Convoy JW 57

The convoy JW 57 was an Allied Nordmeergeleitzug, which was compiled in February 1944 in the Scottish Loch Ewe and essential war goods to the Soviet Murmansk brought. He lost the destroyer HMS Mahratta. On the German side, U 713 and U 610 were lost.

Composition and assurance

The convoy JW 57 was composed of 42 cargo ships. On 20 February 1944 she left Loch Ewe ( Lage57.83 - 5.61 ) in the direction of Murmansk ( Lage69.0933.39 ). By 22 February, the Western Local Escort took over the Nahsicherung consisting of the minesweepers HMS Hydra, HMS Loyalty, HMS Orestes, HMS Rattlesnake, and the corvettes HMS Burdock and HMS Dianella. Then the Ocean escort escorted by escort carrier HMS Chaser, the Flakkreuzer HMS Black Prince, the destroyers HMS Keppel, HMS Beagle, HMS Boadicea, HMS Walker, HMS Wanderer, HMS Watchman, HMS Milne, HMS Mahratta, HMS Matchless HMS Meteor, HMS Offa, HMS Obedient, HMS Onslaught HMS Oribi, HMS Savage, HMS Serapis, HMS Swift, HMS Verulam and HMS Vigilant, the frigates HMS Byron and HMS Strule, and the corvettes HMS Bluebell, HMS Camellia, HMS Lotus, HMS Rhododendron the convoy. A cruiser group consisting of HMS Jamaica, HMS Kent, HMS Norfolk and HMS Berwick stayed in the vicinity.

Course

On 23 February, a German aircraft sighted the convoy and kept in touch. Then moved the U- boats U 956, U 674, U 425, U 601, U 362, U 739, U 713, U 313, U 312 and U 990, which were summarized in the " werewolf ", in the direction of the convoy. The U- boats U 472, U 315, U 673 and U 366 were still in the harbor, and ran as a group " Hartmut" from. On February 24, the U- boats took U 425, U 601, U 739 and U 713 on the first contact with the convoy. It sank the HMS Keppel U 713 By the evening of 25 February, no submarine was due to the large number of escort ships, in firing position. U 610 ( Lage70.4312.66 ) was sunk by doing a land-based Catalina. Then U came in range 990 to HMS Mahratta ( Lage71.2813.5 ) and sank it with a TV torpedo. As she sank very quickly, Allied ships were able to save only two soldiers. On 26 and February 27 was followed by other unsuccessful attacks on convoy vehicles before the convoy on February 28, enters the Kola Bay in front of Murmansk. He lost the destroyer HMS Mahratta. On the German side, U 713 and U 610 were lost.

Allies Dervish Convoy Convoy PQ 1 Convoy PQ 2 Convoy PQ 3 Convoy PQ 4 Convoy PQ 7 Convoy PQ 8 Convoy PQ 13 Convoy PQ 14 Convoy PQ 15 Convoy PQ 16 Convoy PQ 17 Convoy PQ 18 Operation FB Convoy JW 51B Convoy QP 14 Convoy JW 56A Convoy JW 56B Convoy JW 58
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