in to port. This incident later formed the basis for the script of the film San Demetrio London. Admiral Scheer was only able to sink six of the 38 ships in the convoy. Aftermath It is debatable that given the unimportance of intercepting a sole merchantman when viewed against that of attacking a 38 ship convoy with negligible protection, that Admiral Scheer would have taken the opportunity to carry out the action that it did with regard to Mopan. The time scale that was taken with the interception and subsequent sinking of Mopan, together with that of the successive action against Jervis Bay and Beaverford, may well have played a significant factor in the inability of Krancke to inflict the type of damage on HX 84 as he would have desired. Although he failed to warn HX 84 of the direct threat that stood in the convoy's way, nevertheless by ordering the slow and orderly evacuation of Mopan it could well be viewed that Sapsworth played a direct part in delaying the interception of HX 84 by Admiral Scheer. Ships in the convoy Allied merchant ships A total of 38 merchant vessels joined the convoy, either in Halifax or later in the voyage (convoys formed at Bermuda, coded BHX merged on the ocean with the convoys from Halifax as it was easier to protect one large convoy than two smaller ones). Five merchant ships were sunk when the unified convoy was attacked, with one more sunk after the convoy dispersed. Convoy escorts A series of armed military ships escorted the convoy at various times during its journey, with only one present when the Germans attacked. References Bibliography External links The HMS Jervis Bay Association "The Ballad of Convoy HX84" Thirty Eight Ships HX084 Naval battles of World War II involving Canada Naval battles of World War II involving Germany C