# Convoy HX 156

Convoy HX 156 was the 156th of the numbered series of World War II HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Liverpool. Forty-three ships departed Halifax on 22 October 1941, and were met two days later by United States Navy Task Unit 4.1.3 consisting of Gleaves-class destroyer Niblack, Clemson-class destroyer Reuben James, Wickes-class destroyer Tarbell, and Benson-class destroyers Benson and Hilary P. Jones.

## The Action
### 31 October 1941

The German submarine U-552 sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed Reuben James as the destroyer approached to investigate the Huff-Duff bearing of the sighting report. A torpedo struck the port side and detonated the forward magazine. The hull aft of the third stack remained afloat for 5 minutes; and 44 men were rescued from the crew of 159.
Reuben James was the first United States warship sunk during World War II. U-552 was driven off by the escort; but U-567 found the convoy that afternoon.

### 1 November 1941

Task Unit 4.1.3 handed the convoy off to the British 6th Escort Group on 1 November 1941. U-552 and U-567 made two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on 1 November and maintained contact with the convoy through 3 November. Empire Foam launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by HMS Broke after ditching his aircraft. The convoy reached Liverpool on 5 November.

## Ships in the convoy

These ships were members of Convoy HX 156.
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
| Alchiba (1920) | Netherlands | 4,427 | Iceland |
| Ancylus (1935) | United Kingdom | 8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia |
| Anna Knudsen (1931) | Norway | 9,057 | |
| Arabian Prince (1936) | United Kingdom | 1,960 | 4 Passengers |
| Athelvictor (1941) | United Kingdom | 8,410 | |
| Benmacdhui (1911) | United Kingdom | 6,869 | |
| Brabant (1938) | Belgium | 2,483 | 2 Passengers |
| Bralanta (1936) | Norway | 9,608 | |
| British Governor (1926) | United Kingdom | 6,840 | Scapa Flow |
| Cape Breton (1940) | United Kingdom | 6,044 | |
| Charlbury (1940) | United Kingdom | 4,836 | |
| Chepo (1919) | Panama | 5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 |
| Clan Macquarrie (1913) | United Kingdom | 6,471 | |
| Comanchee (1936) | United Kingdom | 6,837 | |
| Delilian (1923) | United Kingdom | 6,423 | |
| Edam (1921) | Netherlands | 8,871 | 27 Passengers |
| Eidanger (1938) | Norway | 9,432 | |
| El Capitan (1917) | Panama | 5,255 | Onward To N Russia |
| El Estero (1920) | Panama | 4,219 | |
| Empire Confidence (1935) | United Kingdom | 5,023 | 12 Passengers |
| Empire Day (1941) | United Kingdom | 7,242 | CAM ship |
| Empire Foam (1941) | United Kingdom | 7,047 | CAM ship |
| Empire Rainbow (1941) | United Kingdom | 6,942 | CAM ship |
| Empire Tern (1919) | United Kingdom | 2,479 | |
| Gallia (1939) | Norway | 9,974 | |
| Ganymedes (1917) | Netherlands | 2,682 | |
| Gudrun Maersk (1937) | United Kingdom | 2,294 | Iceland to Belfast |
| K G Meldahl (1938) | Norway | 3,799 | |
| Kollbjorg (1937) | Norway | 8,259 | |
| Leiv Eiriksson I (1936) | Norway | 9,952 | Ex-Iceland |
| Leonatus (1938) | Panama | 2,242 | |
| Lewant (1930) | Poland | 1,942 | 2 Passengers |
| Maihar (1917) | United Kingdom | 7,563 | 1 Passenger |
| Markhor (1929) | United Kingdom | 7,917 | |
| Mergus (1906) | Sweden | 1,368 | Iceland to Clyde |
| Munin (1899) | Norway | 1,285 | Iceland To Clyde |
| Nestor (1913) | United Kingdom | 14,629 | 197 Passengers |
| Norefjord (1920) | Norway | 3,082 | |
| O A Knudsen (1938) | Norway | 11,007 | |
| Polar Chief (1897) | United Kingdom | 8,040 | |
| Prince De Liege (1938) | Belgium | 2,588 | |
| Prins Willem Van Oranje (1938) | Netherlands | 1,303 | |
| San Alvaro (1935) | United Kingdom | 7,385 | 4 Passengers |
| San Arcadio (1935) | United Kingdom | 7,419 | 1 Passenger |
| San Emiliano (1939) | United Kingdom | 8,071 | 4 Passengers |
| Sandanger (1938) | Norway | 9,432 | |
| Skaraas (1936) | Norway | 9,826 | |
| Sourabaya (1915) | United Kingdom | 10,107 | 28 Passengers |
| Stanlake (1923) | United Kingdom | 1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy |
| Svanholm (1922) | United Kingdom | 1,321 | |
| Troubadour (1920) | Norway | 5,808 | 6 Passengers |
| HMCS Annapolis (I04) | Royal Canadian Navy | | Escort 22 – 24 Oct, Destroyer |
| USS Alchiba (AKA-6) (1939) | United States | 6,198 | to Reykjavik, Armed 'Attack cargo ship' |
| USS Benson (DD-421) | United States Navy | | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer |
| USS Hilary P. Jones (DD-427) | United States Navy | | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer |
| USS Niblack (DD-424) | United States Navy | | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer |
| USS Reuben James (DD-245) | United States Navy | | Escort 24 Oct, sunk by U-552 on 31 Oct 41 (prior to US declaration of war) |
| USS Tarbell (DD-142) | United States Navy | | Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer |
| HMS Verity (D63) | Royal Navy | | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer |
| HMS Wolverine (D78) | Royal Navy | | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer |
| HMS Camellia (K31) | Royal Navy | | Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Corvette |
| HMS Larkspur (K82) | Royal Navy | | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette |
| HNoMS Montbretia | Royal Norwegian Navy | | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette |
| HNoMS Eglantine | Royal Norwegian Navy | | Escort 1 – 5 Nov, Corvette |
| HMS Broke (D83) | Royal Navy | | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Flotilla leader |
| HMS Buxton (H96) | Royal Navy | | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Destroyer |
| HMS Begonia (K66) | Royal Navy | | Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Corvette |
| HMT King Sol | Royal Navy | | Escort 1 Nov, Trawler |