Convoy OG 71 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the Second World War. It was the 71st of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 13 August 1941Hague, pp. 175–176 and was found on 17 August by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of Kampfgeschwader 40. Starting on August 19, it became the first convoy of the war to be attacked by a German submarine wolfpack, when reached by eight U-boats from 1st U-boat Flotilla, operating out of Brest. Ten ships comprising a total tonnage of 15,185 tons were sunk before the U-boats lost contact on 23 August. p. 78
Legacy This convoy was known as "Nightmare Convoy". Eight merchant ships, two naval escorts and over 400 people died, including 152 from the commodore's ship, (146 on August 19 and 6 survivors lost on August 22 when Empire Oak sank). The Aguila losses included the 22 "lost Wrens" (members of the Women's Royal Naval Service, or WRNS) who had volunteered for duties at Gibraltar. After this, Wrens were never sent again on passenger liners in convoys, but transported on HM ships. page 46. In their honour, a new sloop, launched in 1942, was named , while a Liverpool-class lifeboat, launched in 1951, was named .
Of the convoy's surviving merchant ships, five reached Gibraltar while 10 retreated to neutral Portugal., page 198. This was described as the most "bitter act of surrender could ever come our way"., page 114.
The two ships from neutral Ireland were carrying British coal—after this incident, the Irish ship owners decided not to sail their vessels in British convoys and by the early months of 1942 the practice had ceased., page 87.
Ships in the convoy Allied merchant ships A total of 23 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool.
NameFlagTonnage (GRT)Notes (1916)3,255Passenger ship sunk by on 19 Aug, with 146 dead(another 6 survivors died when Empire Oak was lost 3 days later)Convoy Commodore's ship (Vice-Admiral P E Parker DSO)Aighai (1896)1,406Retreated to PortoAldergrove (1918)1,974Sunk by on 23 Aug, with 1 deadAlva (1934)1,584Sunk by on 19 AugCervantes (1919)1,810Retreated to Lisbon.Ciscar (1919)1,808Sunk by on 19 AugClonlara (1926)1,203Retreated towards Lisbon.Sunk by on 22 Aug, with 19 deadCopeland (1923)1,526Rescue ShipEbro (1920)1,547Reached Gibraltar.Empire Oak (1941)484Sunk by on 22 Aug, with 19 dead(including 6 of 6 originally rescued from Aguila and 9 of 11 rescued from Alva)Empire Stream (1941)2,911Retreated to Lisbon. Vice-Commodore's ShipGrelhead (1915)4,274Retreated to LisbonLanarhone (1928)1,221Arrived in Lisbon, her intended destination. Lapwing (1920)1,348Reached Gibraltar.Lyminge (1919)2,499Retreated to Lisbon.Marklyn (1918)3,090Reached Gibraltar.Meta (1930)1,575Retreated to Lisbon.Petrel (1920)1,354Retreated to PortoSpero (1922)1,589Reached Gibraltar.Spind (1917)2,197Torpedoed and damaged by & finally sunk by on 23 Aug, with no deathsStarling (1930)1,320Reached Gibraltar.Stork (1937)787Sunk by on 23 Aug, with 19 deadSwitzerland (1922)1,291Retreated to Lisbon.
Convoy escorts A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.
NameFlagTypeJoinedLeft13 Aug 1941Sunk by on 19 Aug 1941, 88 Dead15 Aug 194123 Aug 194122 Aug 194123 Aug 1941HMS Campanula (K18)15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941HMS Campion (K108)15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941L-class destroyer20 Aug 194123 Aug 1941HMS Hydrangea (K39)15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941L-class destroyer20 Aug 194123 Aug 1941 sloop13 Aug 194123 Aug 1941Admiralty V-class destroyer21 Aug 194123 Aug 1941HMS Wallflower (K44)15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941Modified W-class destroyer22 Aug 194123 Aug 194113 Aug 1941Sunk by on 23 Aug 1941, 68 Dead
See also List of shipwrecks in August 1941
References
Bibliography
External links OG.71 at convoyweb 71 Convoy OG 71 at uboat.net