Convoy OB 293

Part of World War II

Date	2 March 1941-8 March 1941
Location	Western Approaches
Result	Allied victory

Belligerents

Germany

United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Admiral Karl Dönitz

convoy:
escort:LtCdr JM Rowlands

Strength

4 U-boats

37 ships
4 escorts

Casualties and losses

2 U-boats sunk
1 damaged

3 ships sunk
2 damaged

OB 293 was a North Atlantic convoy which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II. It was notable for seeing the loss to the Kriegsmarine (KM) of U-47, with her commander KL Günther Prien, the person responsible for the sinking of HMS Royal Oak two years previously.

OB 293 was a west-bound convoy of 37 ships, either in ballast or carrying trade goods, and sailed from Liverpool on 2 March 1941 bound for ports in North America.

It was escorted by an escort group of two destroyers, HMS Wolverine and HMS Verity, and two corvettes, HMS Arbutus and HMS Camellia. They were led by LtCdr Rowlands of Wolverine, which would stay with them till they left the Western Approaches. (At this stage of the campaign escort groups were too scarce to provide “end-to-end” cover).

On 6 March 1941 the convoy was sighted by U-47 commanded by Prien. After sending a sighting report he set to shadowing the convoy, being joined throughout the day by three other boats. They were U-99 (Kretschmer), U-70 (Matz) and U-A (Eckermann).

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Wikipedia