Convoys HX 229/SC 122

Convoy HX 229 (plus delayed 229A) /SC 122
Part of World War II
Date 16–19 March 1943 Location North Atlantic Result German Victory
Belligerents
Germany	United Kingdom  United States  Canada
Commanders and leaders
Admiral Karl Dönitz	B4 Group: GJ Luther; later EC Day B5 Group: RC Boyle
Strength
Raubgraf 10 U-boats Stürmer 18 U-boats Dränger 11 U-boats Total: 39	HX229: 50 ships, 5 escorts SC122: 60 ships, 8 escorts plus reinforcements
Casualties and losses
1 U-Boat destroyed 7 damaged	HX229: 13 ships (93,502 GRT) SC122: 9 ships (53,694 GRT)

During the Battle of the Atlantic, British merchant shipping was formed into convoys for protection against German submarine attack.^[1] In March 1943 convoys HX 229 and SC 122 were the focus of the largest convoy battle of the war.^[2] Kriegsmarine tactics against convoys employed multiple-submarine wolfpack tactics in nearly simultaneous surface attacks at night. Patrolling aircraft restricted the ability of submarines to converge on convoys during daylight. The North Atlantic winters offered the longest periods of darkness to conceal surfaced submarine operations. The winter of 1942–43 saw the largest number of submarines deployed to the mid-Atlantic before comprehensive anti-submarine aircraft patrols could be extended into that area.

During March, there was a series of fierce convoy battles which became, for the Allies, the crisis point of the whole campaign.^[3] One hundred merchant ships in trade convoys HX 229 and SC 122 encountered three wolfpacks of 38 submarines in a single sprawling action, which German radio reported as "the greatest convoy battle of all time" (Die grösste Geleitzugschlacht aller Zeiten).^[4] A Royal Navy report later concluded "The Germans never came so near to disrupting communications between the New World and the Old as in the first 20 days of March 1943".^[5]