Convoy OG 71


Convoy OG 71 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 71st of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 13 August 1941 and was found on 17 August by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of Kampfgeschwader 40. Starting on August 19, it became the first convoy of the war to be attacked by a German submarine wolfpack, when reached by eight U-boats from 1st U-boat Flotilla, operating out of Brest. Ten ships comprising a total tonnage of 15,185 tons were sunk before the U-boats lost contact on 23 August.

Legacy

This convoy was known as "Nightmare Convoy". Eight merchant ships, two naval escorts and over 400 lives were lost, including 152 from the commodore's ship, . The Aguila losses included the 22 "lost Wrens" who had volunteered for duties at Gibraltar. After this, Wrens were never sent again on passenger liners in convoys, but transported on HM ships. In their honour, a new, launched in 1942, was named, while a Liverpool-class lifeboat, launched in 1951, was named.
Of the convoy's surviving merchant ships, five reached Gibraltar while 10 retreated to neutral Portugal. This was described as the most "bitter act of surrender could ever come our way".
The two ships from neutral Ireland were carrying British coal—after this incident, the Irish ship owners decided not to sail their vessels in British convoys and by the early months of 1942 the practice had ceased.

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 23 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool.
NameFlagTonnage Notes
3,255Passenger ship sunk by on 19 Aug, with 146 dead

Convoy Commodore's ship
Aighai 1,406Retreated to Oporto
Aldergrove 1,974Sunk by on 23 Aug, with 1 dead
Alva 1,584Sunk by on 19 Aug
Cervantes 1,810Retreated to Lisbon
Ciscar 1,808Sunk by on 19 Aug
Clonlara 1,203Retreated towards Lisbon
Sunk by on 22 Aug, with 19 dead
Copeland 1,526Rescue Ship
Ebro 1,547Reached Gibraltar
Empire Oak 484Sunk by on 22 Aug, with 19 dead
Empire Stream 2,911Retreated to Lisbon. Vice-Commodore’s Ship
Grelhead 4,274Retreated to Lisbon
Lanarhone 1,221Retreated to Lisbon
Lapwing 1,348Reached Gibraltar
Lyminge 2,499Retreated to Lisbon
Marklyn 3,090Reached Gibraltar
Meta 1,575Retreated to Lisbon
Petrel 1,354Retreated to Oporto
Spero 1,589Reached Gibraltar
Spind 2,197Torpedoed and damaged by & finally sunk by on 23 Aug, with no deaths
Starling 1,320Reached Gibraltar
Stork 787Sunk by on 23 Aug, with 19 dead
Switzerland 1,291Retreated to Lisbon

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.
NameFlagTypeJoinedLeft
13 Aug 1941Sunk by on 19 Aug 1941, 88 Dead
15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
22 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
HMS Campanula 15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
HMS Campion 15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
L-class destroyer20 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
HMS Hydrangea 15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
L-class destroyer20 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
sloop13 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
Admiralty V-class destroyer21 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
HMS Wallflower 15 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
Modified W-class destroyer22 Aug 194123 Aug 1941
13 Aug 1941Sunk by on 23 Aug 1941, 68 Dead