Hi everyone, I`ve been trying to find out more about the aforementioned convoy which sailed from Durban on the 9th June 1943 but I`m not having a lot of luck and would like to ask those who might have a little experience where to look in case I could be missing something. This was a very small convoy consisting of just two merchantmen and a destroyer. The Convoyweb site confirms one of the vessels was a C-1 freighter, the CAPE CANAVERAL, whilst the Naval History website indicates that HMS Rotherham was probably the escort. What I`m trying to confirm is what the second vessel was. According to the Convoyweb site the only other vessel which left Durban on this date was the HMT Aorangi, but it states she sailed "independently". I`m not sure how that would be known and, based on other digging I`ve done, it seems there`s a possibility she could be the second vessel from DN46. I cannot find any Convoy records for DN 46 searching the Kew datatbase but I`m aware it can be difficult to find some of these smaller convoys as they`re often grouped in with other records, likewise with a log book for H.M.S. Rotherham, although again, I know the Admiralty destroyed a lot of these and they no longer exisit. My fear is I may have missed them somewhere along the way. Has anyone ever had occassion to look for either of these records and had any success, or can anyone suggest how it might be possible to confirm which was the second vessel? Any help would be very much appreciated. Thank you, John PS: I have also been checking relevant squadron records for A/S escort but no luck there either.
A "long shot" which worked for me forty years ago. Have you tried the Durban Harbourmaster? They may have manual records way back to WW2. The first link found has contact details: Port of Durban I assume these three Google hits are known: Admiralty War Diaries, 5/1/43 to 5/31/43; 6/1/43 to 6/30/43 › Page 829 via: Admiralty War Diaries, 5/1/43 to 5/31/43; 6/1/43 to 6/30/43 › Page 829 - Fold3.com (not something I use); U-boat Archive and BdU - Operationsabteilung (BdU-Op) 1939-1945 which appears to duplicate the former. Does either ship appear here (date of sinking unknown): List of shipwrecks in June 1943 - Wikipedia
Hi John. AORANGI did sail from Durban on 9 June 1943 and arrived at Kilindini Mombassa on 15 June 1943 - her movemnt card states this. Other voyages in which she sailed in a convoy are annotated with the convoy number. The voyage on 9 June had no such annotation so I would suggest she sailed independently. It is likely that HMS ROTHERHAM's Logbook has not survived as very view destroyer logs do. Regards Hugh
Hello Hugh, Thanks for such a quick reply. I agree it should be on the movement card for the AORANGI, but there are at least two other voyages on that card where I`m aware she was in a convoy yet this is not annotated. On that basis one might suspect there was poor record keeping. Regards, John
Robert, Thanks for the reply. By it`s very nature a DN prefix convoy is hard to trace in terms of destination because it literally means - Durban Northwards to dispersal, so the two vessels in DN 46 would have split at sea for their separate ports. This in turn means they sailed "independently" after their split and probably wouldn`t show on arrival records as part of a convoy. It`s a great shame that HMS Rotherham`s records appear to have been destroyed as this would have answered the question. Annoyingly HMS Capetown`s are also missing for the month of June 1943. Regards, John
Hi David, Thanks for the reply. I did see the link on the Fold3.com website but like you I don`t have a subscription. It`s clearly an Admiralty war diary but not one I have. You say it`s duplicated on the U-Boat Archive but I can`t find it there, might you be able to post a direct link? Also, with regard to the records kept by the Durban Harbour master; do you mean you were able to get WW2 records from them when you tried 40 years ago? I`m a bit confused as you say "they may have records back to WW2". Regards, John
Thanks to the reference in #2, I have come up with the following from the Admiralty War Diaries. The original ref gives what I think is an erroneous entry as it refers to 8 Jun 43. Next one Sailing Order and for 9 Jun 43 Tim
A few more entries from Admiralty War Diary - East Indies Station. this transport is obviously the Aorangi as After arriving Kilindini, Capetown and Aorangi joined Convoy KR5 sailing same day for Colombo (Convoyweb - KR5 arrived Colombo 27 Jun 43). I cannot see what happened to Rotherham and Cape Canaveral but Rotherham couldn't have gone far as next entry I could find has Tim
Wow Tim, that is absolutely fantastic, thanks so much. You know when you get a hunch and a feeling you`re on the right track but just can`t proove it? Well this has and I`m so pleased as another piece of the jigsaw has come together for me. Now a lot of the convoy A/S escort records by the Catalina squadrons also tie-up. Brilliant! Would you happen to know what ADM file numbers these are as I don`t appear to have this in my database? I only have ADM 199/643 CinC Eastern Fleet. Thanks again, John. PS: I believe ROTHERHAM returned to Durban after DN 46 dispersed at sea as she sailed from Durban again just a few days later with several other HM ships supporting another convoy..
