort Commander, (1964). ISBN (none)
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars. Arms and Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Niestle, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Greenhill. ISBN 1-85367-352-8.
  • Rohwer, Jürgen; Hümmelchen, Gerhard (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (3rd rev. ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-119-2.
  • Roskill, S. W. (1960). The War at Sea 1939–1945: The Offensive Part 1: 1st June 1943 – 31st May 1944. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series. Vol. III. London: HMSO. OCLC 1099743425.
  • Capt. John Treasure Jones: Tramp to Queen, (2008). ISBN 978-0-7524-4625-7

External links edit

February 13, 2024
escort, group, british, formation, royal, navy, which, action, during, second, world, principally, battle, atlantic, activeworld, iicountry, united, kingdomallegiancebritish, empirebranchroyal, navytypeescort, grouproleanti, submarine, warfaresize, nine, ships. Escort Group B7 was a British formation of the Royal Navy which saw action during the Second World War principally in the Battle of the Atlantic Escort Group B7ActiveWorld War IICountry United KingdomAllegianceBritish EmpireBranchRoyal NavyTypeEscort GroupRoleAnti submarine warfareSize Nine shipsPart ofWestern Approaches CommandGarrison HQLisahallyEngagementsConvoy ON 153Convoy ONS 5CommandersNotablecommandersCommander W E Banks Cdr E H TildenCdr Peter Gretton Contents 1 Formation 2 Service history 3 Losses 3 1 Ships lost 3 2 U boats destroyed 4 Commanding officers Senior Officer Escort 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksFormation editEscort Group B7 was one of seven such British naval groups which served with the Mid Ocean Escort Force MOEF It provided convoy protection in the most dangerous middle section of the North Atlantic route The MOEF was originally to be five American five British and four Canadian groups B7 was formed in the spring of 1942 following the inability of the USN to form groups A 4 and A 5 due to other commitments To replace them two new escort groups Escort Group B6 and Escort Group B7 were formed Service history edit nbsp B 7 Group Leader HMS FiredrakeLed by HMS Firedrake under the leadership of Commander William Banks B7 comprised six Flower class corvettes HMS Loosestrife from the disbanded American group A 5 and Alisma Coreopsis Jonquil Pink and Sunflower 1 2 These were joined later by the destroyers HMS Chesterfield and Ripley B7 s first convoys in the spring of 1942 were uneventful and as the Battle of the Atlantic increased in intensity in the summer and autumn the group s charges were escorted without loss In December while escorting Convoy ON 153 the convoy came under attack and three ships were sunk During this action on 11 December Firedrake was torpedoed by the U boat U 211 and sank with the loss of 168 of her crew including her commander and the group s Senior Officer Escort SOE Commander Eric Tilden Thirty five survived the torpedoing but only 27 managed to get on board Sunflower which was under the command of Captain John Treasure Jones 3 nbsp Corvettes of B7 Group moored in Londonderry Alisma Dianella Sunflower amp Kingcup The white areas are where the official censor has painted out security sensitive material nbsp B7 Group Leader HMS DuncanB7 s new SOE was Cdr Peter Gretton of HMS Duncan a tough and capable leader who quickly molded the group to his own image At this point B7 comprised the destroyer Duncan Vidette the frigate HMS Tay and the corvettes HMS Alisma Loosestrife Pink Sunflower and Snowflake After several convoys had been escorted without loss B7 covered Convoy HX 231 in April 1943 This came under attack by the Lowenherz U boat wolfpack which sank six ships fo the loss of two submarines destroyed and five damaged In May 1943 B7 escorted Convoy ONS 5 sometimes regarded as the turning point of the Atlantic campaign In a week long battle against three wolfpacks Star Amstel and later Fink Convoy ONS 5 lost 13 ships for the