Ships hit by U-boats


Cape Race

British Steam merchant



Photo courtesy of Paul Johnson Collection

NameCape Race
Type:Steam merchant
Tonnage3,807 tons
Completed1930 - Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow 
OwnerLyle Shipping Co Ltd, Glasgow 
HomeportGlasgow 
Date of attack10 Aug 1942Nationality:      British
 
FateSunk by U-660 (Götz Baur)
Position56° 45'N, 22° 50'W - Grid AL 2913
Complement63 (0 dead and 63 survivors).
ConvoySC-94
RouteBoston, MA - Sydney, CB (31 Jul) - Manchester 
Cargo1230 standards of timber (3979 tons) and 1040 tons of steel 
History Completed in February 1930 as Knight of St. John for Newport Liners Ltd (Pardoe-Thomas & Co), Newport. 1934 renamed Cape Race for Lyle Shipping Co Ltd, Glasgow. 
Notes on event

At 12.20 hours on 10 Aug 1942, U-660 fired a single torpedo, followed one minute later by a spread of two and then another single torpedo at convoy SC-94 south of Iceland from the starboard side. They heard a detonation after 47 seconds, two more after 1 minute 30 seconds and a fourth after another 50 seconds. At 12.21 hours, U-438 (Franzius) attacked convoy from the port side and observed a detonation after 2 minutes 30 seconds.
The Condylis was struck by a torpedo on both the port and the starboard side, so she must have been hit by both U-boats. The Oregon, Empire Reindeer and Cape Race were all hit on the starboard side and so must have been hit by U-660. The Oregon was only damaged and fell behind convoy where she was finished off by U-438 later that day.

The master, 45 crew members, five gunners from the Cape Race (Master James Barnetson) and 12 crew members from the Port Nicholson on repatriation (she had been sunk by U-87 (Berger) on 16 June) were all rescued: 24 survivors by the HMS Nasturtium (K 107) (Lt C.D. Smith, DSC, RNR) and 39 by the HMS Dianthus (K 95) (LtCdr C.E. Bridgman, RNR) and landed at Liverpool on 14 August.

 
On boardWe have details of 4 people who were on board


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