Convoy 1291

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Hi,

Colleagues,

There is different information about  composition convoy 1291.
Rohwer writes:
1.– 16.10.1944
Nordsee
Die brit. 11. MTB-Flottille (Lt. Bourne) greift in der Nacht zum 1.10. mit MTB 351, MTB 360, MTB 349, MTB 347 und MTB 350 vor Ijmuiden den dt. Geleitzug 1291 (3 Schleppzüge mit Neubauten und F 6) auf dem Marsch von Rotterdam nach Borkum an. Ein Sicherungsverband aus 3 Booten der 11. R-Flottille (Kptlt. Rosenow), eine Minen-Gruppe mit 4 Booten der 13. R-Flottille (LtCdr. Eizinger) und die Sicherung (FKpt. Fischer) mit V1313, V 1301, V 1310, V 1317, V 2017, V 2019, M 3824, M 3827, M 3838, M 3832 und MFL 675, schlagen alle Angriffe zurück und versenken MTB 360 und MTB 347. Der Geleitzug läuft in der Nacht vom 2./3.10. in Den Helder ein. Beim Weitermarsch vor der niederl. Nordküste kommt es zu Luftangriffen. Ein »Hansa«-Neubau, Nr. 922 (1923 BRT), wird versenkt.
War Diary SKL
On the night of 30 Sept. convoy "1291" met with several hostile PT boats between Hook of Holland and Den Helder before Ymuiden. The convoy was composed of six (PT-boats) of the 13th Patrol Flotilla, two new vessels and Ferry, six being towed by three tugs. Four boats of the 13th Motor Minesweeper Flotilla were employed as a defence force against enemy PT boat attacks. Three boats of the 11th Minesweeper Flotilla comprised the escort. In total four hostile PT boats were sunk and a fifth was set on fire. We suffered but slight casualties. The convoy continued its journey from Den Helder to Borkum late in the evening.

Help me to know the composition of the convoy and its escort.

cam

[TW]

What's the difference ?

3 Schleppzüge mit Neubauten und F 6 = two new vessels and Ferry six being towed by three tugs

Sicherungsverband aus 3 Booten der 11. R-Flottille = Three boats of the 11th Minesweeper Flotilla comprised the escort

Minen-Gruppe mit 4 Booten der 13. R-Flottille = Four boats of the 13th Motor Minesweeper Flotilla as a defence force against enemy PT boat
Sicherung (FKpt. Fischer) mit … M 3824, M 3827, M 3838, M 3832 und MFL 675 = no pendant

Sicherung (FKpt. Fischer) mit V1313, V 1301, V 1310, V 1317, V 2017, V 2019, = six (APC-boats) of the 13th Patrol Flotilla

Seems that Rohwer (in this case) consulted a source with better (more exact) info.
With best regards
Thomas

P.S.: I am not sure, but maybe the 4 motorminesweepers of the 13. R-Flottille were in fact 4 minesweepers of 38. M-Flottilla, commanded by FKpt. Fischer from 13. V-Flottille.

P.P.S. What sort of ship is MFL 675 ?

[cam]

Hi,

Thank you, Thomas.

What sort of ship is MFL 675 ?

Probably   MFL 675 = MFL 8 / V805 (ex-M3683).
http://www.navypedia.org/ships/germany/ger_esc_mfl.htm
The analysis of the initial data is good, but the data from the documents is better.
What escort ships engaged in battle with the MTBs? I read that one was ramming an English MTB!
The English are writing:
In the early morning of October 1 1944 Bourne, in MTB 351, was in command of five MTBs which attacked an escorted convoy, amounting to some 15 ships, sailing from Rotterdam. In poor visibility, three of the MTBs broke through the escort without being seen and fired parachute flares above their main target, a 2,500 ton merchant vessel; their torpedoes hit the ship, but one of the MTBs was sunk. By the end of the action, two of the five MTBs involved had been sunk, with the loss of nine men; but they had torpedoed two merchantmen and damaged at least two trawlers and a tug. After the war Bourne finally qualified as a surveyor. At first he worked for a commercial company, but soon decided he wanted a career in local government.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1386740/Freddie-Bourne.html

cam

[igor]

KTB 13 R-Flot says:
V.1301/10/13/17, V.2017/2019. But, KTB 20 V-Flot says, that both boats 2017/2019 was aKB (not combat ready). Convoy consist from DPFR 908 (HUNTE) and 909 (Spbr HERMES), towed by BS.8, BS.12 and 2 more tugs. In addition, BS.6 towed UJ.237.
There was group Tams from 38 M-Flot with 4 boats, and mysterious MFL.675.
R-boote involved was R.134/136/140/142, and later R.137/133/144.

[TW]

DPFR 908 (HUNTE) = Neubau, sunk 24.10. off Borkum by flying bombs (RAF)
What about »Hansa«-Neubau, Nr. 922 (1923 BRT), sunk from the same convoy off Northern Netherlands (Rohwer) ?

3 Schleppzüge mit Neubauten:
BS.8, BS.12 towed DPFR 908 (HUNTE) and 909 (Spbr HERMES)
and 2 more tugs (Igor):
tug #3 towing »Hansa«-Neubau, Nr. 922 (1923 BRT) ??
tug #4 BS.6 towed UJ.237 (unknown to me: what ship?)

What about "Ferry 6" (unknown to me). Is that in fact tug "BS.6"?
About BS tugs see DDK ("Gröner") Vol.VI, p.146 ff
I found "Holland"-Trawlers under construction Nos. 227-236 and 237 in DDK Vol VIII, p.168,169

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igor

Thank you!

Thomas.

War Diary SKL
3 Oct. 1944
Heligoland Bight ;

On the night of Oct. 2nd, a group of the 38th Minesweeping Flotilla enroute from Terschelling to Borkum, was unsuccessfully attacked with aerial torpedoes.

Convoy 1291, en route from Holder to Borkum, was attacked 18 times with bombs and rockets. The newly built Hansa 922 (1923 gr. tons) sank. Two enemy planes were shot down
https://archive.org/stream/wardiarygermann621944germ/wardiarygermann621944germ_djvu.txt
Hansa 922 in the convoy was!

Here is the English description of the MTBs fight with the convoy of the action of the division in the MTB-347 and MTB-350.
https://spink.com/lot/17003000680
Maybe there is a description of the attack of another division and the actions of the convoy escort? I will be very grateful.

cam