Convoy HX 84 was the 84th of the numbered series of Allied North Atlantic HX convoys of merchant ships from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Liverpool, England, during the Battle of the Atlantic. Thirty-eight ships escorted by the armed merchant cruiser departed from Halifax on 28 October 1940, eastbound to Liverpool. Background On the morning of 5 November, HX 84 had been passed by the cargo liner , which was also bound for Liverpool, enroute from Port Antonio, during which an offer had been made to Mopans Master, Captain Sapsworth, for Mopan to join HX 84. However, the offer had been declined and Mopan continued eastbound alone. Mopan Having been thwarted from using its Arado Ar 196 seaplane the previous day, on 5 November the weather was suitable for Admiral Scheer to utilise its air reconnaissance. Piloted by Lieutenant Pietsch, a seaplane was launched at 09:40hrs having been ordered to make a sweep wide and deep. When the seaplane returned at 12:05 the observer reported having sighted a convoy steaming eastbound at position . This meant that the intervening distance between Admiral Scheer and the convoy was approximately . No escort had been observed. This confirmed the earlier B-Dienst radio intercept by Admiral Scheer which had identified the convoy as being HX 84. Onboard Admiral Scheer a dilemma was presented to Kapitän zur See Theodor Krancke regarding whether he should attack the convoy before nightfall, or wait and make his attack at dawn the following day. Kapitän Krancke made the decision to attack, with Admiral Scheer altering course onto 150 degrees and increasing speed to allowing Krancke to intercept at approximately 15:30. At 14:27, an hour before Admiral Scheer was scheduled to intercept the convoy, a single smoke column was observed. Once visual acquisition had been made a flag could be observed flying from the vessel's masthead, however the purpose of this could not be established. Unsure as to the identity of the vessel Krancke decided to maintain his course, as to turn away to the east would significantly reduce his ability to intercept HX 84 before darkness fell. The vessel was Mopan, by this time approximately three hours ahead of HX 84. On the bridge of Admiral Scheer, as the range decreased, it was decided that the vessel was an armed merchantman, acting as a screen, and stationed ahead or on the flank of the convoy. Krancke trained all his