Convoy SC 130 Convoy SC 130 was a North Atlantic convoy which ran during the battle of the Atlantic in World War II . It was the 130th of the numbered series of Slow Convoys of merchant ships from Sydney , Cape Breton Island to Liverpool . SC 130 was one of several convoy battles that occurred during the crisis month of May 1943 . Background . SC 130 , comprising thirty - seven ships , departed Halifax Harbour on 11 May 1943 in the care of a Western Local Escort Force , led by RCN destroyer " Niagara " . The Convoy Commodore was HC Forsyth in the freighter " Sheaf Holme " . They were met on 15 May by Mid - Ocean Escort Force Group B - 7 , led by Commander . Peter Gretton in the D class leader HMS " Duncan " and consisting of the V and W class destroyer HMS " Vidette " , the River class frigate HMS " Tay " , and Flower class corvette s HMS " Snowflake " , HMS " Sunflower " , HMS " Pink " , HMS " Loosestrife " and two armed trawlers . As B - 7 was one vessel short for the voyage , the corvette HMCS " Kitchener " was seconded from the local group for the crossing . SC 130 also included two oilers for mid - ocean re - fueling and re - arming , and the convoy rescue ship " Zamalek " . Ranged against them were 25 U - boats in three patrol lines , which had been organized by U - boat Command BdU on 15 May . This was in response to intelligence from the signals intelligence group B - Dienst which reported a westbound convoy ( ONS 7 ) and two eastbound ( HX 238 and SC 130 ) approaching the Air Gap . One group , " Iller " , of six newly arrived boats was just arriving , while two other groups , " Donau I " and " Donau II " , were formed from boats already on station plus reinforcements . ONS 7 came under attack on 13 May , and , warned by this and by intelligence from HF / DF readings and Enigma decrypts , the Admiralty was able to divert HX 238 ( which arrived without incident ) and to reinforce SC 130 . Action . The convoy was found and reported on the evening of 18 May , by " U - 304 " which commenced shadowing , while the other U - boats gathered during the night . The B7 group mounted an aggressive defence , chasing down all contacts in order to frustrate any attacks . In this they were successful and none of the U - boats were able to attack that night . On 19 May long - range aircraft were able to join the action and commenced patrolling , attacking " Donau " boats as they moved to join the assault . A Hudson of 269 Sqdn destroyed " U - 273 " , and a Liberator of 120 Sqdn attacked another : This was thought to have sunk " U - 954 " , but later judged to have hit " U - 731 " , causing little damage . Later that day the convoy escort was reinforced by the 1st Support Group consisting of the Banff class sloop HMS " Sennen " ( Capt . G Brewer ) with the River class frigate s HMS " Wear " , HMS " Jed " and HMS " Spey " . Within hours " U - 954 " was sunk by hedgehog attacks from " Sennen " and " Jed " . Admiral Karl Dönitz ' s son Peter Dönitz was among those lost aboard " U - 954 " . An attack by " Snowflake " and " Duncan " delivered a hit with a Hedgehog bomb , and was thought to have destroyed a U - boat ( " U - 381 " ) but this was later claimed to have hit " U - 636 " , which survived with damage . That evening " Tay " attacked " U - 952 " and damaged her so badly she had to retire from the action and return to base . On 20 May the assault continued , but without success , while No . 120 Squadron RAF B - 24 Liberator J sank " U - 258 " . At midday on 20th BdU called off the action , and the U - boats withdrew . The convoy reached Liverpool without loss on 26 May . Aftermath . SC 130 was seen as an Allied victory . No ships had been lost , though two had returned to port ; all 35 that made the crossing arrived safely . On the other hand , at least three U - boats were destroyed . This was a major blow which contributed to BdU ' s decision to abandon the assault on the North Atlantic convoy route , a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic .