| Conflict: | Convoy HX.156 |
| Partof: | World War II |
| Date: | 22 October 1941-5 November 1941 |
| Place: | North Atlantic |
| Combatant2: | |
| Commander1: | Admiral Karl Dönitz |
| Commander2: | Rear-Admiral E W Leir DSO |
| Strength2: | 52 merchant ships 16 escorts |
| Casualties2: | 1 ship sunk |
Convoy HX 156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool.[1] Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941,[1] and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of,,, and s and .[2]
The sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report.[3] A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine.[3] The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.[3]
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II.[4] U-552 was driven off by the escort; but found the convoy that afternoon.
Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941.
U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November.[2] launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by after ditching his aircraft.[5] [6] The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.[1]
These ships were members of Convoy HX 156.[7]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alchiba (1920) |  | 4,427 | Iceland |
| Ancylus (1935) | 8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia | |
| Anna Knudsen (1931) |  | 9,057 | |
| Arabian Prince (1936) | 1,960 | 4 Passengers | |
| Athelvictor (1941) | 8,410 | ||
| Benmacdhui (1911) | 6,869 | ||
| Brabant (1938) |  | 2,483 | 2 Passengers |
| Bralanta (1936) | | 9,608 | |
| British Governor (1926) | 6,840 | Scapa Flow | |
| Cape Breton (1940) | 6,044 | ||
| Charlbury (1940) | 4,836 | ||
| Chepo (1919) |  | 5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 |
| Clan Macquarrie (1913) | 6,471 | ||
| Comanchee (1936) | 6,837 | ||
| Delilian (1923) | 6,423 | ||
| Edam (1921) | | 8,871 | 27 Passengers |
| Eidanger (1938) | | 9,432 | |
| El Capitan (1917) | | 5,255 | Onward To N Russia |
| El Estero (1920) | | 4,219 | |
| Empire Confidence (1935) | 5,023 | 12 Passengers | |
| Empire Day (1941) | 7,242 | CAM ship | |
| (1941) | 7,047 | CAM ship | |
| Empire Rainbow (1941) | 6,942 | CAM ship | |
| Empire Tern (1919) | 2,479 | ||
| Gallia (1939) | | 9,974 | |
| Ganymedes (1917) | | 2,682 | |
| Gudrun Maersk (1937) | 2,294 | Iceland to Belfast | |
| K G Meldahl (1938) | | 3,799 | |
| Kollbjorg (1937) | | 8,259 | |
| Leiv Eiriksson I (1936) | | 9,952 | Ex-Iceland |
| Leonatus (1938) | | 2,242 | |
| Lewant (1930) |  | 1,942 | 2 Passengers |
| Maihar (1917) | 7,563 | 1 Passenger | |
| Markhor (1929) | 7,917 | ||
| Mergus (1906) |  | 1,368 | Iceland to Clyde |
| Munin (1899) | | 1,285 | Iceland To Clyde |
| Nestor (1913) | 14,629 | 197 Passengers | |
| Norefjord (1920) | | 3,082 | |
| O A Knudsen (1938) | | 11,007 | |
| Polar Chief (1897) | 8,040 | ||
| Prince De Liege (1938) | | 2,588 | |
| Prins Willem Van Oranje (1938) | | 1,303 | |
| San Alvaro (1935) | 7,385 | 4 Passengers | |
| San Arcadio (1935) | 7,419 | 1 Passenger | |
| San Emiliano (1939) | 8,071 | 4 Passengers | |
| Sandanger (1938) | | 9,432 | |
| Skaraas (1936) | | 9,826 | |
| Sourabaya (1915) | 10,107 | 28 Passengers | |
| Stanlake (1923) | 1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy | |
| Svanholm (1922) | 1,321 | ||
| Troubadour (1920) | | 5,808 | 6 Passengers |
| Escort 22 – 24 Oct, Destroyer | |||
| (1939) |  | 6,198 | to Reykjavik, Armed 'Attack cargo ship' |
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct, sunk by on 31 Oct 41 (prior to US declaration of war) | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Corvette | |||
| HMS Larkspur (K82) | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| HNoMS Montbretia | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| HNoMS Eglantine | Escort 1 – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Flotilla leader | |||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Corvette | |||
| HMT King Sol | Escort 1 Nov, Trawler | ||