The GZ convoys were a series of Caribbean convoys which ran during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.

They take their name from the route: Guantanamo, Cuba to Cristóbal, Colón, Panama

Overview The GZ series was the reverse of ZG series that ran from 31 August 1942 until 17 May 1945. There were 139 GZ convoys, comprising 1,151 individual ship listings. The escort ships for these convoys are not listed in the reference cited. Almost all ships listed in a convoy made the complete trip between Guantanamo and Cristóbal with a few going to Kingston, Jamaica, or Cartagena, Colombia.

The series started with GZ 1 through GZ 139 with only 1 convoy being cancelled, GZ 31. There are only two ships listed as being lost, and the losses were not due to enemy action, one grounded and broke in two and the other was from a collision.

Convoy List

1942

ConvoyDepartureDateArrivalDateNo.of Merchant ShipsNotesGZ 131 August 19423 September 194280 vessels lostGZ 27 September 194211 September 1942110 vessels lostGZ 313 September 194217 September 1942140 vessels lostGZ 420 September 194224 September 1942120 vessels lostGZ 527 September 194230 September 1942150 vessels lostGZ 64 October 19429 October 1942280 vessels lostGZ 712 October 194216 October 1942120 vessels lostGZ 7A12 October 194216 October 194230 vessels lostGZ 816 October 194219 October 194260 vessels lostGZ 923 October 194226 October 1942150 vessels lostGZ 1031 October 19424 November 1942180 vessels lostGZ 118 November 194212 November 1942160 vessels lostGZ 1216 November 194219 November 1942200 vessels lostGZ 1324 November 194227 November 1942240 vessels lostGZ 142 December 19425 December 1942170 vessels lostGZ 1510 December 194213 December 1942130 vessels lostGZ 1618 December 194221 December 1942150 vessels lostGZ 1726 December 194229 December 1942180 vessels lost

1943 ConvoyDepartureDateArrivalDateNo.of Merchant ShipsNotesGZ 183 January 19437 January 1943140 vessels lostGZ 1913 January 194317 January 194310 vessels lostGZ 2023 January 194327 January 1943160 vessels lostGZ 215 February 19438 February 194340 vessels lostGZ 2215 February 194318 February 194340 vessels lostGZ 2325 February 19431 March 194360 vessels lostGZ 247 March 194311 March 194330 vessels lostGZ 2517 March 194321 March 1943150 vessels lostGZ 2627 March 194331 March 1943220 vessels lostGZ 2731 March 19433 April 1943110 vessels lostGZ 2810 April 194314 April 1943270 vessels lostGZ 2920 April 194324 April 1943120 vessels lostGZ 3030 April 19434 May 1943130 vessels lostGZ 31CancelledGZ 3220 May 194324 May 194380 vessels lostGZ 3330 May 19433 June 1943160 vessels lostGZ 349 June 194313 June 194340 vessels lostGZ 3519 June 194323 June 1943110 vessels lostGZ 3629 June 19432 July 194330 vessels lostGZ 379 July 194312 July 194310 vessels lostGZ 3819 July 194322 July 194330 vessels lostGZ 3929 July 19432 August 194320 vessels lostGZ 408 August 194312 August 194390 vessels lostGZ 4118 August 194322 August 194380 vessels lostGZ 4228 August 19431 September 194310 vessels lostGZ 437 September 194311 September 194310 vessels lostGZ 4416 September 194320 September 194330 vessels lostGZ 4526 September 194330 September 194320 vessels lostGZ 467 October 1943Not listed30 vessels lostGZ 4716 October 194319 October 194350 vessels lostGZ 4826 October 1943Not listedNot listedGZ 495 November 19439 November 194390 vessels lostGZ 5015 November 1943Not listedNot listedGZ 5125 November 194330 November 194330 vessels lostGZ 525 December 19439 December 1943100 vessels lostGZ 5315 December 194319 December 1943221 vessel lost; James Withycombe, ran aground off Cristóbal, broke in two and was abandoned GZ 5425 December 194329 December 1943200 vessels lost

