Clan Skene
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of the Allen Collection
| Name | Clan Skene | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 5,214 tons | ||
| Completed | 1919 - C. Connell & Co Ltd, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | The Clan Line Steamers Ltd (Cayzer, Irvine & Co Ltd), London | ||
| Homeport | Glasgow | ||
| Date of attack | 10 May 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-333 (Peter-Erich Cremer) | ||
| Position | 31° 43'N, 70° 43'W - Grid DC 6111 | ||
| Complement | 82 (9 dead and 73 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Beira, Portuguese East Africa - Capetown (15 Apr) - New York | ||
| Cargo | 2006 tons of chrome ore | ||
| History | Laid down as War Adder for The Shipping Controller, completed in January 1919 as Clan Skene for The Clan Line Steamers Ltd, London. 1920 renamed Halocrates for British & South America SN Co Ltd (R.P. Houston & Co), Liverpool. 1923 returned to previous owner and renamed Clan Skene. | ||
| Notes on event | At 09.05 hours on 10 May 1942 the unescorted Clan Skene (Master Edward Gough) was hit by two torpedoes from U-333 and sank about 300 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras. The U-boat had been badly damaged by depth charges of an escort ship three days before and was limping back to France. Cremer wrote in the KTB, that the sinking of this ship was like .. a balm after these terrible depth charges. Nine crew members from the Clan Skene were lost. The master and 72 survivors were picked up by USS McKean (APD 5) and landed at San Juan, Puerto Rico. | ||
| On board | We have details of 10 people who were on board. | ||
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