The ON and later ONS convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Atlantic campaign of the Second World War. The ON convoys replaced the earlier OA/OB series of outbound convoys in July 1941 and ran until the end of the campaign in May 1945. They were organized as alternating fast and slow convoys until March 1943, when the ONS series was begun to take over the slow trans-Atlantic traffic, after which all in the ON series were fast.
From 7 September 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, all traffic outbound from the UK was organized into the OA and OB series, sailing from London via the English Channel (OA) and from Liverpool via St Georges Channel (OB) into the South-Western Approaches. These would be escorted until beyond the range of U-boat patrols before the ships dispersed to reach their individual destinations. After the fall of France in June 1940 these were successively reorganized as German aircraft, submarines, and surface ships reached further and further into the Atlantic, until ships formerly assigned to OA/OB convoys were formed into ON convoys sailing from Liverpool via the North Channel and escorted all the way to Halifax Harbour. These convoys were sequentially numbered from ON 1 sailing on 26 July 1941 to ON 305 sailing on 27 May 1945.[1]
Most ships in ON convoys were in ballast, although some carried coal or other export goods. A total of 14,864 ships sailed in 307 ON convoys. One ON convoy sailed in Fast and Slow sections and two others were cancelled. U-boats sank 81 of these ships, and another 23 were lost to marine accidents. These figures do not include stragglers; although the majority of casualties to U-boats were ships that had fallen out of convoys or were sailing independently. Ten warships on escort duty were also lost.
ONS convoysedit
Until April 1943, ships capable of speeds between 9 and 13 knots (17 and 24 km/h; 10 and 15 mph) were assigned to odd-numbered (fast) convoys—sometimes designated ON(F); while ships capable of speeds between 6 and 9 knots (11 and 17 km/h; 6.9 and 10.4 mph) were assigned to even-numbered (slow) convoys—sometimes designated ON(S) or (ambiguously) ONS. This situation, which has proved confusing to modern historians, prevailed until a new and separate series of ONS (Outbound North Slow) convoys was organised. These convoys were sequentially numbered from ONS 1 sailing on 4 April 1943 to ONS 51 sailing on 21 May 1945.[3] ON 171 was a fast convoy, as were all subsequent ON convoys. The ONS series were suspended in the summer of 1944 as escort groups were diverted to cover the Normandy landings. A total of 1873 ships sailed in 51 ONS convoys. Only 5 of these were attacked (around 10%), though two of these battles were of major significance; ONS 5 is regarded as the turning point of the campaign, while ONS 20 was the last major convoy battle in the campaign. Nineteen ships were lost (around 1%) from ONS convoys.
Notable battles around ON and ONS convoysedit
The Outbound Northern convoys saw some of the major convoy battles of the Atlantic campaign; of the 40 convoys which lost 6 or more ships, 8 were in the ON series (of which 5 were Slow, and 3 were Fast) and one was in the ONS series.
Convoy ON 67 was one of the few North Atlantic trade convoy of early 1942 to be attacked by multiple U-boats. Eight ships were sunk, and one U-boat damaged, over a four day battle[4]
Convoy ON 92 lost seven ships over a three-day period
Convoy ONS 5. Attacked in April–May 1943, ONS 5 saw the loss of 12 ships, and the destruction of 6 U-boats, in a week-long series of actions. It ushered in the period known as Black May and is widely regarded as the turning point in the Atlantic campaign.
Convoys ONS 18/ON 202. Attacked in September 1943, these two convoys saw the loss of 6 ships and 3 escorts, for the destruction of 3 U-boats, in the first battle of KM's autumn offensive after Black May.
Convoy ONS 19: In September 1943 the forces escorting this ONS 19 destroyed three U-boats encountered in Mid-Atlantic. The convoy was not attacked and no ships were lost.
Convoys ONS 20/ON 206: Attacked in October 1943, six U-boats were destroyed while one merchant ship was sunk
Arnold Hague. The Allied Convoy System 1939–1945 (2000). ISBN (Canada) 1 55125 033 0 . ISBN (UK) 1 86176 147 3
Lenton, H.T. & Colledge, J.J. (1968). British and Dominion Warships of World War Two. Doubleday and Company.
Milner, Marc (1985). North Atlantic Run. Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-450-0.
Morison, Samuel Eliot (1975). History of United States Naval Operations in World War II, Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939–1943. Little, Brown and Company.
Rohwer, J. & Hummelchen, G. (1992). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-105-X.
