Action
On 10 March the first contact was made by U-336 in heavy weather. During the rest of the day eight others were directed to join. Ironically, at this point the weather forced Bogue and her group to detach, as it was impossible to fly off aircraft in the storm. She sailed for Argentia and took no part in the action.
On the evening of 10/11 March, during a snow squall, the first attacks took place.
U-221 attacked three ships, sinking two ammunition ships, Tucurinca and Andrea F Luckenbach, and damaging a third, Lawton Edwards. U-221 was vigorously counterattacked, and withdrew to repair damage.
U-444 and U-757 both fired on William C Gorgas, which she dropped back and sank later.
U-757 also fired on Brant County which was also carrying ammunition. The Brant County caught fire and exploded, and U-757 was damaged as a result. U-757 was forced to return to base and was later attacked in the company of two other U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay by the RAF, but all survived.
U-86 and U-406 both claimed hits using the new pattern-running FAT torpedoes. Jamaica Provider was damaged during this stage.
During the morning of 11 March, Harvester sighted U-444 on the surface and ran in to attack. She opened with gunfire and then rammed U-444, suffering damage to her propellers in the process. It was originally thought that Harvester had sunk U-444 but she was found later on the surface and finished off by Aconit. While in the area, Harvester found and picked up 50 survivors from William Gorgas and 1 from U-444. While attempting to re-join the convoy her engines failed, and she summoned Aconit for assistance. While Harvester lay helpless, she was sighted and torpedoed by U-432; she sank with 149 on board, including Commander Tait.
Arriving on the scene, Aconit gained Asdic contact on U-432 which was lying motionless at periscope depth, her commander and crew celebrating their victory. Aconit attacked with depth charges, blowing her to the surface and sinking her later with gunfire.
Aconit picked up a 20 survivors from U-432, 48 from Harvester, 12 from William C Gorgas and the one from U-444, to join the 3 previously picked up.
Despite further action that day and during the night of 11/12 March there were no further losses to either side, and on 12 March Admiral Karl Dönitz, the Befehlshaber der U-Boote or commander in chief of U-Boats, called off the attack.
HX 228 arrived safely at Liverpool on 15 March 1943.
Read more about this topic: Convoy HX 228
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