Convoy OG 69 was a trade

convoy A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...

of merchant ships during the

second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. It was the 69th of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

to Gibraltar. The convoy departed

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...

on 20 July 1941Hague, pp.175&176 and was found on 25 July by

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 The Focke-Wulf Fw 200 ''Condor'', also known as ''Kurier'' to the Allies (English: Courier), was a German all-metal four-engined monoplane originally developed by Focke-Wulf as a long-range airliner. A Japanese request for a long-range maritime ...

''Condors'' of ''Kampfgeschwader'' 40. Nine ships were sunk by submarine attacks continuing through 30 July.Rohwer & Hummelchen, p.74

Submarines

The convoy was initially located by German Naval signals intelligence ( B-Dienst), then visual confirmation was provided by a

aircraft. A total of 10 boats were directed to intercept the convoy – eight

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...

s from

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

's '' Kriegsmarine'' and two submarines from Fascist Italy's ''

Regia Marina The ''Regia Marina'' (; ) was the navy of the Kingdom of Italy (''Regno d'Italia'') from 1861 to 1946. In 1946, with the birth of the Italian Republic (''Repubblica Italiana''), the ''Regia Marina'' changed its name to ''Marina Militare'' ("M ...

''.

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

A total of 28 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool, with some being sunk after detaching from the convoy to head to other destinations.

Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.

Submarines

Ships in the convoy

Allied merchant ships

Convoy escorts

See also

References

Bibliography

External links