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JSC Nr043 destroyer Burza, transport ship Opole and U-606 submarine
model card

ORP Burza (Thunderstorm in English) was a Wicher-class destroyer of the Polish Navy which saw action in World War II.

Convoy ON 166 was the 166th of the numbered ON series of merchant ship convoys Outbound from the British Isles to North America. Sixty-three ships departed Liverpool 11 February 1943; and were met the following day by Mid-Ocean Escort Force Group A-3 consisting of the USCG Treasury Class Cutters Campbell and Spencer and the Flower class corvettes Dianthus, Chilliwack, Rosthern, Trillium and Dauphin.

On 20 February U-604 sighted the convoy scattered by a northwesterly gale. U-332 torpedoed straggling 5964-ton Norwegian Stigstad on the morning of 21 February. Three of Stigstad's crew were lost. U-623 was sunk by a No. 120 Squadron RAF B-24 Liberator that afternoon, and Campbell attacked a U-boat that evening. Postwar analysis concluded Campbell sank U-225, but more recent re-evaluation indicates the attack may have destroyed U-529.

U-92 torpedoed 9348-ton Norwegian NT Nielsen Alonso and 9990-ton British Empire Trader on the night of February 21-22. Three merchant sailors were lost with 985 tons of chemical cargo. ORP Burza from following convoy ONS-167 was ordered to reinforce the convoy escort.

U-606 torpedoed 6615-ton British Empire Redshank, 5687-ton American Chattanooga City and 4959-ton American Expositor after sunset 22 February, and was damaged by depth charges from the recently arrived ORP Burza. Campbell was disabled in a collision with U-606; and twelve men were rescued from the crew of the sinking U-boat. ORP Burza left the convoy to tow Campbell back to port. Convoy rescue ship Stockport was sunk by U-604 while returning to the convoy after rescuing men from the three ships torpedoed by U-606. Sixty-nine merchant sailors were lost.

U-628 torpedoed 6907-ton Panamanian Winkler and 6409-ton Norwegian Glittre and U-186 torpedoed 6207-ton British Eulima and 5401-ton American Hastings on 23 February while Spencer, Rosthern and Chilliwack remained with the convoy and Dianthus left to refuel. Ninety-five merchant sailors were lost.

U-653 torpedoed straggling 7176-ton American Jonathan Sturges. U-600 torpedoed 4391-ton Norwegian Ingria before dawn on 24 February. U-628 torpedoed 7264-ton British Manchester Merchant before dawn 25 February. Ninety-two merchant sailors were lost. The U-boats discontinued the attack on 26 February, and 48 ships reached New York City on 3 March 1943.

Thanks to Up Periscope :)