JERVIS BAY

JERVIS BAY WAS BUILT IN BARROW AND LAUNCHED IN 1922. SHE WAS BUILT ORIGINALLY TO CARRY  EMIGRANTS TO AUSTRALIA.

IN 1939 SHE WAS SECONDED BY THE ADMIRALTY FOR CONVOY ESCORT DUTY IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC.

 IN 1940 JERVIS BAY WAS THE SOLE ESCORT FOR CONVOY HX84 COMPRISING OF 38 VESSELS. SHE WAS KNOWN TO HAVE  LITTLE CHANCE OF SURVIVAL IF ENGAGED BY A GERMAN  BATTLESHIP OR DESTROYER .

THE CONVOY WAS ATTACKED BY THE POCKET BATTLESHIP 'ADMIRAL SCHEER'. CAPTAIN FOGARTY FEGAN IMMEDIATELY ENGAGED THE 'ADMIRAL SCHEER' TO ENABLE THE CONVOY TO ESCAPE. HOPELESSLY OUT GUNNED  BY THE ADMIRAL SCHEER THE OUTCOME WAS INEVITABLE, 180 OF THE CREW DIED WHEN JERVIS BAY SANK

 65 SURVIVORS WERE PICKED UP BY THE SWEDISH VESSEL 'STUREHOLM ' ( BROSTROM LINE ) WHOSE CAPTAIN  ( SVEN OLANDER )  HAD TURNED BACK AS NIGHT FELL TO LOOK FOR SURVIVORS. CAPTAIN OLANDER WAS PRESENTED WITH A PLAQUE BY SHAW SAVILL & ALBION BY WAY OF THANKS FOR HIS ACTIONS THAT NIGHT.

 THE STUREHOLM WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS LATER TO BE SUNK WITH ALL HANDS BY THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U.96.

 JERVIS BAY'S CAPTAIN WAS AWARDED A POSTHUMOUS V.C. JERVIS BAY'S THIRD OFFICER MR N WOOD RECEIVED THE DSO, FOR HIS ACTIONS DURING THIS INCIDENT.

 JERVIS BAY'S ACTIONS ENABLED THIRTY-TWO OUT OF THE THIRTY-EIGHT VESSELS IN CONVOY HX84 TO REACH PORT SAFELY, FIVE VESSELS SUCCUMBING TO GUNFIRE FROM THE ADMIRAL SCHEER, AND ONE OTHER VESSEL HAVING BEEN ATTACKED AND SET ON FIRE BY AIRCRAFT HAD TO BE ABANDONED.

A NOT SO WELL KNOWN STORY IS THAT OF THE VESSEL BEAVERFORD ALSO PART OF CONVOY HX84 WHEN THE JERVIS BAY SANK BEAVERFORD ENGAGED THE ADMIRAL SCHEER DESPITE THE FACT THAT SHE WAS LIGHTLY ARMED AND KEPT THE ADMIRAL SCHEER ENGAGED FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE BEING SUNK  WITH THE LOST OF ALL 77 CREW MEMBERS BUT GIVING THE REST OF THE CONVOY EXTRA TIME TO GET AWAY.

THE OTHER VESSELS THAT WERE SUNK WERE BROCKLEBANK'S "MAIDAN"-  READON & SMITHS 'FRESONO CITY" (SANK THE NEXT DAY ) -  CANADIAN & PACIFIC'S "BEAVERFORD" - ELDER'S & FYFFES'S "MOPAN"-  HAIN'S "TREWLLARD" AND  HEYN'S "KENBANE HEAD " 

STUREHOLM

STUREHOLM PICKED UP SURVIVORS FROM THE JERVIS BAY ONLY TO BE HERSELF SUNK WITH ALL HANDS BY THE GERMAN SUBMARINE U.96 IN 1940.

BEAVERFORD

BUILT IN GLASGOW BY BARCLAY CURLE & CO, AND LAUNCHED IN 1927. SHE WAS MANAGED BY THE CANADIAN PACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY, BUT ACTUALLY OWNED BY CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY CO. IN 1940 SHE WAS REQUISITIONED TO CARRY WAR SUPPLIES, THE REASON SHE WAS PART OF CONVOY HX84. SHE WAS SUNK BY THE ADMIRAL SCHEER AFTER ENGAGING THE GERMAN RAIDER, IN AN ATTEMPT TO ALLOW THE REST OF THE CONVOY TO ESCAPE, ALL 77 CREW MEMBERS WERE LOST.