unescorted ships

[U-84]

was it common for a cargo ship to be alone and unescorted sailing to england. I'm in sector BF (more towards england) and came across a liberty cargo alone and by itself...don't get me wrong, i love the unescorted ship over a heavily armed convoy, but it just seemed totally unrealistic somewhat. Was this common or not...March 1943 right now.

[A Very Super Market]

Maybe a few captains in a rush, trying to get their stuff across as fast as possible. Certainly less than in the game, but still some. But the Liberty ships always travelled in convoys, I think

[Torplexed]

Even in 1943 straggling wasn't uncommon. Ships could fall out of a convoy due to poor visibility, storms, engine problems, battle damage or just zigging when everybody else zagged. Plus, merchant captains are a notoriously independent lot. They didn't always work well together with the military routine of the escorts.

[bigboywooly]

Yes singles sailed early war and late war
Usually faster merchants were allowed to sail alone
Of course you will always get rompers and stragglers from convoys also - In RL

[iambecomelife]

Ship sailed unescorted throughout the war, although they were more and more likely to be in convoy as time went on. Some vessels simply could not make a convoy rendezvous time. Others straggled from convoys and ended up solo. Still others were expected to be able to survive solitary passages due to their speed. These included modern tankers, refrigerated ships, and large liners, many of which had powerful engines that made them about as fast as a surfaced U-Boat.

[Murr44]

Just started a career in January 1941 & I caught a Ceramic-type Ocean liner sailing all alone in BF18. She was steaming along at 18kts & I put one TI into her belly. This slowed her down enough for me to finish her off with the deck gun. That's only the second Ceramic that I've encountered (and sunk) since I started playing with GWX last year. 14,000+ tons with one torpedo...:D

[RoaldLarsen]

But the Liberty ships always travelled in convoys, I thinkI'm fairly certain I have read multiple accounts of unescorted Liberty Ships having encounters with u-boats.

[Platapus]

I would imagine that the chances of a lone ship surviving the trip would be pretty high. Big ocean.

While there might have been safety in a convoy, there sure was no security. In reading about some of the larger convoys they took days to assemble and move out. Plenty of time for spies and careless talk to tip off the enemy.

Convoys traveling on well publicized routes and slow speeds make tracking and intercepting a bit easier than trying to find one lone cargo ship making its own way.

I imagine, like in many things in life, there were advantages and disadvantages of traveling in convoy and alone.

If you were found, traveling alone would not be such a good thing... but you have to be found first. :know:

[iambecomelife]

But the Liberty ships always travelled in convoys, I thinkI'm fairly certain I have read multiple accounts of unescorted Liberty Ships having encounters with u-boats.

Right; I read that the "John Barry" was sailing alone when she was torpedoed in 1944. She was carrying literally tons of silver - much of which is still waiting to be salvaged:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_John_Barry

[Torplexed]

Right; I read that the "John Barry" was sailing alone when she was torpedoed in 1944. She was carrying literally tons of silver - much of which is still waiting to be salvaged:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_John_Barry
Interesting read. Sounds like they should have been hauling all this payroll silver around in a Brinks armored ship. ;)

[A Very Super Market]

Should have just stuffed it on the Queen Mary. Only a freaking cruise ship is completely safe from the brave U-bootmen :D

[Jimbuna]

Pretty pointless giving her an escort as well :DL


On 2 October 1942, Queen Mary accidentally sank one of her escorts, slicing through the light cruiser HMS Curacoa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Curacoa_(D41)) off the Irish coast, with the loss of 338 lives. Due to the constant danger of being attacked by U-Boats, on board the Queen Mary Captain C. Gordon Illingworth was under strict orders not to stop for any reason, the Royal Navy destroyers accompanying the Queen were ordered to reverse course and rescue any survivors.