Ships hit by U-boats


Empire Rainbow

British Motor merchant


We don't have a picture of this vessel at this time.


NameEmpire Rainbow
Type:Motor merchant
Tonnage6,942 tons
Completed1941 - Greenock Dockyard Co Ltd, Greenock 
OwnerSir R. Ropner & Co Ltd, West Hartlepool 
HomeportGreenock 
Date of attack26 Jul 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-704 (Horst Wilhelm Kessler)
Position47° 08'N, 42° 57'W - Grid BC 6415
Complement47 (0 dead and 47 survivors).
ConvoyON-113
RouteAvonmouth - Belfast Lough (18 Jul) - Halifax 
CargoBallast 
History Completed in May 1941 for Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as catapult armed merchant (CAM), which launched the first aircraft from this ship type in May 1941. The catapult was removed later. 
Notes on event

At 07.57 hours on 26 July 1942, U-607 (Mengersen) attacked convoy ON-113 about 300 miles east of Cape Race and observed two hits on a freighter and heard one detonation further away.
At 08.11 hours the same day, U-704 attacked the same convoy and saw one detonation. It seems that both U-boats had hit Empire Rainbow (Master John Kenney). The master, 38 crew members and eight gunners were picked up by HMS Burnham (H 82) (Cdr T. Taylor, RN) and HMCS Dauphin (K 157) (Lt R.A.S. MacNeil, RCNR) and landed at St. Johns, Newfoundland.

 
On boardWe have details of 3 people who were on board

Attack entries for Empire Rainbow

DateU-boatCommanderLoss typeTonsNat.
26 Jul 1942U-607Kptlt. Ernst MengersenDamaged6,942  
26 Jul 1942U-704Kptlt. Horst Wilhelm KesslerSunk6,942  


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