destruction of six U boats and the disabling of seven At least four of these were credited to ships of B7 Later that month returning with Convoy SC 130 B7 saw the destruction of between three and five U boats sources vary for no losses at least one of these was credited to ships of B7 A series of uneventful convoys followed as the U boat Arm withdrew from the North Atlantic after Black May while Gretton lobbied for a chance for B7 to operate as a Support Group 4 In October 1943 this was given as the German U boat Arm launched its autumn offensive B7 was involved in the battles for convoys ONS 20 and ON 206 Convoy ON 207 and Convoy ON 208 during which period nine U boats were destroyed The battle for Convoy ONS20 206 saw six U boats sunk of which U 631 was credited to Sunflower and U 844 was damaged by Duncan to be destroyed later in an air attack Convoy ON 207 saw three U boats destroyed U 282 by ships of B7 another shared with aircraft During this period B7 had steamed 6 700 nmi 7 700 mi 12 400 km crossing the Atlantic five times The group members had refuelled at sea on six occasions and had also re armed with depth charges at sea 5 Following this B7 returned to escort duty on the North Atlantic route continuing without major incident until the group was disbanded in the summer of 1944 as part of the preparations for Operation Neptune the naval contribution to the Normandy invasion Losses editShips lost edit HMS Firedrake torpedoed and sunk by U 211 escorting convoy ON 153 on 16 December 1942 6 U boats destroyed edit Source 7 U 192 depth charged by Pink on 5 May 1943 U 638 depth charged by Loosestrife on 5 6 May 1943 U 125 rammed by HMS Oribi and finished off with gun fire by Snowflake on 6 May 1943 U 531 depth charged by Snowflake and hit by Hedgehog a new type of anti submarine mortar from Vidette on 6 May 1943 U 381 depth charged by Snowflake and hit by Hedgehog from Duncan on 19 May 1943 U 631 depth charged by Sunflower on 17 October 1943 U 274 attacked by aircraft hit by Hedgehog from Duncan on 26 October 1943 U 282 by Duncan and Vidette on 29 October 1943 Commanding officers Senior Officer Escort editSenior Officer Escort From To Name4 May 1942 1 September 1942 Cdr William Eric Banks1 September 1942 17 December 1942 Cdr Eric Henry TildenDecember 1942 May 1944 Cdr Peter GrettonNotes edit Rohwer amp Hummelchen 1992 p 227 HMS Alisma was manned by Australians Tramp to Queen p 76 Tramp to Queen pp 69 79 Gretton p 163 Gretton p 175 Blair pp 128 129 Kemp pp 113 14 119 152 54References editBlair Clay 2000 1996 Hitler s U boat War The Hunters 1939 1942 Modern Library Paperback NYC ed New York City Random House ISBN 978 0 307 87437 5 Peter Gretton Convoy Escort Commander 1964 ISBN none Kemp Paul 1997 U Boats Destroyed German submarine losses in the World Wars Arms and Armour ISBN 1 85409 515 3 Niestle Axel 1998 German U Boat Losses During World War II Greenhill ISBN 1 85367 352 8 Rohwer Jurgen Hummelchen Gerhard 2005 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 The Naval History of World War Two 3rd rev ed Annapolis Maryland Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 59114 119 2 Roskill S W 1960 The War at Sea 1939 1945 The Offensive Part 1 1st June 1943 31st May 1944 History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series Vol III London HMSO OCLC 1099743425 Capt John Treasure Jones Tramp to Queen 2008 ISBN 978 0 7524 4625 7External links edithttp www uboat net allies warships ship 4706 html Alisma at uboatnet http www uboat net allies warships ship 4386 html Firedrake at uboatnet http www naval history net xGM Chrono 10DD 23F Firedrake htm Firedrake at naval history http www hmsfiredrake co uk Firedrake Association with survivors accounts http www carlsen karoo net Sunflower crewman s website describing his 2nd Drafting http www naval history net xGM Chrono 10DD 18D Duncan htm Duncan at naval history Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Escort Group B7 amp oldid 1189780666, wikipedia, 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