To: Rear Admiral (D) Home Fleet
Date: December 1st 1942
From: Commanding Officer HMS Halcyon
Report of Proceedings of HMS Halcyon in QP15 together with
those of HM Ships Britomart and Hazard.
Nov 17th Convoy weighed and proceeded formed into two
columns. 7 ½ knots was maintained through the night to enable
stragglers to form up.
Nov 18th On arrival off C. Gorodetski convoy formed
into 9 columns. Shortly afterwards 2 Russian destroyers met and
joined escort.
Nov 19th A southerly wind which had been increasing
steadily during the forenoon reached gale force at about 2300. At
this stage the Gyro-Compass (Sperry Commercial) developed a wander
of about 30°, and was abandoned as reliable. For the remainder of
the passage back to Iceland courses were set by Magnetic Compass.
Nov 20th Contact was lost with the convoy at 0300, due
to being misled by Type 271 RDF into station keeping on wave
echoes. Ship proceeded on course and speed of the convoy hoping to
regain contact at daylight, but in the poor visibility and very
heavy seas nothing was seen. C in C H F’s 1345/20 was received at
1400/20th. It was thought possible that Captain (D)8
would not, in view of the weather conditions, contact the convoy
at position CC, but Halcyon altered course to 270° (true) at 1700.
It was estimated that the convoy was astern, so accordingly ship
steamed backwards and forwards across the line of advance from
0400 to 0800. Nothing was seen and course was set for position XX.
Nov 22nd HMS Salamander was met, hove to on a Northerly
course (Wind had now veered to NNE and diminished slightly in
force) at 0530 but she lost contact shortly afterwards. Wind again
increased to gale force during the afternoon, when starboard
whaler and a mess deck scuttle were stove in, and 2 depth charges
washed overboard. Again sighted Salamander to SW at noon in
position 73 45’N 16 20’E. A merchant ship was also sighted and
identified as the Russian Arcos, on a NW course. Salamander again
lost touch during the evening.
Nov 23rd A British floating mine Mk XVII was sighted at
0200. On reaching 3° E in Lat 73 43’N, at 1900 course was set for
position OO. Wind moderated during the day and backed to SW.
Visibility 3 miles. Swell 35.
Nov 25th C S I in London was met at 1230C and an
invaluable opportunity was had of checking compasses. C S I parted
company at 1340C and course was held for position OO.
Nov 26th Arrived position FF at 1817C and arrived at
Seidisfiord at 0300/27.
CONCLUSIONS
Owing to the frequent changes of route the various ships of convoy
and escort took devious routes, and it is doubtful if, under the
prevailing weather conditions, HM Ships Halcyon and Salamander
could have made the original route on account of insufficient
oil-fuel (HMS Halcyon arriving Seidisfiord with 48 tons of
oil-fuel remaining. Type 271 RDF proved extremely useful for
station keeping, but there was always a tendency to be misled by
wave echoes, which were sometimes received up to ranges of 5,000
yards, and appearing on the scan as sharply defined as ship
echoes.
The Gyro (Sperry-Commercial) was abandoned as unreliable after 2
days at sea. Although on this occasion the fault was obviously due
to heavy seas, yet for the duration of the ship’s stay in Arctic
waters, considerable errors had been experienced, despite the
efforts of three Russian Gyro technicians, amongst others, to
remedy the defects.
C H Corbet-Singleton
Lieutenant Commander in Command
