# Convoy SL 78

Convoy SL 78 was the 78th of the numbered series of World War II SL convoys of merchant ships from Sierra Leone to Liverpool. Ships carrying commodities bound for the British Isles from South America, Africa, and the Indian Ocean traveled independently to Freetown to be convoyed for the last leg of their voyage. Twenty-five merchant ships departed Freetown on 18 June 1941. U-boats sank eight ships before the convoy reached Liverpool on 12 July.

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

A total of 26 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Sierra Leone or later in the voyage.
| Name | Flag | Tonnage (GRT) | Notes |
| Aliakmon (1913) | Greece | 4,521 | |
| Arundo (1930) | Netherlands | 5,163 | |
| Atle Jarl (1919) | Norway | 1,173 | |
| Baron Napier (1930) | United Kingdom | 3,559 | |
| Batna (1928) | United Kingdom | 4,399 | |
| Blackheath (1936) | United Kingdom | 4,637 | Collision with corvette escort HMS Arbutus (K86) on 11 July |
| Camerata (1931) | United Kingdom | 4,875 | |
| Criton (1927) | United Kingdom | 4,564 | Captured from the Vichy French by HMS Cilicia on 19 June, and being sailed back to Europe from West Africa. Intercepted by two Vichy French warships, Air France IV and Edith Germaine, near Freetown on 21 June and sunk by their gunfire. (see also Commander Bernard Peter de Neumann GM RN, second time sunk in the space of one month) |
| Empire Ability (1931) | United Kingdom | 7,603 | Sunk by U-69 |
| Esneh (1919) | United Kingdom | 1,931 | |
| George J Goulandris (1913) | Greece | 4,345 | Sunk by U-66 W of Canary Islands |
| Kalypso Vergotti (1918) | Greece | 5,686 | Straggler was sunk by U-66. All 36 crew lost |
| Keilehaven (1919) | Netherlands | 2,968 | |
| Leonidas N Condylis (1912) | Greece | 3,923 | |
| Mary Slessor (1930) | United Kingdom | 5,027 | Convoy Vice commodore's ship |
| Michael Jebsen (1927) | United Kingdom | 2,323 | Did Not Reform With Convoy |
| Oberon (1911) | Netherlands | 1,996 | Sunk by U-123 |
| P.L.M.22 (1921) | United Kingdom | 5,646 | Sunk by U-123 |
| Parthenon (1908) | Greece | 3,189 | |
| Rio Azul (1921) | United Kingdom | 4,088 | Sunk by U-123 post-dispersal from this convoy |
| River Lugar (1937) | United Kingdom | 5,423 | Sunk by U-69 |
| Rolf Jarl (1920) | Norway | 1,917 | |
| Sobo (1937) | United Kingdom | 5,353 | Convoy commodore's ship – Vice-Admiral G T C P Swabey CB DSO |
| St Anselm (1919) | United Kingdom | 5,614 | Sunk by U-66 |
| Stad Arnhem (1920) | Netherlands | 3,819 | Joined Convoy HX 135 after dispersal |
| Venus (1907) | Netherlands | 1,855 | |

### Convoy escorts

A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey.
| Name | Flag | Type | Joined | Left |
| HMS Arbutus (K86) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 11 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Armeria (K187) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Asphodel (K56) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Aster (K188) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Begonia (K66) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Bridgewater (L01) | Royal Navy | Bridgewater-class sloop | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Burdock (K126) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 18 Jun 1941 | 28 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Chelsea (I35) | Royal Navy | Town-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Convolvulus (K45) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Esperance Bay (F67) | Royal Navy | Armed merchant cruiser and troopship | 18 Jun 1941 | 27 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Fleur De Lys (K122) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 30 Jun 1941 | 30 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Jasmine (K23) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Larkspur (K82) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HNoMS Mansfield (G76) | Royal Norwegian Navy | Town-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Pegasus | Royal Navy | Fighter catapult ship | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Pimpernel (K71) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Rhododendron (K78) | Royal Navy | Flower-class corvette | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |
| HMS Shropshire (73) | Royal Navy | County-class heavy cruiser | 26 Jun 1941 | 27 Jun 1941 |
| HMS Verity (D63) | Royal Navy | Modified W-class destroyer | 09 Jul 1941 | 12 Jul 1941 |