36th Escort Group (Royal Navy)
Introduction '''36th Escort Group''' was a British formation of the Royal Navy which saw action during the Second World War, principally in the Battle of the Atlantic.The group operated mainly on the Gibraltar and South Atlantic convoy routes and was involved in several convoy battles, including Convoy HG 76, one of the first Allied victories in the Atlantic campaign.
Formation 36th Escort Group (36 EG) was formed in October 1941 led by HMS ''Stork'' under the command of Cdr FJ "Johnnie" Walker, destined to become Britains most successful anti-submarine warfare commander.The group comprised 2 sloops, ''Stork'' and ''Deptford'' (Lt Cdr HR White),and 7 corvettes''Convolvulus'' (Lt RS Connel), ''Gardenia'' (Lt Cdr Firth),  ''Marigold'' (Lt J Renwick),  ''Pentstemon'' (Lt Cdr J Byron), ''Rhodedendron'' (Lt Cdr LA Sayers),  ''Samphire'' (Lt Cdr FT Renny) and ''Vetch'' (Lt Cdr HJ Beverley).
Service history 36 Escort Group's first convoy was HG 70, a group of 24 ships homebound from Gibraltar, in August 1941.This was uneventful, as no attack developed. The group's next few convoys, to Gibraltar and the South Atlantic, were equally uneventful, giving the group time to drill and practice group exercises.In December 1941 36 EG escorted HG 76 in company with the escort carrier ''Audacity'' and her destroyer consorts. Over a period of 8 days, the escort force destroyed 4 U-boats, 3 of them by 36 EG, for the loss of 2 ships and 2 warships, one of which was carrier ''Audacity''. Hailed as a major victory, HG 76 was the first time heavy losses had been inflicted on an attacking U-boat force.In April 1942 the group accompanied OG 82.With a group reduced to ''Stork'' and 4 corvettes, (''Convolvulus'', ''Gardenia'', ''Pentstemon'' and ''Vetch''), 36 EG destroyed one U-boat, ''U-252'', with no ships lost.In June 1942 HG 84, escorted by ''Stork'' with 3 corvettes (''Convolvulus'', ''Gardenia'' and ''Marigold'') was attacked by the U-boat group ''Endrass''. The groups aggressive defence caused damage to 5 U-boats, but no kills, while 5 ships were sunk. The destroyer ''Wild Swan'', sent as reinforcement, was also sunk in an air attack.In June Walker left the group to take command of Liverpool base and 36 EG was disbanded, its vessels being transferred to other groups.During its 13-month history 36 EG had escorted 16 convoys. It saw the loss of 9 ships and 2 warships, for the destruction of 4 U-boats and another 5 damaged. Over 400 ships conveyed by 36 EG arrived safely.
Lists ===Ships lost===No members of 36 EG were lost===U-boats destroyed===*  sunk by ''Pentstemon'', ''Stork'', aircraft and 3 other warships on 17 December 1941*  rammed by ''Stork'' on 19 December 1941*  depth-charged by ''Deptford'' on 21 December 1941*  depth-charged by ''Vetch'' and ''Stork ''on 14 April 1942
Table: convoys escorted  Outbound Homebound . HG 70 OS 6 SL 89 OS 11 . OG 76 HG 76 OG 80 HG 80 OG 82 HG 82 OG 84 HG 84 OG 86 HG 86 OG 88 HG 88
Notes
References * Clay Blair : ''Hitler's U-Boat War Vol I'' (1996). * * ** Stephen Roskill : ''The War at Sea 1939–1945   Vol I'' (1954). ISBN (none)* DEG Wemyss : ''Walker's Groups in the Western Approaches'' (1948). ISBN (none)
External links *  HMS Stork at naval history