April 12, 2024
convoys, later, convoys, were, series, north, atlantic, trade, convoys, running, outbound, from, british, isles, north, america, during, atlantic, campaign, second, world, convoys, replaced, earlier, series, outbound, convoys, july, 1941, until, campaign, 1945. The ON and later ONS convoys were a series of North Atlantic trade convoys running Outbound from the British Isles to North America during the Atlantic campaign of the Second World War The ON convoys replaced the earlier OA OB series of outbound convoys in July 1941 and ran until the end of the campaign in May 1945 They were organized as alternating fast and slow convoys until March 1943 when the ONS series was begun to take over the slow trans Atlantic traffic after which all in the ON series were fast Contents 1 ON convoys 2 ONS convoys 3 Notable battles around ON and ONS convoys 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesON convoys editFrom 7 September 1939 shortly after the outbreak of World War II all traffic outbound from the UK was organized into the OA and OB series sailing from London via the English Channel OA and from Liverpool via St Georges Channel OB into the South Western Approaches These would be escorted until beyond the range of U boat patrols before the ships dispersed to reach their individual destinations After the fall of France in June 1940 these were successively reorganized as German aircraft submarines and surface ships reached further and further into the Atlantic until ships formerly assigned to OA OB convoys were formed into ON convoys sailing from Liverpool via the North Channel and escorted all the way to Halifax Harbour These convoys were sequentially numbered from ON 1 sailing on 26 July 1941 to ON 305 sailing on 27 May 1945 1 From August 1942 the Mid Ocean Escort Force of British and Canadian ships with a few United States Coast Guard cutters delivered ON convoys to the Royal Canadian Navy Western Local Escort Force WLEF off Halifax and the WLEF escorted most convoys from ON 125 through ON 301 to New York City 2 Most ships in ON convoys were in ballast although some carried coal or other export goods A total of 14 864 ships sailed in 307 ON convoys One ON convoy sailed in Fast and Slow sections and two others were cancelled U boats sank 81 of these ships and another 23 were lost to marine accidents These figures do not include stragglers although the majority of casualties to U boats were ships that had fallen out of convoys or were sailing independently Ten warships on escort duty were also lost ONS convoys editUntil April 1943 ships capable of speeds between 9 and 13 knots 17 and 24 km h 10 and 15 mph were assigned to odd numbered fast convoys sometimes designated ON F while ships capable of speeds between 6 and 9 knots 11 and 17 km h 6 9 and 10 4 mph were assigned to even numbered slow convoys sometimes designated ON S or ambiguously ONS This situation which has proved confusing to modern historians prevailed until a new and separate series of ONS Outbound North Slow convoys was organised These convoys were sequentially numbered from ONS 1 sailing on 4 April 1943 to ONS 51 sailing on 21 May 1945 3 ON 171 was a fast convoy as were all subsequent ON convoys The ONS series were suspended in the summer of 1944 as escort groups were diverted to cover the Normandy landings A total of 1873 ships sailed in 51 ONS convoys Only 5 of these were attacked around 10 though two of these battles were of major significance ONS 5 is regarded as the turning point of the campaign while ONS 20 was the last major convoy battle in the campaign Nineteen ships were lost around 1 from ONS convoys Notable battles around ON and ONS convoys editThe Outbound Northern convoys saw some of the major convoy battles of the Atlantic campaign of the 40 convoys which lost 6 or more ships 8 were in the ON series of which 5 were Slow and 3 were Fast and one was in the ONS series Convoy ON 67 was one of the few North Atlantic trade convoy of early 1942 to be attacked by multiple U boats Eight ships were sunk and one U boat damaged over a four day battle 4 Convoy ON 92 lost seven ships over a three day period Convoy ON 122 was the first to illustrate the defensive value of HF DF and type 271 centimeter wavelength radar 5 Convoy ON 127 was the only North Atlantic trade convoy of 1942 or 1943 where all U boats deployed against the convoy launched torpedoes 6 Convoy ON 144 demonstrated the ability of Flower class corvettes equipped with type 271 centimetre wavelength radar 7 Convoy ON 154 Loss of 486 lives with 14 ships during the Christmas Convoy of December 1942 caused re evaluation of Canadian convoy escorts 8 Convoy ON 166 Attacked in late February 1943 ON 166 lost 13 merchant ships and the Convoy rescue ship Stockport Three U boats were destroyed and the USCG Treasury class cutter leading Escort Group A 3 was disabled Convoy ONS 5 Attacked in April May 1943 ONS 5 saw the loss of 12 ships and the destruction of 6 U boats in a week long series of actions It ushered in the period known as Black May and is widely regarded as the turning point in the Atlantic campaign Convoys ONS 18 ON 202 Attacked in September 1943 these two convoys saw the loss of 6 ships and 3 escorts for the destruction of 3 U boats in the first battle of KM s autumn offensive after Black May Convoy ONS 19 In September 1943 the forces escorting this ONS 19 destroyed three U boats encountered in Mid Atlantic The convoy was not attacked and no ships were lost Convoys ONS 20 ON 206 Attacked in October 1943 six U boats were destroyed while one merchant ship was sunkSee also editCU convoys Gibraltar convoys of World War II HX convoys SC convoysNotes edit Hague 2000 pp 157 160 Hague 2000 pp 158 160 Hague 2000 pp 163 164 Blair 1996 p 510 Milner pp 148 150 Rohwer amp Hummelchen 1992 p 161 Blair 1998 pp 118 120 Milner 1985 pp 3 4References editBlair Clay 1996 Hitler s U Boat War The Hunters 1939 1942 Random House ISBN 0 394 58839 8 Blair Clay 1998 Hitler s U Boat War The Hunted 1942 1945 Random House ISBN 0 679 45742 9 Dan van der Vat The Atlantic Campaign 1988 ISBN 0 340 37751 8 Arnold Hague The Allied Convoy System 1939 1945 2000 ISBN Canada 1 55125 033 0 ISBN UK 1 86176 147 3 Lenton H T amp Colledge J J 1968 British and Dominion Warships of World War Two Doubleday and Company Milner Marc 1985 North Atlantic Run Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 450 0 Morison Samuel Eliot 1975 History of United States Naval Operations in World War II Volume I The Battle of the Atlantic 1939 1943 Little Brown and Company Rohwer J amp Hummelchen G 1992 Chronology of the War at Sea 1939 1945 Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 105 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title ON ONS convoys amp oldid 1215282737 ONS convoys, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
