At 00.13 hours on 3 Dec 1939 the unescorted and neutral Rudolf (Master Bertil Persson) was hit in the stern by one G7e torpedo from U-56 while steaming at 8 knots about 40 miles east of May Island. The ship had been spotted about 45 minutes earlier and was attacked because no nationality markings were visible. The explosion blew away the whole after part, destroying the crew quarters and killing nine crew members. The survivors abandoned ship in two lifeboats and remained nearby until she sank about one hour after the hit. Six survivors in one boat were picked up the same day by the British trawler Cardew and landed at Dundee. The eight men in the other boat were rescued on 4 December by the Swedish steam merchant Gunlög and landed at Newcastle. On 6 December, one of the abandoned lifeboats was located three miles north of Longstone and towed into Holy Island Harbour.