Does anyone know the names of the 9 personnel ships which made up this convoy. It seems to be the only personnel convoy sailing from the Thames (Tilbury?) during the immediate post D day period. I assume that the ships then joined the Shuttle Service across the Channel from the Solent. Thanks in advance for any information. Mike
For those who know as little of naval affairs as do I. Naval experts please ignore my simple efforts. CONVOY ETP1. Convoy ETP1 (E-England, T-Thames, P-Personnel, No1) was a convoy of large personnel ships loading at Tilbury and sailing with escorts from Southend, and then on to the Solent area and across the Channel to France. It would have to pass through the Straits of Dover where it would be under observation from the French Coast and within range of the big Cross Channel guns of the enemy shore batteries. For a long period of time only coasters had run this gauntlet. The convoy consisted of the smaller, 1500 tons approx., Batavier II and New Bedford, and the larger, 10,000 to 15,000 tons approx., Cameronia, Cheshire, City of Canterbury, Devonshire, Lancashire, Leopoldville, Neuralia and Worcestershire. The larger ships carried up to 2,600 troops each. The convoy successfully passed through the Straits at 1700 hours on D Day. Smoke screens had been laid by motor launches and aircraft and shore based radio counter measures were used. Thus although the enemy must have suspected a sizeable target they lacked the means of ranging on it. Anxiety had been increased when earlier in the day Sambar, a MT Liberty ship of convoy ETM1, had been shelled, burnt out and abandoned. An unfortunate confusion caused Neuralia to be overlooked and she failed to sail across the Channel as planned. She apparently remained at anchor in the Solent until the afternoon of D+5. No one on the far shore seems to have noticed her non arrival and the naval staff at Portsmouth did not notice her non departure. Mike
D1 troops of 5th Camerons, 51st HD and their transport were on the Cheshire and Lancashire and set sail from off Southend 6th June. Landing early afternoon 7th June. The D7 party landed on +17, D+14 party landed 30th june.
Convoy ETP.1 From: SOUTHEND Tuesday, 6 June 1944. To: SEINE BAY Wednesday, 7 June 1944. BATAVIER II Du 1,573 1920 CAMERONIA Br 16,297 1920 2684 TROOPS CHESHIRE Br 10,552 1927 THEN SEINE BAY/UK FERRY SERVICE CITY OF CANTERBURY Br 8,331 1922 DEVONSHIRE Br 11,275 1939 1979 TROOPS THEREAFTER OP NEPTUNE TO 4.9 LANCASHIRE Br 9,557 1917 LEOPOLDVILLE Bel 11,509 1929 2115 TROOPS NEURALIA Br 9,182 1912 NEW BEDFORD Br 1,595 1928 WORCESTERSHIRE Br 11,402 1931 2635 TROOPS Arnold Hague convoy database - misc convoys TD
A little more: at some point this convoy divided, presumably after transiting the Straits of Dover. Six ships were routed via the Solent to join convoy EWP1 (the W = Wight). They were the Hospital Carriers Batavier II and New Bedford; plus the troopers Cameronia, Leopoldville, Neuralia (which was overlooked!) and Worcestershire. The other four seem to have gone directly to Normandy, still as ETP1.
'Curiouser and curiouser': Convoy EWP.1 From Convoyweb From: SOLENT Wednesday, 7 June 1944. To: SEINE BAY Thursday, 8 June 1944. Vessel Flag Tons Built Pdt. Cargo Notes HMHC BATAVIER II Du 1,573 1920 BIARRITZ Br 2,388 1915 CAMERONIA Br 16,297 1920 DEVONSHIRE Br 11,275 1939 EMPIRE ARQUEBUS Br 7,177 1944 EMPIRE CROSSBOW Br 7,177 1944 HMS ADVENTURE HMS DESPATCH HMS SOUTHERN PRINCE LEOPOLDVILLE Bel 11,509 1929 THEREAFTER SEINE BAY FERRY SERVICE NEURALIA Br 9,182 1912 HMHC NEW BEDFORD Br 1,595 1928 WORCESTERSHIRE Br 11,402 1931 As we know Neuralia didn't sail because of a 'mix-up'. The two Empire LSIs had landed their troops shortly after dawn on the 6th and were obviously going across with their second batch of 1,310 troops, having had their lost LCAs replaced: I don't have my list of lost LCAs to hand, but I seem to remember that all the LSIs lost some.
Thought I would add this as re reading the WD's for 182 Inf Bde based at Dover Castle they observed this event TD