1944

ConvoyDepartureDateArrivalDateNo.of Merchant ShipsNotesGZ 555 January 19449 January 1944170 vessels lostGZ 5615 January 194419 January 1944140 vessels lostGZ 5724 January 194428 January 1944190 vessels lostGZ 583 February 19447 February 1944140 vessels lostGZ 5913 February 194417 February 1944160 vessels lostGZ 6023 February 194427 February 1944160 vessels lostGZ 615 March 19449 March 194470 vessels lostGZ 6215 March 194419 March 1944140 vessels lostGZ 6324 March 194428 March 1944200 vessels lostGZ 644 April 19448 April 1944160 vessels lostGZ 6514 April 194417 April 1944190 vessels lostGZ 6623 April 194428 April 194490 vessels lostGZ 674 May 19448 May 194450 vessels lostGZ 6814 May 194418 May 194480 vessels lostGZ 6923 May 194427 May 1944110 vessels lostGZ 703 June 19447 June 1944130 vessels lostGZ 718 June 194411 June 1944140 vessels lostGZ 7213 June 194417 June 1944200 vessels lostGZ 7318 June 194422 June 1944120 vessels lostGZ 7421 June 194425 June 1944110 vessels lostGZ 7528 June 19442 July 1944110 vessels lostGZ 763 July 19447 July 1944140 vessels lostGZ 778 July 194412 July 1944140 vessels lostGZ 7813 July 194417 July 1944130 vessels lostGZ 7918 July 194422 July 1944110 vessels lostGZ 8023 July 194427 July 1944130 vessels lostGZ 8128 July 1944Not listed40 vessels lostGZ 822 August 19446 August 194430 vessels lostGZ 837 August 194411 August 194430 vessels lostGZ 8412 August 194415 August 194490 vessels lostGZ 8517 August 194421 August 194490 vessels lostGZ 8622 August 194425 August 194490 vessels lostGZ 8727 August 194431 August 194470 vessels lostGZ 881 September 19445 September 194490 vessels lostGZ 896 September 194410 September 194451 vessel lost; Hindoo, collided with Australia Star and sank in the Caribbean Sea GZ 9010 September 194413 September 194450 vessels lostGZ 9116 September 194420 September 194450 vessels lostGZ 9221 September 194425 September 194440 vessels lostGZ 9326 September 194430 September 194460 vessels lostGZ 941 October 19444 October 194420 vessels lostGZ 956 October 19449 October 194420 vessels lostGZ 9611 October 194414 October 194470 vessels lostGZ 9716 October 194420 October 1944110 vessels lostGZ 9821 October 194424 October 194430 vessels lostGZ 9926 October 194429 October 194430 vessels lostGZ 10031 October 19443 November 194440 vessels lostGZ 1015 November 19449 November 194470 vessels lostGZ 10210 November 194413 November 194410 vessels lostGZ 10315 November 194418 November 194450 vessels lostGZ 10420 November 194423 November 194410 vessels lostGZ 10525 November 194428 November 194430 vessels lostGZ 10630 November 19444 December 194420 vessels lostGZ 1074 December 19447 December 194410 vessels lostGZ 10810 December 194413 December 194430 vessels lostGZ 10915 December 194419 December 194450 vessels lostGZ 11020 December 194424 December 194420 vessels lostGZ 11124 December 194427 December 1944130 vessels lostGZ 11230 December 19443 January 194570 vessels lost

1945

ConvoyDepartureDateArrivalDateNo.of Merchant ShipsNotesGZ 1134 January 19457 January 194510 vessels lostGZ 1149 January 194512 January 194520 vessels lostGZ 11514 January 194517 January 194510 vessels lostGZ 11619 January 194522 January 194540 vessels lostGZ 11724 January 194527 January 194530 vessels lostGZ 11829 January 19451 February 194570 vessels lostGZ 1193 February 19456 February 194540 vessels lostGZ 1209 February 194512 February 194530 vessels lostGZ 12113 February 194517 February 194540 vessels lostGZ 12218 February 194522 February 194530 vessels lostGZ 12323 February 194526 February 194510 vessels lostGZ 1241 March 19454 March 194530 vessels lostGZ 1255 March 19459 March 194560 vessels lostGZ 12610 March 194513 March 194530 vessels lostGZ 12715 March 194519 March 1945110 vessels lostGZ 12820 March 194523 March 194540 vessels lostGZ 12925 March 194529 March 194590 vessels lostGZ 13030 March 19452 April 194570 vessels lostGZ 1314 April 19457 April 194520 vessels lostGZ 1329 April 194513 April 194540 vessels lostGZ 13314 April 194517 April 194510 vessels lostGZ 13419 April 194523 April 194510 vessels lostGZ 13524 April 194527 April 194510 vessels lostGZ 13628 April 194530 April 194510 vessels lostGZ 1374 May 19457 May 194510 vessels lostGZ 1389 May 194512 May 194530 vessels lostGZ 13914 May 194517 May 194530 vessels lost

Notes Citations

Bibliography

Books

Online resources

External links Full listing of ships sailing in GZ convoys