| Conflict: | Convoy OG.69 |
| Partof: | World War II |
| Date: | 19 July – 1 August 1941 |
| Place: | North Atlantic |
| Combatant1: | Germany |
| Combatant2: | United Kingdom |
| Commander1: | Admiral Karl Dönitz |
| Strength1: | 8 U-boats 2 Italian submarines |
| Strength2: | 28 merchant ships 17 escorts |
| Casualties2: | 9 ships sunk |
Convoy OG 69 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 69th of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 20 July 1941[1] and was found on 25 July by Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condors of Kampfgeschwader 40. Nine ships were sunk by submarine attacks continuing through 30 July.[2]
The convoy was initially located by German Naval signals intelligence (B-Dienst), then visual confirmation was provided by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 aircraft. A total of 10 boats were directed to intercept the convoy - eight U-boats from Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine and two submarines from Fascist Italy's Regia Marina.
| Name | Type | First contact | Ships sunk | Ships damaged | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 July 1940 | none | ||||
| 26/27 July 1940 | Kelwin | ||||
| IXC | 26/27 July 1940 | Erato, Inga I, | |||
| VIIC | 26/27 July 1940 | Hawkinge, Lapland, Norita | |||
| VIIC | none | none | |||
| VIIC | 27 July 1940 | Wrotham | |||
| VIIC | none | none | |||
| VIIC | none | none | |||
| ?22 July 1940 | none | ||||
| none | none | ||||
A total of 28 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool, with some being sunk after detaching from the convoy to head to other destinations.[3]
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adjutant (1922) | 1,931 | Bound for Gibraltar | |
| Afghanistan (1940) | 6,992 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Arabistan (1929) | 5,874 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Charlbury (1940) | 4,836 | Bound for Rio de Janeiro | |
| City of Lyons (1926) | 7,063 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Como (1910) | 1,295 | Bound for Lisbon | |
| Dayrose (1928) | 4,113 | In ballast | |
| Empire Dawn (1941) | 7,241 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Empire Voice (1940) | 6,828 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Erato (1923) | 1,335 | Sunk by [4] on 27 Jul. There were 9 dead. The survivors, including the ship's Master, were picked up by HMS Begonia (K66) and landed in Gibraltar Capt C M Ford Rd RNR (Commodore) | |
| Hawkinge (1924) | 2,475 | Sunk by [5] on 27 Jul. There were 15 dead. Survivors were picked up by HMS Sunflower (K41) and HMS Vanoc (H33) | |
| Inga I (1921) |  | 1,304 | Torpedoed, broke in two, and sunk by [6] on 27 Jul. There were 9 dead. The survivors were picked up by one of the escorts and landed in Gibraltar |
| Kellwyn (1920) | 1,459 | Sunk by [7] on 27 Jul. There were 14 dead. The 9 survivors were picked up by HMT St.Nectan | |
| Lapland (1936) | 1,330 | Sunk by [8] on 28 Jul. There were no dead. Survivors were picked up by HMS Rhododendron (K78). | |
| Larchbank (1925) | 5,151 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Norita (1924) |  | 1,516 | Sunk by [9] on 28 Jul. There were 2 dead |
| Pelayo (1927) | 1,345 | Bound for Gibraltar | |
| Rhineland (1922) | 1,381 | Bound for Lisbon | |
| Romney (1929) | 5,840 | Bound for Alexandria | |
| Ruth I (1900) | | 3,531 | Bound for Cadiz |
| Shahristan (1945) | 7,309 | 68 Passengers. Bound for Cape Town. Sunk by [10] on 30 Jul SE of the Azores, after detaching from the convoy | |
| Sheaf Crown (1929) | 4,868 | Bound for Huelva | |
| Shuna (1937) | 1,575 | Returned | |
| Sitoebondo (1916) |  | 7,049 | Bound for Cape Town. Sunk by [11] on 30 Jul after detaching from the convoy. There were 19 dead. |
| Thistlegorm (1940) | 4,898 | Bound for Cape Town | |
| Tintern Abbey (1939) | 2,471 | ||
| Wrotham (1927) | 1,884 | Torpedoed, and sank in 30 seconds, by [12] on 27 Jul. There were no dead. The 9 survivors were picked up by HMS Fleur de Lys (K122) and HMS Rhododendron (K78) and landed in Gibraltar | |
| Yorkwood (1936) | 5,401 | Bound for Cape Town | |
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.[3]
| Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jul 1941 | 26 Jul 1941 | |||
| 20 Jul 1941 | 28 Jul 1941 | |||
| sloop | 19 Jul 1941 | 20 Jul 1941 | ||
| HMS Dianella (K07) | 21 Jul 1941 | 26 Jul 1941 | ||
| HMT Drangey (FY195) | ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) trawler | 20 Jul 1941 | 20 Jul 1941 | |
| HMS Fleur De Lys (K122) | 27 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | ||
| HMS Goodwin | Armed boarding vessel | 19 Jul 1941 | 20 Jul 1941 | |
| HMS Jasmine (K23) | 20 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | ||
| HMS Kingcup (K33) | 21 Jul 1941 | 26 Jul 1941 | ||
| HMT Lady Hogarth (FY489)[13] | ASW trawler | 27 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | |
| HMT Lady Shirley (FY464)[14] | ASW trawler | 27 Jul 1941 | 31 Jul 1941 | |
| HMS Larkspur (K82) | 20 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | ||
| HMT Paynter (FY242) | ASW trawler | 19 Jul 1941 | 20 Jul 1941 | |
| HMS Pimpernel (K71) | 20 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | ||
| 20 Jul 1941 | 30 Jul 1941 | |||
| HMT St Nectan | ASW trawler | 20 Jul 1941 | 01 Aug 1941 | |
| HMS Sunflower (K41) | 21 Jul 1941 | 27 Jul 1941 | ||