# Convoy OG 71

Convoy OG 71 was a trade convoy of merchant ships during the second World War. It was the 71st of the numbered OG convoys Outbound from the British Isles to Gibraltar. The convoy departed Liverpool on 13 August 1941 and was found on 17 August by a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor of Kampfgeschwader 40. Starting on August 19, it became the first convoy of the war to be attacked by a German submarine wolfpack, when reached by eight U-boats from 1st U-boat Flotilla, operating out of Brest. Ten ships comprising a total tonnage of 15,185 tons were sunk before the U-boats lost contact on 23 August.

## Legacy

This convoy was known as "Nightmare Convoy". Eight merchant ships, two naval escorts and over 400 people died, including 152 from the commodore's ship, Aguila (146 on August 19 and 6 survivors lost on August 22 when Empire Oak sank). The Aguila losses included the 22 "lost Wrens" (members of the Women's Royal Naval Service, or WRNS) who had volunteered for duties at Gibraltar. After this, Wrens were never sent again on passenger liners in convoys, but transported on HM ships. In their honour, a new Black Swan-class sloop, launched in 1942, was named HMS Wren, while a Liverpool-class lifeboat, launched in 1951, was named Aguila Wren.
Of the convoy's surviving merchant ships, five reached Gibraltar while 10 retreated to neutral Portugal. This was described as the most "bitter act of surrender could ever come our way".
The two ships from neutral Ireland were carrying British coal—after this incident, the Irish ship owners decided not to sail their vessels in British convoys and by the early months of 1942 the practice had ceased.

## Ships in the convoy
### Allied merchant ships

A total of 23 merchant vessels joined the convoy in Liverpool.
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
| Aguila (1916) | UK | 3,255 | Passenger ship sunk by U-201 on 19 Aug, with 146 dead (another 6 survivors died when Empire Oak was lost 3 days later) Convoy Commodore's ship (Vice-Admiral P E Parker DSO) |
| Aighai (1896) | Greece | 1,406 | Retreated to Oporto |
| Aldergrove (1918) | UK | 1,974 | Sunk by U-201 on 23 Aug, with 1 dead |
| Alva (1934) | UK | 1,584 | Sunk by U-559 on 19 Aug |
| Cervantes (1919) | UK | 1,810 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
| Ciscar (1919) | UK | 1,808 | Sunk by U-201 on 19 Aug |
| Clonlara (1926) | Ireland | 1,203 | Retreated towards Lisbon. Sunk by U-201 on 22 Aug, with 19 dead |
| Copeland (1923) | UK | 1,526 | Rescue Ship |
| Ebro (1920) | Denmark | 1,547 | Reached Gibraltar. |
| Empire Oak (1941) | UK | 484 | Sunk by U-564 on 22 Aug, with 19 dead (including 6 of 6 originally rescued from Aguila and 9 of 11 rescued from Alva) |
| Empire Stream (1941) | UK | 2,911 | Retreated to Lisbon. Vice-Commodore's Ship |
| Grelhead (1915) | UK | 4,274 | Retreated to Lisbon |
| Lanarhone (1928) | Ireland | 1,221 | Arrived in Lisbon, her intended destination. |
| Lapwing (1920) | UK | 1,348 | Reached Gibraltar. |
| Lyminge (1919) | UK | 2,499 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
| Marklyn (1918) | UK | 3,090 | Reached Gibraltar. |
| Meta (1930) | UK | 1,575 | Retreated to Lisbon. |
| Petrel (1920) | UK | 1,354 | Retreated to Oporto |
| Spero (1922) | UK | 1,589 | Reached Gibraltar. |
| Spind (1917) | Norway | 2,197 | Torpedoed and damaged by U-564 & finally sunk by U-552 on 23 Aug, with no deaths |
| Starling (1930) | UK | 1,320 | Reached Gibraltar. |
| Stork (1937) | UK | 787 | Sunk by U-201 on 23 Aug, with 19 dead |
| Switzerland (1922) | UK | 1,291 | Retreated to Lisbon. |

### Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.
| Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
| HNoMS Bath (I17) | Royal Norwegian Navy | Wickes-class destroyer | 13 Aug 1941 | Sunk by U-204 on 19 Aug 1941, 88 Dead |
| HMS Bluebell (K80) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 15 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Boreas (H77) | Royal Navy | B-class destroyer | 22 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Campanula (K18) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 15 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Campion (K108) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 15 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Gurkha (G63) | Royal Navy | L-class destroyer | 20 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Hydrangea (K39) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 15 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Lance (G87) | Royal Navy | L-class destroyer | 20 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Leith (U36) | Royal Navy | Grimsby-class sloop | 13 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Vidette (D48) | Royal Navy | Admiralty V-class destroyer | 21 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Wallflower (K44) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 15 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Wivern (D66) | Royal Navy | Modified W-class destroyer | 22 Aug 1941 | 23 Aug 1941 |
| HMS Zinnia (K98) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 13 Aug 1941 | Sunk by U-564 on 23 Aug 1941, 68 Dead |