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 , , , and s and.
The Action
31 October 1941
The sighted the convoy at dawn on 31 October 1941, and torpedoed 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 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. launched her Hawker Sea Hurricane to intercept a Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor aircraft, which it chased off. The Hurricane pilot was rescued by 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 | Notes |
| Alchiba | Netherlands | 4,427 | Iceland |
| Ancylus | 8,017 | Oil tanker. Onward To N Russia | |
| Anna Knudsen | Norway | 9,057 | |
| Arabian Prince | 1,960 | 4 Passengers | |
| Athelvictor | 8,410 | ||
| Benmacdhui | 6,869 | ||
| Brabant | Belgium | 2,483 | 2 Passengers |
| Bralanta | Norway | 9,608 | |
| British Governor | 6,840 | Scapa Flow | |
| Cape Breton | 6,044 | ||
| Charlbury | 4,836 | ||
| Chepo | Panama | 5,707 | Returned, See Convoy HX 158 |
| Clan Macquarrie | 6,471 | ||
| Comanchee | 6,837 | ||
| Delilian | 6,423 | ||
| Edam | Netherlands | 8,871 | 27 Passengers |
| Eidanger | Norway | 9,432 | |
| El Capitan | Panama | 5,255 | Onward To N Russia |
| El Estero | Panama | 4,219 | |
| Empire Confidence | 5,023 | 12 Passengers | |
| Empire Day | 7,242 | CAM ship | |
| 7,047 | CAM ship | ||
| Empire Rainbow | 6,942 | CAM ship | |
| Empire Tern | 2,479 | ||
| Gallia | Norway | 9,974 | |
| Ganymedes | Netherlands | 2,682 | |
| Gudrun Maersk | 2,294 | Iceland to Belfast | |
| K G Meldahl | Norway | 3,799 | |
| Kollbjorg | Norway | 8,259 | |
| Leiv Eiriksson I | Norway | 9,952 | Ex-Iceland |
| Leonatus | Panama | 2,242 | |
| Lewant | Poland | 1,942 | 2 Passengers |
| Maihar | 7,563 | 1 Passenger | |
| Markhor | 7,917 | ||
| Mergus | Sweden | 1,368 | Iceland to Clyde |
| Munin | Norway | 1,285 | Iceland To Clyde |
| Nestor | 14,629 | 197 Passengers | |
| Norefjord | Norway | 3,082 | |
| O A Knudsen | Norway | 11,007 | |
| Polar Chief | 8,040 | ||
| Prince De Liege | Belgium | 2,588 | |
| Prins Willem Van Oranje | Netherlands | 1,303 | |
| San Alvaro | 7,385 | 4 Passengers | |
| San Arcadio | 7,419 | 1 Passenger | |
| San Emiliano | 8,071 | 4 Passengers | |
| Sandanger | Norway | 9,432 | |
| Skaraas | Norway | 9,826 | |
| Sourabaya | 10,107 | 28 Passengers | |
| Stanlake | 1,742 | Possibly joined this convoy | |
| Svanholm | 1,321 | ||
| Troubadour | Norway | 5,808 | 6 Passengers |
| Escort 22 – 24 Oct, Destroyer | |||
| 6,198 | to Reykjavik, Armed 'Attack cargo ship' | ||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 24 Oct, sunk by on 31 Oct 41 | |||
| Escort 24 Oct – 1 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 31 Oct – 4 Nov, Corvette | |||
| HMS Larkspur | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| HNoMS Montbretia | Escort 31 Oct – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| HNoMS Eglantine | Escort 1 – 5 Nov, Corvette | ||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Flotilla leader | |||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Destroyer | |||
| Escort 1 – 4 Nov, Corvette | |||
| HMT King Sol | Escort 1 Nov, Trawler |