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1 Mar 1941

Convoy HX 112.

This convoy departed Halifax on 1 March 1941 for the U.K.

On departure from Halifax it was made up of the following merchant vessels; Ahamo (British, 8621 GRT, built 1926), Auris (British (tanker), 8030 GRT, built 1935), Bic Island (British, 4000 GRT, built 1917), Black Condor (British, 5358 GRT, built 1921), Bonde (Norwegian, 1570 GRT, built 1936), Chaucer (British, 5792 GRT, built 1929), City of Oxford (British, 2759 GRT, built 1926), Dalcross (British, 4557 GRT, built 1930), Everleigh (British, 5222 GRT, built 1930), Ferm (British (tanker), 6593 GRT, built 1933), Gloucester City (British, 3071 GRT, built 1919), J.B. White (British, 7375 GRT, built 1919), Korshamn (British, 6673 GRT, built 1920), Lancaster Castle (British, 5172 GRT, built 1937), Lima (Swedish, 3762 GRT, built 1918), Margarita Chandris (Greek, 5401 GRT, built 1920), Mosli (Norwegian (tanker), 8291 GRT, built 1935), Mount Kassion (Greek, 7914 GRT, built 1918), Norefjord (Norwegian, 3082 GRT, built 1920), Reynolds (British, 5113 GRT, built 1927), Silvercedar (British, 4354 GRT, built 1924), Stad Haarlem (Dutch, 4518 GRT, built 1929), Tortu Guero (British, 5285 GRT, built 1921), Trekieve (British, 5244 GRT, built 1919), Venetia (British, 5728 GRT, built 1927) and Westland (Dutch, 5888 GRT, built 1931).

On departure from Halifax the convoy was escorted by the armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranpura (A/Capt.(Retd.) H.T.W. Pawsey, OBE, RN) and the corvettes HMCS Bittersweet (A/Lt.Cdr. J.A. Woods, RCNR) and HMCS Fennel (Lt. J.N. Smith, RCNR). The corvettes were however soon detached to return to Halifax.

In the morning of 4 March the heavy cruiser HMS Norfolk (Capt. A.J.L. Phillips, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker CB, OBE, RN) was sighted which provided close cover for the convoy until the morning of 15 March.

In the morning of 5 March 1941, Convoy BHX 112, coming from Bermuda, merged with Convoy HX 112. so the following merchant vessels joined; Beduin (Norwegian (tanker), 8136 GRT, built 1936), British Commodore (British (tanker), 6865 GRT, built 1923), British Sincerity (British (tanker), 8538 GRT, built 1939), Cistula (Dutch (tanker), 8097 GRT, built 1939), Diloma (British (tanker), 8146 GRT, built 1939), Elona (British (tanker), 6192 GRT, built 1936), Erodona (British (tanker), 6207 GRT, built 1937), Franche-Comte (British (tanker), 9314 GRT, built 1936), Ixion (British, 10263 GRT, built 1912), Katendrecht (British (tanker), 5099 GRT, built 1925), Ocana (British (tanker), 6256 GRT, built 1938), Oilreliance (British (tanker), 5666 GRT, built 1929), Robert F. Hand (British (tanker), 12197 GRT, built 1933), San Cipriano (British (tanker), 7966 GRT, built 1937), Traveller (British, 3963 GRT, built 1922) and Winamac (British (tanker), 8621 GRT, built 1926). Their escort, the armed merchant cruiser HMS California (Capt. C.J. Pope, RAN), then parted company.

At 1620N/14, HMS Ranpura parted company with the convoy.

At 0720Z/15, HMS Norfolk parted company with the convoy.

Later on the 15th the destroyers HMS Vanoc (Lt.Cdr. J.G.W. Deneys, RN), HMS Walker (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, RN), HMS Sardonyx (Lt.Cdr. R.B.S. Tennant, RN), HMS Scimitar (Lt. R.D. Franks, OBE, RN), escort destroyer HMS Viceroy (Lt.Cdr. D.P. Trentham, RN) and the corvettes HMS Bluebell (Lt.Cdr. R.E. Sherwood, RNR) and HMS Hydrangea (Lt. J.E. Woolfenden, RNR) joined the convoy. HMS Viceroy was however soon detached while the destroyer HMS Volunteer (Lt.Cdr. N. Lanyon, RN) also joined (or early on the 16th).

During the night of 15/16 March the German submarine U-110 sighted the convoy and then attacked it damaging the tanker Erodona. Following this attack she was depth charged by HMS Volunteer and HMS Vanoc but she managed to escape without damage. Later that night U-110 made another attack but her torpedoes all missed.

During the night of 16/17 March the German submarine U-99 attacked the convoy resulting in the loss of the following ships; Venetia, Ferm, J.B. White, Korshamn, Beduin. The Franche Comté was damaged during these attacks.

Following these attacks the escorts encountered U-99's sister boat U-100. HMS Scimitar depth charged her causing damage. The U-boat than surfaced and was then rammed and sunk by HMS Vanoc. 6 survivors were picked up from the enemy submarine.

Shortly afterwards U-99 was depth charged by HMS Walker. The U-boat was damaged and had to surface. HMS Walker was able to pick up 40 survivors from the U-boat including it's famous Commanding Officer Otto Kretschmer.

On the 18th, HMS Bluebell was detached.

On the 19th, HMS Walker, HMS Sardonyx and HMS Scimitar were detached.

The convoy arrived in U.K. waters on the 20th.

15 Nov 1941
HMCS Bittersweet (A/Lt.Cdr. J.A. Woods, RCNR) picks up 11 survivors from the British merchant Larpool that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-208 about 150 nautical miles east-south-east of Cape Race on 2 November.

22 Mar 1942
HrMs O 10 (Lt. J.H. Geijs, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Reading (Lt.Cdr. D.V. Clift, RN), HMS Richmond (Lt.Cdr. A.F.L. Evans, RN), HMCS Bittersweet (A/Lt.Cdr. J.A. Woods, RCNR) and HMCS Chilliwack (T/Lt. L.L. Foxall, RCNR). (1)

28 Aug 1942
HMS H 43 (Lt. J.C.Y. Roxburgh, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with USS Babbitt, HMCS Bittersweet (A/Lt.Cdr. J.A. Woods, RCNR) and aircraft. (2)

23 Jan 1943
HMS H 34 (Lt. G.M. Noll, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMS Burnham (Lt.Cdr. T. Taylor, DSC, RN) and HMS Viscount (Lt.Cdr. J.V. Waterhouse, DSO, RN). (3)

31 May 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Northern Sky (T/Lt. O.B. Egjar, RNR), HMCS Pictou (T/Lt. P.T. Byers, RCNR), HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR) and HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR). (4)

1 Jun 1943
HMS H 33 (Lt. J.A. Spender, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR) and HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR). (5)

8 Jul 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Fame (Cdr. R. Heathcote, DSO, RN), HMS Warwick (Cdr. Y.M. Cleeves, DSO, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Landguard (Lt.Cdr.(Retd.) T.S.L. Fox-Pitt, RN), HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR) and HMCS La Malbaie (T/Lt. J.S. Davis, RCNVR). (6)

18 Aug 1943
HMS P 511 (Lt. R.H. Bull, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Pictou (T/Lt. P.T. Byers, RCNR), HMCS Saskatchewan (Cdr. R.C. Medley, DSO, RN) and HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR). (7)

19 Aug 1943
HMS H 32 (Lt. J.A.R. Troup, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Pictou (T/Lt. P.T. Byers, RCNR), HMCS Bittersweet (T/Lt. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Saskatchewan (Cdr. R.C. Medley, DSO, RN) and HMCS Mayflower (Lt. V. Browne, RCNR). (8)

8 Mar 1944
HMS H 34 (Lt. R.L. Jay, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Prince Rupert (T/Lt.Cdr. R.W. Draney, RCNR), HMCS Napanee (T/Lt. S. Henderson, RCNR), HMCS Saskatchewan (Cdr. R.C. Medley, DSO, RN), HMCS Bittersweet (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Waskesiu (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Fraser, RCNR) and HMCS Outremont (T/A/Lt.Cdr. H. Freeland, DSO, RCNR). (9)

12 Apr 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. R.W. van Lynden, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMCS Bittersweet (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS La Malbaie (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Davis, RCNVR), HMCS Prince Rupert (T/Lt.Cdr. R.W. Draney, RCNR), HMCS Saskatchewan (T/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Easton, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Eyebright (T/Lt. H.L. Quinn, RCNVR), HMCS Napanee (T/Lt. S. Henderson, RCNR) and HMCS Forrest Hill (T/Lt. E.U. Jones, RCNVR). (10)

13 Apr 1944
HMS H 28 (Lt. A.S. Melville-Ross, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMCS Bittersweet (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.B. Brooks-Hill, RCNVR), HMCS Napanee (T/Lt. S. Henderson, RCNR), HMCS Saskatchewan (T/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Easton, DSC, RCNR), HMCS Prince Rupert (T/Lt.Cdr. R.W. Draney, RCNR), HMS Bickerton (Cdr. D.G.F.W. MacIntyre, DSO and 2 Bars, RN) and HMS Kempthorne (Lt.Cdr. A. Brown, RD, RNR) (11)

10 Feb 1945
HMCS Bittersweet (Skr./Lt. F.C. Smith, RCNR) completed a refit at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

13 Mar 1945
HMS Upright (Lt. J.A.L. Wilkinson, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Bermuda with HMCS Bittersweet (Skr.Lt. F.C. Smith, RCNR). (12)

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