Shaftesbury
British Steam merchant
Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection
| Name | Shaftesbury | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant | ||
| Tonnage | 4,284 tons | ||
| Completed | 1923 - Barclay, Curle & Co, Whiteinch, Glasgow | ||
| Owner | Capper, Alexander & Co Ltd, London | ||
| Homeport | Glasgow | ||
| Date of attack | 12 Jul 1942 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-116 (Werner von Schmidt) | ||
| Position | 31° 42'N, 25° 30'W - Grid DG 6257 | ||
| Complement | 45 (0 dead and 45 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | OS-33 (dispersed) | ||
| Route | Newport, Mon. (29 Jun) - Belfast Lough (2 Jul) - Buenos Aires | ||
| Cargo | 5700 tons of coal | ||
| History | Completed in November 1923 as Hopeland for Stamp, Mann & Co, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. 1928 renamed Crown of Galicia for Prentice, Service & Henderson, Glasgow. 1935 renamed Shaftesbury for Capper, Alexander & Co Ltd, London. | ||
| Notes on event | At 09.45 hours on 12 July 1942 the unescorted Shaftesbury (Master Uriel Eynon), dispersed from convoy OS-33 on 11 July, was hit in the stern by two torpedoes from U-116 and sank after 15 minutes about 430 miles 115° from Las Palmas, Canary Islands. The master was taken prisoner by the U-boat, landed at Lorient on 23 August and was then taken to the POW camp Marlag and Milag Nord. The second officer and 22 survivors were picked up on 23 July by Tuscan Star in 28°15N/22°15W, transferred to the HMS Folkestone (L 22) (Cdr J.G.C. Gibson, OBE, RN) and landed at Freetown. The chief officer and 20 survivors made landfall at Villa Cisneros, Spanish Sahara and were later brought to Las Palmas. | ||
| On board | We have details of 4 people who were on board. | ||
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