Convoy UGS-40

[Diagram by Task Groups]

Start: Thursday May 11, 1944

With North Africa and Sicily in the hands of the allies in 1943, they were able to send convoys to and through the Mediterranean Sea. The naval and air superiority was not enough to preserve those ships from any danger, far from that. Already in 1943, the German launched fierced submarine and air attacks against the convoys sailing along the Algerian coast.
The convoy UGS-40 had sailed from Norfolk on April 22nd and set course to Bizerta (Tunisia). On May 11th, it was attacked by more than 60 planes, armed mainly with torpedos. In what became the hottest contested convoy action in the Mediterranean Sea in the second half of the war, the determined reaction of the transports and their escort prevented any losses on their side, while they shot down more than 15 of the attackers.
(Credit for the historical research for these pages goes to Roy Brown, who took part in that battle aboard the SS John Dickinson. Roy is looking for anyone who would have been present during the battle. If that is the case, please take contact with him)

Place: Western Mediteranean Sea

Type: Convoy

	Allies	Germany
Forces	Sowell (CTF 61: escort of the convoy): 1 anti aircraft cruiser, 4 destroyers, 8 escort destroyers, 1 escort or patrol boat, 2 minesweepers, 1 coast guard cutter, 1 tug. Taylor (Convoy UGS 40): 65 merchant ships. Total: 1 anti aircraft cruiser, 4 destroyers, 8 escort destroyers, 1 escort or patrol boat, 2 minesweepers, 1 coast guard cutter, 1 tug, 65 merchant ships	62 Junkers 88 plus some more planes (Dornier 217, Heinkel 111 and one Kondor).
Losses	-	17 planes shot down.

Webmaster's question(s) and remark(s): Ten of the merchant ships are not drawn on the diagrams since we do not know their names.



Made by LemaireSoft © January 6, 2002