Convoy during naval battles of the Second World War
Convoy escort HMS Bridgewater
Convoy SL 78 was the 78th of the numbered series of World War IISL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound to the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean traveled independently to Freetown to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. Twenty-five merchant ships departed Freetown on 18 June 1941.[1]U-boats sank eight ships before the convoy reached Liverpool on 12 July.[2]
Ships in the convoy
Allied merchant ships
A total of 26 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sierra Leone or later in the voyage.[3]
Convoy escorts
A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.[3]
References
^Hague, pp.138&142
^Blair, pp.302&303
^ a b"Convoy SL.78". Arnold Hague Convoy Database. Archived from the original on 17 August 2013. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
^"Merchant Seamen as Prisoners of War – British Merchant Navy Graves in Timbuktu – SS Criton". Gordon Mumford (MN). Retrieved 31 October 2013.
^"SS Criton [+1941]". www.wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
^"Empire Ability – British Steam merchant". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 30 October 2013.